Romance With The CEO

Chapter35: The Presents 1

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.

*