A Woman's Empire

LV

CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE

"You didn't go to my parents funeral." Audrielle muttered as she stabbed her pasta. Leo took a sip of his grape juice before placing the glass on the table.

"I did."

"Don't lie to me Leo, I know you weren't there." Audrielle snapped.

"I was there Audrielle! You just didn't recognise me. I was the only one that  applauded you after the speech you made about your parents." Leo sighed and he too, stabbed his pasta with his silver fork.

"You were that mysterious guy?"

"Yeah." Leo sighed, picking up the napkin and wiping his lips.

They went back to their awkward silence. Audrielle felt the urge to ask so many questions but decided not to, thinking it was better to ask them when they weren't in a public area just in case they started to argue about it. Leo finished his seafood pasta and he noticed Audrielle had pushed her plate away with her fork and knife placed neatly to the side of the dish. The waiter was quick to grab their plates and he offered them dessert, in which Leo asked for two tiramisus.

As they awkwardly waited for the dessert to be brought out, Leo finally spoke up. "How was your hangover from the other week?" He asked, referring to the day after her parents funeral.

"Terrib- wait, how do you know?" Audrielle questioned, leaning closer in curiosity.

"You don't remember?" Leo asked and Audrielle shook her head.

"We had an encounter when you were at the Harrington estate one night. I had to pick up a few, um files, and then you sort of kissed me." Audrielle groaned and massaged her forehead.

"Please tell me it was just a kiss." She pleaded and Leo nodded. It was at that moment when they finally stared into each other's eyes. Audrielle took in the subtle glow of green under the dull lighting and she felt her body flinch, like she felt a jolt of lightning struck her in the heart. She dropped her gaze back to the table and slowly breathed until she felt her heartbeat was at a calm rate.

"D-did you miss me?" Audrielle whispered so quietly that Leo almost didn't pick up on it. Almost.

"Everyday. I missed you and our son. Helping bathe him in the tub or telling you to rest. Everytime I would arrive home, I would look up in hope to see your face, but you were not there. I dreamt about Orlando's baby smile and his tiny fingers that would latch around mine. Audrielle, you were etched into my mind so much that when I would wake up, I would see you lying next to me sleeping and I would lean forward to plant a morning kiss, but then you would quickly fade away like a ghost into a wall. I questioned myself every single fucking day thst was I doing the right thing of keeping you and our son away from me? To keep you safe." He explained sincerely.

Hearing Leo say those words were like daggers to the heart. A tear escaped and she suddenly stood up from her chair, grabbing her purse and weaving out of the restaurant quickly. Leo cursed in Italian and in swift actions, he chucked several hundred dollar bills onto the table before chasing after Audrielle.

The night was cold and it bit Audrielle's bare skin, leaving goosebumps all along her arms. With her arms folded over her chest to try and keep warm, Audrielle walked down the city street. Her eyes were blurry with threatening tears and she hit her lip to stop herself from sobbing.

"Audrielle!" Leo shouted and Audrielle turned around to see him jogging down the street. Stumbling over her feet as she tried to keep an eye on Leo closing in on her, her back hit into somebody.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" Audrielle exclaimed, turning around to see if the woman she bumped into was okay. The stranger brushed it off and Audrielle finally looked up to see that it was a young woman who had to only be in her early twenties. But when she fixed her eyes onto their partner, she stepped back, like she had been harshly burnt.