It had to be the first time Lana was ditching a 9am class.
Not because was ill or particularly wasn't in the mood to attend her classes. But simply because she had decided to spend her morning doing something else- splurging.
The following morning after her wedding came very quickly and after politely turning down the chef's offer to make her breakfast, she stormed out of the mansion and immediately hired a cab that was going to drive her around for the day. At least, until she got her own car.
Her first stop was a boutique and flashing her newly acquired black card in the faces of the cashier, she began her shopping spree. She was on a roll- emptying clothing racks without thinking twice, buying the same shoes in a dozen different colors, collecting any jewelry that sparkled- she was taking advantage of the card to the fullest. She bought every single item that caught her eye, not caring any less about the thousands of dollars she was wasting simply because she was giving permission to.
By the time she was done shopping more than enough clothes, shoes and bags to life a lifetime, she didn't feel even the tiniest ounce of regret. Whatever consequence it could have on Alexander's bank account was one he brought on himself. And with the anger that flooded her veins, emptying his bank account was the least she could do.
Ordering the chauffer to deliver all of her new items to the mansion, she adjusted her sunglasses and turned, a smile making its way to her face?
She was barely done for the day? A car dealership.
With wicked eyes and fingers still itching to swipe the card a couple more times, she walked into the glass fronted luxury showroom like she owned the deed. All eyes immediately turned towards her as she scanned the brand new cars on display- some out of curiosity, some out of subtle judgement.
"This," she pointed at the first car that caught her eye, a couple more eyes immediately in her direction. "I'll take this."
She got raised brows in response, followed by a subsided laughter from the attendant. Looking at the car one more time, he faced her and with his smug dealership smile barely contained, spoke up.
"This is the Bentley Continental GT. Mulliner edition," he said, checking her out from head to toe. "Are you-"
"I'll prefer the white if that's available," she cut in to say, his eyes immediately widening as she pulled out the black card one more time, flicking it between her fingers. "Fortunately, I'm patient too so if it needs to be custom built, I'm fine with that. I've got both money and time."
The laughter stopped and the rest of the moment unfolded in silence, money doing all the talking. Cards were swiped, papers were signed by the time Lana walked out of the building, she had an even bigger smile on her face, brand new keys in her hand.
"Perfect," she pulled out her phone and immediately dialed Andrew's number, glancing at her wristwatch to contemplate heading back to school. Luckily, he picked the call seconds later, his voice in great contrast to hers.
"I was just thinking about you," were the first words he uttered. "Why aren't you showing up at school? Are you busy enjoying your honeymoon with your husband?"
"Don't make me puke," she replied then immediately bit her lip, remembering Andrew was still in the dark regarding everything that happened. "Um, Drew, do you need anything?"
"Like?"
"A new car?"
"Woah, okay slow down, Mrs Frane," he laughed. "I get you're now married to a billionaire but do you already have that much cash you can throw around."
"Maybe," she shrugged as she glanced at her new car. "So answer me. Do you want a new car or not?"
"No thanks, I'm good," she heard him say, a sigh escaping her lips as she got into the car. "Where are you though? If you aren't busy spending your honeymoon with your husband, should we meet up?"
"How's the café close to school?" she suggested, ready to talk to him too. "Should we meet there?"
"I'm down," she could almost hear his steps suddenly get quicker. "I should be there in five minutes. Loser pays for our coffee. Do we have a deal?"
"Sure, deal."
Managing to laugh lightly, she hung up the call and turned on her new car, the amazing sound bringing a light smile on her face. It was only temporary though, the thought of meeting Andrew and finally telling him everything almost terrifying.
He still had his doubts and she knew it was better if she came clean as quickly as possible. There was no way she was going to be able to pretend she was on good terms with her husband and that aside, it was only going to be a matter of time before he sensed whatever happened between her and Joan was more than just a petty quarrel.
Taking her time to drive to the café partially because she needed to collect her thoughts and cause she needed another reason to waste Alexander's money, she got to the café in thirty minutes, Andrew already waiting for her. They placed their orders, she paid and with their first sips and bites into their coffee and biscuits, Lana finally decided to let the cat out of the bag.
Andrew was patient, allowing Lana say everything she had on her mind. From the moment she walked in on Alexander and Joan, to how Alexander had refused to make a big deal out of it. She told him everything- how his best friend suggested she went ahead with the wedding so they could get their revenge on him and how blinded by her anger and realization of her inability to actually get out of the wedding, she eventually went ahead with it.
By the time she was done, she felt a huge weight lifted off her chest. Nicholas aside, she had no one to tell and it was only a matter of time before she lost her mind. Her best friend had betrayed her and her parents were completely out of the picture.
"So that's all," she announced the end of the narration of her dilemma with another sip of her coffee, quickly realizing her cup was empty. "You can speak now."
Andrew stared at her for a second then grabbed his almost full coffee cup, handing it over to her. "Here. i've barely touched mine."
With a nod, she collected it and took a sip. A sip so long it took Andrew getting up from his seat to sit next to her and wrap his arms around her for her to stop.
"I really want to murder him."
"Me too," she chuckled, dropping the cup on the table. "I want to unalive him."
"And i'm really struggling to not harbor violent thoughts towards Joan right now," he continued. "It wont sound very gentleman of me right now to say I want to hit her, right?"
"I'll allow it," she chuckled again. "I want to grab her by the hair and not let go until she apologizes and tells me how much she regrets it."
"But more than that, I want to hug you," his voice was suddenly gentle. "And apologize for being in the dark all these while. For allowing you go through all that alone."
She smiled sadly and this time, he leaned towards her and pulled her into a hug. She allowed him, gently pressing her head against his chest to exhale softy, letting out tiny sobs.
It was comforting and once again, managed to remind her she probably wasn't as alone as she thought. Her husband was an asshole, her best friend a bitch, Nicholas, suspicious but she had Andrew.
"Lana?"
The oddly familiar voice managed to make her get a grip of herself, quickly pulling her head from Andrew's chest. She wiped her face then looked up at the intruder, every warm feeling she accumulated in the past less than five minutes immediately going up into smoke.
"Joan?" Andrew spoke up before she could, finding his feet immediately. "Wow, I can't believe it's actually you. Should I be glad or pissed you're here?"
She ignored Andrew and focused on Lana like she was the only one in the room. It was no different for Lana as she stared at her, overwhelmed with a whole lot of new emotions.
"What are you doing here?" Lana eventually spoke up, holding up a finger to stop Andrew from interfering. "I didn't think I'd get to see you again."
Her lips twitched and she ran her hands through her hair, creating a disheveled look that immediately reminded Lana of exactly how she looked when she caught her in bed next to Alexander. Her lips were freshly painted, her make up properly done the way she had it whenever she was having a particularly good day.
"I needed to talk to you," she dared to say, eyeing Andrew as she did. "Alone."
"There's no need for that," Lana could have laughed. "He knows everything and there's nothing you're going to tell me in private I won't eventually tell him. The concept might be foreign to you but I don't keep things from my friends."
"Look, Lana," she took a step closer to her, Andrew immediately stepping in to prevent her from getting any closer. "Fine, I know you two already concluded I'm the villain here but you need to hear me out. I had my reasons."
"Sure, go on," Lana nodded, despite listening to her being the last thing she wanted to do. "Go ahead and list it out. Your reasons for sleeping with your best friend's husband a week to her wedding."
"Lana, Alexander is not in love you."
The words stung. And as much as Lana wanted to deny it especially because it was coming from Joan, she knew she couldn't. it was the blatant truth. The truth that had always been clear as day to everyone but her.
"You wanted to get married to him because you were in love with him but that was not the case for him," she continued. "He never liked you that way. He only agreed to the wedding because it was needed for business. He has never for once thought of you as-"
"Is that your excuse?" Lana could feel her blood boiling. "He wasn't in love with me? So what are you going to say next? You were looking out for me? Sleeping with him was your way of looking out for me?"
"Lana," Joan licked her lips, struggling to keep her fake expression on. "Look here-"
"Just stop talking," Lana had finally gotten enough. She rose to her feet and signaled to Andrew to take a step backwards, facing Joan directly. "Nothing you say would ever justify your actions. Alexander wasn't in love with me? Was he in love with you then? Did you two magically fall in love?"
"Yes," her tone was suddenly bitter. "I fell in love with him. and I realized he wasn't in love with you and had no plans on doing that. So I decided to sleep with him and make him mine instead. Yes, that's what happened. What about it?"
"Joan!"
"At last you're finally being honest," Lana stopped Andrew again, ignoring the pang she felt in her chest with every new word that came from Joan. "You're finally revealing your true colors."
"Oh for heavens sake Lana would you come to your senses?!" Joan raised her voice, running her hands through her hair all over again. "Stop acting like you're such a saint! Stop acting like you didn't also agree to the wedding because you knew what your family was going to be getting from it. What you were going to be getting from it. His money, fame, status- don't act like you're such a saint!"
"I might not be a saint," Lana replied her, her fists balled. "But at the very least, I didn't sleep with him or have to betray my best friend just to get what I want. You on the other hand- you shamelessly sold your body, betrayed your best friend- yet all you're left it is the memories of the one time he fucked you."
"What?" Joan's face fell. "What did you just say?"
"I didn't stutter. You heard me."
"What makes you so confident?!" she literally yelled at her. "Do you think getting married to him makes him yours? Do you think you now have him in the palm of your hand because of a few papers?!"
"At the very least I have more than you would ever have."
"Really?" Joan smirked then immediately let out a sardonic laughter. "You really think so? Alright then. That confidence of yours? That smile you have on your face? Let's see how long it can last."
The smile on Lana's face indeed didn't last. But throughout the time Joan stormed out of the café, grabbed a cab and vanished out of their sight, the smile remained on Lana's face. Very widely at that.