Chapter 21: Dinner for Two

Emma stood up at last, her cheeks flushed crimson red that she couldn't even hide them . "We... we have a meeting."Lucas didn't move. He only tilted his head, his arms still resting on the chair as though he hadn't just pulled her into his lap like she belonged there."I know," he said, amused. "Go on then."She didn't dare look back as she rushed toward the door, heart pounding, skin still tingling in ways that she couldn't explain. Her body had betrayed her once again, responding to him shamelessly like when she recalled the feeling of Lucas being close to her.. The feeling her mind refused to admit.Lucas chuckled softly once the door clicked shut behind her. He rarely allowed himself to show emotions like this, but Emma's reaction had been so adorable and cute and that made him want to do that often. The meeting went ahead as planned. Emma sat a careful distance across the boardroom table, close to the door with her notebook open, and her eyes trained on the agenda as she silen

Chapter 22: Aunt Emma's Boyfriend

Days went by so fast and before Emma knew it, it was already the weekend, which meant she had more than enough time to spend with her mother, Gracie and her son, Jason.Emma sat on the grass just at the back of her small apartment building, the sun was still up, and everywhere and everyone was quiet, except for Jason. Emma stared at him in admiration, when she realized how much she missed that, hearing him play all around felt like what she needed the most at this time, with all that had been going on in her life. He was her reason for living now.Gracie sat beside her on a folded lawn chair, holding a mug of chamomile tea. Emma wondered why she'd insisted on staying over till the weekend, but Emma didn't protest. She needed them the most."He's gotten so big," Gracie murmured, eyes fixed on Jason.Emma smiled faintly. "He has."There was silence between them for a moment, the kind that was comfortable and familiar, not like the heated one she always had around Lucas.Gracie turned

Chapter 23: It hurts.

Lucas didn’t say a word as he stepped off Emma’s porch. His footsteps were quiet against the paved walkway.He slipped into his car, leaned back in the driver’s seat, and stared at the wheel for a long minute before starting the engine.He wasn’t sure what he had expected from Emma when he showed up unexpectedly. He definitely wasn't expecting to suck up to him or her gratitude, definitely not. Maybe not even warmth. But her shutting him out that easily, telling him to leave like it meant nothing, gnawed at something in his chest.It wasn’t the first time someone had drawn a line. But it was the first time he so badly wanted to cross it and make the line disappear.He listened quietly to his engine roar as he sped down the road, his fingertips clenched the wheel and his brows furrowed when a thought came into his mind.What if they were a real couple, he and Emma.What If they were truly together, n

Chapter 24: Darcy Anderson

Lucas hadn’t expected the sight of Emma and Nathan to affect him that much… he’d hated it. He had only meant to drop off a file she had mistakenly left on his. desk, he wanted to use it as an excuse to see her. But when he pushed open the glass doors to her office and saw her laughing softly with Nathan, seated too comfortably across her desk, his mood turned cold.Nathan's hand was resting on the edge of her table, close…too close, to Emma’s. And even though her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, Lucas could sense the comfort between them, an ease he hadn’t earned with her, not fully.He stood at the door, they hadn't noticed him yet, he cleared his throat to get their attention. The sound was enough to put distance between them and. Both Emma and Nathan looked up and they saw Lucas staring down at them both.Emma's smile faltered and Nathan straightened his back."Luca…Mr Anderson," she said, almo

Chapter 25: Hot...Kiss

Darcy left minutes ago but Lucas and Emma were still standing at the same point as if they were stuck. They were both still very much in their feelings as if she was still there.Lucas broke out of it early enough and he turned towards Emma who still had her head bowed down, she couldn’t see the expression of regret in his face… he knew she didn’t deserve to be treated that way.He wondered what was going on through her mind,...how was he going to reassure her that no one was going to be getting rid of her and that she was very much important and relevant to him?Lucas suddenly felt weak for the first time in a long time. He couldn’t help but feel very vulnerable at this moment, Emma had just witnessed the real him, not the strong and successful billionaire everyone knew and envied but the grandson who still lived under his grandma’s shadow and had clipped wings. He's been holding onto this for way too long.

Chapter 26: No Body

Lucas didn't move one bit after the call ended. The air was still as he tried to weigh the gravity of the words he had just heard."I think I killed someone."Austin's voice still echoed , ringing bells in Lucas's mind. It didn't sound like Austin... He sounded broken, something was definitely going on and he was soon going to find out.Lucas's hands dropped from the desk slowly, his fingers curling into fists before he released them again. He blinked, once, then twice, reminiscing about what just occurred, forcing his mind to switch from Emma, her lips, her breath, the feel of her body still lingering on him...to Austin and what he needed to do."I need to go," he said, voice low and hard. "There's been a situation."Emma felt words stuck in her throat. She only nodded, and for the first time since she stepped into his office, her expression shifted, she had so much to ask him she wanted to ask him. But she didn't say no more, she just went