Home / Romance / Rivals to Lovers / Ch55 - I hate drama

Share

Ch55 - I hate drama

Author: Lovis.L
last update Last Updated: 2024-12-29 21:00:00

Jade was nervously biting her nails, sitting in the car that had parked outside the Winfield building. She kept picking up her phone and putting it back down, unable to believe how cold Alaric had been towards her. That day outside the bar, when she was clearly drained and vulnerable, he hadn’t even looked at her before tossing her to his friend, Argo. He had no sense of compassion.

It was all Lena’s fault. If she hadn’t shown up and ruined her plans, maybe things would have been different. What bothered her even more was how Daisy, who used to reply to her messages enthusiastically, had been responding less and less lately. Her replies had become brief, almost robotic. If even Alaric’s mother wasn’t replying to her, it felt like she had lost one of the few connections to him.

Today, Jade was doing her best to stay calm.

——

“Ms. Carrington, our miss has something to speak with you.”

Not long after Lena stepped out of the building, a bodyguard stopped her. She lo
Locked Chapter
Continue Reading on GoodNovel
Scan code to download App

Related chapters

  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch56 - Misheard

    Not only was Elise freaking out, but Argo—Alaric’s buddy—nearly jumped out of his skin when he opened his social media app. He still hadn’t gotten to the bottom of what happened at the bar last time, and now there was another bombshell.A few days ago, he’d sent Alaric a message, but all he got back was an emoji—no actual answer to his questions. It was driving him nuts!Unable to wait until the next time he saw Alaric, Argo furiously typed a message: “Dude, who was that post aimed at just now?”To his surprise, Alaric replied almost immediately: “To the people spreading rumors.”Argo sprang to his feet, typing back in a frenzy: “Huh? You’re usually the last person to explain yourself!”Alaric’s response came quickly: “It’s gotten too annoying to ignore.”Argo was baffled. This was totally out of character. Last time, Jade had clearly ticked Alaric off at the bar, and he hadn’t done a thing about it. Yet today, he was acting the exact oppo

    Last Updated : 2024-12-30
  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch57 - Doggy

    Two weeks later, Lena, having completely forgotten about the matter, found herself heading to Alaric’s house.It was the same familiar yard. The maple tree in the garden was still standing tall, its leaves starting to change color. She had been here once before, back in middle school, when a group project paired her with him by sheer bad luck. She had spent an entire afternoon here with a few classmates working on the assignment.That day wasn’t unpleasant, but what caught her attention back then...“Creak.” The door opened, interrupting her memory. A fresh, clean scent wafted out as Alaric appeared, dressed casually. His hair was unstyled, with his bangs naturally falling over his forehead—it looked like he had just taken a shower, which gave him a boyish charm that matched his age.Lena glanced at him and shoved the documents she was holding against his chest. “Here. The files you wanted.”Alaric took them with a small nod. “Thanks. Zayn couldn’t make it, so I

    Last Updated : 2024-12-31
  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch58 - Boundary

    BoundaryAlaric didn’t have the habit of locking his door at home, mainly because no one ever came up to the third floor to look for him. The maids only came in to tidy up his room when he was out.Max skillfully slammed the door open and slipped inside. Hearing the sound, Alaric, who was in the dressing room, walked out. He saw Max looking up at him, so he bent down to pet Max gently and asked, “How did you get up here by yourself?” Then, scanning the doorway, he noticed a pair of ankles quietly standing there. That’s when he realized Lena had come up as well.He stopped buttoning his shirt, having already done up all the buttons except for the two on his chest. Lena acted nonchalantly but avoided making eye contact, saying, “Sorry, I didn’t know you were changing, and your door wasn’t locked…”Alaric seemed to think for a moment, then lowered his hand. “It’s fine. Did you need something?”He didn’t invite her inside to talk, and Lena stayed by the door, hesitating. “I wanted to ask

    Last Updated : 2025-01-01
  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch59 - Troublemaker

    “You’re supposed to be fearless, aren’t you?” Alaric lightly brushed Lena’s wrist with his fingers, his gaze lazily drifting from her hand upward. His tone was casual, almost teasing. “Or is being alone with me stirring up some pleasant memories?”The atmosphere between them had always been subtle, ambiguous, and unspeakable.His eyes lingered on her faintly flushed cheeks for a moment, pausing there for a few seconds longer than intended. What started as an attempt to tease her and ease the tension took an unexpected turn.Almost instinctively, the back of his hand grazed her face.Lena flinched as if electrocuted, immediately turning her head away. “Stop being so full of yourself.”Yet her racing heartbeat betrayed her.Meanwhile, Max, the dog they had both been ignoring, circled their feet in a restless loop. His fluffy tail brushed against Lena’s calf, making her leg itch.The room suddenly felt unbearably warm. Her ears turned a shade of red as the heat grew. A warm breath ghoste

    Last Updated : 2025-01-02
  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch60 - New Investor

    After hanging up the phone, Lena’s mind went blank for a few minutes, unable to think of anything.The call had been from her lawyer, notifying her that the court in Country U had ruled in favor of extradition, and the transfer process was officially underway. Her father, Martin Carrington, would be escorted back home next month.Back in early May, investigators from the Economic Crime Division had come to her door. That was when she first learned about her father’s $30 million embezzlement from his company. Later, she found evidence of the embezzlement in a document provided by her former company’s accountant, Elly. After handing it over to her lawyer, bits and pieces of information started trickling in. Among them: her father had used a fake identity and engaged in money laundering in Country U, which caught the attention of local authorities. He was subsequently arrested, and during a background check, it was discovered that he was an internationally wanted criminal. The authoriti

    Last Updated : 2025-01-03
  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch61 - Mr. Ridley

    The event was held in a cocktail reception format, arranged by the Secretary Ivy in coordination with Ridley Corporation. Ridley reserved quite a few seats, so in addition to the six departmental heads attending the meeting that day, two to three manager-level personnel from each department were also included.Ridley sent over more than ten representatives as well.In Lena's project development and management division, managers from the Design and Planning Department and the Cost Control Department were present. Representing the Cost Control Department was a supervisor from the Procurement Department—a man Lena recognized. He had accompanied her during the negotiations with Door Appliances, and his performance that day was commendable. He had even stepped in to shield her from drinking during toasts, although the representative from Door Appliances eventually insisted she drink. Despite that, Lena had a decent impression of Gary, as he had also participated in team-building activities

    Last Updated : 2025-01-04
  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch62 - Something off

    Just moments ago, Lena had been silently commending Gary in her heart. Who would’ve thought that the rumors came from him? She asked again, “Are you sure? Do you have any solid proof?”Iris looked serious. “After investigating, the members of his group admitted that it originally came from him. But apparently, when Gary shared it, he also said he ‘heard it from someone.’ However, who that ‘someone’ is, remains unknown.”Lena couldn’t figure out his motive, but she did know he was present today. “Did you keep an eye on him earlier? See if he did anything suspicious?”Iris rolled her eyes upward, trying to recall, then shook her head. “Before I came over to meet you, I did secretly watch him for a while. But he’s very alert—didn’t show anything unusual.”Despite that, unease lingered in Lena’s thoughts. “Keep an eye on him for me going forward.”“No way.” Iris refused firmly. “I’m staying by your side tonight. You didn’t look well earlier, and I’m not comfortable l

    Last Updated : 2025-01-06
  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch63 - Expose

    The crowd’s attention zeroed in on the waiter and the manager.The manager, startled by the sudden turn of events, flushed red and pale in quick succession. Waving his hands defensively, he stammered, “I’m really here to resolve the issue, not to divert attention or help anyone escape!”Though clearly rattled, he stayed rooted to his spot. Alaric’s gaze shifted past him, locking onto the waiter. “What are you so nervous about?” he asked coldly.The waiter’s face turned ashen, and he seemed unable to form a single word.“He’s probably just scared,” the manager quickly interjected, his eyes darting toward the waiter in a silent plea for him to speak up. The intensity of his stare made it seem like his eyes might pop out.When the waiter remained silent, Alaric motioned for Iris to continue what she had left unsaid. She glanced around, clearly hesitant, before taking a deep breath. “I’m not sure if I saw it wrong, but after he bumped into me, he deliberately adjuste

    Last Updated : 2025-01-07

Latest chapter

  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch96 - Do it my way tonight

    Lena felt that Alaric was kissing her with more intensity than usual tonight—like he was trying to consume her whole.He pressed her down onto the bed, his long legs kneeling over the mattress. Tilting her chin up, he captured her lips in a deep, relentless kiss, his tongue invading without hesitation. The sharp line of his jaw was accentuated by the dim glow from the bedside lamp.He didn’t let her go for a long time.Lena’s tongue ached, and she let out a muffled hum, signaling for a break.Alaric finally loosened his grip, but instead of stopping, he redirected his attention elsewhere. His strong, veined fingers moved to unfasten her belt.Lena reached toward the bedside lamp to dim the lights, but he pul

  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch95 - The flies swarming

    "Claire?"Lena recognized the woman instantly—it was her old seatmate from middle school.She stood up and reached out her hand. "It’s been so long! I thought you’d moved abroad for work and weren’t coming back.""I actually came back two years ago, but I lost all my old contacts, so I couldn’t reach anyone." Claire’s voice carried a mix of excitement and nostalgia. "I never expected to run into the two most brilliant from our class right here!"Alaric shook her hand as well, and it clicked—Claire had been in their class during their last two years of high school. Back then, she and Lena had been inseparable, but after graduation, she had seemingly disappeared. Now he remembered—she had moved overseas after finishing school.

  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch94 - Jealousy

    Alaric had made a reservation at a rooftop restaurant perched atop a sleek, triangular-shaped skyscraper. A staff member pressed the elevator button for them in the lobby.The doors closed slowly, and the elevator began its ascent to the 66th floor.It was just the two of them inside, both staring straight ahead, yet somehow, the air felt thinner.Alaric’s fingertips lightly brushed against her skin—soft, fleeting, yet unbearably ticklish. Lena couldn't help but glance at him. Their eyes met, and she quickly looked away.He tilted his head slightly, dark lashes casting shadows as he studied her.Lena stiffened, refusing to turn back toward him.A soft

  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch93 - Holding hands

    "Oh my god, did you guys see that huge bouquet of roses this morning? It was bigger than half my body—like someone was trying to open a flower shop in the office!"Winfield, one of the front desk staff, animatedly described the scene to his coworkers in the company cafeteria.Another colleague chimed in, "Yes! I was in the elevator with Iris when she was carrying it up to Lena’s office. It was gorgeous, completely over the top, just stunning!"The others, who hadn’t been lucky enough to see it, grew even more curious.Colleague B: "Who on earth would go to such lengths? I bet it’s Mr. Jones from that landscape design firm."Colleague C:

  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch92 - Umbrella

    Alaric dreamed that he was back in school, on a rainy day.The rain blurred the campus into a hazy blue-gray. Droplets pattered against the eaves. His nanny had called the school office, saying there had been an accident on the way and she would be about 40 minutes late.After finishing his extracurricular music class, Alaric lingered in the piano room for a while. When the time was about right, he grabbed his umbrella and made his way to the school gate.Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a familiar figure waiting at the entrance. The moment she sensed someone approaching, she straightened her back and tucked her already neat hair behind her ear—only to freeze when she saw his face.Her expression instantly turned unfriendly as she looked away.

  • Rivals to Lovers   The girl’s pretty

    Lena really did guess it right—Edith had pulled his grandmother aside so mysteriously just to find out if Alaric was currently single.Alaric helped his grandmother into the car first before walking around to get in from the other side. The cool night air slipped in briefly before being swallowed up by the warmth inside the vehicle.He held the phone he had just hung up, not putting it back into his pocket. His fingers absentmindedly brushed over the still-warm screen.Facing the car window, he let the dim interior lighting mask the unrestrained amusement tugging at the corners of his lips.Isla pressed the seat’s massage function, and a faint humming sound followed. After a whole evening of walking around, she was indeed a little tired. But she had also gath

  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch90 - I’m taken

    The cool autumn breeze drifted through the windows of the hotel’s banquet hall. Holding a glass of wine, Alaric stood beside his grandmother, Isla, listening to the hum of her conversation with the other guests.Officially, the gathering was to celebrate the birth of a friend’s great-grandchild, but in reality, it was just an excuse for a group of old friends to get together.The event was held at Taurus Hotel, one of Alaric’s properties.Soft lighting cast a warm glow over the hall, where cream and pale yellow decorations adorned the space. Silver trays, neatly arranged with delicate pastries, lined the center table.Guests were busy cooing over the baby, the sound of camera shutters clicking nonstop.Alaric was one of the few younger people in attendance, unable to tell who was who. But after realizing how little time he had spent with his grandmother recently, he decided to accompany her when she casually mentioned this gathering and that no one else was avail

  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch89 - Keep secret

    Just after confirming their relationship, Alaric wanted to take things to the next level—bringing Lena to meet his family. He was eager to announce the good news to the world.Lena's pupils shrank slightly. She suddenly recalled that Alaric’s mother had visited her office not long ago, probing her, trying to confirm that she had no romantic feelings for Alaric.She had put on a flawless act back then.If she treated social interactions like high-stakes business deals worth millions, she could conceal her emotions without a trace.But now, Alaric had blindsided her with his confession.One moment, she was putting on a front of complete indifference in front of his mother, Daisy. The next, she’d be showing up

  • Rivals to Lovers   Ch88 - Boyfriend

    Feelings are like a floodgate that, once opened, cannot be closed. Alaric had no intention of trying to hold it back.When Lena’s breathing finally steadied, Alaric slowly pulled back, meeting her gaze filled with tenderness. He cupped her cheek gently, pressing a kiss to her forehead.If not for the constraints of time and place, he would have held her until the night deepened.Exhaling softly, he shifted his gaze to rein in his emotions, straightened her shirt, and brushed stray strands of hair behind her ear.“Thirsty?” he asked.Lena nodded, taking the glass of water he handed her and drinking most of it in one go. The water felt like sweet relief, helping her regain clarity.

Scan code to read on App
DMCA.com Protection Status