Chapter54


    Lucas‘roomwasonthe9thfloor.Justastheelevatorwasabouttoreachthe7thfloor,hesuddenlycanceledthe7th–floomand.


    “Whatareyoudoing?”Avelinefrowned,askingimmediately.


    Lucasreplied,“Everyonehereknowswe’remarried.Itwouldn’tbeappropriatetosleepinseparaterooms.”


    Avelineretorted,“Idoubtanyonecaresaboutyourprivatelife.”


    Lucassaid,“Justincase.”


    BythetimeAvelinereachedforthe7th–floorbutton,itwastote;theelevatorhadalreadystoppedonthe9thfloor.Herexpressiondarkened.


    LucaswalkedoutoftheelevatorandwentfaraheadbeforeAvelinefinallysteppedout.However,shedidn’tfollowhim.Instead,sheheadedtowardthestairwell.


    Seeingthis,Lucastuggedathistieandcalledout,“Aveline.”


    Shepaused.“What?”


    Shedidn’tturnaround,soshedidn’tseethedeep,darklookinhiseyes.


    Lucassighedalmostimperceptiblyandsaid,“There’snomajorconflictbetweenus.Can’twejustgetalongpeacefully?”


    Aveline’shandclenchedintoafist.


    Nowhewantedtotalkaboutgettingalongpeacefully?


    Thatwaswhatshehadwantedbefore,buthowdidhetreather?


    Becausesheinitiallyrefusedtodivorce,hetreatedhercoldlyandharshly.


    #15BONUS


    Shealmostthoughthehadbeenpossessedbysomeoneelse!Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Andnow,hewantedtogetalongpeacefully.


    Avelinechuckledlightly.“Fine,attendingthedinnerwillcostyoutwohundredthousanddors.”


    Lucaspaused.“That’squitethepricehike.”


    Avelurnedtolookathim.“It’syourreputation atstake,notmine.Afterwe divorce,noonewillcarewhoIam.”


    Sheactedas ifshedidn’tcareatall.


    Ifhewantedpeace,hewouldhavetopayforit.


    Lucasstaredathermockingeyes,hisbreathheavy.Shereallydaredtoraisethepriceonhim.


    Seeinghissilence,Avelinewalkedoverwithherarmscrossedandahalf–smileonherface.“Or…wedon’tgetdivorced.I’lldomypartasMrs.Tudor,andyouactlikeaproperhusband.Thenyoucanforgetaboutanyrepayment.”


    “Onemillion,andyoumoveover,”Lucassaidcoldly.Hethenturned,pulledouthisroomcard,andentered hisroomwithoutanotherword.


    Aveline’ssmilehadbarelyformedbeforeherexpressionturned


    bitter.


    Ha…


    WasitthatassoonassomethinginvolvedSophia,hewouldimmediatelpromise?


    Shewantedtoaskhim,“DoyoulikeMissWinterthatmuch?Thenwhynotjustdivorcemequickly?”


    +15BONU


    Thedoorbellrang.


    LucasopenedthedoortofindAvelinestandingthere,herexpressionindifferent.


    “Where’syourluggage?”


    “Didn’tbringany,”Avelinereplied,steppinginsideandncingaroundtheroom.


    Itwasapresidentialsuitewiththreerooms:twobedroomsandastudy.Thelivingroomwasspacious,withasoftleathersofa.


    Avelinewalkedstraighttothesidebedroom.“I’llstayinthisone.”


    Lucas’sdeep,maicvoicesaid,“Staywithme.”


    Avelinelookedathim.“Doyourbusinesspartnersreallycareifwesleepinseparateroomsortogether?Isn’tthatabitintrusive?”


    Meeting hermockinggaze,Lucasfeltaninexplicableirritationbutsaid,“Icanpaymore.”


    “Inyourdreams!”Aveline’ssmilefadedassheshookherphone.”Transfertheonemillionnow.Asforanythingelse,don’teventhinkaboutit!”


    P