Adrian's Office – Afternoon
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, spilling warm afternoon light from the glass-panelled hallway into the polished interior. Lucas stepped out first, his usual confident stride unhurried, hands tucked loosely into his pockets as though he owned the building. He had that easy swagger of someone who knew he belonged anywhere.
Camilla followed a step behind, her heels clicking lightly against the marble floor — each tap echoing faintly in the otherwise hushed corridor. She adjusted the strap of her purse, tilting her chin up in the way she always did when entering unfamiliar territory. The scent of polished wood and faint cologne from passing executives mingled in the air, but her focus was fixed ahead.
She had insisted on tagging along when Lucas mentioned his meeting with Adrian. A simple business visit, she'd told herself, like it was the most casual thing in the world. But deep down, she knew the truth — it wasn't about business at all. It was about him.
Just before the elevator doors could close behind them, a familiar, cool-toned voice drifted in.
"Oh, it's you."
Amelia stepped inside, her designer perfume arriving a second before she did — crisp and expensive, like something chosen deliberately to make an impression. Her gaze, sharp and assessing, flicked over Camilla with faint disinterest, lingering just long enough to register disapproval before shifting to Lucas with a little shyness.
"Tell Adrian I said hello." Her words were clipped, almost dismissive, and she didn't bother to wait for a reply. When the elevator halted at the next floor, she stepped out without another glance.
Amelia, already simmering with irritation from her errand, had been in no mood to play nice. The sight of Camilla — the little vixen who seemed to orbit Adrian like a lovesick moon — only deepened her annoyance. If not for her begrudging fondness for Lucas, she wouldn't have tolerated her at all. She was here to deliver food to her brother Victor, who hadn't returned home for days. Their mother, Evelyn, had insisted he shouldn't go hungry, sending Amelia like some overqualified maid. It was demeaning, and Amelia hated it.
Camilla's smile tightened. Amelia always had that way of making people feel like they were just… decorative pieces in her day.
When they reached Adrian's floor, the air shifted. His office was sleek, quiet, and intimidating — the kind of place that seemed to silence idle chatter the moment you stepped in. A wall of floor-to-ceiling windows revealed the skyline sprawling beneath a pale-blue sky. Sunlight spilled across the mahogany desk where Adrian sat, casting warm highlights along the sharp lines of his suit. He was focused, head bent slightly over a file, pen moving with precise strokes.
"Hello, buddy," Lucas greeted as he stepped inside, his voice carrying that familiar ease.
"Lucas," Adrian replied, without looking up immediately. His deep, even voice filled the space without effort. Then, with a small lift of his gaze, his eyes shifted to Camilla. That same unreadable calm swept over his features, and she felt the weight of his silent question: Why are you here?
Camilla's lips curved into a small smile. "Camilla. We've met before, Adrian."
"Of course I know. You're Lucas' baby sister," he said simply, closing the file in front of him. No warmth, no hostility — just that cool, measured tone that gave her absolutely nothing to work with.
Lucas dropped into the chair opposite the desk, sprawling comfortably. "I won't take much of your time. I just need you to look over the new proposal for the Eastside project. I have a date."
"You always have a date," Camilla interjected, angling herself toward the conversation, trying to slip into their rhythm.
Adrian only gave a small smile. He was used to Lucas' unapologetically promiscuous lifestyle.
"Sir, you have a meeting in fifteen minutes," Stephen, Adrian's assistant, said as he entered, a folder in hand.
"Okay," Adrian replied.
"Adrian, try to give this guy some time off," Lucas teased, leaning back in his chair. "If he continues to go celibate like this… he might turn gay."
"Do you need time off?" Adrian asked, glancing at Stephen with a straight face.
Stephen's eyes narrowed at Lucas. "No, sir. I enjoy my time working with you."
"Are you sure?" Lucas pressed, an amused grin tugging at his lips. "I'm trying to help you here."
"You have ten minutes left," Stephen said, his tone edging into threat.
Lucas chuckled, unfazed. He knew Adrian only carved out this time for him because of their friendship. This meeting wasn't even on the official schedule — it was eating into Adrian's personal break.
"Are you threatening me?" Lucas asked, feigning offence.
"Enough!" Adrian's low voice cut through the air like a blade, carrying a subtle authority that sent a chill down Camilla's spine.
Adrian was everything she wanted in a man. That voice, that composure — even his irritation carried a quiet control she found magnetic.
"You shouldn't always side with your assistant, Adrian… I'm your best friend," Lucas said, pouting like a child. No one would guess he was a year older than Adrian.
Adrian simply gave Stephen a look, silently dismissing him for now.
"Stephen, remember I'm your boss also," Lucas called after him as he left.
"Enough, or you leave with him," Adrian said, though there was no real heat in it.
Lucas lazily opened the file, and the two men began discussing contracts and investment returns. Camilla let her attention drift, watching Adrian in quiet fascination. The sharp cut of his suit, the steady way he listened, the slight furrow in his brow when something didn't align — everything about him radiated authority.
He's so infuriatingly composed… like nothing or no one could shake him.
At one point, Adrian's gaze met hers. "Something on your mind, Camilla?"
If she kept looking at him like that, she might actually bore a hole into him — and he didn't want that.
Caught, she straightened, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Just wondering how you manage to make business sound… almost charming."
Lucas snorted under his breath. What is wrong with this sister of mine? Bold as anything, flirting with a man like this… maybe it's genetic, he thought and nodded in understanding.
Adrian's expression didn't change. "Really?"
Her smile held, but there was a flicker of irritation beneath it. She hated how easily he brushed her aside, how little effort it took him to make her feel like she wasn't worth engaging. Still, she leaned back, deciding not to push — not today. If she went too far, she knew he could shut her out completely.
When Lucas finally rose, the meeting concluded, Adrian stood as well. "Lucas, I'll have my assistant email the revised terms."
"Okay, no problem," Lucas said, then added with a grin, "Will you come to the club tonight?"
"No," Adrian said flatly. There were too many unresolved matters on his plate.
"Don't you miss me?" Lucas asked, while Adrian shot him a look that clearly read Are you out of your mind?
"Get out," Adrian said, but there was no bite to it — just exasperation.
Lucas blew him a kiss on his way to the door, the picture of shamelessness.
"The engagement party still holds tomorrow, right?" Lucas asked over his shoulder.
"You don't want it to hold?" Adrian replied.
"Maybe because I don't want to leave you. I love you so much," Lucas teased again, sending another exaggerated kiss his way.
Camilla couldn't help but smile at her brother's ridiculousness.
Adrian ignored him, but his gaze flicked to her briefly. "It was… interesting seeing you again."
Adrian knew about Camilla's feelings, but he only tolerated them because she was Lucas' sister.
Interesting? The word sat oddly in her mind. Was it a tease? A warning? A dismissal?
"See you tomorrow, bro," Lucas said, heading out with Camilla following behind. Adrian gave a short nod, already turning back to his work.
In the elevator, Lucas shot her a sidelong glance. "Don't start. Adrian is going to get married to Seraphina and that's it."
"I didn't say anything," she replied lightly, though her mind was already replaying every word, every look.
She had the distinct feeling she'd be seeing Adrian again — whether he liked it or not.
Adrian could only be hers.
---
Victor's Office
Amelia knocked once, then pushed open the heavy glass door to Victor's office without waiting for a reply.
Victor was seated behind his desk, pen in hand, his sharp gaze flicking up to her like she was an unwelcome interruption in his otherwise perfect day.
"What are you doing here?" His tone was sharp, clipped, as though the sight of her had disrupted something important.
She set the lunch bag on the desk with more force than necessary. "Do you think I want to be here?"
Victor leaned back in his chair, expression unreadable. "Then why are you here?"
"Because someone forgot he has a mother who cares about his stomach," Amelia replied, folding her arms. "And Mother insisted I bring her precious son his lunch."
He let out a short, dismissive scoff. "I could've ordered something."
She took a step toward the door, muttering just loud enough for him to hear, "Yeah, and you'd probably starve waiting for it."
Victor didn't bother responding. Instead, he opened the bag and inspected the food as though she had already vanished from the room.
Annoyed by his indifference, Amelia turned sharply on her heel. "Enjoy your lunch, brother. I hope you choke on it," she said, the word brother holding more bite than warmth. The door shut behind her with a firm click.
Victor, long used to his sister's tantrums, simply began eating, unconcerned about her parting remark. But as if the gods had taken offense at his disregard for their "precious daughter," a stubborn bite of food caught in his throat. He coughed hard, reaching for his glass of water.
Victor: ("_")
His mind flickered briefly to Amelia. His kid sister must be a witch, he thought grimly, making a mental note to be careful around her from now on.