Love and Distrust

by Yourstrulytasha

It's been 6 months since Natsu and Lucy's arranged marriage. Natsu has never seen Lucy as a woman but as a pawn in his game. On the way home after work, Lucy watches as Natsu passionately makes out with one of his married coworker. Who will Lucy turn to for comfort? (Set in the normal world)

16. Pride in the Face of Conflict

Hey guys! I'm finally back with the next chapter:D

Credits to pandora29 and SilverCore94 for the amazing picture:)

I just want to give a shout out to all my followers because I appreciate your support and as of today, Love and Distrust finally has over 100 followers! So this is quite a long chapter, special for you guys. :)

In this chapter, I will finally reveal the mystery man Lucy has been with all along and hopefully its shocking because nobody guessed correctly(sadly). All your reviews are very much appreciated and these things are actually what motivate me to upload more chapters so keep on reviewing if you want to know the rest of the story guys!:)

Thank you to all my sources of motivation: OgaxHilda, Kingdom's Oathkeeper, iloveyoshino663, stacy dragneel, skelekc, Pyr0maniacally, dianaloveanime, hyper-energetic ninja, Julijulgran, Kill Lisanna, Pepisho, Florcita, XinderXD, XxFairy-chanxX, starfiresusan18 , jdcocoagirl, iiILurvePancakesii, blog-heart-slover03, Pooglelover, jaclynkaileigh, Banana-chan, CelestialTitania, ConstellationOblivion, Dog's Paw Burning In Hot Ash, Crystal DragMura, Coolanime14, AMMiss,RebeccaCrystalVermillionLohr, SticyWuver

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Previously on Love and Distrust

In the guest compound, Natsu has awoken but does not pursue Lucy as of tonight. Instead, towering skyscrapers of alcohol bottles overwhelm the small table it is placed on. One by one, the bottles are emptied, trying to overcome obstacles in life by drowning in a sweet bliss that would never last.

A couple is seen lounging in the luxurious boudoir that belongs to none other than Ms. Heartfilia as she tries to drown herself in ignorance that felt like ecstasy, hoping to find it in the heart of another man she knew very well and a man that was there from the very beginning.

Chapter 16~ Pride in the Face of Conflict

Natsu's POV

My pride, my self-esteem, buried deep into the ground as I gulped down bottles upon bottles of alcohol but my mind isn't dreary or delusional, in fact, my mind was absolutely clear. I could not even assuage my remorse one bit as my actions required atonement equal to death. I burned her emotionally, harmed her physically, and destroyed who she was. A person as detestable as I am doesn't even deserve the chance to live. I wonder how is mother doing without me, she had backup savings that would be enough to provide for herself while father tries to find a job which won't be easy since he already relinquished his position to the incumbent leader which was once me. That's right. I failed him as a successor, as a son, as a human being.

All those nights she tried to be a good wife, patient and loving, only to be repaid by apathy and indiffrence. My feelings were in a state of intangibility and turmoil. Everything was caught up in a whirlwind of emotions and mixed feelings that I could not comprehend. Her efforts did charm me at one point but now, were all those feelings just a fluke?

Back to Lucy~

After spending an eventful day at the office the other day, I invited my former boss, Mr. Fullbuster over to help relieve my stress and hopefully I can find the lost love I deserve in this man. I knew I piqued his interest from the beginning but I thought that it was just instinct since he had a fiancee already. However, I recently found out that apparently Gray had broken off the engagement to Juvia for personal reasons that he could not discuss publicly. When I saw the headlines on the news, I was extremely shocked and almost appalled until I realize that it was only a beneficial, loveless marriage. Since we were both in loveless marriages, we thought that we could seek solace in each other after being put in a similar situation.

Third Person POV

A shadow lurked in the darkness of the Heartfilia gardens, right outside the boudoir, seemingly interested in the converation that was happening between the couple inside. The velvet curtains were not closed properly, leaving a tiny gap, but big enough for someone to spy. Hurt etched across his face as he saw the "loving" couple inside which consisted of his beloved wife and her former superior.

Inside the Boudoir~

"Hmm, Lucy why were you late today anyways, werent we supposed to meet about an hour ago?" Gray questioned with a seemingly innocent look, unkbeknownst to him that Natsu was spying on them.

Flustered by the sudden question Lucy struggled to cover up for what happened earlier in front of the office.

"I-I was working late today since I was just annointed CEO of Heartfilia Studios." Lucy uttered with her voice faltering after each word.

Gray seemed quite convince with her answer and let the topic slide deciding to ignore and neglect it. Instead, he slid his hand on her bare skin, the hot touch surprises Lucy until he seductively asks:

"We can stop here if you'd like."

Lucy shook her head indicating that she had longed the warm touch that could handle her with care and carress her tenderly with love. Their lips were intertwined in a passionate kiss. Her tongue in sync with his, dancing around the cavern. Instinctively, Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her waist, pulling her closer towards him and further deepening the kiss as he held her tightly but gently.

Outside, Natsu watched in complete horror and revulsion as he watched the disgusting scene unfold before him. Unable to bear the sight of the couple so passionate about each other, he decided to leave them with some privacy and headed towards the gates of the estate, evading all the guards patrolling around the property.

The Next Morning~

"Ring! Ring! Ring! The cacophonous rings of telephones clashed with each other as Lucy tried to answer most of the calls as there were many reporters who were trying to book an interview with the studio's next CEO.

The constant ringing persistenly pestered Lucy all morning until she received a suspicious call to her personal mobile cell phone with a anonymous caller ID

"Hello?"

The voice on the other end of the line left Lucy completely paralyzed and rooted to the ground.

"I heard you made an appointment with me yesterday, I was awaiting for your arrival but it was pointless as you never showed up. Who do you think you are wasting my time? If this was to catch my attention, you have my complete attention right now so speak now what you need to say." Mr. Dreyar's voice boomed through the line as he was trying to maintain composure that was almost overwhelmed by his fury.

"I apologize for the inconvenience I have caused you but there was an urgent matter that surfaced and required my immediate attention. I'd prefer we speak about this in private so why not we meet somewhere?" My suggestion was asking for a little too much after I had just blown him off but I had no choice.

"I'll meet you in Magnolia Café in 15 minutes." After that single sentence, the line was cut short.

'Is he crazy? Magnolia Café is like 20 minutes by car, how does he expect me to get there so quickly?' Well, he was already very generous with his offer to want to meet me so I had no choice but to givr in to his demands since beggars can't be choosers.

"Ring!" My cellphone rang again, this time the caller ID read: "Home"

"Hello? Lucy Hearfilia speaking."

"Mistress, Mr. Dragneel has gone missing!" The housekeeper notifies me with panic eminent in her voice.

"What?"

Natsu's POV

Stealthily, I managed to escape from the Heartfilia Estate and back on the roads. I could not face Lucy right now, especially after what I had just witnessed. Fortunately, my wounds and injuries were tended yesterday and were pretty much healed up today, enabling me to run long distances. My clothes were also replaced with a brand new designer maroon dress shirt and designer black dress pants. I wanted to thank Lucy for her hospitality in person, but decided to leave a note instead.

I trudged on to the streets of Magnolia, trying to sort out my feelings, comprehend the situation, and most importantly, devise a solution to all of this mess. There's always the option of staying at mother's residence right? I'm pretty sure they have a place of their own by now.

Lucy's POV

Torn between two paths, my resolve was finally clear, I know that if I blow off the appointment with Mr. Dreyar again, I will not be given another opportunity to meet him probably ever again. However, instead of letting Natsu go on the loose, I dispatched a team of secret investigators and detectives to track down Natsu's whereabouts and bring him to me.

"Magnolia Café should be on this boulevard."

Entering the café, I noticed the regal and elegant atmosphere the place gave off, from the delicately crafted wrought iron chairs with intricate detailing, to the complex embroidery of the table cloth.

Sitting down on my designated seat, Mr. Dreyar soon arrived, a grim expression evident on his face.

"What did you want to say?" Mr. Dreyar spoke hastily, as if to waste no time.

"I want to know the lawsuit I won, what happened to the Dragneels, and why I'm the CEO and owner of all Dragneel property." I faced him head on with strong determination, eager to learn of the truth.

Third Person POV

"You've got to be kidding me."

Natsu stood rooted on the ground as he saw the "house" that his parents were currently residing. The building was not spacious, enough for two but looked incredibly terrible. The enamel was stained with mould and fungus, paint chipping off the walls, wooden doors were partially consumed by termites that lingered there around the dilapidated, run-down home.

"Here goes nothing."

To Be Continued~

What do you think happened to Natsu's parents guys? Write down your feedback in the review section and let me know:)