Chapter 331

The air crackled with tension as Lucas stood in the doorway, his presence a stark reminder of the chaos that swirled around us. Mia shifted uneasily beside me, her eyes darting between Lucas and the dress in my hands.

"Lucas, I..." Mia began, her voice faltering as she struggled to find the right words. But before she could finish her thought, I cut in, my voice firm and determined.

"We won't be long," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument. "I've been wanting to speak with you, Lucas. Please, let’s talk in the hall."

Lucas hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering between Mia and me. But ultimately, he nodded, his expression guarded.

Mia shot me a pleading look, her eyes silently begging me to reconsider. But I ignored her silent protest and led Lucas into the hallway, shutting the door behind us with a resolute click.

Once we were alone, the tension between us became palpable, thick enough to suffocate. I could feel Lucas's eyes boring into me, his scrutiny unsettling and intense.

"So, she’s up. Is she really okay?" I asked. “No serious burns or bruises or anything?”

Lucas shook his head. “None they could find. Her muscles were aching a little, but probably because she wasn’t moving for so long in that house,” he said, his voice tight with apprehension.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation that was about to unfold. "Wella," I began, my words careful and deliberate. "What did she need to speak to me about? I was hoping she’d try to get some rest."

Lucas's expression darkened, his features contorting with frustration. "She wanted to help as much as she could, but the authorities were twisting her words," he admitted, his voice low and bitter. "They were trying to pin this whole mess on Timothy, but she as much as she tried to defend him, she couldn't remember much herself."

My heart sank at his words, dread pooling in the pit of my stomach. If Aria couldn't remember what happened, then how could we hope to clear Timothy’s name?

"Did they check to see if she contacted anyone before she wound up at that house?" I asked, desperation creeping into my voice.

But Lucas shook his head, his expression grim. "Aria only remembered meeting up with Mia for tea," he said, his tone heavy with resignation. "Beyond that, it was all a blur."

"We'll figure this out, Lucas," I said, my voice steady with resolve. "Somehow."

Lucas nodded, a glimmer of hope flickering in his eyes. "Thank you, Evie," he said, his voice choked with emotion. "I’m glad you can still have hope in all of this."

A pang of guilt washed over me at the thought of my friend lying alone in a hospital bed, struggling to recover from whatever ordeal she had endured. "I need to see her," I said firmly, determination shining in my eyes.

Before Lucas could respond, the door swung open, and Mia stepped out into the hallway, her expression slightly unpleased. My heart sank at the sight of her, knowing that her next move could only mean trouble.

"Mom, sorry to keep you waiting," I said quietly. “I’ll be back in in a minute.”

Mia's eyes narrowed slightly, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Evie, you and I both know how your sense of time works," she said sharply, her tone tinged with disapproval. "What are you doing out here, talking to this stranger?"

My heart raced as I struggled to come up with a plausible explanation for our conversation. I glanced at Lucas, hoping he would come to my rescue, but he remained silent, his expression unreadable.

"We were just... catching up," I said quickly, my voice tinged with nervousness. I knew that Mia wouldn't believe me, but I had to try to deflect her suspicions.

Mia's eyes flickered between me and Lucas, her gaze sharp and probing. "Well, I hope you weren't discussing anything... inappropriate," she said looking him up and down. “Quite the handsome fellow, though.”

I felt a surge of frustration welling up inside me at Mia's insinuation. I suppose my mother didn't trust me around men in general, but I couldn't understand why she was so determined to meddle in my relationships.

"Mom, we were just talking," I said firmly, my voice tinged with defiance. "There's nothing inappropriate about that. We’re friends…"

Mia's lips tightened into a thin line, her expression unreadable. "Yet you still haven’t introduced us," she said coolly. “I'd hate for another one of your friends to be a stranger to me."

I felt a knot form in my stomach at her request. I couldn't shake the feeling that introducing her to Lucas would only complicate things further.

"Um, sure, Mom," I said hesitantly, my mind racing as I tried to come up with an excuse to delay the inevitable. "But maybe later? Lucas is pretty busy.”

Mia's smile faltered slightly, her expression clouding with disappointment. "So busy that he came all the way here instead of just calling you? Or were you two eager to see eachother?"

There was an implication of something else in her tone, but I decided not to prod further. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the inevitable as I gestured to Lucas.

"Lucas," I said, “This is my mom, Mia," I said, gesturing towards her with a nervous smile. "Mom, this is Lucas."

Mia's eyes widened in surprise as she extended her hand towards Lucas. "It's nice to meet you, Lucas," she said warmly, her tone genuine. "Evie has told me nothing about you."

Lucas shook Mia's hand, a friendly smile playing at his lips. "Not much to tell," he said, his tone polite. "It's great to finally meet you, Mia."

She observed Lucas with narrowed eyes before turning her attention to me with a small grin.

"Friend…Evie, have you already found another lover?" she purred.

I felt my temper flare at her insinuation, a surge of annoyance coursing through me. "No, Mom," I snapped, my voice tinged with frustration. "Lucas is a friend, and he might have information about what happened."

Mia's expression sharpened slightly at my words. I could sense her disapproval, but this wasn’t the time to mourn over it.

Before Mia could protest further, I added, "I'm going to the hospital with Lucas to visit Aria," I announced, my voice firm and resolute.

Mia's eyes widened in surprise, her features contorting with dismay. "But Evie, we’re not finished," she protested, her voice tinged with concern. "And you’re still in your dress."

I hesitated for a moment, looking down at myself. I slid my hands over the soft material and sighed. “Could you help me out of this?” I asked her.

Her smile returned. “Only if you let me come with you two. I want to see how the girl is doing.”

"Fine," I relented, my voice heavy with resignation. "You can come with us."

Mia followed closely behind as Lucas led the way to his car, her footsteps echoing in the quiet morning. I could feel her presence looming behind me like a shadow, her eagerness palpable even in the darkness. Though I had begrudgingly allowed her to join us, I couldn't shake the feeling of resentment that simmered just beneath the surface.

As we reached Lucas's car, I paused, casting a wary glance at Mia over my shoulder. "You're sure you want to come with us?" I asked skeptically.

Mia nodded eagerly, a bright smile lighting up her face. "Of course, Evie," she chirped, her excitement bubbling over. "I want to make sure Aria is alright."

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