"I have to face and resolve everything, right?"

Rey's voice filled the study he had been living in for the past few tens of minutes. Leaning back on the sofa with his legs crossed, the man seemed to be thinking and occasionally asked Jovi who was also in the same place.


Jovi had just arrived this afternoon, and was immediately tasked with meeting Rey at the Lueic residence tonight.

There was no need to ask further about what Rey meant, Jovi must have guessed that the topic Rey was referring to was about Beatrice.

"She called, but I was unable to pick up," Rey said again, shaking the cold beer can he was holding in his right hand. "Correct, not unable, but unwilling. I'm sick of her."


Jovi sighed softly, his fingers linked on his lap. His mistake was arguably a fatal one, but things had come to this now. He was only a few hours late, and look at the mess they ended up in.

"I think you need to straighten things out, sir," Jovi spoke up. "Didn't you choose not to give it a chance?"


Rey nodded faintly, turning his head briefly to Jovi who seemed to be looking at him with a serious look on his face. Picking up his cell phone that was lying on the table, Rey thrust it at Jovi, and it was immediately accepted by the handsome secretary.

"Read it."

Jovi pointed a pair of beads at the screen. Finding the chat room displayed without a reply, he read slowly.

Beatrice: I'm home, darling. I hear you're going through a difficult time. I have a lot to say, can we meet tomorrow? (Today, 6.32 pm).

Rey just reads it, not replying at all.

Beatrice: I know you miss me, Rey. You must need some time, it's okay. I'll understand and let you think. But aren't you looking forward to my return? (Today, 6.40 pm).

Still no answer.

Beatrice: I'll be at your house tomorrow, Rey. I have something to tell you about Luana that might surprise you. I'll explain everything, so tell me what time you get off work, Rey. I'm looking forward to seeing you (Today, 7.17 pm).

Beatrice: I'll get back to you no matter what, Darling. I'll do whatever it takes. You know I can, right? I miss you so much (Today, 7.30 pm).

And that last message makes Jovi shudder a little, suddenly already imagining what Beatrice might do if she finds out one day that she is no longer wanted.

What if she knew Rey preferred a lowly servant like Luana to be by his side, rather than Beatrice who was a noblewoman.

But then again, the workings of the world were not that simple.

"Do you think she'll come?" Rey asked quietly. "Should I see her or not, Jovian?"

Jovi held the phone out to Rey again, now taking a moment to make sure he was giving his employer the best advice.

"You've made up your mind, haven't you, sir?" Jovi asked back.

Rey looked dreamy, followed by a small quirk at the corner of his lips. "Looks like I'll have to meet and draw the right line with her, Jovi."

Jovi nodded in agreement. He also thought talking to Beatrice might be the best thing, if indeed his mistress had chosen to keep Luana. With all the consequences, of course.

"But I don't want Beatrice to meet Luana," Rey said later. Moving forward, the man seemed to roll his eyes. "Luana can't be here when Beatrice comes. I don't want her to find out where Luana is, I don't want her to make a scene by revealing who Luana really is to the entire mansion."

Jovi of course already knew about it, and like Rey he was also ordered to keep his mouth shut.

"You want me to take her out of the mansion?" guessed Jovi. "Hide her for a few days until this situation gets better?"

Rey hadn't thought of doing that, but it seemed like a reasonable proposal. He knew how Beatrice behaved, and Rey really didn't want Luana to suffer any embarrassment if the two women met face to face later. Rey didn't want to hurt Luana's heart, he didn't want Luana to hear the hurtful words that (might) come out of Beatrice's lips.

It was best if they did not meet, for the good of both.

"Put Luana away for a few days, Jovi," Rey ordered now. "Make sure she's safe, comfortable, and unburdened by all this. You take care of everything, I'll talk to her later. To avoid anything that might happen, I just want her to feel safe."

Jovi nodded his head, understanding what he had to do. It was not a difficult matter to hide Luana, and he was sure Beatrice would not even be able to sniff her scent later.

***

"Luana."

Rey approached Luana just as she was about to pull back the covers, which made Luana look up again to find Rey at the other end of the partition door.

"Hmm?"

"I have something to talk to you about," Rey said. Approaching, the man didn't wait for Luana's approval to sit on the edge of his wife's bed. "Are you going to bed?"

Luana shook her head faintly, scooping up her hair that she had just untied. Re-tying the beautiful hair, she looked up at the nobleman.

"Not yet, still not too sleepy," she said honestly. "What's wrong?"

Rey squeezed her fingers before speaking softly, letting out what she wanted to say.

"Beatrice is coming tomorrow," the man said without hiding anything. "I should probably see her, and here is the best place instead of meeting her outside."

Luana winked, accepting the information Rey told her.

"I need to see her, Luana." Rey looked down for a few seconds, as if begging for permission. "To explain everything, to make sure she won't show up and disrupt our lives in the future."

Hearing the word 'we' in the air really warmed Luana's heart, which made her smile subconsciously.

"I don't want you to meet her, so you should go with Jovi tomorrow to spend the night somewhere else," Rey said then. "Just for a few days, until I finish my business with Beatrice and the Collins family. You understand what I mean, right?"

Luana took a few seconds before nodding her head. Thankfully Rey had asked her not to face Beatrice, because she certainly didn't have the courage to do so. She was too weak, while Beatrice was someone with superpowers.

"If you want me to, then I will."

Unexpectedly, Luana agreed to his request easily. The woman didn't ask anything, she just nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Luana," Rey spread a happy smile. "Enjoy your hotel tomorrow, pretend you're on vacation and don't think about anything. Can you?"

"Alright, I'll do it."

Rey nodded once more, breathing a sigh of relief a few seconds later. It seemed that everything would go smoothly, and he really didn't need to worry too much.

"I'll let you sleep," Rey offered this time. Inching his way up to Luana's bed, he extended an arm to serve as a support for his wife. "Lie down."

Luana again did not refuse, instead she happily lay down right on Rey's sturdy arm. Having smiled when their eyes met, Luana closed her eyes when Rey gave her a peck on the forehead.

A goodnight peck, before tomorrow they have to be separated for some time.