Madilyn’s expression froze when she saw that Bentley stop in front of Roxanne’s house.
I remember now! It’s Lucian’s car! Didn’t Roxanne say that she’s going to a business-related social event? Why did Lucian suddenly come over? Are they going together?
Madilyn was filled with confusion.
When Lucian knocked on the door, she hesitated, not knowing if she should get out of the car.
After all, she knew very well that Lucian was pursuing Roxanne. If she walked over, she would become the third wheel.
Meanwhile, when Roxanne heard the doorbell, she assumed that Madilyn had arrived. She stood up and opened the door. “You’re here! I’ll—”
Before she could finish her sentence, she looked up and met Lucian’s eyes.
Silence filled the air. With her fingers digging into her palms, Roxanne pretended to be calm and asked, “What are you doing here?”
She looked behind Lucian and saw that Estella wasn’t there.
Roxanne’s heart skipped a beat. “Is Essie feeling unwell?”
Lucian would always bring Estella along every time he met her.
Since she was not there, Roxanne assumed that she probably had an allergic reaction.
However, Lucian did not respond to her question for a long time.
After sensing something was off, Roxanne pressed her lips together and did not utter another word.
Madilyn watched as the atmosphere between Roxanne and Lucian turned tense. She decided against stepping out, instead choosing to wait quietly in the car. Nonetheless, she couldn’t help letting her thoughts wander.
Lucian’s actions are making me second-guess myself. If Roxanne hadn’t told me he wanted to win her back, I simply wouldn’t have believed he was a man who would attempt such a thing. Besides, the way he’s acting doesn’t look like he’s trying to get in a woman’s good graces at all. It’s more like he’s trying to reclaim his territory.
The more Madilyn observed the former husband and wife, the more she leaned toward the theory that Lucian was merely trying to reclaim lost territory.
“You’re going out?” Lucian repressed his anger and cast a cold glance at Roxanne. The man was clearly feigning ignorance, for he already knew the answer to his question.
Roxanne felt somewhat guilty upon meeting the man’s eyes.
However, when she thought about the fact that she only met up with Jack because of work, her confidence began to rise, and she responded calmly, “There’s a contract-signing ceremony I need to attend in a little while. I’m afraid I don’t have time to attend to you, Mr. Farwell. I hope you understand.”
A slight crease appeared between Lucian’s eyebrows as he continued to probe, “Is it with Jack?”
The question startled Roxanne. “How did you know?”
I only received the notice last night. Moreover, Lucian has nothing to do with the project, so how did he know about this?
The kids, who were in the living room, overheard their mother’s question, and guilt was written all over their little faces. Subsequently, they quietly turned around and began playing with their Legos.
Roxanne did not suspect her children at all. Instead, she wondered if the man in front of her was investigating her again.
Lucian appeared to have seen through her thoughts, and his gaze darkened. “I have my ways.”
His words only increased Roxanne’s suspicion. When she looked at him again, there was a hint of wariness in her eyes. “I don’t care how you found out, but I’m heading out soon. I’d appreciate it if you would leave as well.”
“What if I refuse? The reason I’m here today is to stop you from attending the contract-signing ceremony.” The man’s expression turned sullen, and his tone was ice cold.
To be precise, Lucian was trying to stop Roxanne from meeting up with Jack.
However, Roxanne only felt that the man was being unreasonable. “Are you done, Lucian? I’m only doing my job. What’s the matter with you?”
A smile crept across Lucian’s face when he heard her feisty response. “The so-called job you’re talking about, Ms. Jarvis, is it poaching from me?” he asked.
Roxanne’s brows creased slightly, for she couldn’t understand what the man was talking about.
According to my understanding, the contract-signing ceremony is between Damaris Group and Herbscape Group. What does Lucian have to do with this?
“At first, Herbscape Group intended to sign with Farwell Group. Damaris Group must have pulled a few tricks to make Herbscape Group back out at the last minute and ultimately refuse to sign with us. Damaris Group’s methods greatly displeased me, so I’m not about to let their contract-signing ceremony proceed without a hitch,” Lucian explained with a straight face as if these were his true thoughts.
For a few seconds, Roxanne stared at him suspiciously. She thought the man was merely making up an excuse.
However, she did not notice anything odd in his expression at all which meant that he was indeed telling the truth.
A strange feeling welled up within Roxanne when realization dawned upon her.
All this while, Lucian’s dissatisfaction toward Jack stemmed from their business squabbles. It wasn’t because of me at all!
Roxanne had been feeling troubled. She thought Lucian’s misunderstanding of her relationship with Jack would cause trouble for the latter.
As it turned out, it was she who had completely misunderstood the entire situation.
A flash of self-mockery flitted across Roxanne’s eyes. She was worried that Lucian might find trouble with Jack because of her, but it turned out that she had gotten it all wrong.
All the while, Lucian was finding trouble with her because of Jack. Seeing the change in the woman’s expression, Lucian realized that what he had just said might have been too suggestive.
With his brows knitted together, Lucian was prepared to explain himself, but Roxanne beat him to the punch.
“Since it’s business-related, you can reason with Mr. Damaris himself. I’m merely a researcher in this project. Both my words and my presence don’t carry much weight, so even if I’m not there at the ceremony, it can still proceed without a hitch.”
Roxanne looked at the man in front of her with a tinge of mockery in her gaze as she continued, “I’m just an insignificant member of the project. If don’t attend the ceremony today, my colleagues will assume I’m unsociable and bring me trouble in the future. Mr. Farwell, please don’t put me in a tight spot.”
The crease between Lucian’s brows deepened when he heard the woman’s words. She had indeed misunderstood him.
“That’s not what I meant!” he declared.
However, his reply only made Roxanne scoff. “Then what do you mean, Mr. Farwell? Are you treating me as a punching bag because you lost a business deal?”
Angered, Lucian narrowed his eyes. He could not think of a way to explain himself as he was caught up in the heat of the moment. Hence, he reached out to grab the woman’s wrist, not wanting to let her slip away.
Without the slightest hesitation, Roxanne attempted to break free of Lucian’s grip, but he was far stronger than her.
“Lucian Farwell, what you’re doing is pointless!” Having grown frustrated after struggling for a while, Roxanne glared at the man in front of her.
Lucian opened his mouth, but he didn’t know what to say to appease her anger. In the end, his retort was short and curt. “You can’t go.”
For a moment, the atmosphere between the two was thick with tension.
Madilyn had parked her car in her own courtyard and was observing her best friend and Lucian from afar.
She felt her heart tighten when the former husband and wife looked like they were arguing.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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