Romance With The CEO

Chapter43: Slowly 2

Of course, it was Velia whom Lucas intended to see when he arrived at the apartment. He entered and headed to the bedroom, but Velia was not there.

In the kitchen.

Lucas hurried to the kitchen and found a familiar aroma filling the air. Along with it, a faint hum escaped Velia's lips.

The sight made Lucas pause in his tracks. Instead of approaching right away, he decided to savor the joy on Velia's face. She looked genuinely happy.

Perhaps it had something to do with the brownies that Velia had just taken out of the oven. The glossy crust on top looked absolutely beautiful.

Velia carefully placed the cake on the kitchen island. She pulled out the parchment paper and removed it from the rectangular pan. It was at that moment her gaze collided with Lucas'.

"Luc!" Velia exclaimed. "Come here."

Lucas approached. "What are you cooking? Brownies?"

Velia welcomed Lucas not only with a smile but also with a twinkle in her eyes.

"You know?" she asked.

"I remember the aroma," Lucas answered, curious. "You used to bake them for me."

Velia blinked. A fleeting memory crossed her mind.

"On your birthday."

Velia's voice sounded soft. Unwillingly, she could not prevent that memory from playing in her head. Involving the green grass in the garden, Velia's surprise, and Lucas' smile.

"That's a birthday I'll never forget."

Warmth appeared and chased away the twinkle in Velia's eyes. A hint of pain emerged. Her heart felt squeezed.

"Do you know?" Lucas asked, embracing Velia from behind. His face rested on her shoulder. "Since you left, brownies have been forbidden for me."

The warmth disappeared. Replaced by a burning sensation.

Lucas chuckled faintly. "I sound so melancholic, don't I?"

Not at all excessive. Lucas' emotions were uncontrollable whenever he saw food that reminded him of Velia. It was ironic, but Velia's loving smile always lingered in his mind whenever he saw those brownies.

His frustration was beyond words. Velia's loving smile and affectionate gaze contrasted with her departure without a word. So, there was no way Lucas could be unaffected.

"F-forgive me, Luc."

Velia's voice sounded hoarse. She turned her body and hugged Lucas.

"I-I'm sorry."

Lucas was taken aback. He could not breathe when there was an implied meaning in Velia's embrace. He could feel it. It was just like before.

Unseen. Unheard. Yet, something jolted through every cell in Lucas' body. Every nerve responded.

Lucas took a deep breath. He returned Velia's embrace and smiled faintly. He caressed her tenderly, full of emotions.

"I think it's time to end the cold war between me and brownies."

Lucas released the embrace. He lifted Velia's chin and raised her face. Gently, he kissed Velia's misty eyes.

"When can I enjoy them? I can't wait anymore."

Velia took a deep breath, trying to control herself even though it was difficult. "In a moment. I'll also prepare some tea for you."

Lucas stepped back. He would wait calmly and patiently. If it involved Velia's homemade snacks, his anticipation would undoubtedly be rewarded.

Brownies and tea were served. They looked tempting, not only offering deliciousness on the tongue. More than that, there was a familiar atmosphere that returned.

Lucas smiled. He looked at Velia and realized that the brief pause had neutralized his feelings.

"Come on! Give them a try."

Not just a taste. Lucas began the evening conversation with a big bite. He chewed and enjoyed Velia's tense expression.

"How is it?" Velia asked, curious. "Is it delicious?"

Nothing had changed. Exactly. Just like before. Not only the identical taste on the tongue but also the smile on Velia's face.

Velia was taken aback. The way Lucas looked at her made her breathless.

"Luc."

Lucas continued with the next piece. "Always delicious," he replied, disregarding Velia's changing expression. "I don't know what dream I had last night to be able to enjoy your brownies today."

"Well, I also don't know what dream I had that led me to bake brownies," Velia added, smiling. "After you left earlier, I was confused about what to do. So, I asked Carter to buy baking ingredients."

Lucas coughed. He choked on the brownies and quickly drank some tea.

"Are you okay?"

Velia handed him a tissue. Lucas wiped the remaining liquid off his lips. The look in his eyes showed genuine surprise.

"Carter?" Lucas confirmed. "You asked him to buy baking ingredients?"

Velia nodded joyfully. "Yes, and it turns out he knows a thing or two about baking ingredients."

Lucas was astonished.

"Oh, not only that. A few days ago, I also asked Carter to buy vegetables and other cooking ingredients. He's quite good at choosing fresh fish."

Now Lucas could not say anything while Velia just laughed.

"You were the one who told me to ask Carter for help if I needed anything."

Indeed, but Lucas never thought it would involve baking ingredients and fresh fish. He was surprised to see Velia doing that. However, he was even more shocked by how well Carter did it.

"It seems Carter is truly a reliable driver."

Velia's laughter turned into a mischievous smile. "What about yourself? Did your meeting go well?"

"My meeting?"

It seemed the topic of Carter and shopping for groceries was a powerful distraction. At least Lucas needed two seconds to process the meeting Velia referred to.

"Thank goodness you reminded me," Lucas said, reaching into his pocket and taking out his phone. "There's something I want to show you."

Lucas rose and moved closer to Velia. He embraced her while showing her a photo. It depicted a large house that appeared neglected, dampening its true beauty.

"Luc," Velia whispered, uncertain. "What is this?"

Lucas gazed at Velia. "As you can see, it's a photo of a house."

An intuition emerged. Velia's hair stood on end. Unwillingly, but suspicion quickly crept in.

"You're right."

As if he could guess Velia's thoughts, Lucas nodded meaningfully. Then he showed her more photos, displaying different angles of the magnificent house.

"This is a house belonging to an acquaintance of mine. His business is struggling, and I'm interested. What do you think?"

The suspicion grew stronger. This time, Velia was left speechless.

"You would definitely like living here. The yard is spacious. You wouldn't feel bored anymore. You could plant and tend to flowers like you used to. Ah!"

Something crossed Lucas' mind. His forehead furrowed as he realized a possibility.

"Do you still enjoy planting and caring for flowers?"

Velia did not answer; instead, she expressed her objection. "You shouldn't do this, Luc."

There were several reasons Lucas could present as evidence that he should indeed do it. But Velia spoke again.

"You've already given me so much, Luc. I don't think I need to explain all of that."

Lucas shook his head, restraining a chuckle. "No. It's not a good idea."

"So-"

"It's too late to refuse."

Velia's eyes widened. "Y-you?"

"I'm sure it won't take long for Vlora to handle the transfer of the property's ownership."

Velia's tongue was completely tied now. She could only gape as Lucas turned the tables. Lucas laughed happily, as if he had won an important match.

"So..."

Lucas's voice was heard as his hand reached for Velia's fingers. He held them and gently squeezed.

"...where do you want to live?"

Velia felt powerless. "I-I... I..."

Lucas's hand rose. He caressed Velia's cheek while smiling, relishing her stammering.

"I don't think it matters where you want to live. What matters is who you want to live with."

Lucas reached for the nape of Velia's neck. In one gentle pull, he successfully silenced her lips with a tender kiss.

"Am I right?"

*