The Life I Want To Live With You

Long & Lost Chapter 21

Lisa had been trying her best to push aside the unsettling thoughts that had plagued her all day. Instead, she focused on preparing a dinner for herself and Michael while he was on the phone, making calls to specific individuals who could assist them in their current predicament. When she noticed him entering the kitchen, she made an effort to put aside the troubling revelations for the moment.

As Michael walked in, Lisa turned her attention to him. "So, what did you find out?" she inquired, attempting to steer the conversation away from her concerns about Jennifer.

Michael approached her from behind, wrapping his arms around her and planting a tender kiss on her cheek. "When do you need to go to that meeting?" he asked, his tone filled with a hint of excitement.

Lisa took a moment to think. "I have to leave on Monday, and it's a trip to California to meet with the sponsors and the staff working under me."

A gentle smile graced Michael's lips. "How about flying there and staying for a few days? I've made all the necessary arrangements, including full security, so we won't have to worry about anything." He held her close.

Lisa contemplated the idea. "Do we really need that level of security?" she asked, not wanting to have security on her ass every second.

Michael chuckled warmly. "It's just a precaution for safety, and you won't even notice them. I promise." He then offered to help with preparing dinner.

Lisa agreed and handed him an onion to chop. Michael began cutting, but soon his eyes welled up with tears from the onion's pungency. He sniffled and laughed at himself, earning a smile from Lisa. She wiped away his tears while he continued cutting, and they shared a moment of laughter and affection.

After a satisfying dinner, they packed Lisa's belongings and then made their way to Michael's apartment to gather his things. Upon entering the apartment, Lisa noticed a piece of paper on the table. As she examined it, her eyes widened with concern. Michael approached, recognizing her troubled expression, and saw the note as well.

"I will destroy your life like you destroyed mine" the ominous message read.

They realized that the note they had found might be connected to their past troubles. Lisa's fear was palpable, and Michael promptly called the police to report the situation. When the officers arrived, they conducted a thorough investigation, asking questions to gather more information.

The officer inquired, "Who could have written this?" addressing both Michael and Lisa.

Michael, who was relatively certain about the possible culprit, replied, "Most likely my friend, Daniel, because we recently had an argument."

The officer made a note of his response. Then, Michael turned his attention to Lisa, who was deep in thought. She suddenly voiced her suspicions, suggesting, "Or it might not be Daniel but Luke."

This revelation surprised both the police officer and Michael. The officer probed further, "Can you explain? Who is Luke?"

Lisa began to explain her history with Luke O'Connell, who had been her boss at the company she now co-owned with Michael. She recounted how he had mistreated women in the workplace, including herself, and how Michael had intervened to ensure he was incarcerated. She pointed out that the recent events did not align with Daniel's involvement, as he had been unaware of Michael's decision to terminate their business relationship. The harassment and the destruction of her home raised the possibility that Luke may be responsible.

The officer listened attentively, making note of the details. Michael added, "We don't have the pictures from the house; I handed them to my lawyer. The police also saw the pictures at our home."

The officer nodded, closing his notebook. "We will investigate further and keep you updated once we find more information," he assured them before taking his leave.

In a state of shock, Michael and Lisa prepared to depart. After packing their belongings, they locked the doors behind them. As they approached their car, Lisa was overcome by sudden stomach pain and began to feel nauseated. She doubled over in pain, causing Michael to panic. He quickly stowed their bags in the car and rushed to her side.

"Babe, are you okay? How's the baby?" he asked with concern, holding her gently.

Lisa, tears welling in her eyes due to the pain, couldn't respond, her breathing becoming more labored. Michael carefully placed her in the passenger seat, then hopped into the driver's seat and sped off to the hospital. Lisa clutched her stomach, trying to endure the intense discomfort as they made their way to the emergency room.

As soon as the doctors learned about Lisa's pregnancy, they swiftly took her to a special ward to address her medical needs. During this time, she began experiencing bleeding, which only heightened her anxiety. The nurses attending to her urged her to remain calm and take deep breaths, explaining that stress would not be beneficial.

Meanwhile, Michael sat in the hallway, waiting for new news about his wife's condition and the baby. When they eventually moved her to another room to further examine her and monitor the baby, he sensed that something was wrong. The news he received was devastating – Lisa had suffered a miscarriage. This information hit him like a tidal wave, and he required some time to compose himself before seeing her.

When he finally entered her room, he saw Lisa sleeping in the hospital bed. He sat down quietly in a chair next to her and gently held her hand. Her eyes fluttered open as she woke, and she noticed that he had been crying. She sat up slowly, experiencing a dull ache in her lower abdomen.

"Michael, what's going on? I can see from your face that something has happened," Lisa asked, concerned.

Michael struggled to find the right words, his voice wavering. "W-we, um... We've lost our c-child," he managed to say, tears welling up in his eyes as he looked at her with anguish.

Lisa stared at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of shock and grief, making her feel like she was in the midst of a terrible nightmare.

He took her hand, gripping it tightly, while she continued to look at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts. After a prolonged period of silence, Lisa turned to face him. Michael lowered himself to the floor and gently cradled her face in his hands.

"We're going to get through this together," he reassured her, their tear-filled eyes locked onto each other. Lisa shook her head, feeling overwhelmed, and he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead while gently stroking her hair.