But Coco understood the meaning behind the question. He had given her another chance to choose.If she said she wanted to be Loke's girlfriend, then their agreement would probably be null and void. He wouldn't make things hard for her.Coco took a deep breath and said seriously, "I'm your girlfriend. You promised me that we'll remain a couple until I say otherwise."A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then Lucas smiled faintly, "Alright, then I guess we're not breaking up."Coco stared blankly at Lucas' smile, unable to look away. She had always found him good-looking, but in her presence, he usually exuded a sense of indifference. Even when they pretended to be a couple in front of others, his smile seemed formulaic, and even when he hugged her, the hug felt cold.But his smile right now seemed to carry warmth, different from before.The sight of Coco staring intently at Lucas triggered Loke. "Coco, do you really think a man like him would love you? How serious is he abo
In the car, Coco said apologetically, "I'm sorry for involving you in all this.""Don’t worry about it. Besides, I was the one who suggested we date," Lucas replied, glancing at Coco from the corner of his eye. "But why are you so sure that I'm a person who takes relationships seriously? Maybe our relationship is just a game to me as well.""If it really is just a game to you, you wouldn't have warned me not to fall in love with you," Coco said. "I remember the first time I saw you, you said that if it were possible to take back all the love I've given someone, it only meant that I didn't love that person deeply enough. So I think you must have loved someone very deeply before."He tightly pursed his lips.Coco let out a sigh and continued, "If I guessed wrong, then I guess it's my mistake for misjudging you."Right then, they reached a red light, and the car stopped in front of a crosswalk. Lucas turned to face Coco and asked, "Do you really think you can tell who I really am?"
"No, it's okay, let's go to a bar," Lucas said. "Do you have a specific bar in mind?""Not really," Coco replied.20 minutes later, Lucas' car stopped in front of a bar.Coco knew about this bar since she had collected information about many bars in the city when she was researching the setting for her new male protagonist.The bar Lucas brought her to was a bar which had gained popularity in the city recently. However, due to its high entry requirements and expensive prices, it was mostly frequented by wealthy individuals, and regular working-class people or students wouldn't come here.But this bar fit the description of the bar owned by Coco's male protagonist, making it a good choice for her research.The only problem was... "Isn't this place pretty expensive?""Not really," Lucas said.However, when Coco saw the prices, she instantly understood that their definitions of "expensive" were clearly different.Looking at the menu, she hesitated to speak.Lucas seemed to have
"How is it? Good?" Lucas asked.Coco nodded. She had had cocktails in small bars before, but it felt completely different from those that were served here."It's so much better than what I've had before," Coco exclaimed."If you like, we'll order a couple more later," Lucas said. "Can I have the same as yours?" Coco asked. The signature cocktail had a beautiful color, and it was delicious."This signature cocktail?" Lucas arched an eyebrow. "I'm afraid it might be too strong for you.""I'm a pretty good drinker," Coco said. "Really? Alright, then," as he spoke, he called the waiter and ordered another glass of signature cocktail like his.Lucas and Coco were drinking and casually chatting. With the alcohol-induced courage, Coco began to open up a little more and got comfortable with Lucas.While they were talking, Coco suddenly heard a sultry and suggestive voice calling out to Lucas."How about you buy me a drink?" said the voice.Coco looked up to find a woman in a littl
Coco was still a little too stunned to react. The woman's approach had started like a normal conversation, but it had gradually become something dangerous.Coco was just watching, but her heart was racing. She was so scared that her palms were hot and sweaty. Lucas seemed so cold and ruthless earlier. Every movement of his screamed danger. She thought he would break the woman's hand with the glass in his hand at any time. "Why? Scared?" A low voice rang, bringing Coco back to her senses. Lucas seemed normal again. It was as if what she had witnessed was just an illusion. "Kinda," Coco told him honestly. "You were like a completely different person.""I don't like women touching me," Lucas declared, a hint of disgust in his expression.Coco frowned and wondered about her future with him."But I'll make an exception for you," Lucas abruptly said. It was like he was reading her mind. "You're my girlfriend now. It would be weird without any touching. Besides, holding hands and hugg
Coco quickly pulled out her phone and dialed the emergency service.Thud! Thud! Thud! The sound of the men kicking at the door became louder and stronger. It sounded like the door would break at any moment.Coco could hear the men's rough growl from the other side. "Open the door, you damned woman! You think you can hide?!""I'm going to let you have a taste of your own medicine. We're going to break your limbs. You won't be able to run!"The call finally connected. When Coco heard the call operator speaking, she quickly explained her situation.The men outside raised their voices, shouting and screaming. "What? Are you calling the police?! It's useless! We'll break the door open before they even reach here!"The men were arrogant and ruthless. They continued to threaten her as she spoke to the call operator.The men continue kicking the door. Coco heard a crack, and she feared that the door would break open within seconds. Coco looked around, desperate. Even if she made the p
For a moment, Coco just stood there, staring blankly. Did Lucas beat them up? But he was alone. Could he really fight them by himself?"A-Are you hurt?!" she asked sharply."They can't hurt me," Lucas said with a grunt. "Well, let's get outta here."Lucas took a few steps forward, only to find Coco standing in place. He turned around to look at her. "What's wrong?" Taking a deep breath, she curled her fists on the side to gather her strength. "I-I feel a little weak. I'll walk a little slower," she explained.Coco tried to move, but her legs went weak. She almost fell to the ground. Lucas jumped forward to catch Coco as she stumbled back and picked her up in his arms."Hey!" She gasped in surprise. "A-Are you going to carry me?""What else are you going to do? If I let you walk on your own, you'll take forever."While on the way out, Coco felt many people staring at her. She would have been dying of embarrassment in normal circumstances, but not this time. She was still shell-
"What if they cause trouble again?" the staff asked."They won't unless they intend to be kicked out of Solaria!" Esparza told his staff in a gruff voice. Esparza would not spare these people for making a mess in his bar anyway. Whether Lucas would punish them or not was another story. Meanwhile, outside the bar. "I'll take you home now," Lucas said. Coco trembled in his arms as he carried her into the car and put her into the passenger seat. Coco sat in the car, still in a daze. After a short silence, she gave a small nod, answering Lucas.Lucas said nothing at her reaction. He drove the car toward Coco's home in silence.It was a quiet ride. Coco kept her head down the whole time, her mind replaying other, older memories. How the men had kicked the restroom door earlier reminded her of the time she had gotten constantly bullied in university.Many people in the school believed Loke's words and assumed she was manipulative and scheming. Once, she had been locked in the restroo