CHAPTER 51: BEWARE

Never in my wildest dream have I ever thought Michael would mangled someone out of his depressed situation. As I looked now at Lewis, whose lips had a slight cut as his nose streaked blood from it, my anger against my former husband intensified. He didn’t only humiliate himself, but created an embarrassment to me towards Lewis.


I felt ashamed staring at him now, while Nicole panickedly aided him. Guilt was starting to cake inside of me at the thought. Lewis didn’t deserve that punch. He didn’t do anything to earn such an unforeseen attack. He doesn’t even have to be included in my affairs with Michael, but my asshole ex-husband encompassed him, which deeply sickened me.


“Are you alright, Lewis? I’m deeply sorry you had to go through this” I couldn’t contain the words that I know I must convey to him.


“I’ll be fine, Penelope, you don’t need to apologize for what he did to me.”


“Your ex-husband was definitely an asshole, Miss Hunt. He was such a total jerk!” Nicole exclaimed out of nowhere, which made me look at Michelle, who was staring straight at her and seizing her.


“Nicole! Maybe you were forgetting that my grandchild was with us! Might want to zip that slandering mouth of yours” Dad swiftly castigated her, which made Nicole swallow a lump in her throat and embarrassingly gazed at my daughter.


“I’m sorry, Sir. I didn’t mean to say those words. I apologize as well, Miss Hunt, pardon my uncustomary behavior.”


Neither did I reply nor acknowledge her apologies. I had other more important thoughts to think about and a daughter to ease than to spare a minute talking to her and mush away her frustrations. I am well aware why she suddenly burst out those words, she retaliated because her beloved Lewis got hurt.


I took a mental note to allot a time to talk to her one of these days with regards to her unacceptable attitude and behavior, which I had been noticing lately to be quite alarming. Removing my sight away from her, I hastily hugged Michelle close to me and kissed her hair.



“Are you fine, Baby? Were you hurt in some way while talking to your father?”


“No, Mommy. It only hurts a bit here” She pointed to the part in her chest where her heart lies underneath. This made my heart ache for her.


Michelle was too young and innocent to be dragged like this. She shouldn’t be experiencing such pain that children her age mustn’t undergo. I completely blamed myself, and so is Michael, for causing her to withstand such adverse emotions.


I buckled a breath before hugging her tighter. “I know it hurts, Baby. Mommy’s hurting too knowing that you are hurting. My heart was swelling with pain seeing you going through with it.”


“We should have our hearts checked by Uncle Lewis, Mommy, especially you. Your heart had been aching several times already. Uncle Lewis, will you check Mommy’s heart first before checking mine?” Her words made me glance at Lewis, who was staring deeply at me. I could feel the intensity of his stares, the way his eyes bore at me with a meaning I fully knew what.


“I will check her heart and yours as well once we arrive in New York City, Sweetheart.”


“Thank you so much, Uncle Lewis. Take care of her heart please. I don’t like Mommy getting hurt.”


“Pinky promise, Michelle, I will make your mommy’s heart well and take care of it.”


Lewis' final words created an uneasy feeling stirring inside of me. I could vividly hear the loud thumping of my heart as he continued to stare at me with meaningful eyes. There was sincerity in his voice and enormous concern laced with his words. My mind was starting to get confused by this unexplainable feeling I am experiencing now towards him. Those stares alone were enough to weaken my knees and gave me cold feet. Good thing I was seated or I might have tumbled down with the weight his eyes were conveying.


***


Simply listening to the conversation between Lewis and Miss Hunt’s daughter, it created a sick and bothersome feeling at the bottom of my heart. I hate to be rude, but I am smelling something fishy going on with the closeness of Lewis and Penelope.


Although I am still not one hundred percent certain of it, the way Lewis acts and behaves every time Penelope was around or even just by the mention of her name, I knew something was not right. Their closeness now wasn’t as alarming as before. I have been studying Lewis' actions lately and it seems his every word to Penelope has a deeper meaning behind it. Just like now.


How he expressed his response to Michelle, it was as if he was pertaining to something else, something deeper and heartier. And I often caught him looking at Penelope the way he hadn't looked at me even once before. Like there was unfathomable concern wrapped with his eyes every time he gazed at her.


As much as I hate to admit it to myself, I am certain that Penelope was the one Lewis was talking about whom he was eyeing. I couldn’t be wrong, I simply couldn’t, because his eyes won’t lie. I have a gut feeling, an intensely strong one, that it was the newcomer who had somewhat captured the attention of the man I aimed to acquire for such a long time.


This couldn’t be. I mustn’t allow this stupidity of Lewis to manifest. Although I haven’t been seeing Penelope acting strange towards him lately, I mustn’t be complacent. She was now at her most vulnerable state and would definitely cling on to someone who would show her compassion and care.


I mustn’t let that occur. I must act faster and think smarter than Lewis does if I want to achieve success in having him in my life. Things mustn’t get out of hand for me, because everything I dreamed of and all the efforts I did would be entirely put to waste and would be in vain if I simply let things blossom in them. But what? What action should I adhere to so I could have the man of my dreams?


As I intensely stole a sight between Lewis and Penelope, my mind was functioning triple times, thinking of any possible actions that I must start doing as soon as possible.


Then out of nowhere, a light bulb lit inside my head, which made me inwardly smile evilly. My mind starts to concoct ways on how to administer the thought that swiftly entered my head. As I sheepishly smile in front of everyone around me, I am slowly planning inside my brain what are the steps I have to do and how to use the bait effectively, so that I could capture Lewis right where I desire him to be.


‘You will never have him, Penelope. Lewis was destined to be mine and mine alone. You may be the heir to the throne and I certainly don't have any match against you, but do not underestimate a woman who was threatened to lose her ultimate love. You don’t know what I can do just to protect the person I love. So you better not mistakenly fall in love with him, because you would regret that you ever did. Beware, Penelope, I will be your worst nightmare if you dare steal Lewis away from me.’