09
Lázzaro thought he heard her talking to someone, he correctly heard a man's voice and he didn't like it one bit. He didn't bother to show it either.
"Who were you with?" he asked looking around seeing only people unknown to him.
— Ah, I came to drink water and there was a man here knocking on the water fountain but he already left. he explained calmly.
- Who was?
- I don't know. I've never seen him before and we haven't introduced ourselves either. —she was so sincere that it made him calm down.
Lia did not understand the questions very well, but she insisted on answering without hesitation.
“Let's go to court. he informed pulling her small hand.
"Didn't a deal work out?" she asked trying to keep up with his steps.
- No. She still wants my money and her son's test result came back positive. You will have a beautiful surprise now. He glanced sideways at the young woman and then they entered the large legal room.
Lia wasn't very interested in those difficult words they spoke, nor did she know what they meant. She just sat bolt upright next to Lazzaro who looked very irritated with his oddly sexy clenched jaw.
At a certain point, the discussion began to get serious, forcing the judge to threaten anyone who dared to disrespect the court.
"Fucking motherfucker!" The man growled low and she heard it.
She placed her hand over his.
- Everything will be fine. He tried to calm him down. He didn't know what else to say, so he gave him a look of comfort that was confused by Lazzaro.
- Do not look at me like that. I don't need you to feel sorry for me. He abruptly withdrew his hand.
"I don't—" She was cut off by his finger on her lips.
- Shut up. She shrank back in her chair and waited until the end without paying much attention.
She heard her name being mentioned but remained silent, when for the first time she looked back, she recognized the man from the water cooler, he was staring at her even before she turned around. It was Hayden, son of Joyce Gomez and presumed brother of her husband.
He smiled at her which he didn't return knowing who he was now.
Lázzaro and Lia felt a great relief when the judge, after a pause, gave the following sentence:
“What was written into a will as a clause by a man already deceased cannot be reversed. - slammed the hammer.
Lazzaro Bartholomeu won.
But he didn't show much, he just softened his facial expression as he stood up with his hand raised towards Lia. She took his and they left the room together.
"Wait for me here, I have to have a quick talk with my lawyer." - he said.
- All good. — When he turned around she held him gently — I'm glad you made it. Congratulations. - she said.
I was still hurt that he was rude but I needed to congratulate him on winning. He felt a lump in his throat but wanted to ignore it.
- Thanks. He barely looked at her and walked away.
She didn't understand the reason for his behavior, could it be that she had done something wrong?
- Hey! She jumped out of the chair she was sitting in.
- What a fright! He scolded Hayden, who looked regretful.
- I'm sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. he apologized.
- What you want? - she asked.
- Anything. I just wanted to introduce myself to you, I didn't realize you were my brother's wife. I imagine you must have a bad opinion of me by now.
"I guessed right." Why do you want to screw him so badly? Leave him and his money alone. she demanded.
— I saw that now the money is yours and no longer his. She narrowed her eyes, intrigued by the questions.
“Only in name. It's still all his, I don't want and have nothing.
“You didn't seem very close in there. Are they even married? Hayden asked.
“I don't have to answer that for you. She took a step away from him but he grabbed her arm.
“I'm only asking because I like you.
Incredibly, she felt shaken. Deep down she was a girl in need of affection and affection, no one ever made her feel special and when someone said she was beautiful or something like that, she felt that she could be loved and cherished.
"Would you like to go out with me sometime?" Hayden asked. “Look, I don't want Lazzaro's money, this was all my mum filling my head, but now it's over. At the weekend there will be a book festival in the town square, I'll be there at three o'clock waiting for you.
"I won't and I demand that you start pretending we don't know each other." She pulled back her arm and took a step back.
"Do you owe him allegiance?" Look who he's with now. He pointed to the right and saw Lázzaro talking very closely with a woman with brown hair down to her waist.
She looked beautiful and that was a big blow to the girl's low self-esteem. On the other hand, she thought about how foolish she was, Lázzaro didn't owe her anything either, the marriage was a sham, but that didn't stop Lia from feeling that tightness in her heart.
“He said he was going to talk to the lawyer…” Lia hissed softly and Hayden chuckled.
“Beautiful Marjorie is quite different from Miss Valencio.
- Who is she? Lia asked, sudden anger consuming her.
“As everyone knew, it was his girlfriend before he showed up with you out of nowhere. he replied, reaching his objective which was to make Lia accept his invitation to leave.
- What are you doing? — Lazzaro came back seeing the scene that filled him with a strange fury.
“I was just talking to her, man. Hayden pulled back a little, a teasing smile on her lips.
"Don't you dare go near her again, understand me?" Fucking bastard! He infuriated even more with the smile on the boy's face.
- Are you jealous? There's no reason for that brother, I just wanted her friendship.
The only thing that was heard next was the sound of Lazzaro's fist in Hayden's jaw, who fell to the floor disoriented.
- Don't call me brother and much less be her friend. he grunted and pulled the young woman by the arm to the car.
"Let go of my arm!" This way I'll end up with a big stain since everyone decided to pull me today! she snapped, getting into the car.
— Even if we are not a real couple at least in public you should show respect for me. He gripped the steering wheel hard as he drove back to the mansion.
- What?! I was just talking to Hayden. I wasn't about to kiss him in the corner of the wall the way you and Miss Valencio were! she returned with her heart racing in anger.
“You've got to be going crazy. I wasn't about to kiss anyone! And who told you her name? - He asked.
“Of course it was Hayden. she replied and rolled her eyes.
"Hayden, Hayden, Hayden!" Always this fucking guy. Hell! He hit the steering wheel hard, Lia shrank back in the seat, fearful of the man's temper.
As much as he wanted to argue, he didn't.
When they arrived she didn't see him anymore, she just had lunch and went back to her room where she continued alone until she read a two hundred page book in three hours. He fell asleep at seven at night without dinner, later he woke up, looked at the clock next to the bed and it was three in the morning, his belly rumbled so loudly that he felt ashamed if he had someone close by.
She got up quickly to empty her full bladder when she felt dizzy with hunger, thought about going downstairs for something to eat but felt shy. Didn't mean to be intrusive, but she was really hungry so she went.
The argument he'd had earlier with Lázzaro couldn't get out of his head and he wondered if he was also jealous of her and Hayden or if it was just anger at the man who wanted to take his money. So he went with the second option.
As difficult and strange as it was to understand, she knew very well that she liked Senhor Bartholomeu the first moment she saw him, he took her breath away and she had never felt in such a way. But he was also aware of how impossible it was since he would never want her having all the beautiful women like Valêncio at his disposal.
Lia was distracted and didn't notice when Nadia came out of her boss's room bumping into her.
“I'm sorry ma'am. - the blonde said containing a cynical smile moving away quickly.
What was she doing at three in the morning in his room? Lia wondered as she almost felt her blood pressure drop with the amount of anger she felt.
