Over the last three years, Cordy had never felt this way.But Lucas was already gone, and the frustration of not being able to vent made her even more miserable. Maron entered the lounge just then, and asked her, ""What's wrong? You look like you're in a bad mood."He sounded like she was in a very good mood—he certainly would be, since the fashion show was a total success."It's nothing. Just feeling a little hungry," Cordy smiled faintly—she would never vent her emotions on those unconcerned."Sorry I've kept you waiting. Come, let's go eat."Maron picked up the bag and smartphone he left in the lounge without delay, and stepped out of the venue with Cordy. Suddenly, he remembered something. "By the way, a friend will be joining us. You won't mind, will you?" "No, I don't." Cordy smiled.Maron liked making friends, having made many across the world. He was a little different from other successful fashion designers who were more aloof, but this may also be a reason he was
Cordy did a double take, just realizing that her entire body was still leaning on Lucas and her arms were wrapped firmly around his waist.She quickly let go of him and straightened herself, explaining hastily as she did so, "That was just an accident."Lucas sneered, clearly skeptical.However, he didn’t say much, perhaps out of respect for Maron.Nonetheless, Cordy was indignant with his reaction. How self-important could he get? Did he think every woman was eager to throw themselves at him?Cordy shifted her body as far away as possible from him, but Lucas reminded her anyway, "You should put on your seatbelt for safety's sake."Cordy took a deep breath, and told herself not to get upset.She naturally knew that Lucas wasn’t that nice, and was just worried that she would have an excuse to throw herself on him.She gritted her teeth as she forcefully put on her seatbelt.Soon, the car arrived at the restaurant.Maron loved jalapenos recipes, and his preference for spicy f
Even so, Lucas was adamant. "I'm afraid I shouldn't trouble Miss Sachs, especially since I don't know her.""You do now, don't you?" Maron said, spreading his hands. Why else would he ask them to join him in dinner together?Lucas's phone rang before he could speak, and his expression changed ever so slightly when he saw it."Sorry, I need to take this," he said. Then, he rose to his feet and left.Maron watched as Lucas left. He then turned to tell Cordy, saying, "Don't get upset with him. He seems difficult, but he's actually a good man. He went through great lengths to help me with all the problems I had in Minerva.""Maybe we just got off on the wrong foot," Cordy said, not intending to hide anything—nor did she have the capacity to keep doing so. "Well, it's not you he's upset with," Maron sighed. "He can't be blamed, either. I mean, you can see how good looking he is. All the ladies always flock to him. In fact, one even went as far as kidnapping him—that's why he's trau
Cordy left the restaurant, having had enough.It had been years since she encountered someone with such a rotten personality!Once she was outside, she called Sean to give her a ride. The capital was a little cold in January, and Cordy waited out on the chilly streets.Her anger rose further the more she thought about Lucas. Never had someone gotten on her nerves the way he did! Even Noel would take the trouble to maintain a polite demeanor just for appearances' sake!She took a deep breath when she saw a familiar car stop beside her.Sean alighted, and quickly put an arm around her shoulder when he saw her shivering in the cold. He opened the door for her to ride shotgun.Cordy was still rubbing her hands even after she got into the car—there was a heater in most event halls, so there was no need to wear layers.While she would never wear too much so she wouldn’t look bloated, she still didn’t expect to be left dying from the cold in the streets after the fashion show was ove
Perhaps she panicked too much, or maybe she hadn’t paid attention when she tied the towel around herself… Suddenly, her towel loosened and fell off her body right in front of that man, leaving her completely naked."Argh!!!" she screamed even harder.She once had her reputation torn to shreds, but only because someone had framed her—she had never felt this embarrassed in her entire life! Lucas could feel his eardrums splitting from the sound of her voice.He looked up again, and Cordy flushed deeply as she could sense his steely gaze. "W-What are you looking at?!""You're the one who took them off for me, aren't you?" Lucas retorted in disdain."C-Close your eyes! Now!""Why?" Lucas was unmoved, and started to stare at her even more.Cordy was on the verge of tears!The man was as conceited as he was unreasonable! She could die right there and then!Swiftly picking up her towel from the floor, she tried her best to cover herself.Lucas, however, was lying nonchalantly on th
Outside the bathroom, Lucas hissed every word through gritted teeth, "This is my room!""What are you—""I just called the front desk. She gave you the wrong key card!" he snapped rather grumpily, clearly out of patience. "My room is 999, yours is 666! She had a mix up and accidentally swapped our cards, get it?" Cordy did a double take—to think a luxury hotel like this would make such a cheap mistake! "If you understand, get out," Lucas urged, annoyed. "Stop loitering in my room.""Who's loitering?" Cordy snapped, her temper unleashed right there and then.There was just no way she could stay patient with this unreasonable man!"Then are you coming out or not?!""I…I'm fucking naked!" Cordy swore; he was the first man who made her breathe an expletive! She wasn’t paying attention before she entered the bathroom, and had thrown her clothes on the couch outside. She didn’t bring in a clean set of clothes when she came in, either.She only had a towel on right now; she cer
Cordy was aware that Lucas had no interest in her, since he never batted an eye when he saw her naked outside.In truth, she just wanted to retaliate at him for being so conceited and thinking that she wanted to seduce him.Lucas, fed up with her outburst, growled through his teeth, "Shut up!"Cordy refused to listen, however, and kept twisting and struggling beneath him as she tried to push him away.Even if he didn’t look fat, he was as heavy as a steel bar; his weight could crush her!"Don't you dare move!" he threatened. "Just get off me already, you pervert!" Cordy screamed, wanting nothing less than to vent all the grievances she suffered because of him. Lucas's eyes narrowed as he threatened coolly, "Pervert, was it?"There was a dangerous flash in his eyes, and Cordy's chest tightened in response.She tried to push him away again as she continued to snap, "Get off me—mmph!"Cordy's eyes widened as Lucas suddenly kissed her.How dare he!With zero hesitation, she o
At that moment, Cordy wanted nothing more than to punch Lucas repeatedly.He had just seen her naked, and now, he was shouting out at her?!What gave him the right?!"You know I'm getting changed, but you came in here anyway?" she bellowed back at him. "What were you up to? Aren't you the one interested in my body? Stop pretending already!""You're nuts!" Lucas spat, and ignored her naked body once more as he strode up to her.He picked up the phone he had dropped earlier without knowing, and once again stalked off.Fuck!Cordy's body was shaking with rage.Why did she have to meet such a despicable man?! After angrily putting on her clothes and making sure that she showed no skin, she strode out of the bathroom.Lucas was lying in bed and fiddling with his phone; his eyes shifted to her briefly when she came out, but he said nothing. Cordy didn’t say anything to him either. She picked up the room's phone and called the front desk. In an angry voice, she heaved, "What's go
Soon, another nurse emerged from the delivery room with a small bundle. "Is the mother's family here?""Yes!" John exclaimed loudly."The delivery was successful," the nurse said. "The baby weighs eight pounds—""How is she?" John asked in agitation, not caring about the child."She's fine. The doctor is just helping her clean up and she'll be out soon," the nurse replied.As John breathed a sigh of relief, the nurse reminded him, "Aren't you the father? Here's your child."John took the baby off her arms, staring at her for a moment as the others flocked around him. "Oh, she's so fair!" Zoe could not help exclaiming. "That's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen.""Are you saying that your son's ugly?" Bob teased."To be honest, yeah," Zoe replied without thinking.Jay cleared his throat—even if it was a subjective opinion, it still hurt to have his own baby called ugly."Let me carry her," Zoe volunteered just then, and John did not hesitate to hand her his baby.As Zoe
"What?!" Zoe exclaimed in shock.Beside them, John's face fell despite being usually stoic.Still, even before anyone could react, he scooped Cordy up in his arms and left.Zoe did not hesitate to follow, but Jay reminded her, "We're the hosts, Zoe.""Don't care." Zoe was completely unconcerned. "Ask my mom and your sister to handle the guests. I'm going with Cordy!"Jay hesitated for a moment before deciding to follow since there was no reasoning with Zoe.Sam and Quinn also realized that something was out of place.As they pulled away reluctantly, Bob shouted from below, "If you're done kissing, we're going to the hospital! Cordy's going into labor!"Quinn hurried after them as soon as she hurt, but Sam caught her. "Slow down. We can catch up."In fact, most of the guests were leaving as well—it was as if the banquet for Zoe's son was actually intended for everyone else.The poor boy was certainly unlucky to have such unreliable parents!-As everyone rushed to the hospit
"I'm swelling from my pregnancy," Quinn explained. "It's not your fault."Sam was left staring at her for a while before asking, "So, what should I do?""I'll put it on when I slim down.""Oh." Sam was a little disappointed, since he had always dreamed of having her put on the ring he had custom made.But this was fine—they had all the time they needed, and the most important thing for him is that Quinn was marrying him!He rose to his feet just then, and everyone was cheering as soon as he did. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"Quinn blushed right then, and Sam could see that she was embarrassed.He did not want to make things awkward for her, even if he was quite eager at the moment.Heaven knows how much he missed that night's drunken fumble they had. In fact, during the times he remembered it in dreams, he had to wash his pants when he woke up.Still, just as he took Quinn's hand and started to leave, he felt a softness on his lips—Quinn was kissing him! Sam's heart pounded thunderous
Everyone waited patiently for the final outcome.Quinn's eyes were welling up with tears, threatening to gush if she so much as blinked.She did her best to hold back her tears—to be strong!Sam pursed his lips in turn, his Adam's apple bobbing.A long while passed, and it felt like a century for Quinn when she finally heard him say, "Yes."Quinn's tears started falling in happiness as Sam declared loudly, "I'll marry you, Quinn—it's what I've always wanted to do! I won't let you go even if you regret it eventually! You only get to be with me, and I'll never let any other man claim you! I'll become very overbearing… eventually!""I won't regret it," Quinn said, determined.She certainly would not regret marrying him!Zoe walked up to them with perfect timing just then, and Sam did a double take.He finally remembered that Zoe was the host of this luncheon and was going to leave with Quinn when Zoe whipped out a small red velvet box."You know what's in here, don't you?" Zoe a
However, Sam had already pushed Quinn away before she could tell him. But even if he did not love her or did not want to be with her, she would never stay with Ryan.She had been disappointed in Sam, wondering why he would give up so easily.Was she that unimportant to him?Therefore, if it were not for Zoe and Cordy showing her that video or telling her so much, she would never have known that he loved her for years…Sam's heart ached even as he looked into Quinn's tearful eyes.He reached out a hand, but soon withdrew it—would he not burden her?Even so, it hurt to restrain himself as he watched her, and he was actually getting the feeling that Quinn loved him…But she already had Ryan's child…Well, he was fine with that, as long as the child was Quinn's.But would she not mind?"I will marry you, Sam," Quinn said slowly and clearly then. "Not because you're a good man, not because you prepared so much for me, and not because of how much you prepared for me, but because I
Everyone in the hall was staring at Sam and Quinn, while Quinn took center stage, staring fixedly at Sam.He stood in the middle of the crowd, watching her silently.She in turn felt fear that he would turn and leave, just as she did not know if she had the courage to stand before him again and to declare her feelings for him in front of so many others.Nonetheless, amid the deafening silence, Sam suddenly walked toward the stage.His pace was slow as if his feet were made of lead, but he was also unusually determined.Quinn's heart raced uncontrollably right then!Everyone else was watching them nervously, especially Cordy and Zoe, with the latter being especially concerned that the cowardly Sam would bail.Fortunately, he was a man who showed responsibility. He would not leave Quinn alone and embarrassed.Hence, as everyone looked on, Sam stood before Quinn, his gaze flickering as their eyes met.He gulped ever so slightly, his emotions clearly ruffled even as he did his bes
The guests were encouraging, loudly asking, "Why?!""Because of a woman," Sam's recording replied."Who is it?""Quinn Summer," the Sam on the screen said slowly and clearly, leaving the Sam who was in the hall stunned.What the hell?! That was the proposal video he prepared before! Why did it show up here? Did Zoe make a mistake?!He knew it—leave anything to Zoe, and she would mess it up!He started striding toward the stage, intent on stopping the recording, when John and Bob intercepted him with a look of utter guilt while the recording continued. "Quinn is my wife, and we've been married for years, but I've never really loved her—not because I don't, but because I'm afraid to. I feel too insignificant in comparison to the one she loves, so I'd always hurt her… painfully and childishly. I regret that so much now, Quinn. How could I have abandoned you for so long because of my own jealousy? I'd rather hold you in my sleep every night, but my damned pride denied me that for y
At the banquet hall, Jay and Zoe were thanking their guests with their children in their arms.Then, Zoe announced excitedly, "Please give my best friend, who is also my son's godmother, a warm applause as she comes on stage!"Sam stood at a corner of the hall, watching as Quinn walked up the stage, only realizing just then that her belly was clearly swelling despite her baggy clothes.Time flies—he had not left that long ago, but she and Ryan already had a child.She was not worried about giving him a stroke, was she?He watched as Quinn took the mic and looked around below searching, seemingly searching.After a while, he thought she was looking at him, but by the time he looked up, she had already turned away.Maybe she was looking for Ryan before remembering that Ryan was not there?Nonetheless, Quinn spoke into the mic, saying, "I'm honored to be chosen as the godmother to Zoe's son, and she's been saying he'd be engaged to my child if it's a girl. I already love my godson
As their eyes met, Sam turned frantic and averted his. "Of course.""Really?" Quinn asked."Would I lie to you?" Sam asked a little grumpily."And you didn't bring her back?" Quinn asked."I'm on a schedule, and it'd be taxing for her if I bought her along," Sam said, making things up as he went along. "I'll bring her along when things are less busy.""Is she pretty?" Quinn pressed."What, have I ever picked an ugly one?" Sam snorted smugly. "You know I prefer curvaceous types, and there are plenty of those abroad.""Do you have a photo?"Sam was silent for a while and eventually said, "Yeah.""Can I see it?""What, does she have to pass your assessment?""Just curious about the girl who can tempt you to settle down," Quinn replied. "You'd be humbled." Sam hastily came up with an excuse."I won't," Quinn said, determined."You'll see her when I bring her home." Sam refused nonetheless."I would like to see a photo now.""No, she's not that photogenic. It'd be slander a