Chapter 6: She reminds me of her

**Third person**

When his eyes met Valerie's, Lucas cocked an eyebrow in a questioning or, more like, disdainful way.

Valerie's pretense of calm seemed to crumble under Lucas's piercing stare.

He then took a seat without acknowledging her greeting and began scrolling through his phone, leaving the room pregnant with an awkward silence.

After what felt like an hour of silence, Valerie released a breath she didn't know she was holding. “I'll go get you some coffee,” she suggested before disappearing into Adam's office.

She returned almost immediately with a cup of coffee in hand.

“Here,” she murmured, and extended the cup to Lucas, careful not to let their fingers touch.

"Miss Thorne..." Lucas took the cup, raised it to his lips, and sipped slowly. His expression remained unreadable.

Valerie nibbled on her fingers nervously. "Is there anything else you need, sir?”

Placing the cup on the table, he leaned back in his chair. “I really wasn't expecting to see you here.”

His dark and cold