Never the Same

Chapter 5

It's peaceful when I wake up the next morning. Luca isn't lying beside me as he would normally be. The bed is made at his side, mobile phone and watch missing from the bedside table where I've come to learn are always on standby in case he needs either of them at any time of the day. There's no sound of Louisa running down the stairs singing a random song that always has me waking up with a smile.

Simply put, it's a calm household . . . even if it is for the time being.

I don't rush to get ready for work because I'm not as eager to get there like I would if I was back in London. I can't stand the thought of sitting in a room with Nadia again and having to listen to her plan a party for Louisa she thinks is going to happen.

She'll go on and on about every aspect of the party like she knows Louisa – even though she doesn't. She'll suggest yet another crazy theme that she thinks Louisa will like but I've come to know that she doesn't. She'll then go on about having a four-tier birthday cake for only a grand total of three people to eat because she only wants herself, Finn and Louisa at the party. She'll talk openly about Louisa like she's always been in her life and that will be the moment that I'll snap.

That will be the moment I will have to explain to my boss why I can't be a part of any of this event. I will have to tell Jackie the whole truth about Nadia and Luca. I'll have to tell her that Nadia is only using her company because it's a way to get at Luca by using me to drive a wedge between us so she can get Louisa back. Everything will be torn to shreds and it'll all be my fault for not speaking up sooner.

My boss will most likely end up losing one of the biggest contracts she's ever gotten. As soon as we return to London, I'll be hauled into her office and she'll go off on one at me for not telling her sooner about Nadia and how I know her. I won't get a word in because Jackie will be too angry to hear me out it will leave her with no other choice but to . . .

I don't let my train of thought get to the end of that sentence because it's not good. It's never good when you have this amount of time to think things over. It always ends with good thoughts turning bad and bad turning to your worst nightmare.

Suddenly, my right hand moves to my white blouse and I pinch the front of it and try to fan myself to cool down. I feel like I'm burning up and my breathing quickens. I have a tingling sensation in my fingers and I frantically look around the bedroom for some way to help relieve myself of this sudden feeling.

"Lu . . . Lu . . . Luca . . ." I gasp, moving to sit on the end of the bed. "L-"

"Kaylee?" Louisa's soft voice questions.

I look over to the opened bedroom door where Louisa is standing. I gasp frantically for air and signal for her to get someone.

She turns on the spot and screams at the top of her lungs, "Daddy! Daddy, it's Kaylee!" She runs to my side and jumps onto the bed, a hand falling onto my back. "It'll be alright, Kaylee. My daddy is coming."

"Louisa," Luca's voice calls out, followed by the sound of footsteps rushing up the stairs. "Louisa, what's happening? Kaylee."

"Luca, what is it?" Nick's voice follows.

"I don't know."

A hand slams onto the bedroom door, pushing it further open, and Luca rushes into the room with a panicked look on his face that's contorted with concern. He falls to his knees in front of me, hands falling onto the sides of my thighs.

"Kaylee, look at me." Luca instructs.

I look at him.

"Breathe."

I try.

"Breathe with me."

I try my hardest.