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He’s rushing out of the boathouse, his eyes darting around nervously as he scurries toward a sleek black car parked in the back drive. He’s trying to make a secret escape.
My pulse quickens at the sight of him, and without a second thought, I stride across the courtyard.
“Rick!” I call out, my voice cold and firm. He freezes in his tracks, turning to face me with a mixture of surprise and guilt. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Look, Felix, I don’t have time for this,” he stammers, attempting to sidestep me.
But I’m not letting him off that easily.
“Really?” I snarl, blocking his path. “You had plenty of time to plan this whole charade, but now you can’t spare a moment to explain yourself? To tell me why you humiliated Lily like that?”
“Like I said, I don’t have time,” he mutters, avoiding my gaze. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me.” My fists clench at my sides.
Enrique appears next to me, but I barely register his presence. All I can focus on is the man who’s hurt someone so dear to me.
“Fine,” Rick snaps, finally meeting my eyes. “It’s the pressure, all right? You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you? Everyone knows you as the party prince, never taking anything seriously. No one expects anything more from you.”
Heat rushes through me. I could deck him for what he’s just said to me alone, but that’s another matter to deal with at another time. Right now, we’re talking about Lily.
“Expectations or not, there’s no reason to do what you just did to someone. She’s worth a thousand of you, and you’ve just broken her heart.”
“Maybe she’s better off this way,” Rick shoots back, his voice rising defensively. “I never signed up for this life, Felix. I didn’t ask for any of it.”
“Neither did Lily. Neither did any of us.” My laugh is dry and high. Does he seriously think I don’t understand the constant pressure to perform, to represent your family with every choice you make?
I step closer to him. “But she’s trying to make the best of it. She’s doing what’s expected of her, even if it means marrying someone like you. And you repay her by running away?”
“Look, I don’t need a lecture from you,” he growls, stepping closer until we’re nearly nose-to-nose. “You think you’re so much better than me, but you’re just as trapped in this world as I am.”
“Maybe so,” I concede, my voice low and dangerous, “but at least I’m not a coward who abandons his bride at the altar.”
For a moment, neither of us moves, our eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. I can feel Enrique’s hand on my shoulder, a silent plea to let this go before it escalates further. But I can’t ignore the fire burning within me, fueled by the injustice done to Lily.
Just as I’m about to lunge at Rick, Enrique pulls me back, his grip strong and unyielding. My friend’s timely intervention is the only thing that prevents an all-out brawl.
“Let him go, Felix,” Enrique says firmly, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. “He’s not worth it.”
I shoot one last glare at Rick before finally relenting, allowing Enrique to lead me away. As Rick hastily climbs into his car and speeds off, I feel a small sense of satisfaction knowing that I stood up for Lily, even if it was just a fleeting moment of confrontation.
But as the adrenaline fades, I’m left with the bitter realization that my actions have done little to ease Lily’s pain, and that perhaps, in some way, Rick’s harsh words were right. We’re all trapped in this world of expectations, and it’s only a matter of time before they consume us completely.
Will I end up like Rick one day? Trapped in a situation that I don’t want, with fleeing like a coward the only option left?
The thought makes me sick. I’ll never stand at an altar and promise myself to a woman, but that doesn’t mean I won’t make another misstep somewhere.
I stand frozen, shaking from the confrontation, my heart pounding in my chest. The anger is still coursing through my veins like lava, but it’s not just about what Rick did to Lily. No, his words have struck a nerve, and I think that he might be right about me.
“Are you okay, Felix?” Enrique asks, concern lacing his voice. He keeps a hand on my shoulder, steadying me.
“Fine,” I grit out, trying to steady my breathing. “Just… angry.”
He nods, understanding. “You had every right to confront him. What he did to Lily was beyond cruel.”
My jaw clenches as I stare at the ground, unable to shake the image of Lily’s shocked face from my mind.
“Come on,” Enrique says, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s get out of here.”
