Dear Lando - Book Two

𝟹𝟿 ♡ Moral of the Story

Moral of the Story By Ashe, Niall Horan

Lana pushed open the hotel room door, balancing a bag of fresh pastries and two cups of coffee. She let out a small sigh of relief as the comforting aroma of buttery croissants and rich espresso filled the air. Lando was already up, leaning against the counter with damp hair from his shower, scrolling through his phone. His head lifted as she entered, and a soft smile flickered across his face.

"Breakfast?" he asked, his voice warm but casual.

"Yeah," Lana replied, setting the food on the counter. She hesitated for a moment, watching as he set his phone down. He looked so at ease, like the weight of the world wasn't crushing them both. The sight only fueled the frustration that had been brewing inside her.

Lando unwrapped a croissant, taking a bite as he leaned against the counter. "Thanks, Red," he said, his words muffled by the pastry.

That was it. The casualness, the normalcy of it all, tipped her over the edge.

"Lando," she started, her tone sharp enough to cut through the silence. "We need to talk."

He froze mid-bite, his brows furrowing as he straightened up. "Okay..." he said cautiously, setting the croissant down.

"I've been patient," Lana began, her voice trembling slightly, not from fear but from the pent-up frustration that had been building for days.

Lana's chest heaved as the weight of the argument filled the room. "Who is Molly, Lando?" she demanded, her voice trembling as she pointedly crossed her arms.

Lando sighed heavily, running a hand through his tousled curls as if trying to compose himself. "She's... my ex," he finally admitted, his tone resigned. "But, Red, I want nothing to do with her. Absolutely nothing."

"Nothing to do with her?" Lana repeated, her voice rising incredulously. "Then why is she texting you, showing up at the airport, and acting like she still belongs in your life? And her stupid hat, Lando. Her hat was in your condo!"

Meanwhile, in Monaco, Nathalie and Theo sat on Nat's couch, sharing snacks and scrolling on their phones, when Nat's screen lit up with a call. She grabbed her phone, frowning at the familiar name. "Lana's calling," she said, confused, as she hit the speaker button. "Hey, Lan—"

What greeted them wasn't Lana's cheerful voice, but the sound of a heated argument.

"She butt-dialed me," Nat whispered to Theo, her eyes wide. Theo leaned closer, and they listened, their snacks forgotten.

Back in Las Vegas, Lando looked visibly frustrated. "She won't leave me alone, okay? She's been texting and trying to find excuses to see me. I've told her a hundred times it's over." He paused, his voice dipping lower. "The hat... she left it when she... spent the night."

Lana's eyes widened, and she stiffened as the words hit her like a slap. "She spent the night? When, exactly?" Her tone was sharp, every syllable laced with disbelief.

Lando winced, realizing too late the gravity of his slip-up. "A few weeks ago..." he muttered.

"A few weeks ago?" Lana repeated, her voice shaking with anger. "You mean while we were spending time together? While we were playing this ridiculous game of fake dating?"

Lando nodded reluctantly before Lana shook her head in an "I knew it," way. But Lando's frustration boiled over, and he snapped back. "Oh, like you know everything? If you're so good at figuring things out, how come you didn't know Theo likes you?"

In Monaco, Nat and Theo froze. Nat clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from gasping, while Theo's face turned beet red. They stared at each other, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.

Lana let out a bitter scoff. "Theo doesn't like me, Lando. Don't make this about him."

Lando shook his head, his jaw tightening. "You're so blind, Red. You don't even see it. You think you know everything, but you don't."

Lana's composure cracked. "Lando, stop!" she pleaded, her voice breaking. "You don't even know my freaking name. All this time, it's been 'Red.' Do you even know who I really am?"

Lando opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Lana let slip the bombshell. "Theo doesn't like me, Lando. Because he's in love with Nat."

In Monaco, Theo's eyes went impossibly wide as he turned to Nat. Nat's gaze flickered between him and the phone before she asked softly, "Is that true?"

Theo's cheeks burned as he fumbled for words. "Uh... I mean... yeah?"

Before he could say more, Nat tossed her phone aside and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Well, guess what, genius? I like you too!" she exclaimed, a huge grin spreading across her face.

Meanwhile, Lana stared at Lando, her chest heaving with a mixture of anger and exhaustion. "I hate walking out on you, Lando," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "But right now? You're being absolutely unreasonable, and I can't deal with this."

Without waiting for his response, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Lando stood frozen in place, his mind racing as the weight of their argument—and his mistakes—settled heavily on his shoulders.