Indeed, it is normal for Velia to wake up feeling tired. Since she entrusted her life to Lucas, there has not been a truly refreshing sleep for her. Especially after last night. She had a terrible and horrifying nightmare. Not only did Velia's body feel exhausted, but her soul was also shaken. Apparently, Lucas's caresses did succeed in putting her to sleep. However, they were not powerful enough to banish the terrifying images from her mind upon waking up. “Luc?” Rising and holding the blanket to her chest, once again Velia did not find Lucas by her side. She glanced at the clock and realized it was still early in the morning. Velia put on her nightgown and got out of bed. She searched for Lucas's whereabouts until her steps led her to the kitchen. “Are you awake?” Lucas was already dressed neatly, complete with a white shirt and tie. He looked fresh as he prepared breakfast. “Yes,” Velia nodded awkwardly. “Y-you prepared breakfast.” “Just sandwiches. It's not difficult.” Luc
Days passed. During that time, Velia realized something. Lucas was always there with her. Seven days a week, without exception. Velia finished preparing breakfast when Lucas arrived, looking neat and tidy. They sat down together. Lucas wiped his mouth. He finished a glass of water and asked nonchalantly, “Is there something you want to say?” Velia snapped out of her reverie, and Lucas stared at her. His gaze seemed piercing. “You've been watching me all this time,” Lucas continued. “I thought there was something you wanted to say.” Velia should not have been surprised. He seemed careless, but in truth, Lucas was very perceptive. Nothing escaped his eyes. Regarding Lucas's perceptiveness, Velia realized something else. There was no point in lying to him. Trying to be dishonest with him was the fastest way to invite trouble. “I remember you once told me that you gave me this apartment unit to make things easier for you.” That was enough. Velia did not need to explain the details.
Ricardo entered hurriedly and slammed the door shut. His loud voice startled the deputy who was engrossed with the computer. “Vonda,” Ricardo called as he walked towards his office door. “Call Mecca. Tell her to meet me right away.” “Yes, Sir.” Entering his workspace, Ricardo quickly grabbed a glass of water and downed it in an instant. Sandra's command left him breathless. A knock on the door caught Ricardo's attention. He hurriedly sat behind his desk and exclaimed, “Come in.” The door opened, and Mecca entered. She smiled politely as Ricardo motioned for her to sit. “What's the matter, Sir?” Ricardo wiped the sweat off his forehead with a tissue and squeezed it. He tried to smile to suppress the escalating panic. “I want to ask something,” Ricardo said, hoping not to raise suspicion. “How is Velia doing?” Out of the many reasons Ricardo could have called her, this possibility was unexpected for Mecca. Confusion immediately appeared on her face as she answered. “Velia seems
“Oh my goodness, Luc! I can't believe what you did to Clarissa. How could you, Luc? How could you leave her alone while you came home?” Lucas closed his eyes dramatically. Honestly, he was not surprised by his mother's anger. On the contrary, he was surprised that Sandra had not contacted him after her encounter with Clarissa earlier this evening. “I was exhausted and couldn't wait for her just to have a cup of tea,” Lucas said, taking off his glasses perched on his nose. “I have more important work than her.” The laptop lit up, displaying the graphs Lucas was reviewing. Sandra's call came at an inconvenient time, and he had to momentarily leave his work. Sandra's audible sigh came from the other side. It seemed that his mother needed to calm herself before continuing the conversation. “Fine. Let's forget about this. How about Sunday night?” Vaguely, Lucas frowned. “What's happening on Sunday night?” “We haven't met since we went to Jakarta. Wouldn't it be nice if we had dinner
Lucas was certain he would never grow tired of that sight. Specifically, in the kitchen, where a woman was busy with cooking utensils and ingredients. Velia was preparing breakfast with a casual appearance. She was still wearing last night's nightgown and had only washed her face. It was strange, but it looked charming in Lucas' eyes. The stove went off. The sound of utensils ceased, and Velia turned her body to reach for a plate, her gaze meeting Lucas at the doorway. “Oh my, Luc.” Velia was startled, but Lucas grinned instead. He took a step forward, approaching Velia, who was repeatedly patting her chest. “I surprised you.” “W-were you there the whole time?” Velia asked. “What were you doing?” Lucas simply shrugged briefly in response. His focus shifted to the contents of the frying pan. He needed to confirm what Velia was cooking, although the aroma wafting through the air had already given him a clue. “You're making fried rice.” Velia nodded, and Lucas' remark reminded he
“So, it's true?” Lucas raised his face with both hands resting on the table. He looked at Vlora with a serious gaze. “Did Ricardo request Velia's return?” Vlora nodded. “Yes, Sir.” The questions continued in a chain. The truth only fueled more curiosity, and the strangeness grew stronger, causing Lucas to furrow his brow. Vlora remained silent, not saying anything as Lucas pondered several things in his mind. Calling Velia back was not enough. Ricardo even pressured the HR department to expedite the process. There was something I don’t know here. Lucas was certain that compassion was not one of Ricardo's traits. He would not forget the middle-aged man's anger when Velia bumped into him. The oddity became more apparent. Ricardo, who had wanted Velia to be fired the most, was now doing the opposite. So, what was it? Why was Ricardo insisting on calling Velia back? Questions kept popping up and filling Lucas' mind. He clenched his jaw in frustration at his lack of knowledge. “
Sharp-eyed Lucas aimed at Vlora. The secretary seemed slightly intimidated but held her ground when faced with the same question again. “Are you serious about what you said?” “I am serious, sir,” Vlora confidently replied. “I'm sure I didn't mishear.” Lucas did not say anything further. At least for the past two years, Vlora had proven that her words were never wrong. “Okay.” Vlora gave a brief nod before leaving Lucas' room. Silence quickly enveloped the room, albeit not for long. Lucas picked up his phone and dialed a number. Without much waiting, the call was answered. “Saturday?” It seemed that Lucas had a busy schedule for the coming Saturday. From accompanying Velia for shopping, having dinner with family, and meeting with colleagues. “Alright.” The call ended at the right time. The door opened again, but it was not Vlora who entered. Instead, it was Andreas who came in and immediately took a comfortable position on the sofa. “Good afternoon, Luc.” Lucas placed his ph
In the dim light of the bedside lamp, Lucas blinked his eyes. Awareness returned, and he came back to reality. It was a pleasant realization to wake up and find himself still with Velia. Lucas let out a long breath and slowly untangled himself from Velia's embrace. He carefully tried not to wake her prematurely. Velia looked peaceful and tired as she lay on his chest, holding him close. Lucas had to struggle to free himself from the intimate entanglement. He also wanted to avoid waking Velia before the right time. Velia was exhausted. Her serene face in deep sleep showed signs of weariness. Lucas planted a gentle kiss on Velia's forehead as a gesture of apology. Then, he slid out of bed, leaving Velia covered with the blanket, and reached for his phone on the nightstand. Instead of rushing, Lucas checked a couple of things first. There were emails and messages waiting for him. He quickly read through them before replying. After putting his phone back in its place, next to Velia's