How petty could a man get? If there were a competition for stinginess, Mr. Zeller would take the crown. True to his word, he assigned Claire to the sales department under the guise of "gaining experience in the field" and "understanding market trends in cosmetics." But the reality? He probably just wanted to watch her flounder.
He knew perfectly well she didn't know a thing about cosmetics. And yet, here he was, setting her up with this impossible task. But Claire Grace wasn't the type to back down. If he wanted to watch her struggle, she'd make it her mission to impress him instead. Of course, that was easier said than done. How was she supposed to convince people to buy products she barely understood herself?
*Sigh!* She let out yet another frustrated sigh at the bus stop.
He was being way too unreasonable. He had actually left her to wait alone at the stop, after lecturing her earlier in the day about how a young woman should be more cautious around strangers! To make things worse, he had said he'd teach her "self-defense techniques," only to end up getting handsy instead. Either he'd graze her chest or brush his lips against hers—all under the pretense of "training." *Honestly, it felt more like harassment than anything else!*
After a long, grueling twenty minutes, the bus finally arrived. By the time she reached Willow Street, the streetlights were already glowing in shades of warm amber.
She made her way toward the Zeller estate, and just as she was about to enter through the automatically opening gate, a loud car horn blared from behind.
She turned around, squinting against the harsh glare of headlights.
"Are you going to just stand there like a statue?" A low, irritated voice cut through the noise.
Peering through the small gap she managed to open in her eyes, she spotted Lucas Zeller poking his head out of a luxurious stretch car. *Seriously? How could she have beaten him here by bus when he was in a private car?*
"Well, are you going in or not? If you're going to daydream, at least move aside!" he snapped impatiently.
Claire stood frozen for a second before stepping back to clear a path. She waited a full ten minutes after he parked before finally entering the house.
When she reached the front door, she was surprised to see Lucas leaning against the frame, waiting for her.
"Are you part snail? You move at a glacial pace! I might as well start calling you 'Snail Girl,'" he scoffed, his raised voice and searing gaze making it clear he was out of patience.
Claire rubbed her nose sheepishly, unsure of what had annoyed him so much. Why was he waiting for her at the door? Could it really be that he was… waiting just for her?
Watching her big eyes darting around in contemplation, Lucas knew all too well that "Snail Girl" was already letting her imagination run wild.
"Don't think for a second that I waited here because I like you. That's impossible," he said, repeating himself for the hundredth time. Then he added, "Don't let my parents know about any of this—especially the part where I made you take the bus."
With that, he turned on his heel, opened the door, and disappeared inside.
After dinner, the living room was once again just Claire and Mrs. Zeller, who held her hand as they chatted. Lucas, however, didn't leave the house but remained upstairs in his room.