Chapter 2

First one to finish gets to escape!

I was doing okay, but Lucas was struggling hilariously with his oatmeal and a fork.

He could barely get any food on it - just pushing it around uselessly.

It was like trying to eat soup with chopsticks - completely ridiculous.

After what seemed like an eternity of hesitation, I heard Lucas quietly ask the server if there were any spoons.

The cheerful server called back loudly, "There's a whole container of them right by that pretty lady's elbow - help yourself, handsome!"

"..."

"..."

Several seconds of dead silence fell over our table.

Should I pass him one?

Suddenly, from the corner of my eye, I saw him pick up his bowl with grim determination and chug the entire thing in one go.

What a madman!

While I sat there stunned, Lucas coolly wiped his burned, reddened lips.

Then he got up and bolted - like the devil himself was chasing him.

I made it to the office half an hour later, running like my life depended on it.

Surely I must have beaten that jerk Lucas here. He'd have to go home and change out of his sweats and slides first. By the time he showed up looking presentable, I'd be the picture of a sophisticated career woman, sipping my coffee.

But life had other plans.

As the elevator doors opened and I was about to stride out confidently, I nearly snapped my heel in shock at who I saw.

There stood Lucas in an immaculate suit, his hair perfectly styled, radiating cool professionalism with those sharp features of his.

Only his lips were still a bit red.

Gone was any trace of the desperate man chugging oatmeal this morning - replaced by the very image of corporate authority. It was like he'd been possessed.

Did he teleport here or something?!

He spotted me too.

Our eyes met again, just like our mortifying encounter at the diner half an hour ago.

"What a coincidence, Mr. Miller..." I forced a smile.

Lucas's lips curved into a casual smirk. "Not a coincidence. I was waiting for you."

?

So we're playing this acting game, are we?

I thought Lucas was going to use this chance to sabotage me, given how much he usually works me to the bone.

Instead, he just calmly pulled me in to discuss some loose ends from yesterday's project.

Huh?

Was Lucas actually being decent for once?

Just as I was silently celebrating keeping my perfect attendance this month, that jerk spoke up.

"Summarize the last case, and bring me a medium skinny latte with two sugars. Fifteen minutes."

I froze mid-rise.

Excuse me?

Two sugars? Does he want diabetes?

More importantly, I'm not his personal assistant!

"Mr. Miller, shouldn't Lisa handle that...?"

Lucas looked up at me coldly. "Who signs your paycheck?"

"..."

That's blackmail, straight-up blackmail.

I sighed internally. The iron fist of socialism clearly wasn't strong enough to protect us from capitalist exploitation.

As they say, never surrender to tyranny.

I stood up sharply, full of righteous anger, and then—

"I'll expense it, right, Mr. Miller?"

Lucas watched my shameless bootlicking with his hand covering his mouth, a hint of amusement flickering in those dark eyes.

"Of course."

Perfect.

I bowed out gracefully and scurried off to get his coffee.

With Lucas's promise to cover it, I happily bought myself a coffee too, to recover from this morning's shock.

As I left the coffee shop, I nearly ran into someone.

"Sorry—wait, James Peterson?”

What are the odds? Running into my awful ex while buying coffee.

Speaking of this ex, he was quite the piece of work.

Back in college, I was naive and dressed simply. When this seemingly perfect guy pursued me, I let my guard down and said yes.

The reason was simple - who would turn down someone who secretly brought you medicine when you were sick, anonymously ordered food when you were hungry, and quietly stayed by your side when you were crying?