"Claire, wait here. I'll park the car and come back to go upstairs with you," Ran Tao said, smiling as he leaned out of his car.
"Okay," Claire replied, tossing her shining black hair over her shoulder as she watched Ran Tao's red Ferrari zoom off.
If she could gather more precise information about Left An Cosmetics from Ran Tao, then she wouldn't have to worry about Lucas's constant attempts to make her life difficult.
*What's his problem? Is he feeling insecure, or is it just bad luck on my part? Why is he being like this...*
"Ding-ding—"
Her phone suddenly rang, cutting off her thoughts. She flipped open her phone, and a low, irritated voice came through the speaker.
"Claire, come to my office!"
There was no room for argument, and the line clicked off before she could respond.
Claire froze, her mind suddenly alert. *Why is he calling me? What does he want now?*
She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling. *Why is my right eye twitching?*
---
Claire had heard of people feeling guilty when they've done something wrong, but she hadn't done anything to feel guilty about. So why was she suddenly feeling so nervous? She pressed her hand against her chest, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself before she cautiously knocked on Lucas's office door.
Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, Lucas turned when he heard the door open. His handsome face was cold, his sharp eyes burning with intense heat but masked by a chilling glare.
The sudden drop in temperature made Claire's already unsettled heart skip a beat.
*He was fine just a second ago. Why the sudden change in mood? This guy is so unpredictable.*
"Come here," Lucas gestured with his fingers, his eyes catching the flash of concern in hers, and the coldness in his gaze seemed to dissipate, but his expression remained stern.
How dare she ride in another man's car? Didn't she remember she was his wife? She'd already ridden in his car, and yet she had the nerve to smile so brightly at another man? Was she trying to make him mad?
The pressure in the air intensified as Lucas's commanding presence closed in on Claire. Before she could even react, his strong hands gripped her waist, pulling her against his solid chest.
"Snail Girl, you seem late today," he said, his breath brushing against her face.
Claire blinked in confusion, her hand pressing against their chests. "How could I be late? After I got out of your car, I took Ran Tao's car here."
"Why did you ride with him?" Lucas asked, his face inches away from hers. *It's not like the company is far from where I dropped you off. Was it necessary to take a ride?*
"Ran Tao is from the creative team, and he said he could give me some detailed information about the cosmetics," Claire replied, tilting her head back to avoid his breath disrupting her thoughts. But as she did, *bang*—her head collided with the glass window behind her.
"Ah—!" she yelped in pain, wincing and glaring at the man who had caused the mishap.
*What's his deal? Is he enjoying this?*
"President, can you let go of me now?" she said, trying to brush off the pain and move away. "Ran Tao's still waiting for me."
Lucas's dark eyes narrowed as his face inched closer to hers. "You called me 'President'?" He sounded incredulous. *How dare she call him that?*
Claire rolled her eyes, unimpressed. "Who else would I be talking to in a company? Did you forget that you've been doing everything possible to distance us? So if not you, then who?"
She was clearly standing her ground, and it seemed she wasn't about to back down.
"Tch, Snail Girl, you've really got a sharp tongue." Lucas's eyes gleamed with a mischievous light as he slowly released his grip on her waist.
"Go ahead and leave," he said lazily, though there was a hint of reluctance in his voice.
As Claire walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling that Lucas's lips were curved into a sly smile, one that promised more trouble to come.