Anxiety

"You look beautiful as usual my love," Lucio spoke in a soft voice which made Tina melt at once. He moved over and brushed her cheeks with a kiss.

"I didn't know you were still going to come," Tina said. She furrowed her brows. She had waited for him for over three hours before Roselle came which had made her conclude that things will not work out between him and her.

"I'm sorry," He began to apologize. Tina turned her face away from him. He grimaced, lifting his hands in apology "Come on don't act that way, I know I shouldn't use my work as an excuse but..."

"It's okay, you're here now." She cut him short.

He moved over to her where she had held the door. Gently, he brought his lips close to hers, but she turned away from it.

Lucio heaved. "Can you let me into your humble abode?"

Tina felt embarrassed keeping him standing. But she was afraid that Roselle will come out of the kitchen at any moment.

She opened the door, Lucio walked in and she turned to lock the door. From behind her, Lucio held her close to him. Tina was not ready to let the wide smile pricking her face loose, not now that she was fighting the anxiety under her feet. She took a deep breath and fought the pang of anxiousness.

Hearing her heave, Lucio didn't wait any longer. He turned her swiftly and this time she couldn't resist it. Her cheeks became rosy. Lucio loved it whenever she was like that. As tough as Tina could be, it didn't stop her cheeks from flushing or even stop that wide smile from appearing on her face whenever he touched her.

"Are we okay now?"

Tina nodded calmly and took a glance at the kitchen door.

"I brought your favourite. Fruit cookies." He sniffled in the air. "So tell me, what have you been cooking?"

"Your favourite, and I burnt it."

"Oh hah!" Lucio exclaimed.

Tina shook her head and said, "Only Lucio can form the weirdest exclamation. Oh hah? Where did you hear that from?"

"Trust Lucio." He replied and they busted out laughing.

"And before you ask, the chicken stew is also a mess."

"Oh what, Tina how could you?" He laughed.

"You know what? Let's go and cook that stubborn food we will get it right this time together."

Tina stifled a groan of a complaint as Lucio made to go the kitchen. "No, let's just do something else."

"Who can be more scared of the kitchen if not Tina?"

"That's not true." She defended herself, thinking about why Roselle had not shown herself. She assumed that she was cleaning the mess she had made in the kitchen which she usually does whenever she visited.

Tina pressed her palms against her forehead thinking of how good she was at doing other things. But when it comes to the work in the kitchen, she is totally useless. But thanks to that because it was saving her this minute because it has kept Roselle there. But that won't last until Lucio left.

Tina suggested they watch a movie instead, just to keep him from going inside the kitchen for now. Luckily, Lucio agreed.

The moment she took the remote control and turned on the TV, the channel which was showing a family drama suddenly turned to emergency news.

"Listen to this emergency," The reporter suddenly boomed on the screen.

The attention of Lucio and Tina went to the TV.

"Today the 12th of April, the CEO of the Biling company, Roselle Romano and her driver Nate Justin, has been declared missing. According to the information disclosed by her office workers, the young millionaire had left her office with her driver Nate Justin on the afternoon of 11th April to a destination not discovered. Her family and office workers had been trying to contact her but they couldn't reach her. Today, it has been discovered that she and her driver had been kidnapped when a woman arrived at her office at exactly 11 am with Roselle's car. It was also discovered that she wore the same cloth the CEO had worn to the office the previous day in disguise and she was not taken to the office by Roselle's driver Nate. She had personally driven Roselle's car which rose suspicion. The young woman who had disguised herself to be the CEO had gained her entrance at the Biling office building and headed directly towards Roselle's office. Unfortunately for her, Santiago Armsworth, the manager of the Biling company was fast to discover this young woman when she was about to enter Roselle's office and he confronted her. But unfortunately, she was able to escape the manager. The manager, Santiago Armsworth had placed a reward to anyone who will find Roselle and disclose any information that will help to find Roselle and her driver Nate." The screen changed to a scene where Nate was surrounded by newsmen as he spoke.

"I personally, will give forty thousand dollars to anyone who will be able to find the CEO Roselle, her driver Nate and the woman who had disguised herself to be Roselle." The picture of the woman who had disguised herself was displayed on the screen.

Tina gasped and at this point, it dawned on her that she shouldn't have let Lucio see this news. If ever he discovers that she was keeping a criminal in her house, that will be the end of her relationship with him.

The screen went back to Roselle's company where several workers were been interviewed. This time, they were interviewing Roselle's secretary.

"Were you there when the CEO left the office?" The newsman asked Roselle's secretary.

"Yes, I was there. I even saw her when she left with Nate. And ma'am didn't return until this morning when..."

"That's enough! Enough of the interview! Go and find my Roselle!" Santiago interrupted, running towards the newsman who was interviewing Roselle's secretary. He was burning with rage like he was going to run mad at any moment if Roselle was not brought back to him.

"Go! Everyone get out! Go and find my Roselle!" Some of the security men ran to Santiago, holding him and they were trying to console him.

Immediately the scene cut and displayed the TV reporter again. "Please anyone who has the information or clue on where to find Roselle Romano and her driver Nate Justin, should contact these numbers,"

The numbers appeared on the screen and then he said, "Remember, forty thousand dollars will be rewarded. From BTS news, I am Jude Oman." The screen went back to Roselle's company where several newsmen were forced out of the office entrance.

"If my hands ever get on these kidnappers, I will spare no one," Lucio said.

Tina began to cough uncontrollably, choked by the words Lucio just said.

"Are you alright?" Lucio asked, holding her. The coughing increased.

"Let me get you some water." Lucio went towards the kitchen.

Tina rushed to block him. "No I'm alright, don't bother."

"But you're choking," Lucio panicked, making his way again towards the kitchen door. Tina blocked him. Lucio became confused, thinking that maybe Tina was hiding something from him.

Roselle was listening to music through her earphone while cleaning Tina's kitchen. She had not been hearing Tina's conversation with Lucio.

When she heard the sound of a loud commotion in Tina's room, she remembered that Tina has taken a lot of time just getting a pizza from a delivery man. "Was Tina fighting with the delivery man all along?" She panicked, removing her earphone she ran to the door.

Tina was still struggling to keep Lucio from getting into the kitchen. Unaware by Roselle, she opened the door just when Tina was leaning against the kitchen door blocking Lucio.