Romance With The CEO

Chapter45: Make A Stand 1

Velia ran. She hurried when the clock struck seven, but she could not anticipate the unexpected traffic jam that made her late to the apartment.

The elevator seemed to move slower than usual. Velia panicked, with all the worst possibilities spinning in her mind.

Is Lucas looking for me?

Velia checked her phone. Strangely, there were no messages or calls from Lucas. Not like before when he would always inquire about her whereabouts.

Her anxiety escalated. Velia could not calm down and immediately rushed out when the elevator door opened.

With trembling hands, Velia entered the password. She quickly entered and spontaneously called out Lucas' name.

"Luc?"

There was no response for Velia to hear. She rushed to the workspace, but it was empty. There were no signs of Lucas being there.

Now Velia headed to the bedroom, but it was the same. The room was silent.

"Lucas hasn't come home yet?"

The oddity followed Velia. As she placed her bag and shoes in their respective places, an uneasy feeling settled. Even after taking a shower, her restlessness increased. Lucas still had not contacted her.

"Where is he now? It's unlike him. He hasn't come home until this time without a single word."

*

Like a butler of a medieval English servant, Andreas poured vodka into Lucas' small glass with utmost politeness. He was so careful that not a drop of the drink touched the glass walls.

Andreas smiled with satisfaction. For him, alcohol and women were two things that deserved a perfect touch.

Suddenly, Lucas snatched the glass and quickly downed its contents. Andreas's pride instantly vanished, replaced by natural shock and anger.

Apparently, Lucas could not appreciate the drink like Andreas could. Honestly, it unsettled Andreas' feelings.

However, there was something else that bothered Andreas more than Lucas' poor way of enjoying the drink. Something that made a mischievous sparkle appear in Andreas' eyes.

"Wait," Andreas held back as Lucas handed him his empty glass again. "I feel like I've been thrown back in time."

Lucas blinked. "What did you say? Thrown back in time?"

"I remember the last time I saw you like this was when you found out Velia had left. Her house in Crestdale was empty when you were on your first business trip. You felt betrayed and used the success of that tender as an excuse to drown your sorrows."

Lucas was taken aback. It seemed that now, not only Andreas was thrown back in time but himself as well.

Andreas swiveled his chair. His position changed, and his eyes briefly met a group of women across the room.

A mischievous grin appeared on Andreas' face. He winked, and in response, he received a wave of their hands.

"Is that happening again now?" Andreas asked, returning to the topic. "Tell me. Did Velia run away again?"

Lucas took a deep breath, causing his shoulders to dramatically rise. He twirled the empty glass with a vacant stare.

"Velia didn't run away. Besides, now she won't be able to escape from me again."

"So, what's the problem then?" Andreas pressed, curious. "You're not the party type who likes to have fun like this. We're different, so it's strange for you to drag me to a club. Especially on a workday."

The mischievous sparkle in Andreas' eyes disappeared. Now he saw Lucas with utmost seriousness.

"What's really going on?"

Andreas waited. Unfortunately, all he received was a shake of Lucas' head. Unintentionally, it made Andreas shake his head as well.

Giving up, Andreas decided to tempt the woman again. He lifted his glass, and across the room, the woman did the same.

"Reas."

Andreas had to postpone his intention to take a sip. "What?"

"Tell me, what can make a woman willingly stay with us?"

The glass landed on the bar table. Andreas stared blankly, as if needing time to digest Lucas' question. Then he chuckled.

"You know, Luc? Everywhere, it's always the women who think about how to make us, men, stay with them. Not the other way around."

It was not the answer Lucas had hoped for. He growled and grabbed the vodka bottle. Without hesitation, he drank directly from the bottle.

"Damn it!"

Andreas snatched the vodka bottle from Lucas' hand. He moved it out of Lucas' reach, glaring at him.

"That's not how you enjoy a drink!"

Lucas ignored Andreas' exclamation. Also, the drops of vodca in his mouth.

Andreas sighed. It seemed he could not joke now. Lucas was displaying an unusual behavior. His usual composure and calmness, which were always his defining traits, were nowhere to be seen.

"Listen, as far as I know, women will stay with a man if all their needs are met."

Lucas glanced at him. Andreas continued speaking.

"You know what I mean, Luc. No woman rejects it when a man provides everything for her. Money, jewelry, a house, a car, and of course, cosmetics. All women like that."

Lucas pondered Andreas' words, but he felt somewhat unsure.

Andreas could sense the hesitation in Lucas' eyes. His answer did not fully resolve the question.

"Besides, there's one crucial thing that can make a woman stay with us, even if we're jerks."

Lucas furrowed his brow in curiosity. "What is it?"

Andreas sighed deeply. He glanced at Lucas meaningfully, and a grin appeared on his face, indicating a different impression.

"You don't know?" Andreas replied without waiting for Lucas' response. "Children."

Lucas was stunned. He contemplated Andreas' answer.

"It can be said that almost all women in the world can't go far from a man when she thinks about their child. You've seen the news, right? A wife chooses to stay even when she's cheated on or abused for one reason. She doesn't want to see her child grow up without a father."

Andreas scoffed at his own words. He seemed perplexed as his logic immediately responded to the situation.

"Isn't that stupid? I mean, what can be expected from a father like that? He couldn't even educate himself. So how can he educate his son? Isn't that true? Or... is the wife hoping that their children will imitate the father's behavior?"

Lucas ignored the satire in Andreas' statement. He was done with the conversation.

"Okay," Lucas suddenly said. "I'm going home now."

All the satirical thoughts in Andreas' head vanished. It was replaced by an overwhelming surprise.

"What did you say? You're going home now? You invited me to the club at nine, and now you're leaving at half past nine?"

Lucas stood up and patted Andreas on the shoulder. "I'll go first."

"Wow!"

Andreas was so shocked that he could not find words. Lucas really left him alone.

"You're crazy, Luc!"

*