Cheap and worthy

Lucas had already busied himself with work the moment he came back from the hospital. Instead of coming home to rest, he instead headed straight to the study and as he expected, a pile of files was waiting for his attention.

He raised his head when a knock was heard, "come in" he said.

Dionne slowly peeked her head inside the study. She first checked his bedroom and when she saw he wasn't there, she went to the study.

"I said come in not ogle at me," Lucas said without breaking eye contact with his work.

"Would you like some noodles?" Dionne asked what she came here for without beating around the bush.

"Who is cooking?" Lucas asked still not looking at her.

"Me?" Dionne didn't know why that came out as a question.

Lucas finally raised his head to look at her.

"What?" Dionne muttered when she saw his accusing look.

"Nothing, make the broth rich with seafood," Lucas said focusing back on his work.

"That's such a hassle. Noodles are meant to be eaten as it is without any other additions" Dionne stated as a matter of fact. It's still a wonder why people like to complicate things. Why make noodles with crabs and lobsters when it was yummy on its own?

"I need the nutrients so make seafood noodles." Lucas looked up at her again, this time seriously making Dionne wonder if he was angry with her.

"I will add seafood" Dionne resigned and left the room. She was about to close the door and was about about going her way when she bumped into Olivia.

"Look where you're going you fool!" Olivia yelled.

"I'm sorry" Diana forced those words as she was trying to avoid trouble.

"Geez, what are you going to do about my dress? You've tainted it with your filthiness!" Seeing as Dionne was not reacting to her taunts, Olivia got more courageous thinking Dionne has finally seen that she'll be the next madam of the house.

"I'm not in the mood to play cat and dog with you so can you please carry your pathetic self out of my way." Dionne glared at Olivia.

"I see you haven't learned to know the place yet. You are a slave and you're beneath me in every aspect. Don't think because Lucas is lenient with you you can behave anyhow. I would do everything to make your life miserable as long I'm in this house. Mark my words!" Olivia spat before angrily entering Lucas' study. Of course, she didn't forget to jam her shoulders with Dionne to get her out of her way.

Dionne turned her head to face Lucas' study before she matched to her room. She was fuming but what could she possibly do? Olivia was Lucas' guest while she was just his...well...slave.

*Inside Lucas' office*

"What are you doing here?" Lucas asked without making eye contact with Olivia.

"I've not seen you around so I figured you'd be scooped up with work and no one to keep you company" Olivia walked seductively to the seat opposite Lucas

"You're gravely mistaken. As you can see, my work is keeping me company. And if you may, please leave you're obstructing my peace" Lucas didn't bother to mince his words. He heard the commotion outside his study and to say he was pissed was a lesser word to explain what he was feeling. Who gave Olivia the right to downgrade Dionne like that? Oh, he was the one. He gave her the tag 'slave'. But that shouldn't give Olivia the authority like that! Dionne was his slave, not Olivia's. He will surely treat a lesson.

"But I can keep you company better" Olivia leaned forward revealing her cleavages. She placed her hand on his but Lucas removed it immediately. She smiled

"Are you still playing hard to get?" She whined drawing circled with her long nails on the desk.

"I don't play hard to get, I just don't deal with cheap things." Lucas scoffed.

"Lucas!" Olivia exclaimed at the disrespect.

"You think I don't know you whored your way to becoming the face of Klein cosmetics?"

"T..that was..." Olivia's eyes darted left and right trying to come up with something to say.

"Get out," Lucas said loud and clear,

"But...that was a long time ago, I've chan–"

"I'm sure you're not deaf. Get out," He didn't need to shout, the venom alone in his voice made Olivia stand up despite her will.

"And... Dionne is my slave, not yours. This should be the last time you look down on her. She's worth more than you imagine,"

Olivia couldn't believe her ears. How can he do this to her? "Lucas..." She voiced painfully.

"Use the door," Lucas didn't waste one more second looking at her and focused back on his work.

Olivia stormed out of the study knowing if she stayed she'd be brutally humiliated. She swallowed hard and cleaned the few tears that escaped her eyes. She tried not to let them fall in front of Lucas and it worked but now she was outside, she couldn't help but cry to release some of that heaviness in her heart.

It was not the first time he was humiliating her but...How could he tell her Dionne was worth more than she could imagine after calling her cheap?

She went to the kitchen to get some water to calm her raging heart only to hear the laughter of the person she hated the most. "You have the guts to laugh. Let's see if you will still laugh when I'm done with you," She said in a dangerously low tone.

"What are you cooking?" Olivia asked authoritatively as she sauntered into the kitchen, her shoulders almost touching her chin from how high she held them.

"Seafood noodles," Sandy nervously said while Dionne completely ignored her knowing full well that she was here to make trouble.

"Who is cooking?" Olivia asked casually.

"D-Dionne" Sandy stuttered. It was a habit whenever she was nervous or scared.

"Oh, Dionne" Olivia walked to stand at Dionne's side. "My long-lost friend. Who would have thought you were hiding here,"

"You guys knew each other?" Surprised, Sandy asked.

"We were more than friends. Our relationship goes way beyond. To the point of knowing each other's dirty little past,"

"Olivia!" Dionne gritted.

"What?" Olivia turned to look at Dionne. She grabbed Dionne's chin and brought their face to close range. "Lucas thinks I'm cheap and you're worthy,"

"How does that concern me?" Dionne asked with bloodshot eyes. Olivia let go of her chin and went to herself a glass of water. After taking a glass of sip from the glass, she dropped it gracefully and peered at Dionne.

"I wonder if he'd still think the same if he finds out about the reason you moved here."

"You wouldn't dare," Dionne said sternly, her face devoid of all emotions but she was feeling the opposite inside. Her heart was palpitating at an abnormal rate that she feared Olivia would catch on.

"Watch me try" Olivia smirked and sauntered out of the kitchen the same way she came in.