CHAPTER 19

*First Person's Perspective*

~Enise~

We continued our walk in silence for a while, the night air cool against my skin. The sound of our footsteps echoed in the quiet streets, and I could feel the distance between us growing smaller. But there was something about Lucas tonight, something different. His usual stoic demeanor was gone, replaced by a quiet vulnerability that made me uneasy.

“She was the sweetest person I ever knew,” Lucas said suddenly again, his voice low and steady.

I glanced at him, but he didn’t meet my eyes. His gaze was somewhere in the distance, lost in a memory I couldn’t reach. “You mother?” I asked softly

“Enise,” he said, and my heart skipped a beat. “My ex-wife. She was kind-hearted, loving... shy, but still sweet.”

I froze, and to say I was shocked is an understatement. Did he really just say that because he meant it? Or was he just trying to pull my legs. Maybe he had discovered the truth and was just messing with me

'Relax, Enise. That's not possible. You convinced him already CD my sub conscious mind assured and I calmed down a bit

I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t speak. I could only listen, as he continued, his voice tinged with regret.

“I was stupid to have fallen for the trick,” he muttered under his breath. “I let her manipulate me. She told me Enise was cursed. That she’d bring nothing but chaos into our lives.”

His words hit me harder than I expected. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, my thoughts swirling as I tried to process everything. Who told him that I was a curse? Why would he believe such a thing? Why wouldn't he own up to his mistake? Why does he keep pushing the blame to someone else?

So many questions, yet I couldn't find the answers

His voice faltered slightly, and he looked at me, his eyes darker now, filled with remorse. “I believed her. I believed the lies... and I wronged Enise. I wish I could take it all back.”

The tears that had been threatening to fall for so long finally welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them away, forcing myself to stay composed. I wouldn’t let him see how much his words were affecting me. I couldn’t.

I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to tell him how wrong he was, how cruel he had been to the woman I used to be. How he had ripped everything away from her and never looked back. But I stayed silent, my mind racing.

He continued, unaware of the storm brewing inside me. “Laura, she wasn’t a bad mother to our daughter... but there was no chemistry between us. One day, she just up and left. No one knew where she went or why.”

I felt a knot form in my stomach. I had heard rumors about Laura, about her sudden disappearance, but hearing Lucas speak about it made everything feel too real. Too raw.

“I didn’t understand it at the time,” he admitted, his voice low. “It was after she left that I realized what I had done. I realized that I had made the biggest mistake of my life.”

I swallowed hard, the urge to lash out at him almost overwhelming. He had caused so much pain, and now he was sitting here, confessing his regrets as though that would somehow make everything okay. It wouldn’t.

But I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. Instead, I just listened, forcing myself to remain calm.

“I wish I could see Enise again,” Lucas said, his voice full of longing. “I wish I could make things right. I really loved her.”

The words stung, but I kept my face neutral, my emotions locked away behind a mask of indifference. I wouldn’t let him see how much it hurt. I wouldn’t let him see that I was that Enise.

“It’s alright,” I said softly, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “You’re not to blame for what happened.”

Lucas looked at me, his eyes searching my face, trying to read me. And in that moment, I realized that he believed me. He believed what I said. He wanted to believe that he wasn’t the villain in this story.

Deep down, I couldn’t help but feel a small sense of satisfaction. He had opened up to me. For the first time, he had let his guard down, and I was beginning to see the cracks in his carefully constructed wall. It was a good sign. He was slowly starting to trust me, to believe that I was someone who understood him.

But I couldn’t forget what he had done. I couldn’t let myself be swayed by his words. He had betrayed me. He had destroyed everything, and no amount of regret could change that. I was in this for one reason, and one reason only: revenge.

We continued our walk, the silence between us filled with unspoken thoughts and emotions. When we finally reached the house, I felt a strange sense of relief. The night had been heavy, and I was ready for it to end.

We stood in front of the door, neither of us speaking at first. But then, Lucas turned to me, his face softening slightly.

“I... I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this,” he said quietly. “But I’m glad I did. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my chest.”

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. “It’s okay,” I said. “I’m glad you felt comfortable enough to talk.”

He hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer to me, his hand brushing against mine. “Good night,” he murmured, his voice low and intimate.

I froze, my heart racing as he leaned in, as if to kiss me. But I pulled back, my eyes wide with surprise.

“No,” I said, my voice firm but soft. “It’s not right.”

Lucas stopped, his expression shifting to one of embarrassment. “I... I’m sorry,” he stammered. “I don’t know what came over me.”

I couldn’t help but smile, despite the tension. “It’s okay,” I said, trying to ease the awkwardness. “It’s just... not the right time.”

He nodded, a sheepish grin crossing his face. “I get it. I feel embarrassed now.”

We both laughed a little, the tension breaking. It was a small, fleeting moment, but it felt... genuine. For a second, it almost felt like things were normal again.

“Good night, Denise,” Lucas said, his voice softer now, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary.

“Good night, Lucas,” I replied, my heart pounding in my chest.

We went our separate ways, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between us.

In my bedroom, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Lucas’ words echoed in my mind, swirling around me like a storm. His regret, his longing to make things right—it all felt so... false. I couldn’t let myself believe it. I couldn’t let myself care.

But deep down, I knew that something was happening. He was slipping. Slowly, but surely, he was letting his guard down. And I would be there, waiting. Waiting for the moment when I could make him pay for everything he had done.

Eventually, I drifted off to sleep, my thoughts still tangled in the web of lies and deceit. But I didn’t even realize when I finally fell asleep. The darkness of the night consumed me, and for the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to rest.