The Green-Eyed Monster

Louis sat in his car outside the café, his eyes fixed on the window where Victoria and Alex sat. He had been driving by on his way to a meeting when he'd spotted them-Victoria laughing softly, her head tilted slightly toward Alex, who was leaning in with his signature confident grin. Louis gripped the steering wheel, his eyes on the interaction unfolding easily before him; the sight of the two of them together, comfortable, stirring inside a dark burble he couldn't quite place. He had believed Victoria when she said that she was meeting with Alex to brainstorm over the business proposal, but seeing them now, a knot of jealousy began to rise in his chest. They were interacting so effortlessly, so naturally, starkly opposite to the tension that had been prevailing between him and Victoria lately. It wasn't just the fact that Alex was there, across from his wife with his knowing smile; it was how Victoria responded to him, her posture more relaxed than it had been in weeks, her smile easy and unguarded in a way Louis hadn't seen in a long time. That gnawed in his stomach-a bitter taste of something he did not want to admit: insecurity. He had never doubted Victoria's love for him, but since the lawsuit, the poisoning, and everything in between, the relationship had felt strained. Passion had turned to arguments and miscommunication, and a sense of frustration neither of them could ever quite seem to rid themselves of. Now, watching her with past, a person marked in her mind,-Louis felt that old fear of losing her creep into his heart. After several minutes of turmoil in his mind, Louis took a deep breath and made himself get out of the car. He just wasn't going to sit there and stew in jealousy. He trusted Victoria, and if there was something to be concerned about, he'd face it head-on. He would not let Alex or anybody else come between them without fighting for what they had. Louis pushed open the door of the café and was immediately enveloped in the warm hum of conversation and the scent of freshly brewed coffee. He immediately spotted Victoria and Alex, their heads bent together, speaking in hushed tones. He deliberately walked up to them, at an even pace, and when Victoria looked up and saw him, her smile faltered for just a moment. "Louis," she said, surprised. "What are you doing here?" "I was in the neighborhood," Louis returned, his voice even, strained. He nodded at Alex, who lounged in his chair, flashing Louis an urbane, insincere smile. "Good to see you again, Louis," Alex said suavely, getting up and holding out his hand. "Victoria and I were just concluding our meeting." Louis clasped his hand, but the contact felt cold. "Likewise. I hope I'm not interrupting." "Not at all," Victoria hastened to say, her head jerking, as her eyes darted between the two men, noting the tension that crackled in the air. She could have felt the tightness in Louis's expression-the barely discernible clench of his jaw. He was composed, but the jealousy was here, just beneath the surface. Alex, ever the charmer, seemed unconcerned, at least deliberately so, regarding the blatant discomfort. "We were just discussing some ideas for a new venture I'm working on. Victoria's insight has been invaluable, as always." Louis's eyes flickered at Victoria, his tone taking on a slightly harder edge. "I'm sure it has." She felt the weight of Louis's gaze and knew what he was thinking. He had never been the jealous kind, yet the strain between them lately seemed to have made him more sensitive, more apt to notice any threat, however slight, to his relationship with her. And Alex- smooth words, easy charm, and devastatingly good-looking just the type of man to press all of Louis's buttons. "Alex and I were just reminiscing," Victoria said, trying to make light of the affair. "We discussed his proposal, but that is all it is at this time: a proposal." "Of course," Alex added; his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "But I'd love to keep the conversation going, Victoria. You have a brilliant mind, and I think we could make something great happen." Louis's jaw tightened; the subtle praise Alex continued to heap on Victoria got under his skin. He knew Alex wasn't being purely professional-there was something else in his tone, something that hinted at a deeper connection, one that burrowed deeper than business. "Victoria's got a lot on her plate right now," Louis said, his voice firm. "I'm sure she'll consider your offer, but she's also dealing with more important things." Victoria gave Louis a sideward glance; there was an edge beneath the rather casual tone. "I can multitask, Louis." "I know that," Louis said quickly, but his tone betrayed him. He was not concerned with her workload; he was worried about Alex's place in her life, how so very easily he had slipped back in and made Victoria laugh, made her forget, even if just for a moment, the stress and strain of their current reality. Alex sensed the growing unease and nodded slightly. "I'll leave you two to it, then. Victoria, we should catch up soon." He flashed another smile, this one hanging just long enough to make Louis's blood simmer. "Take care, Louis." As Alex walked away, Victoria could feel the tension between her and Louis like a wall. She turned to face him fully, her expression a mix of concern and frustration. "What was that about?" Louis's eyes darkened, his voice low. "What do you mean?" "You were practically interrogating him," Victoria said, her voice rising slightly. "It was just a business meeting, Louis. There's no need to act like I'm... "Like you're what?" Louis snapped the sharpness in his voice cutting her off. "Like you're slipping away from me?" Victoria blinked, startled by his words. "Is that what you think? That I'm slipping away? Louis ran a hand through his hair. He was frustrated and it was bubbling over. "I don't know, Victoria. But seeing you with him, watching how easy everything is between you two, I can't help but feel like I'm losing you. Like I'm not enough anymore." Victoria's heart sank at his words, guilt, and frustration warring inside her. "Louis, that's not true. I'm not slipping away, and you are more than enough. But things have been hard lately, for both of us. You know that." "I do know that," Louis said, his voice softening. "But it feels like every time I turn around, something else is pulling you away. Lawsuit, the poisoning, now Alex. It's like I'm constantly fighting to keep us together." Victoria's eyes welled with emotion as she moved closer to him, her hand out to his. "Louis, I'm not going anywhere. I love you. But you have to trust me. Alex is from my past, but that's all he is. You're my present, and you're my future." Louis looked down at their intertwined hands; his heart heavy with relief and doubt. He wanted to believe her; he needed to believe her, but he could feel the cracks in their relationship starting to set in. "I just don't want to lose you," Louis whispered low. "You won't," Victoria whispered back, with tears in her voice. "We'll get through this. Together." But there, holding each other, the shadow of Alex's presence fell as a brick wall between them. The chemistry Victoria shared with him wasn't to be denied; Louis couldn't quite shake off the feeling that their past wasn't as far behind them as either wanted to admit.