His Unfortunate Circumstances

||Lucas||

Lucas Liu was the man who helped Liliana a few nights ago, the one who contacted Nancy after his failed attempts to reach Asher.

They exchanged numbers at that time because Nancy insisted that she and her friend Liliana was indebted to him.

"Ms. Wu, you really don't have to pay me. I just helped Ms. Xin because I was there."

"My friend would feel bad if I just let you leave like this. Mr. Liu, if not for you, I might not know what happened to her."

Due to Nancy's persuasion, Lucas finally relented to it.

From the hospital lobby, Lucas hurried to where he parked his motorcycle. He needed to return it to his workplace, a cafe ten minutes away from the hospital.

"I hope that lady won't feel too depressed," Lucas glanced at the hospital building through the side mirror, "What a shitty husband she has."

Lucas really had a bad impression of Asher. The older man's piercing stare and heavy accusations still lingered in his mind.

Lucas worked as a delivery man at the cafe. It was not his original intention to visit Liliana. The thought only crossed his mind when he found that there was an order from the hospital's Orthopedic Department.

Sweets could make people happy. That was taught by someone important to him when he was an ignorant young boy.

Because there was no other delivery in the queue, Lucas decided to pay a short visit to the woman.

He brought along a cake with him, thinking to cheer the lady with the dessert. He even contacted Nancy first to get Liliana's ward number.

Who knew that he met such a shocking sight the moment he opened the ward door?

Heaving out a sigh, Lucas started the bike. He slowly left the hospital ground before he gradually picked up speed. Soon, his figure on the black bike vanished amongst the sea of vehicles on the major road.

In less than ten minutes, Lucas arrived at the cafe; MoodSpresso. It was a single one-story building with its own yard, unlike most of the other buildings around the business district.

The cafe served various types of coffee, pastries and cakes as well as heavy dishes including pasta and the fusion of Chinese and Western food. They also had non-coffee drinks.

Lucas parked the motorcycle in the backyard of the cafe. The owner, Boss Gao hired people to build a garage there. A store was constructed next to it.

"Time to clock out? Do you have class tonight?"

A staff named George greeted Lucas with the question. He was wiping the table nearby the counter area. Both of them had an amicable relationship with each other.

"Yes. But, my class is tomorrow," admitted Lucas with a smile, "Is Mr. Lou still in the kitchen?"

"En, he has to cover for Mr. Yan. He's sick."

Lucas nodded. After handing the bike key to the cashier, he headed to the pastry kitchen. He wanted to meet Mr. Lou, the pastry chef at MoodSpresso.

Once Lucas pushed the kitchen door open, his eyes immediately went to a middle-aged man wearing a white chef outfit. He was busy piping swirls on top of cupcakes, forming flower blooms in pink and white colors.

"Mr. Lou."

The man gave a short glance at Lucas before continuing his task, "You're back. How is it? Did the patient love the cake?"

Michael Lou was a longtime employee here. He used to study and worked in France before returning to the country.

Even though Michael was offered to be a pastry chef at other prestigious places, he still chose MoodSpresso. He had been here since the establishment of the cafe seven years ago.

As for Lucas, he began working at MoodSpresso three years ago. Aside from being the delivery man, he also took up a waiter's tasks if needed.

Lucas pulled out a high bar stool from under the kitchen island. Sitting on it, he narrated the story to the pastry chef. Michael listened without losing focus on his job right now.

"...no one answered when I knocked but, I heard a sound like someone in pain. I was so shocked. She almost fell out the window. Then... her husband came."

"What did she do? How could she almost fall?"

Michael rose up his brows. Half of his face was hidden by a white mask. Looking up at Lucas' face, he saw the young man shrug.

At this time, both of them silently thought of the worse.

"I don't want to badmouth anyone but... her husband is bad. How could he treat his own wife like that? He immediately accused us of having an affair just because I still held her. The timing was bad, but... I don't know."

Michael understood what Lucas trying to say. With an understanding smile on his lips, the pastry chef asked, "You didn't even think that she might really have an affair before? Then, her husband is mad because of that?"

Michael put the piping bag away. He had finished decorating the cupcakes. All of his attention went to the young man.

Lucas propped his hands straight, holding the edge of the bar stool. Something murky clouded his gaze. He gave Michael a slow nod, his expression grew heavier.

"I know that it's a possibility, but..."

Michael reached out for Lucas' right shoulder. He gave the younger man a pat.

"That's enough. You always go worrying about other people's problems. Focus on yours, en? Don't you feel burdened enough?"

Lucas had an embarrassed look on his face. He could only smile faintly.

In MoodSpresso, Lucas was the closest to Michael because the former shared the same love for dessert making. He was also a bright student during high school.

Unfortunately, Lucas was deprived of the opportunity to continue his study. His situation made Michael feel sorry for the young yet brilliant man.

"Your work has finished, right? Why don't you go home? Young man, you should have a decent rest occasionally. Shouldn't your girlfriend be home already?"

"...I should do that," replied Lucas, the lights in his eyes dimming.

Lucas didn't want to keep thinking about what happened in the hospital and his mother's phone call. But, he felt unpleasant at the thought of returning to the small apartment he shared with his longtime girlfriend, Daphne Mu.

Lucas and Daphne were high school sweethearts.

The couple only started living together a year ago, after Daphne graduated from the teaching institute. At the same time, Lucas desired a distance from his suffocating family's situation.

Both of them were still young. They had just reached age twenty-four.

They were happy and faced obstacles together. Lucas had always thought their joy would remain forever, but...

Why did he have a feeling that Daphne began to stray away from him?