HERS TO PROTECT

Chapter 30

Broken Hearts

The storm raged outside, heavy rain pelting the villa's roof with unrelenting force. Thunder clapped through the night, and flashes of lightning momentarily illuminated the dark surroundings. Despite the early hour, the storm's ferocity made it feel much later.

Inside, Lucas lay in bed, his mind racing with thoughts of his conversation with Jake. The revelations had shaken him to the core, leaving him restless and unable to sleep.

With a sigh, Lucas rose and slipped on a jacket. He needed to clear his mind. Silently, he opened his door and stepped into the gloomy corridor. The flickering lights of flashlights outside the villa caught his attention. Two soldiers on duty were making their rounds, barely visible through the sheets of rain.

As he moved down the hall, the storm's noise nearly drowned out his footsteps. He paused outside Lia's room, conflicted emotions weighing heavily on his heart. Hearing no sound from within, he assumed she was asleep. Just as he turned to leave, the door opened.

"Lieutenant?" he whispered, barely audible over the storm.

Lia gasped at the sight of him. She looked away, her face inscrutable, and stepped into the hallway.

"Sir," she said, her voice shaky. "Why are you still awake?"

Lucas hesitated, unsure of how to respond. The tension between them was palpable, mirroring the storm outside.

"I can't sleep," he admitted, searching her eyes for a hint of the Lia he once knew. "And you? Why are you still awake?"

She hugged herself as if bracing against an emotional storm within. "I can't sleep either," she confessed, her voice barely audible above the pounding rain.

Silence fell between them, only broken by the relentless storm and their uneven breaths. Lucas took a step closer, steadying his gaze on her face.

"Lieutenant," he began, his voice gentle yet firm. But before he could finish, Lia interrupted him.

"Sir, it's not beneficial for you to stay up. You should sleep." Her voice cracked as tears welled in her eyes. "Would you like some warm milk to help you sleep?"

Lucas shook his head slightly, and she nodded in response. "Good night, sir." She quickly walked toward the kitchen, holding her water tumbler tightly.

Watching her disappear down the hallway, illuminated occasionally by flashes of lightning, Lucas felt restless. After following her into the kitchen, he saw her pour water into a glass. Her actions were deliberate yet mechanical, tinged with an undeniable sadness.

"Lia..." he started, but she wouldn't meet his gaze. Instead, she brushed past him, eyes downcast, and retreated to her room, closing the door firmly behind her.

Lucas lingered in the villa's stillness before returning to his room. Guilt and confusion gripped him as he clutched his chest. He couldn't shake the image of Lia's sorrowful eyes or the unspoken pain that seemed to haunt her.

In the darkness, sleep eluded him. His mind replayed every moment with Lia—every glance, every word exchanged between them. He couldn't find rest as the storm outside echoed his inner turmoil.

Why can't I get her out of my mind? Lucas wondered, staring at the ceiling. Why do I still feel this way? I rejected her, so why am I so affected?

Closing his eyes, he tried to block out the storm's noise, but his thoughts grew louder. Lia... What happened between us? Why does it hurt so much when I look at you?

Each attempt to remember hit a wall of frustration, leaving him with a painful ache in his chest. Damn! It hurts so much!

Was I really in love with her before all this happened? He sighed, feeling his confusion weigh heavily on him. I don't know who I am around her, yet I can't leave her.