"Mm..." Elora struggled in his arms, panic coursing through her veins. Had a thief broken into the room?
Taking advantage of his distraction, Elora bit down on his lip, breaking free from his grasp. As she looked up and saw the person in front of her, she froze in surprise. "Lucas?!"
Seeing Elora push him away only fueled Lucas's jealousy. What was this? Just moments ago, he had seen her happily hugging Milo outside the hotel. Was kissing him such a burden?
Without a word, Lucas yanked Elora towards him, pinning her against the door, his arms tightening around her. He kissed her with increasing force, the taste of blood filling his mouth. Once she recognized him, Elora stopped resisting.
Tenderly, she wrapped her arms around him, stroking his back, submitting to his embrace, allowing him to take control.
Even though Elora was often slow to pick up on emotions, she knew Lucas was angry. But why was he upset?
Perhaps Elora's soft caresses began to calm him, for gradually, Lucas's tension eased. His hand that had held her captive now gently traced the curve of her back, his previously harsh kiss transforming into something far more passionate and lingering.
When the kiss ended, Elora gazed at Lucas in confusion. "Why are you here?" She had assumed he would be in A City. What had brought him to her room?
Elora's innocent question carried no suspicion, but to Lucas, it only added fuel to the fire.
Oh, so you're hoping I didn't show up, so you could be with Milo? The thought stirred the anger that had only just subsided, and an icy chill surrounded Lucas.
"What's wrong with you?" Elora could feel the tension radiating from Lucas. His behavior was strange, even for him.
"I'm leaving," Lucas said, not meeting her eyes. He opened the door and strode out, leaving Elora behind.
"What's going on with him? So strange!" Elora muttered to herself, her frustration evident. She was upset by the whole situation, and her tone reflected it.
"He's jealous. He saw you and Milo hugging by the window," Vixen's voice echoed in her mind, offering the explanation before Elora could figure it out on her own.
"Huh? I fell, and Milo helped me up. Is he really imagining all this?" Elora felt anger rise in her chest. "Why doesn't he just ask me? Instead of jumping to conclusions, he sentences me without a word."
"Do you want to explain it to him?" Vixen suggested softly.
"No need. I'll explain later, when he's cooled off," Elora decided. She knew Lucas wouldn't listen now. "Let's sleep, I have a flight back tomorrow."
...
Since that incident, Elora and Lucas had fallen into a cold war. Even Serena could feel the tension. Ridge, the boss, was often lost in thought, nitpicking every detail, staring blankly at the company door...
"This proposal needs to be redone." This wasn't the first time this had happened. The employees of the company were walking on eggshells, dreading that Ridge's anger would be directed at them next.
"Elora, what's going on with you and Ridge?" Serena, seeing no one was around, quietly called Elora. "This can't go on much longer."
"What do you mean?" Elora asked, confused.
"Ridge is freezing everyone out in the office, and we can barely handle it anymore. You need to come and help us."
"Why should I care? He's just bored and looking for trouble," Elora retorted, her tone sharp. Yet deep down, she had already decided to have a good talk with Lucas.
"Fine, do what you want. I'm going back to work," Serena sighed, hanging up the phone. She wondered when things would ever settle.
...
The next day, Lucas entered the office with a bright smile, occasionally nodding in response to those who greeted him. As soon as the staff saw this more cheerful version of Ridge, they knew the storm had passed. Finally, they no longer had to walk on eggshells or fear his scrutiny. It was a relief to everyone.