The Only Exception

Part Two - Chapter Seventeen: Damage Caused

“It’s amazing to see you both,” Antonella said carefully stepping closer to the couple, she was glad to see that her last visit to Barcelona hadn’t destroyed their marriage; she had worried that she could have broken them up.

Diego Mendez eyed the footballer, he had heard everything about what had happened between his girlfriend of nearly two years and the footballer; he wasn’t impressed by what either of them had done and it made him wary now.

Diego was at least pleased to see that Lionel had learnt his lesson from last year even if Antonella hadn’t, he had told his girlfriend that she had embarked on an emotional affair even if she didn’t believe him.

Antonella was insistent that she had done nothing of the sort, she ignored what everyone else said about what had happened; she seemed convinced that she had done nothing wrong.

“We should get going,” Diego said reaching for his girlfriend, he didn’t want to be around her ex-boyfriend and he felt for Lucia since it was clear she couldn’t even bring herself to look at Antonella after what had happened.

Antonella shrugged him off wanting to make amends, she still didn’t believe she’d had an emotional affair with Lionel; she had just led him on when she shouldn’t have and hurt Lucia.

“I heard you had a little girl,” Antonella said curiously, she had wanted to send a gift to congratulate them when she had heard but Diego had suggested against it.

The law student had told Antonella that Lucia wouldn’t be comfortable receiving anything from her and Lionel would want to keep his wife happy at all costs.

Lionel glared darkly as he realised what Antonella wanted, he wasn’t going to allow her anywhere near his daughter; he wanted his ex-girlfriend gone before it caused more damage to his marriage.

***

“What is she doing here?” Lionel snapped furiously ranting to Cesc and Gerard later that afternoon, he was still worked up from his meeting with Antonella; he didn’t trust her for a moment.

Lucia and Maia were his main priorities and Lionel wasn’t going to mess this up for a second time, he had nearly lost them once and he wouldn’t be risking his family for a second time.

“That would be my fault, Daniella invited her to come and see Lia since they are best friends,” Cesc said reluctantly, he knew that he should have warmed Lionel about Antonella being in town.

However Lionel refused to talk about the woman that he’d betrayed Lucia with; Lionel was working so hard on his marriage that it didn’t seem right to upset him.

Gerard rolled his eyes knowing just how close Daniella and Antonella had been, it was like Lucia and Shakira now and this wasn’t going to make things easy on anyone.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lionel demanded knowing he would have been much more prepared for bumping into his ex-girlfriend than he had been that morning.

Lionel ran a hand through his hair as he tried to keep calm, Lucia was only in the living room with Shakira and the children; she didn’t need this darkening her day further.

“You refuse to listen whenever she’s mentioned… plus I didn’t think she’s approach you,” Cesc tried to reason, it wasn’t an easy subject to talk about after what had happened last time.

Everyone had seen the fall out of Lionel’s actions even if Antonella hadn’t stuck around to see the damage that she had helped cause nor did she truly accept that she had done something wrong.

“How did Lucy take it?” Gerard asked sipping on his drink, he feared that all the progress that had happened recently would be undone after Antonella’s reappearance; he didn’t want to see their marriage collapse over nothing.

Lionel looked down at his drink, his wife had been pretty quiet after Antonella had appeared; she hadn’t been able to really look at him until they had gotten home.

“She’s been quiet,” Lionel said as he tried to calm his nerves, he was going to prove that Antonella meant nothing to him now and the only woman that he would ever want was his wife.

Gerard and Cesc shared a concerned look, they both knew that if Lionel was drawn back to Antonella then there would be no saving their marriage this time.

“I’m not going to mess up this time and I want you both to help me,” Lionel said looking at his best friends, he couldn’t allow Antonella to ruin things for him.

Antonella seemed far too happy when he had seen her earlier and he knew that after their emotional affair that there was no way that he was going to allow anything to happen now.

***

“He didn’t seem happy to see me,” Antonella said wrapping her hands around her drink and looked down sadly, she wasn’t sure what she had been expecting after what had happened last August but it wasn’t this.

Daniella sighed looking at her best friend, she hadn’t told Antonella anything about what was happening in Barcelona after she had left to return home.

Daniella felt a little responsible for what had happened, she had encouraged her friend to be close with a married Lionel completely unaware of what was happening between them.

“Anto… whatever happened between the two of you nearly destroyed his marriage to Lucia,” Daniella tried to explain, she knew all too well that Antonella refused to admit that she’d had an emotional affair.

As far as Antonella was concerned, all she had done was led Lionel on slightly while she had tried to be friends with him.

Antonella frowned at what Daniella was saying, she hadn’t really heard much about Lionel’s marriage since she had left him behind again; only that Lucia had spent several months in Italy and that they’d welcomed a baby girl into the world two weeks ago.

“Lucia was on the verge of asking for divorce… Leo’s really lucky that she didn’t divorce him and leave with Maia,” Daniella said as she watched her best friend, she had done everything in her power to make Antonella understand but the younger woman just wasn’t seeing it.

Antonella perked a little at the name of Lionel’s daughter, she had to admit that it was beautiful even if she wasn’t going to be welcomed anytime soon by her ex-boyfriend or his new wife.

“Please Anto for me… stay away from them,” Daniella pleaded with her friend, if Antonella tried to get close to the couple then it would only end in tears and not just for Lionel.

Lionel had too much to lose this time to risk things with Antonella, he had a daughter to think about and didn’t need his ex-girlfriend causing trouble for him in anyway.

Antonella huffed knowing that she did want to be friends with Lionel, he had meant so much to her at one point that it just didn’t seem right that she couldn’t speak to him anymore.

Antonella nodded her head knowing she had no intentions on keeping her promise, she wanted to see and speak to Lionel and she didn’t care what anyone else thought.

Daniella eyed her best friend, she wasn’t going to trust Antonella until she was back in Argentina; this was only going to end in tears and this time someone would really get hurt.