Chapter 26 Frustration

• Lucas still curled up in his bed after the blaring of his alarm clock. A few minutes after later he heard the zinging of his phone which made a frustrated groan to fly past his lips.
• Tossing around the bed irate, Lucas raked for his buzzing phone which he found on his nightstand. Peering at the screen he saw it’s a conference call.
• Actually, the three friends, Adriano, Ethan and Lucas takes conference call some times where they make small talks but the crux of the matter now is that Lucas just don’t have the strength to partake in the call.
• Regardless, he picked up and their three began broaching.
• “Happy Sunday buds!” Adriano's voice sounded making Ethan and Lucas burst into laughter.
• Among the three of them, Adriano seems to be the most frisky and garrulous but once it comes of business matters, he takes it more than serious.
• “What’s up guys?” Ethan asked, his eyes blinking on the screen.
• “Never better. Danika isn’t here, have never been so effing happy.” Lucas chimed in.
• Hearing that Ethan and Adriano brushed into laughter. They know exactly how much Lucas despise Danika’s attitude.
• “Man…haha…other guys out there always want to see their woman but you my guy is way different. Ethan is fucking a good example. He loves Estrella and always want her with him.” Adriano babbled, suppressing his laughter.
• “Y’all know she’s not my woman. I mean, I can’t bring myself to love Danika. Everything about her is annoying…I’m so tired of her honestly. She manipulates me and all sorts of crazy things all because I rely on her family to boost Evangelista’s resources.” Lucas explained bitterly, making Ethan and Adriano to feel his pain and confusion.
• “Ahem!” Adriano cleared his throat to brush off the silence that ensued.
• “Well, I get your frustration, dude. I’ve not being there but I can truly feel it seeping from your words. You just have to relax and accept things the way they are. At the moment you can’t do anything about it since they’re your hope.” Said Adriano, wittingly.
• “Wait man, I thought you wanted to sign a contract with the Monson group? How is it so far?” Ethan chimed in, looking dead curious to hear what Lucas have to say.
• However, Lucas rolled his hand on his face and scruffy hair, releasing a laden sigh.
• “Nothing yet from them. Mr. Monson’s death halted all the processes, I’m just waiting for the current leader to take over.” He replied, bashing his eyes around.
• “I heard it’s his wife that’ll take over. The widow to be exact. You sure she’s going to look into it?” Asked Adriano looking thoughtful.
• Lucas shrugged indifferently, “my assistant once told me she’s looking into it according to what the company’s secretary divulged to him. But wait, who is the widow guys? Have you people ever seen her?”
• Both Adriano and Ethan shook their heads ‘no,’ shrugging.
• “I’m assuming she’s another queen Elizabeth.” Adriano said.
• “Or princess Dianna.” Ethan butt in and the trio burst into laughter.
• “No one have actually seen her. I wonder what she looks like…old or young…” Lucas spewed but before he could finish his ramble of words Adriano cut him off.
• “Hey hey man, she’s someone’s wife. Don’t even think of going there…warning.” He sputtered, smiling derisively.
• “The heck! I was just merely wondering what she looks like dude…” Lucas defended himself.
• “Point of correction guys! She’s no longer someone’s wife!” Ethan said. You could hear the clomping of his footsteps as he clambered down his stairs while answering the call.
• “Bare chested!!” Adriano butt in. “well your abs aren’t better than mine.” He added.
• “Whatever.” Ethan gushed, rolling his eyes. “So like I was saying. Lucas can easily get the widow in his clutches you know…” Ethan continued.
• “Better tell me this is a joke. I never said I’m fucking interested in her. So you fucking watch your mouth Ethan before I cut it off.” Lucas threatened, burning his eyes on the screen.
• Meanwhile, Adriano peered as his watch and caught a glimpse of the time, then he rasped out.
• “Seven O’clock guys!!”
• Lucas and Ethan paused, looking at Adriano.
• “What? Ain’t we going to play golf today?” He asked.
• “Yeah…right.” Lucas and Ethan agreed.
• They usually go to their favorite golf course to play on Sundays. A routine they started three years ago. Even if one of them traveled, the rest must play. However, among the trio Lucas loves golf the most and he beats the rest in the game.
• “Everybody get ready. See you at the course.” Said Adriano.
• “I’m coming to your place, Ethan.” Lucas announced.
• “Why?” Asked Ethan.
• “What else? So we could go together.”
• After that they ended the call, ucas crept to his washroom to freshen up for the game.
• When done brushing and bathing, he crept out of the washroom to his walk-in closet where he picked the clothes to wear.
• Lucas donned on white shorts and black polo-shirt. He put on his Rolex wristwatch and a black sunglasses before exiting the room.
• On his way down, he ordered Uber not wanting to drive to Ethan’s with his car since they’ll go to the golf course together.
• As he lay in wait for the Uber driver to arrive, he decided to munch on the dough his servant served.
• As time crawl by, the Uber driver arrived and he exited the house and clenched into the car.
• Shortly after, they arrived at Ethan's house. A two story mansion with vaulted ceilings. The security guard opened the gate for him and he traipsed to the threshold where he clicked on the bell.
• Estrella fluttered the door open and upon seeing Lucas a fleeting smile fly past her lips.
• “Hello Lucas, welcome. Come in.” She shooed him inside with the warmest smile on her face.
• “You’re going to the golf course?” she asked. Although, she already knows that’s their usual routine on Sundays.
• Lucas shook his head ‘yes' while casting his eyes on the flat screen TV.
• “What’s Ethan doing?” Lucas’s baritone voice seeped in Estrella’s ears. She peeled her eyes off the TV and glanced at Lucas.
• “I’m assuming he's taking a shower. Just exercise some patients.” She said calmly. “Would like something to drink?”
• “Not at all. I’m cool.” Lucas replied and beamed.
• A short period of silence swept in until Lucas’s mind came to life with the nagging question he needed an answer to.
• “Who is Sia?” He blurted.
• Hearing that, Estrella snapped her head to him, blinking rapidly.
• “What!?” She asked, pretending not hear what Lucas just asked.
• “I said who is Sia? You’re her tight friend . So who is she?”
• He cocked his head aside, eyes bashing into Estrella’s, making her wobble in fear.
• She knows better than to clue Lucas in on who Sia is. She doesn’t know their relationship and Sia wants her identity hidden so she can’t expose her to Lucas.
• She didn’t even mention it to Ethan no matter how long he pressured her to speak.
• “I don’t know, Lucas.” Estrella’s words came out a stutter and she snapped her head back at the TV not wanting to see Lucas’s eyes.
• Lucas didn’t relent because he really wants to talk with Sia and there’s no way it can work except going through her friend.
• “You know who she is, Estrella. Come on tell me, who is she? I desperately want to know Estrella. Say something.” He pleaded.
• “I…I swear I have no idea.” Estrella’s words faltered. She can’t believe she’s swearing.
• “You’re lying Estrella and I can feel it. You know her. You both attended the same university so you know her. You once mentioned she’s your roommate in school so you know Sia well.” Lucas’s voice came out frustrated and desperate.
• He pinned his gaze on Estrella but the latter shied away, gulping down her glass of juice precipitately.
• “I told you I don’t know. Please Lucas stop questioning me, okay?”
• Feeling the growing discomfort in the pit of her stomach, Estrella suddenly stood up from the sofa and attempted to clamber the stairs but Lucas yanked her back. He held her wrist tightly that Estrella felt excruciating pain ripple through her.
• “Lucas let go!! You’re hurting me.” She cried out. In the process of struggling to disengage her wrist from Lucas’s hand, the glass of juice she held fell on the floor and the shards of glass spread across the room.
• However, Lucas didn’t budge. He tightened her wrist further.
• “Just tell me what I need to know Estrella. Who is Sia.”
• Estrella couldn’t spew anything because of the pains she felt. She scrunched up her face, trying to free herself.
• “I…I don’t know, please.” She said through gritted teeth.
• “What’s going on!?” Ethan’s voice suddenly boomed.
• At that moment, Lucas released Estrella’s hand.
• “Oh, babe!!” She rushed to Ethan and launched herself in his arms, jittering.
• “She knows.” Lucas spat, shoveling his hand through his hair, exasperated .