IN LOVE WITH A SOLDIER, VOLUME 2 - Season 9 Episode 95

When Aria heard Lawrence’s name, her eyes widened. Under the dim light, she raised her head. Watching his handsome face, the panic on her face slowly faded away.

“Larry, you are back,” she uttered in a low voice.

Lawrence silently studied Aria. ‘She looks like a panic-striken deer. Her face is gaunt, her eyes are empty and her hair is tousled. What has she suffered all these days? How did she survive it?’ he thought.

“I am back,” Lawrence echoed her in a mellow voice. He reached out and drew her into his arms. At that moment, he only wanted to comfort her and hold her close.

Pressing her face against his chest, Aria burst into sobs. She clenched her fingers into a fist and hit him weakly in the chest. “Why didn’t you come sooner? Do you realize how much I needed you? I missed you so much Larry,” she cried.

“Sshh! It’s okay. You’re safe now,” Lawrence patted her head and comforted softly. He didn’t know how else to pacify Aria. ‘She has suffered so much. Poor thing, ‘ he thought.

Time slowly ticked by. Lawrence didn’t let Aria go until she stopped crying. He gently smoothed away a wisp of hair from her forehead and caressed her face. “Come on. Let us leave this place and go home,” he said lovingly.

Aria nodded non-stop. His arrival had rekindled hope in her.

She managed to stand up. But before she could take a step forward, she felt her legs turn limp and sank to the ground.

Noticing this, Lawrence reached out immediately to hold her by her waist and gathered her in his arms.

Aria looked at his face and closed her eyes in relief. Exhausted, she blacked out.

Lawrence gazed at the unconscious Aria. There was a hint of concern and worry in his eyes. Without a word, he lifted her up and left the cell.

Before he reached the exit, he caught sight of Mike and Rebecca. Both of them were standing at the gate.

“Lawrence! Lawrence!” Rebecca called out and ran to Lawrence. She was just unable to control her emotions at the sight of her beloved.

Lawrence saw Rebecca coming towards him but he ignored her and did not stop. Instead, he went straight to the gate without even glancing at her. Mike ran to open his car door for him.

“Lawrence, wait. I can explain. It is not what it seems. This woman tried to hurt me. Please believe me,” Rebecca explained. She was still attempting to fool Lawrence.

An anger consumed her when she saw Aria in Lawrence’s arms. ‘Why does Lawrence care for her and treat her with so much tenderness?’ she wondered.

Lawrence ignored Rebecca’s words and kept moving. He got to the car, put Aria in the passenger seat and pulled the seat belt around her. Then he lightly closed the door to avoid disturbing her.

He walked around the car to the driver’s side. That was when Rebecca reached him and grabbed his shirt tightly to stop him from leaving.

Lawrence finally paused. He thought it was time to make things clear to Rebecca.

He turned around and looked at her. She put on an innocent and pitiful look. In the past, he would have been taken in by this look and listened to her and treated her well. However, now he only found her disgusting.

“Lawrence, I am telling you the truth. Please believe me. I am inncent,” Rebecca beseeched him.

“Are you afraid that I might take revenge?” Lawrence asked coldly.

Mike stood on the side and remained a silent spectator. ‘It is better not to interfere. Let them work things out between themselves, ‘ he decided.

“No… no, you are mistaking my intentions,” Rebecca replied. She gestured and waved her hands around trying to defend herself. “I don’t want you to misunderstand me. I do not care if anyone else gets me wrong but I do care that you know the truth of the matter.”

“Is that so?” Lawrence countered lazily. He grasped Rebecca’s arm and tightened his grip.

Rebecca’s face twisted with astonishment and pain. She could feel the pain coming from her arm. ‘It hurts. He is hurting me on purpose, ‘ she thought.

“Who sent people to hit Aria?” Lawrence demanded. “Why and how did she get injured?”

Meeting Lawrence’s deep eyes, Rebecca ignored the pain. She shook her head. “I don’t know. Trust me. I was in the hospital at the time. I have nothing to do with all this,” she defended herself.

“Are you very sure about this?” Lawrence asked. He had many questions and doubts. But he at least now knew the answers for the questions he had raised.

Rebecca held her tongue as she saw the doubt on his face. She looked at Lawrence, feeling a little scared.

“You are a top star now. What more do you want?” Lawrence continued. “Who gave you permission to lay a hand on her? Answer me truthfully, Rebecca.”

Rebecca finally blurted out the truth. Her expression changed and she fixed her eyes on Lawrence. She said defiantly, “I wanted her dead because she is your girlfriend. I love you, Lawrence. I can’t bear to see you in love with another woman.”

Lawrence didn’t interrupt her as she admitted her mistake.

“I almost beat up Ivy when I thought you found her attractive. If someone had not informed me about Aria being in your life, I wouldn’t even know of her existence. I will do anything and go to any extremes for you, Lawrence,” she continued.

“Did you seriously believe that I would just sit by and let you destroy everything?” Lawrence asked in a baffled voice.

“Of course not. I believe you can do anything,” Rebecca replied without hesitation. After a small pause, she went on, “But you can’t touch me now. It is not the right time.”

Lawrence stared at Rebecca’s pretty face without a word.

“My difficult days were over. Now, I have connections and money. I am a top actresss. Do you think that I am still that weak girl from school?” Rebecca continued confidently. She recalled her life in middle school as she said, “At that time, I had nothing but good looks. I was afraid of poverty and bullies. More than that I was afraid of the contemptuous looks people gave me. But now I fear nothing. I have seen so much in life that I no longer dread losing anything. My only focus now is to go after what I want. And I want you!”

Rebecca exclaimed in no uncertain terms. She expressed her intentions very clearly.

“Connections? What connections? Are you referring to the people you know in the show business?” Lawrence asked in disdain. “I will have no trouble handling those people. You also say you are rich now, huh? Who do you think is richer, you or me? As for your acting, are you sure you are the best actress in the show business?”

All these questions being fired at her drove away her trimphant smile. She was flustered and rattled by his disdain for her.

Mike also came forward and stood next to Lawrence. He glared at Rebecca, and taunted, “So you really think of yourself as a big shot just because you hit a few headlines? Forget Lawrence, I can cut off all your resources easily. I thought you must have become smarter after struggling in the industry for years.

However, it turns out you are still as silly now as you were earlier.”

“Who invited you to speak, Mike? Shut up!” Rebecca snapped instantly.

“How dare you say that? Who do you think you are? Believe me, I can send you to jail right now. You will suffer in the same way as poor Aria did because of you,” Mike threatened. He was infuriated by her words. He had initially tried to be nice to the lady. But Rebecca had shown him no respect and even yelled at him.

His cold voice told Rebecca that he wasn’t joking. A sense of fear arose in her heart. She was well aware of the reputation and influence of the Yu family. His family had links with the underworld.

“Lawrence,” Rebecca changed the subject immediately, trying to shut out Mike.

“Lawrence, take Aria with you and leave. Leave this woman to me. I will handle her,” Mike said to Lawrence without taking his eyes off Rebecca.

Lawrence got into the car instantly and drove away.

“Lawrence! Lawrence!” Rebecca shouted and attempted to chase Lawrence’s car. She was stopped by two men in black. They were Mike’s bodyguards.

“If you had not betrayed Lawrence, things would have been very different for you,” Mike intoned. ‘She deserves this. What’s done cannot be undone. She is paying the price for her mistakes, ‘ he pondered.

“Mind your own business, Mike. I don’t need your lecture,” Rebecca retorted with a sullen expression. She blamed him for letting Lawrence leave. She still had a lot to tell the latter.

“I don’t want to intervene in your matter. But…” He paused for a moment and warned, “If you try to mess with Lawrence, Aria or me, I will not spare you. Just remember this.”

He then made his way to a car parked closeby. He was swiftly followed by a horde of men in black.

Rebecca watched the men get into the car and drive away. Her face full of hatred, she watched them go. ‘Those men are in my way. I must make some plan to get them out of my way, ‘ she mused.

Lawrence was driving at a careful speed. He kept stealing sidelong glances at Aria as he drove.

With one hand on the steering wheel, he placed the wireless headset over his ear and made a call.

“Hello,” Lily picked up and her polite greeting resounded from the other end of the line.

“It’s me,” Lawrence replied, “I am back, Lily.”

“Oh, really? Is that you, Mr. Lawrence? Where are you? Bill and I will pick you up right away,” Lily exclaimed with joy.

“There is no need. Listen to me carefully, Lily. Get my room ready. I am bringing someone home. Ask Bill to find the best doctor and bring him home,” Lawrence urged.

“Are you sick, Mister Lawrence? Are you hurt? What has happened?” Lily asked worriedly.

“No, it is someone else,” Lawrence replied curtly. The explanations could wait for later. “Do as I ask. I am driving Mike’s car and I will be home in half an hour.”

“Okay. Fine. Bill and I will be waiting for you with a doctor,” Lily promised.

After disconnecting the call, Lawrence dialled Mike’s number.

“Yes Lawrence,” Mike answered flatly.

“Are you alright?” Lawrence asked him with some concern. He knew the kind of person Rebecca was. She could be very tiresome.

“I am good. It is not difficult to handle a woman,” Mike replied with a sneer. “Have you reached home?”

“Not yet,” Lawrence answered. “Come home tonight. I have something I want to discuss with you.”