Chapter 210
Lucas burned all over from what Aurora had said, heat simmering beneath his skin, while she, on the other hand, knew exactly what she was doing.
It wasn’t until he noticed her staying silent that he finally broke the tension.
“Aurora, when are we starting? You’ve been through a lot lately. You deserve a break.”
There was something loaded in his tone, something she couldn’t place.
But Aurora turned around, the smile she’d worn earlier completely wiped from her face.
“Lucas, I was joking. Don’t take it seriously.”
Arms folded, her expression was all business now.
She knew this would piss him off, but there was no helping it. The smug look on that other woman’s face had pushed her over the edge.
When she said the word “joking,” Lucas seemed to piece it all together.
“So this was all to get under Wendy’s skin, wasn’t it?” he asked, his voice low and cold.
The air around him dropped several degrees, those dark, hawk-like eyes locked onto her with icy intensity, like if she said one more wrong word, he might strike.
Aurora just shrugged casually.
“You know the answer, so why say it out loud? I’m taking a shower.”
She’d paid a price to rattle Wendy tonight – sleeping here was no part of the plan.
Now, she didn’t even know how to face Lucas.
Maybe it wasn’t the most moral move, but the memory of Wendy’s furious expression still gave her immense satisfaction.
With that, she stepped lightly toward the bathroom, leaving Lucas alone in the living room.
Even the air around him seemed touched by loneliness.
But Aurora didn’t care about any of that.
When she stepped out later, she headed straight for the couch.
Lucas watched her for a long moment before deciding to play along. Since she was his wife, he figured he might as well indulge her.
He sat at the edge of the bed, flipping through some documents. When Aurora finally emerged from the bathroom, he stood up too.
“I’m going to take a shower,” he said, then paused before adding, "And stop trying to sleep on the couch. Just take the bed.”
There was a beat before he muttered, almost reluctantly, “You sleep. I’ll take the couch.”
Without waiting for a response, he grabbed his clothes and went into the bathroom.
Aurora stood still, surprised for once, watching his broad back disappear down the hall.
When he came out, true to his word, he walked straight to the couch without even glancing her way.
Aurora arched a brow. Well, this was getting interesting. Since he’d already given up the bed, why bother arguing?
Comfort came first.
With that, she made herself comfortable under the covers, scrolling through her phone like she owned the place.
That night, Aurora slept like a baby.
Lucas and Wendy, on the other hand, barely closed their eyes.
The next morning, Aurora woke up refreshed and radiant. Even Wendy looked less annoying to her now.
“Morning,” Aurora said breezily. “Though I have to say, I preferred your face yesterday. At least it changed expressions.”
The words were light, teasing, but they hit their mark.
Wendy’s face darkened immediately, just about ready to snap until she caught sight of Lucas‘ cold stare across the table. She got the message loud and clear.
He didn’t have to say a word. When it came to Lucas, Wendy was never quite sure how to deal with him.
So, she quietly returned to her breakfast and forced out a stilted, “Morning to you too.”