Have Him

Hearing the footsteps made Valerie turn towards the attractive young man. Mesmerized, Valerie was drawn into a trance by his visuals. He had his hair pushed back as he was dressed in a posh suit.

How dazzling!

"Ms. Valerie, I really do not appreciate being invited on a short notice. Hope you realize how rude you had been."

That brought Valerie out of her daze, and she pointed out, "Five minutes late."

Valerie didn't mean to trouble the man. But her excitement made her impatient, and these greedy desires inside her wanted to meet him as soon as possible.

Lucian scoffed as he pulled the chair and sat down.

Valerie raised her hand to make the order, and the waiter walked over.

"Scallop pasta—"

Before she could continue, Lucian said, "I don't have the time to talk. Get to the matter fast."

Valerie silently stared at Lucian. That was indeed disappointing when she took the effort to have a renowned chef come here to make his favorite dishes.

"Is that so?"

Although Valerie's tone was ice-cold, Lucian felt a pang of guilt and stated, "Well, nothing can be done if you are hungry."

°°°

Watching Lucian heartily eat the meal made Valerie feel all the hassle was worthwhile. Once he placed the fork down, he stared at Valerie with a solemn expression.

"Ms. Valerie, you do realize how absurd the engagement sounds, right?" Lucian said.

"I believe it sounds logical. This is great way to build trust between Sunrise and Utopia given that the companies are cooperating—"

"You are fine marrying for that crappy reason?" Lucian questioned.

No, the only reason Valerie agreed to it because the other party was Lucian.

"What's the issue with that?"

Lucian took in a deep breath.

"There is actually no problem with that, but I do not wish to get tied to you. Absolutely not. I want to pursue free love," Lucian stated, "I am surely there isn't a lack of man you can get engaged to. That's why, leave me alone."

"I don't want to," she responded.

"What?"

Then, staring at him intensely, she expressed, "You are the only one I want, Lucian Gray."

That gaze of her almost made his heart skip a beat and gave him goosebumps.

However, Lucian didn't let that affect his momentum. Wearing a smirk on his face, he leaned over the table and teasingly asked, "Could it be that you have a crush on me, Ms. Valerie?"

"Would you prefer that?"

Valerie's indifferent gaze made him scrunch up his nose and voice out, "Forget about it. That sounds nerve-wracking. Anyways, just remember that I am not getting engaged to you, and next time, don't invite me out. I am not going to turn up."

Standing up, he was about to leave when Valerie stated, "Does Mr. and Mrs. Gray agree with that?"

Thinking about his parents caused him a headache, and he said, "That's none of your business. Just know that you and I are impossible."

He directed a glare at her before stepping out of the place in a hurry. He needed to get alcohol in his system to get over this stress.

"How cute," Valerie commented before standing up. "But how can I let you go when you are so close to me finally?"

Valerie understood this was wrong. She didn't deserve him, but the selfish desires inside her were hard to control. Finally, after so long, she saw an opportunity. How could she bear to waste it away?

°°°

The constant ringing of the doorbell made Valerie close her laptop. Pressing on her forehead, she walked over to door. The familiar face on the screen made Valerie open the door for the person.

A frowning young woman stepped into the room.

"Valerie, I thought we were friends. How could you not tell me about the matter of your engagement?" Leslie expressed her dissatisfaction.

Leslie Parker was someone who clung on to Valerie after she saved the girl unintentionally one day. Ever since then, Valerie had the Leslie— now a rising model— follow her around, claiming that Valerie was cool.

Valerie didn't understand the enthusiasm Leslie showed, but because Leslie had her advantages, Valerie kept her around. At times, Leslie did reduce the deep-seated loneliness inside Valerie.

"How did you know?" Valerie asked.

The matter hasn't been leaked out to the press yet, and the engagement was discussed just yesterday.

"How did I know? Of course, from that insufferable sister of yours. Charlotte has been spreading through her social circle you forced the engagement on Lucian because of your infatuation on him.

Now, you know how all the ladies are so in love with him, and that's why, they are making this grand plan to unleash their wrath on you. How immature! They seriously act like bunch of losers."

Leslie rolled her eyes.

"They aren't wrong. Lucian doesn't want to get engaged," Valerie stated.

This made Leslie grab on to Valerie shoulder and, holding expectations in her tone, say, "Baby, you are going to get him this time, right? Instead of acting like saint who does good deeds and doesn't leave behind her name.

With what you have done for him, he should belong to you! If he is unwilling, kidnap him and tie him up! You are a domineering president. That's why, act like one!"

Leslie did feel disappointed by how Valerie remained passive and helped Lucian in silence. In Leslie's point of view, someone like Lucian wasn't deserving of Valerie, but nothing can be done when Valerie had her life revolving around him.

"I am not," Valerie expressed.

Leslie stared at Valerie in disbelief for you a second.

"Are you serious?"

She nodded her head.

Leslie's face broke out into a large grin. Leslie pushed Valerie over to the couch and sat down inside her. The excitement was clear as day in her eyes.

"Valerie, you do know that Lucian is a beautiful and delicious flower that is being eyed by millions of bees and butterflies.

That's why, you need to step up in your game. No more doing things for him secretly. You should be bold and upfront about it. And I, Leslie Parker, will help you with that."

That would have sounded plausible to Valerie if the woman was someone reliable.

"There is no need for that. He is getting engaged to me."

Leslie frowned.

"Do you think engagement is everything? It can easily break. You have to make him so enamored with you that he can't think of anyone other than you, and you, Valerie Davies, would be able to do that."

Lucian being fond of her? That sounded highly impossible to Valerie.

A self-depreciating look crossed through her eyes.

Catching that, Leslie voiced out, "Now, don't be so downhearted. Both of us know how frivolous Lucian is. His heart doesn't stay for one woman. But we are going to change that. As they say, there is a thin line between love and hate."

"That's amusing," Valerie commented.

"You think so? That's a good start. That's why, the first trope we are going to follow is damsel— young lad in this case— in distress."

"And that is?" Valerie raised an eyebrow.

"We are going to get Lucian to fall into trouble, and then, you will be rescuing him. That will make his heart flutter, and baam, that's the starting point you need," Leslie said.

"One, that's manipulative, and most importantly, it would hurt his ego."

Leslie scoffed.

"First, when did you have morals, Valerie? And his ego— I don't think he would care about that. That pretty boy looks like the type who wants to be taken care of. You—"

"Leslie, stop," Valerie said, "I am not doing any of that."

Although Leslie wanted to complain, the stern expression on Valerie's face shut her down.