Divorced

Aveline opened the file and noticed the contact’s last name was Blake, which made her hesitate. She quickly grabbed her phone and dialed the number. The unfamiliar digits gave her a surprising sense of relief.

“Hello?”

But when she heard Desmond’s voice on the other end, her mood soured immediately.

“Why is it you?”

Desmond was momentarily taken aback. “Uh… Miss Young? Is there something you need from me?”

He pretended to be surprised, but in reality, Lucas was sitting right next to him, listening in through the speakerphone.

Aveline asked, “I received a commission to design a villa. Did you buy a villa? Are you getting married?”

Desmond hesitated, glancing at Lucas for guidance.

Lucas, maintaining his cold demeanor, gave nothing away, leaving Desmond to fend for himself.

Desmond nervously stammered, “Ah… yes, it’s just a coincidence that the project landed with you. What a small world, huh?”

Aveline, not buying the casual tone, asked, “What are your requirements? Let me know, and I’ll take notes.

Desmond looked to Lucas again, but still received no help. Internally, Desmond was panicking–how was he supposed to come up with requirements? He couldn’t afford a villa, let alone plan a wedding!

Finally, after a brief moment of thought, Desmond suggested, “Uh, Miss Young, how about we discuss this in person? Maybe even do a site visit? It could help inspire your design.”

He carefully watched Lucas‘ reaction and, seeing no objections, sighed in relief. He had made the right call–arranging a meeting with Aveline was the correct move.

Aveline agreed, “Alright. Are you free this afternoon? Send me the location of the villa.”

Desmond quickly replied, “Yes, I’m free. I’ll send you the address right away. We can discuss everything in person then.”

“Okay. See you later,” Aveline responded before ending the call.

“Goodbye.”

After the call ended, Desmond exhaled a heavy breath, cautiously glancing at Lucas to gauge his reaction. “Mr. Tudor, I have a meeting this afternoon… Maybe you could go in my place?”

Lucas shot him a cold look. “Are you busier than I am?

Desmond gave a nervous laugh. “Heh, well, I’ve been slacking off lately, so I thought I’d be a bit more diligent today.”

“Oh,” Lucas replied with icy indifference, “I suppose I can help you out this time.” Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

Desmond quickly nodded, “Thank you, Mr. Tudor. I’ll get back to work now.”

“Mm,” Lucas murmured.

As soon as Desmond left the office, the fake smile on his face vanished, replaced by a look of sheer dread. He just wanted to focus on his job and earn his paycheck–was that too much to ask?

In the afternoon, Aveline arrived at the new villa development with her measuring tools in hand. The area was part of Cloudflare City’s latest luxury villa complex, nestled in a scenic spot surrounded by mountains and water–a natural haven in the city.

The prime land had long been acquired by DK Group, who transformed it into this villa complex. With the rising property prices, every inch of this area was worth a fortune.

Aveline stood before a vast, barren piece of land, surveying the untouched, expansive plot. The area had yet to be developed, leaving the surrounding landscape in its natural state.

Just then, the sound of a car engine drew her attention. She turned to see an expensive Porsche pulling up nearby, her expression cooling slightly as she recognized the vehicle.

Lucas stepped out, wearing dark sunglasses, with his shirt collar casually unbuttoned and no tie, exuding an air of effortless elegance.

“What are you doing here? Where’s Desmond?” Aveline asked.

Lucas walked up to her, his gaze hidden behind the tinted lenses. “Why shouldn’t I be here? And why should he be?”