"Wait what?!"
In pure shock, the young woman raised her tone. Running after the man who got into the car. But she did not hop in. She stood at the door like a statue, letting the freezing breeze entered into the car. "Get in already, Miss Veda Ambrose. I can't guarantee your life if you stay still"
With a calm expression, Lucius Ford alerted. Confusing the young woman. Yet, she refused to obey the command of the man. "What do you mean with I have to go with you?" Brows wrinkled, she started to list down the questions. But before the man replied, a gunshot echoed.
Startling Veda who did not expect it at all. "I am certain you know why now" A smile tugged at Lucius's lips as his gaze stared through the widened eyes of the young woman. Edward Gable, that psychopath was the one who shot the gun inside the casino. "Ah, fuck this situation"
In the end, Veda had no other option to pick. She got into the car of the man in hurry and the driver at the front began the engine. She put the gun back into her shoulder bag quickly as if nothing occurred. "Excuse me. Could you please drop me off at 'Rose' hotel right now?"
A voice broke the silence.
Without asking the man beside her, Veda requested the car driver who had yet to utter a sound. As result, Veda earned silent treatment back only. It tickled Lucius Ford. Causing him to chuckle out loud. Now, this annoyed the young woman wholly. She gritted her teeth to restrain.
Eyes shifting to the right side where Lucius was laughing like there was no tomorrow. This man must have ordered these men not to respond without his permission. How authoritative of him. "Could you shut the fuck up and tell your driver to drop me off at 'Rose' hotel?"
Through vexation, Veda appealed. Showing off the annoyance to the man. It was the moment, Lucius ceased laughing and stared at the young woman in silence. Irritating Veda entirely. "Why are you gazing at me without any words?" She asked with a slight frown.
Exasperation could be seen across her face. "You told me to shut the fuck up?" Tilting his head a bit, Lucius Ford responded. Dragging the young woman down into pool of disappointment. She balled up her fists quietly. Peering back at the man in silence. This man!
Testing her patience!
"I have texted my best friend to head off to 'Rose' hotel already. She will be waiting for me with her mother there. I have no intention to follow the man named Lucius Ford at this inappropriate time. So, could you please drop me off to there?" Ignoring Lucius, Veda requested.
Pleading to the driver from the back seat. It was no use in interacting with this crime lord. It would bring nothing but more fury. "Den, do as she asked" Instead of a response from the driver, Lucius ordered from back. Causing the young woman to look at the man beside her.
"I had fun by playing around a lot today all thanks to you, Miss Veda Ambrose" Lucius's face replaced with tranquility unlike how he always used to wear a beam. The calm expression hit different for the young woman who believed he was a hyper with playful personality.
"Okay..?" Not knowing what to reply, Veda used the confusion card. Maintaining the eye contact with the man in silence. "I will send Den to pick you up tomorrow" To break the tranquility, Lucius pulled out a topic quickly. His words managed to puzzle the young woman somehow.
This did not make sense.
"I have yet to show my schedule. How do you know if I am free at that time?" A frown displayed across her face. Only to bring a smile up on Lucius's face. "Just in case you forgot, buying information about someone is not that difficult" He retorted. Hitting Veda with fact.
Right. Even Aria bought some news of Lucius Ford. A man like him would find it simple and easy to get. "How thrilling it must be to live a life of a crime lord.." A murmur escaped between Veda's lips to express amusement. Perplexing the man quite a lot. Did he hear it wrong?
Or did this young woman actually say it was exciting to live as a crime lord? Was she being serious right now or being sarcastic? Before, the man could query whether it was sarcasm or truth, the car prevented to divulge it had arrived to location. "Ah! Thank you for the ride, Sir"
With a hint of respect, Veda expressed gratitude to the driver as she beamed brightly. Completely stunning the man. What? She was supposed to thank him! Not Den! Veda left no words for Lucius Ford. She got out of the car in hurry. Only to rush into the hotel with her bag.
"Oh my lord! Veda!"
As the door unlocked, Aria's shout echoed the hallway. Pulling the young woman between her arms to express relief. "I can't breathe!" Veda commenced to pat Aria's back, telling her best friend to break the huh before she ran out of oxygen. "My bad. My bad" Aria pulled back.
Letting the young woman breathe in and out heavily finally. "Get inside!" Marianne voiced from behind. A grin tugged at her lips. Welcoming the young woman into a warm hug. "I am so sorry for dragging you out at this time, aunty" Veda apologized with frown. Stepping into the room.
"It is fine. It was an urgent anyway. Are you alright though? Aria said that psychopath appeared" Marianne questioned through concerned tone. They three settled on the couch after the door was shut. "He could not harm any of us anymore. He is aware of the current situation now"
A smile flashed across the young woman's face. Relieving Aria as Marianne let out a sigh. "Um, who dropped you off though? I caught a glimpse of the Mercedes-Benz car" Out of blue, Aria's lips corner curved up into a teasing smirk. Making Veda's delighted face replaced with vexation.
"You know who he is"
Rolling her eyes, the young woman responded in the annoyed voice. Causing Aria's eyes to glint. "Lucius Ford?! You got to step inside his car?! Wow, what magic did you cast upon him?!" Aria raised her tone due to thrill. Nearly blowing her mother away with her high voice.
"Quit spouting nonsense. We happened to bump into each other and he dropped me off since I could not walk out of main gate" Veda explained half truthfully. "You are going to live the love life of dark romance book soon!" Aria teased along with a smirk displayed across her face.
Meanwhile, Marianne had no clue what the girls were chatting about. But she did not interrupt between the young women conversation though. Instead, she jumped up from the couch to grab some drinks from fridge for Veda. Letting the two had a private talk as usual.
"So tell me how satisfying it was to see the shocked expression of that psychopath?" Aria asked. "It was pretty funny to witness his surprised face" A chuckle escaped between the young woman's lips as a sarcasm. Causing her best friend to laugh out loud in amusement.
"I want to meet that face!"
She grumbled. "Well, we gotta be careful even if our names are in the list of Lucius Ford" Veda warned. Earning a firm nod back from her best friend in understanding. "That Edward Gable could kidnap you and lock you up still" A mumble yet loud enough to hear, came up from Aria.
It quieted down Veda for some seconds. But then she smiled. "Let's forget about everything for a while tonight. I need some rest to get my beauty sleep" Grabbing her shoulder bag from table, Veda stood up from the couch. Ready to throw herself on the cozy bed and take a rest.
It was when Aria raised her brows in realization. "Right. You should sleep at least for six hours. I canceled every plan for tomorrow" She informed and got up from the couch as well. The information ceased the young woman from walking away. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Facing her best friend who seemed to be confused over her strange reaction. "What's wrong?" Aria queried with a tightened frown. Not knowing what this response meant. "You cleared the schedule whole day for tomorrow?!" To express the shock, Veda raised her tone.
"Um, yes?"
Aria tilted her head in puzzlement. The news brought a grin up onto Veda's face quickly. Her face beamed with a bright big smile. "Actually, it was tough as fuck to cancel the appointments. I almost got into argument with one of them. But as you know, I have decided my mind to let-"
Before Aria could finish her sentence, Veda shouted to cut her off. "Thanks a bunch!" Without hesitating, Veda threw herself onto Aria for a tight embrace. Attacking her best friend with unexpected reaction. Although, this was sudden, Aria accepted the hug and returned the same.
The scene of two best friends sharing a warm embrace, gratified Marianne who had been observing from afar. She smiled in delight. "Irena, your daughter is strong and independent girl. She is the one who is taking care of me now. She has grown up" Marianne murmured.
Beaming in bliss.