In Love With My Masters - Episode 48&49

 

𝙸𝙽 𝙻𝙾𝚅E 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝙼𝚈 𝙼𝙰𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁

In Love With My Masters - Episode 48&49

{..Crazy over you..}

THEME: ROMANCE

By: Greenie J.

****************************************

6 YEARS LATER

Lucas could be seen in the kitchen, preparing food for his children. For the past six years, they had been his source of joy, though taking care of them had been hectic. 

Still, he managed. His friends, his father, and his twin were all shocked when they found out Tiara had his children and had left them with him. They wanted to take action and find her immediately, but he stopped them.

The media was aware he had children, and they remained curious about their mother. However, despite much digging, they never found out who she was. Lucina also helped with the children. She was now married to Liam, and they had a three-year-old child. Lucas had stepped away from running his empire, choosing to focus on his kids alone.

Everyone suggested he hire a nanny, but he refused. His children were now six years old and often asked about their mother. Each time, he would tell them stories about her, always saying that she had traveled but would come back later. 

While he didn't think about Tiara as much as before, his love for her hadn’t faded. It would never change. Still, he wasn't ready for marriage, at least not now..maybe in the future.

Lucas had grown even more handsome over the years, in a way that was strikingly different from six years ago. As he aged, his features became even more breathtaking, his physique more muscular. 

At the moment, he was shirtless, wearing only an apron. He had also added another tattoo to his arm…the names of his kids..since they had been begging him to do it. He finally gave in and got it done yesterday.

They hadn't let him sleep all night, excitedly taking pictures of his arm with their small cameras, telling him they were going to show their friends at school. Lunara had inherited Tiara's habit of crying over the smallest things, while Cassius had inherited his attitude.

He came out of the kitchen, balancing  two plates of fried eggs, and made his way to the dining room. He set the plates down in front of Cassius and Lunara who are seated.

"Daddy, what about the mashed potatoes? I want some too" Lunara asked, her tiny voice so sweet it could melt the toughest heart.

Lucas crouched beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"I'll bring them for you, princess. Eat this first, okay?" Lucas said, his voice gentle, and Lunara gave him a quick nod.

Cassius rolled his eyes, his fork already in hand.

"Dad, you shouldn't have answered her. She eats too much..just look at her ugly face" Cassius said.

Lunara's lowered lip quivered instantly, her big eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Lucas sighed, running a tired hand over his face. Not again.

"Daddy, am I ugly?" Lunara's voice wavered, her tears spilling over.

"No, sweetheart, you're very beautiful, okay? Don't mind him..he's just jealous of how pretty you are"  Lucas said softly with a smile, he tilted her chin up gently, he wiped a tear from her cheek. 

Lunara smiled back, her dimples peeking out as she looked at her brother. Cassius scoffed, returning to his food.

"Now, eat up, both of you" Lucas said, about to head back to the kitchen when Lunara' voice stopped him.

“Daddy, stop right there…” she said, using her small hand to gesture a stop sign. He turned back to her, raising an eyebrow.

"You promised, Mommy would come to our birthday last time, but she didn't" she said, arms crossed, her small face serious. 

Lucas's chest tightened. He exhaled slowly, forcing a smile.

"She'lll come for your next birthday"

Cassius shook his head, stabbing at his fried eggs with his fork.

"We don't believe you, Daddy"

"Yeah, me neither" Lunara added, her arms still crossed.

"Just eat your breakfast, or you might be late for school" Lucas said, hoping to change the subject.

"Did she run away?" Cassius asked suddenly.

Lucas hesitated, his jaw tightening for just a second. 

"No, she didn't"

“Her name is Tiara, right? And you called her your 'Scaredy-cat' was she always scared?"Lunara asked, blinking her eyes.

"Yeah, she was" he answered softly, managing a small smile.

“She's beautiful like me. The pictures you always show us are so pretty. I have her face, but I look like you more, Daddy" Lunara grinned.

"Excuse me, I'm the carbon copy of Daddy. Can't you see? My name is Cas, just like Daddy’s, so shhh" Cassius said, placing his index finger over his lips.

"Excuse me too, but my name is Ara, just like Mommy's, so shhh” Lunara protested. 

Their usual fight broke out, the bickering already heating up as Lucas walked back to the kitchen to prepare their lunch boxes. He added mashed potatoes to a plate as his phone buzzed in his pocket, he pulled it out to see Robert's name on the screen before sliding it back into his pocket as he connected to his Bluetooth earbud which he pulled out of his other pocket attaching in his ear.

Robert was still his secretary even after Lucas had tried to promote him. Robert had laughed and said he preferred being his secretary.

"It's where I'm best. Boss.. love it" he'd insisted. And he got married two years ago, Lucas hired another secretary to lighten Robert's workload.

"Hi, boss. Sorry for calling late, but you have a meeting with some companies today at 1 p.m." Robert said. Lucas rubbed his lips thoughtfully before responding.

"Okay"

He ended the call and turned around, nearly startled to find his children standing in front of him.

"Any problem?" he asked, squatting down to their level.

"She called me big head" Cassius said, frowning.

"He also said my teeth are black and dirty" Lunara pouted, crossing her arms.

Lucas took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. These kids.

"Go back to the dining room" he said, standing up and turning back to the lunch boxes.

"Daddy, seriously" Lunara huffed, her voice filled with disappointment.

"He said your princess's teeth are dirty and black, and you're not doing anything about it. Tsk, I'm so disappointed" Lunara complained.

"Daddy, she also said my head is big" Cassius complained, stomping his foot.

"Kids!!" Lucas yelled, slamming his hand down on the kitchen counter before turning to them. Both children flinched.

Lunara wasted no time bursting into tears.

"Daddy, you shouted at me! I don't wanna talk to you again" she cried, running out of the kitchen.

"Gawd" Lucas groaned, rubbing his face in frustration.

"What a crybaby" Cassius muttered, watching Lunara run off. Then, he turned to Lucas and hugged him, tilting his head up to look at him.

"Daddy, I love you" he grinned, and Lucas smiled, stroking his hair.

"I love you too, buddy" Lucas replied softly.

•••••••••••••••••••••

A lady relaxed in a fancy bathroom, soaking in a blue bathtub. Bubbles covered most of her body, with one leg and part of her upper body outside the tub, though the foam shielded her chest. 

In one hand, she held a glass of red wine, her index finger and thumb wrapped around the glass. Her nails were painted in blue designs.

Her damp hair, a mixture of navy blue and black, clung to her face, making her look even more stunning. With her other hand, she scrolled through her phone, looking at pictures of two young children.

"They've grown so much" she whispered, taking a sip of wine.

Her phone rang, and her lips curled into a smile when she saw who was calling. She answered immediately.

"Ciao" she greeted.

"Ciao" a voice responded on the other end.

"Ara, I just heard you came back to California! I should've been the first to know. I'm so mad at you right now" the voice teased.

Tiara chuckled softly. Yes, it was her. She had just returned to California two days ago after six years for business and would be leaving again soon. Over the years, she had grown even more beautiful and alluring.

"I'm sorry, Tracy" Tiara apologized.

"Whatever. So, how is it there?" Tracy asked.

"It's good, I guess. I went to greet my parents at their mansion, and they were so happy to see me. But wait… aren't you going to Italy again?" Tiara said.

"I'm still going, Ara. I'm just trying to chill for a while. Please don't rush me, I'm leaving tomorrow" Tracy replied.

"Okay, okay. Tracy, I'll call you later. Bye" Tiara said.

"Okay, dopo" Tracy said, and Tiara hung up. 

Tracy is her best friend in New Zealand...

She took a final sip of her wine, savoring it as it slid down her throat. She placed the glass gently on the stool beside her, the clink of the glass against wood breaking the bathroom's silence.

After rinsing off, she got out of the tub, water cascading down her skin, and grabbed her blue bathrobe. The fabric felt soft against her freshly scrubbed skin as she slipped it on, then stepped across the marble floor to her closet, her wet feet leaving small prints behind. 

Inside, she sat at the dressing table and reached for a towel wrapping it around her damp hair. She dried her body and applied lotion. As she massaged lotion into her skin, the sweet scent of vanilla filled the air, calming her senses.  she glanced at her reflection in the mirror, her mind wandering back to the past six years.

It all started after she sent someone to California to drop the kids off with Lucas. Weeks later, Kieran had suggested she try modelling, and though she doubted herself at first. She still remembered the day she walked into the agency, expecting to be rejected, but they accepted her on spot. 

It was surprising how quickly her life had changed. In just a month, her face was everywhere in New Zealand-billboards, magazines, even commercials. Her fame had skyrocketed, and with it, her wealth.

She smiled at the memory of signing the papers for her dream baking shop. The grand opening had been a whirlwind of success, drawing in crowds like she'd never imagined. Now she was one of the richest women in New Zealand.

She bought her parents an expensive mansion, and they’ve been living well ever since. She also expanded their restaurant, which is now the most famous one in California.

And the kids she was looking at on her phone earlier? They are none other than her own children. While scrolling through the internet (yes, she's now on the internet), she stumbled upon their pictures. She recognized them instantly because of the caption:

"Lucas Ross's kids, Cassius Ross and Lunara Ross, are so gorgeous"

She was glad they were happy with him, and she knew he would've probably moved on by now. She had made sure not to think about him over the past few years. Her work had been her distraction, her way of keeping her mind off things. But one person never failed to bug her about him.

Kieran.

And Kieran had returned to California just a week ago, too.

Minutes later, she was heading down the stairs, her heels clicking against the polished wood. She was dressed in a baby blue tailored button-down shirt with a slight curve (about half an inch to one inch deep) and dark blue chinos. Her navy blue stiletto heels added an extra touch of sophistication.

She wore blue pearl earrings, a matching necklace, and a simple watch on her wrist. Her dyed hair fell straight down her shoulders, neatly combed, and her light makeup made her look effortlessly beautiful and mature.

As she reached the living room, she noticed a familiar face engrossed in their phone, causing her to frown.

"Coming to my house without permission? That’s quite bold" she said, and the person looked up, revealing Kieran.

"Hey, Bluey" he greeted her with a smile.

"Ara, please" Tiara corrected, rolling her eyes as he scoffed.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asked.

"Yeah, touring the city before my meeting this afternoon" she replied, but her mood shifted, remembering the person she would be meeting today. She had opened another baking company a month ago and was trying to form partnerships with other businesses.

"Oh, Lucas' company" Kieran said knowingly, easily sensing the change in her expression.

"Don't tell me you're still mad at him. I mean, it's been years now, and you still don't want to go back to him. What about your kids? They need you" he said, his tone laced with frustration.

"Can we not talk about this right now?" she snapped, shooting him a dangerous glare.

"Your wish. Anyway, can you do me a favor?" he said, winking. Tiara smirked.

"You know doing you a favor comes with a price" she teased.

"Of course, I know" he responded.

"Alright, what kind of favor?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There's this woman I'm in love with, but she says she won't agree to date me unless she meets you first" Kieran explained.

"And how does she even know me? I mean, I'm too expensive for all that. Come on" she said with a playful smirk.

"Yeah, I know, Miss Expensive. I told her you're my best friend, and she said she's a fan of yours. So, she wants to meet you" Kieran explained.

Tiara glanced at her watch. 

"I can spare about 39 minutes to an hour with her. You know my account details, so do the needful and send me the address" she said, walking out of the living room.

Kieran scoffed as she left. 

"That brat! How can she charge me for just an hour of her time? I'm her best friend, for crying out loud" he muttered, before sending her the address.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

RESTAURANT*

Tiara sat across from the woman Kieran had asked her to meet.

"Hi, I'm so happy to finally meet you in person! My name is Claire Johnson, and I'm your die-hard fan" the woman said, her eyes bright with excitement.

Tiara gave her a polite smile. 

"Thanks for being a fan."

"Let's eat’" Claire suggested, and Tiara nodded as they began their meal.

"So, do you like my best friend?" Tiara asked after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah, I think I fell for him first, though he thinks he did" Claire replied with a shy smile.

"I see" Tiara murmured, her tone neutral but slightly amused.

Claire hesitated for a moment before asking, 

"So, are you single, if I may ask? You're way too beautiful to be single"

"That's personal" Tiara replied coolly.

Claire nodded, sensing the boundary, and they continued eating in silence.

*

*

L. ROSS WINE COMPANY ~ 1:20 PM ~ CONFERENCE ROOM

Lucas sat at the head of the conference table, surrounded by representatives from various companies—breweries, fine dining establishments. The only one missing was the owner of the baking company...Tiara.

"Are they not here yet?" Lucas asked Robert, his frustration evident. He hated lateness.

"I think they'll be here in a few minutes, boss" Robert replied nervously.

Lucas sighed, already irritated. 

"Why are they wasting our time?" A woman in the room chimed in and the others murmured in agreement. 

But the sound of the door opening silenced them all. Everyone turned to see the person they had been waiting for_Tiara, accompanied by her PA.

Gasps rippled through the room at the sight of Tiara, her beauty commanding everyone's attention. Lucas, however, simply stared, dumbstruck by her presence.

"I apologize for being late. I got stuck in traffic. Please forgive me" Tiara said with a polite smile as she took her seat, her PA sitting beside her.

Her eyes briefly met Lucas's before she looked away. He, however, couldn’t resist a smirk. He can't believe she is the owner of the baking company.

"You shouldn't let that happen again. You should've arrived sooner, like the others. I'm sure you took the same route" Lucas said, his gaze never leaving her.

Robert swallowed hard, feeling the tension in the room.

"Like I said, Mr. Lucas Ross, I got stuck in traffic. I don't think I need to explain myself again" Tiara said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. The people in the room exchanged glances.

Lucas chuckled lightly, his eyes finally drifting away from her. 

"Let's begin" he gestured, dismissing the tension.

After four hours, the meeting ended. One by one, everyone filed out of the conference room once Lucas left.

Tiara walked alongside her PA, her thoughts elsewhere. Throughout the entire meeting, Lucas hadn't looked at her once.

"Who cares anyway" she scoffed quietly, but her PA noticed.

"Are you okay, Ara?" her PA asked, using the nickname Tiara had requested. She was more like her friend than just PA 

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Tiara shrugged, though her mind was still unsettled. As they continued walking, a lady approached them.

"Are you Tiara Jones?" the woman asked.

Tiara nodded. 

"The boss wants to see you…Lucas Ross" the lady announced, and Tiara's heart skipped a beat.

"Tell him I won't be coming. I have something important to do" Tiara replied quickly, her voice steady but guarded.

Her PA's eyes widened in surprise. 

"You should go. Remember, you’re partnering with him. What if he wants to discuss business?"

"But I-" Tiara hesitated.

"Please, Tiara, just go" her PA insisted, making a puppy face. Tiara bit her lower lip lightly before relenting and following the lady.

After a short walk, they reached Lucas's office. The lady knocked on the door, and his deep voice responded from inside.

"Come in"

"You can go in" the woman said before walking away.

Tiara took a deep breath, steadying herself before she opened the door. She stepped in, closing it behind her. Lucas was resting in his chair, the three upper buttons of his shirt opened. exposing a hint of his chest. She didn't let herself stare, but his eyes were locked on her.

"Why am I here? I have something important to do" Tiara said, her tone cold.

"So, you're back" he said slowly, his gaze intense.

"I don't think so. I'll be leaving again soon" she replied firmly. His eyes traveled over her body briefly before returning to her face.

"You look more mature" Lucas said, but Tiara didn't respond.

"How are you doing?" he asked, his tone more guarded.

"I'm doing very well" she replied.

"Even without your children, whom you abandoned for me to care for alone?" he asked, his smile unfriendly.

"I came here for business, not to discuss personal matters" she replied coldly.

"I guess you're not the same Tiara anymore. Your children want you" he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. 

"You told them about me?" she asked, 

"You shouldn't have. Maybe you should get a wife to introduce as their mother." She said it without blinking, her words sharp.

Lucas stood up, walking slowly toward her. She instinctively took a step back, till her back pressed against the wall as he stopped in front of her.

"Are you even a mother?" he asked, his voice low but filled with frustration. 

"You left your children with me for six years. Did you detest me that much? I guess you never loved me, anyway. You didn't give me a chance to explain myself. You got angry and left me all alone"

His words cut deep, and Tiara’s hands gripped the sides of her trousers tightly.

"I never knew I would love you this much" he continued, his voice thick with emotion. 

"I wanted to tell you so many times how sorry I am. I waited for years, hoping you would come back. I thought maybe because we share children, you would return, but you never did"

Tiara swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest, but she remained silent.

"I told our children about you all the time" he said. 

"I didn't want them to grow up thinking they didn't have a mother. But you made them experience something terrible_growing up without a mother's love. They can't even tell their friends their mom cooked for them or did anything for them. Are you really this heartless?"

He shook his head, his frustration boiling over. 

"But you know what? I don't care about you anymore. What I've been wanting to say for years is this..."

Tiara’s breath caught in her throat as he continued.

"I'm sorry for making that bet on you. I truly am. And I hope you find a good man who can be your soulmate, someone perfect who wouldn't make a stupid bet on you. Maybe you've already found him, and if you have, congratulations on your new life. You got rich and changed a lot"

Lucas's words were heavy, each one landing like a punch, and Tiara could only keep swallowing, trying to hold herself together.

"Why are you making me the villain? You were the one who hurt me, so why make me look like the bad person?" she half-yelled, her voice trembling with emotion.

"Villain? Bad person?" Lucas let out a short, bitter laugh. 

"Did you expect me to go on my knees and beg you to come back again?" His tone grew harsher. 

"If you really loved me like you said, you wouldn't have done something like this. Seven years, Tiara…seven years and you're still hurt? Wow, just wow. Even after you gave birth to my kids, you're still holding onto it."

"Do you have any idea how hard it was to take care of two kids on my own? Do you? Like twins, Tiara. Did you ever stop to think about that?" he shouted, causing her to flinch.

"I guess you don't. You should come to our children's birthday next week. You must be there. Then, you can later disappear back to New Zealand, Tiara Jones" he said coldly. She bit her lip hard, feeling something welling up in her eyes. 

Without a second thought, she turned and ran out of the office, leaving Lucas behind. He rolled his eyes and walked into his inner room, unaffected.

Tiara ran to the nearest washroom, locking herself inside. She slumped to the floor, her body shaking as she cried her heart out. She couldn’t bear to cry in front of him, so she had to run away.

It hurt so much. She knew she deserved the way he is treating her now. She hated herself for leaving him with the kids. She was too stupid to realize how much she was hurting herself by walking away. She was stupid for leaving him to raise two children on his own. She was just too stupid.

"I'm sorry, kids. I'm so sorry. Your mommy is so bad" she whispered through her sobs, tears streaming down her face.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Tiara quickly wiped her tears, stood up, and walked over to the sink. She turned on the water, splashing it on her face before pulling a handkerchief from her pocket to dry herself. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, and exhaled slowly before opening the door.

Her PA was standing there, concern written all over her face. She saw her entering the washroom.

"You cried" her PA asked, noticing Tiara's puffy eyes.

"Why are you here?" Tiara asked instead, avoiding the question.

"Well, your mother called" her PA replied, handing her the phone and Tiara took it.

"Wait for me here" Tiara instructed, heading back into the washroom.

She dialed her mother's number, and her mother picked up almost instantly.

"My baby" Mrs. Jones said warmly from the other end.

"Mom" Tiara responded, her voice soft.

"Wait, what's with that voice?" Mrs. Jones asked, her tone shifting with concern.

"What voice? I'm fine, Mom. Nothing’s wrong with me" Tiara said, trying to sound more upbeat.

"I never asked if something was wrong with you. Does that mean something is wrong? You better tell me, or I'll get it out of you myself" Mrs. Jones said sternly. Tiara sighed, running a hand through her hair, brushing it back slowly.

"I met him today" she finally said.

"Who?" Mrs. Jones asked.

"My babies' father... Lucas" she replied, and Mrs. Jones gasped on the other end. 

Tiara had told her mother about the children years ago and how she left them for him and Mrs Jones didn't speak to her for months after learning the truth.

"And?" Mrs. Jones prompted, clearly bracing for more.

"He seemed so angry. He gave me some attitude. But, Mom, it wasn't my fault. I was just hurt... nothing else" Tiara muttered, her voice breaking slightly.

"Shut your mouth, you fool" Mrs. Jones snapped. 

"You even have the nerve to talk about being hurt? For seven years, you left that man with two children! Are you really that heartless? You'd better find a way to make things right with him. This might be your only chance" her mother said before abruptly hanging up the phone.

Tiara gripped the phone so tightly it felt like it might break. She stood there for a moment, taking deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

Without thinking, she burst out of the washroom, nearly bumping into her PA as she ran.

She didn't stop. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, heading straight to Lucas's office. When she arrived, she threw open the door, only to find the office empty. Her heart raced, and then she remembered his inner room. She walked over, pushing the door open.

The room had changed so much more gorgeous and refined than she remembered.

Then, she saw him standing by the glass window, his back facing her. He wore headphones, and his shirt was off, revealing his toned back. His hands were casually tucked into his pockets. She gulped, taking in the sight-it was hard not to notice how sexy he looked.

Summoning her courage, she walked towards him, her heels clicking softly against the floor. When she reached him, she gently wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his bare skin.

"I'm sorry" she whispered softly.

*

*

TBC.

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