Unlike usual, Lucas drove alone. There was no Will. Perhaps there were a few things he needed to take care of before visiting his parents’ house.
Lucas let out a long sigh. During the pause created by the traffic light, he glanced at the passenger seat. There was a brown envelope and a jewelry box placed there.
A gloomy expression appeared on Lucas’s face. A name crossed his mind, weighing heavily on his breath.
Velia.
A honk brought Lucas back to reality as the traffic light turned green. He immediately continued driving.
Around 45 minutes later, Lucas arrived at his parents’ house. Without getting out of the car right away, he briefly glanced at his watch.
The timing was right.
Lucas got out of the car and quickly entered the house with one assumption. There would not be much time to spend on trivial conversations.
Not wanting to accuse, but Lucas could somewhat guess the intention behind the dinner. His instincts warned him accurately when his mother invited him to have dinner together.
“Welcome, Mr. Lucas Hernandez.”
Lucas simply nodded indifferently as he kept walking, asking the butler who greeted him.
“Where are Mom and Dad?”
Anthony Clark answered politely, “Mr. Hernandez is in the workspace, and Mrs. Hernandez might be in her room. Would you like something to drink?”
“I think not,” Lucas replied without beating around the bush. “Dinner will be in half an hour.”
Anthony nodded. He did not say anything further when Lucas spoke.
“I’ll go upstairs.”
Lucas ascended the stairs swiftly, almost running, so it did not take him long to reach his parents’s room.
He knocked once, and Sandra’s voice gave him permission to enter.
“Come in.”
Lucas’s arrival made Sandra stand up immediately from her dressing table. It seemed she had just finished getting ready for the dinner event.
“Luc, you’re here.”
Lucas approached Sandra and gave her a brief hug. “Of course, I’m here.”
“That’s great,” Sandra said cheerfully. “Clarissa will be delighted.”
Lucas had to suppress an unpleasant shock that suddenly hit him. He took a deep breath and refrained from making any comments.
“Are you ready?” Lucas asked, glancing at Sandra’s empty earlobes. “If not, I’ll wait.”
Sandra smiled meaningfully. She could clearly see where her son’s gaze had landed. Lucas would always be the observant one, a quality that she and Jeff considered an asset in running Greatech.
“Just a moment.”
As Sandra returned to the dressing table to finish her preparations, Lucas sat on the sofa. He noticed a few magazines there.
Lucas picked up one with a striking cover. The beautiful face displayed on it furrowed his brow. He would never forget that face. It was Clarissa.
It seemed that Sandra liked Clarissa more than Lucas had imagined. He sighed and intended to put the magazine back in its place.
Lucas stood up. Perhaps seeing Clarissa’s face in the magazine had made him feel uneasy. As a result, he walked over to the window and pulled aside the curtains.
There was Sandra’s lounge chair. Positioned near the window, she often spent her time there, gazing at the night sky and contacting friends.
“Come on, Luc.”
Sandra’s voice caught Lucas’s attention. He turned around and found a strand of pearl earrings adorning her earlobes.
“You’re ready.”
Lucas nodded. He walked and let his hand slide off the armrest of Sandra’s lounge chair. Together, they left the room.
At the same time, Clarissa arrived. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of Lucas. The atmosphere made Sandra smile meaningfully. Perhaps something good could happen in the near future.
Or maybe not.
Throughout the dinner, Lucas did not speak much. He only spoke when asked or engaged in conversation with Jeff.
The excitement that Sandra had briefly felt faded away. Had she jumped to conclusions too quickly? Considering Lucas’s willingness to come and have dinner together as a positive response might not have been wise.
Sandra glanced at her husband. Jeff cleared his throat and reached for his drink. He needed a moment to soothe his throat before discussing an important matter with Lucas.
“Luc.”
Jeff’s tone of voice sounded different. Lucas decided to pause his meal when his father asked.
“What do you think about returning to MPR?”
Lucas’s face changed, slightly. “Suddenly? Besides, I’ve only been with Greatech for two years.”
That response made Jeff turn to Sandra. His gaze had a hint of accusation, as they both could predict the most likely outcome. They should not have asked a question with an already obvious answer.
“Luc.”
Sandra joined in. Briefly, she glanced at Clarissa before looking at her son.
“Mom and Dad are only thinking about your future.”
“My future?” Lucas questioned.
“Yes,” Sandra nodded. “Especially if it concerns marriage, then you and Clarissa will-”
“My marriage to Clarissa?”
Lucas’s question cut Sandra off at the right moment. It also had the powerful effect of bringing about silence.
“Just a moment,” Lucas grumbled, not understanding. “Did I miss something here?”
Sandra glanced at Jeff, but her husband only shook his head slightly. He did not want to waste energy and time on an outcome that was already predictable.
“We are planning to arrange a marriage between you and Clarissa.”
Lucas’s gaze immediately shifted to Clarissa. Unfortunately, it was not the gaze that was hoped for. There was a sharpness that clearly conveyed rejection.
“I have no interest in Clarissa whatsoever.”
Blunt and firm. Not only Clarissa, but Lucas’s words also startled his parents.
“Don’t waste your time, Mom. It won’t work,” Lucas confidently stated without any hesitation. “I won’t marry Clarissa or any other woman.”
“Except Velia?”
Lucas’s face hardened, but he nodded. “I’m glad you still remember that, Mom.”
“Oh my God, Luc!”
Lucas quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth. He stood up as Sandra exclaimed.
“How can you still wait for that woman?! She’s already gone from your life!”
Lucas ignored Sandra’s anger. He approached Jeff and bid a brief farewell. His father could not do anything to stop him.
The dinner ended in an unexpected atmosphere. For that, Jeff could only whisper to Sandra.
“I told you. All of this is futile.”
Sandra did not say anything. She could only clench her fists tightly to contain her anger.
*
The night had not yet reached nine o’clock, but drowsiness had already settled in Velia’s eyes. There was only one reason for it: exhaustion after a full day of shopping.
A faint sound startled Velia. The drowsiness that was causing her eyelids to feel heavy vanished instantly. She got up and glanced across the room.
There was Lucas. His sneaking gesture came to a halt when Velia caught sight of him.
“Are you trying to surprise me?” she accused, her gaze filled with accusation.
Lucas laughed in response to the accusation. Now he walked towards her casually, but there was something strange about him.
“What do you have there?”
Velia was intrigued by the fact that both of Lucas’s hands were hidden behind his back. She tried to see, but Lucas blocked her view.
“Did you expect me to bring something?” Lucas asked teasingly. “Why didn’t you call me?”
Velia shook her head. “I didn’t want anything. I was just curious about what you have.”
“No need to be curious. This is indeed for you.”
Lucas stopped in front of Velia. His hands emerged and presented a velvet box.
Velia’s eyes widened instantly. Instinctively, she pulled her hand back, trying to refuse the item, but Lucas held her back.
“Luc.”
“This is for you. Go ahead, open it. I’m sure you’ll like it.”
Velia could only stare at Lucas for a moment. He responded with a reassuring gaze and nodded once to dispel Velia’s doubts.
Slowly and still somewhat uncertain, Velia opened the luxurious velvet box. She held her breath, and when it opened, it felt like the air disappeared from around her.
Velia was stunned. She was captivated. Her eyes sparkled with wonder.
“Luc.”
Velia’s face lifted. Lucas smiled and said.
“I knew it. You must like it.”
Lucas shifted closer. He took the jewelry from the box and skillfully placed it behind Velia’s hair. It did not take long for the string of diamonds to encircle her slender neck.
Velia looked down. Her hand instinctively touched the pendant hanging below her collarbone. She caressed it, and her body trembled.
“Luc.”
Lucas turned Velia around. He admired the beautiful sparkle that now enhanced Velia’s beauty, while tidying her hair.
“You look absolutely stunning.”
Like any woman, Velia floated with the gift. Her emotions were once again touched and uncontrollable.
“T-this…”
Velia’s voice seemed choked. She seemed unable to breathe.
“… seems too much.”
Lucas narrowed his eyes. “Should I go back to the store and ask them to remove one of the diamonds?”
“Luc.”
Velia’s frustrated groan caused Lucas to chuckle. He rubbed her upper arm and reassured her.
“I realized it after we were together recently. You don’t wear necklaces.”
“I don’t wear them because I don’t own any.”
“Now you own one,” Lucas continued. “So, I want you to wear it always.”
“Always?”
Velia immediately remembered her job that was coming back. Could she work with a string of diamonds like this?
Lucas’s finger rose and landed on Velia’s lips at the right moment. He prevented her protest by presenting two undeniable choices.
“Wear it, or you don’t work?”
Velia hurriedly answered, “I’m sure I can hide it beneath my shirt.”
“Or you can say it’s an imitation,” Lucas joked. “Isn’t that a good idea?”
“No one would believe it’s an imitation.”
The sparkle. The weight. The flawless cut. At least it already indicated its authenticity.
“You’re right. Especially because you’re a terrible liar.”
Velia was slightly taken aback by Lucas’s words. However, she could not dwell on it for long. Lucas changed the topic to something equally surprising.
“Oh, yeah. I almost forgot something important.”
Lucas took hold of Velia’s hands. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he caressed her fingers and occasionally squeezed them gently.
“Do you remember the red car earlier?”
“Yes,” Velia nodded. “I remember. There was a-”
The words Velia was about to say vanished instantly. They were replaced by shock that could not even be expressed in various languages.
If the diamond necklace had made Velia’s eyes widen, this was different. Velia’s face turned pale, and her lips trembled uncontrollably.
“You can’t be serious, can you?”
“Of course, I can.”
Velia jumped up. She almost leaped from her seat, but Lucas held her hand and stopped her.
“Listen, Ve. You know my nature and character. I really don’t want to imagine you cramped in public transportation with the possibility of many men’s eyes on you.”
Speaking of Lucas’s nature and character, Velia understood them fully. He was truly protective of everything he had. No one was allowed to touch or disturb them.
“So, I thought this was the solution. A middle ground for both of our desires.”
Velia faced reality with wide-open eyes. What Lucas had done so far had exceeded her tolerance. Therefore, Velia could only accept Lucas’s decision.
“A dark-tinted car, and no one will see you. Carter will drop you off and pick you up at a special parking spot. I’ll instruct Vlora to take care of everything. You don’t have to worry.”
“Thank you.”
Lucas fell silent for a moment. His broad statement was met with a short, concise reply, but it felt truly peaceful. Just as peaceful as the embrace that suddenly enveloped them. It was unclear who initiated it, but they held each other for a few moments.
Velia closed her eyes. Resting on Lucas’s chest, she leaned against it. She could hear the beating of his heart, providing a soothing rhythm.
“Luc.”
Velia’s soft voice interrupted Lucas’s caress. His hand stopped at the curve of Velia’s waist.
“Yes?”
Velia opened her eyes. “What about your snack?”
“Snack?” Lucas feigned ignorance for a moment, then burst into laughter. “What kind of snack did you make?”
Velia released herself from Lucas’s embrace. With joy, she happily invited Lucas to move to the dining table and showed him.
*