Chapter 36: Struck by Cupid’s Arrow*

"Lucas, do you have to smile so devilishly?" Roy asked as he leaned against the CEO's desk, arms crossed with a teasing glint in his eyes.

Ever since Claire had left the meeting room, Lucas had been wearing that same unsettling grin, as if he was scheming something particularly wicked.

Lucas finally looked up at Roy, pulling himself out of his thoughts. His sharp, handsome features returned to their usual cold, serious expression.

"I wasn't smiling in the first place. How could I be smiling in an evil way?" Lucas replied calmly, his deep voice unflinching.

Roy rolled his eyes and suddenly leaned closer, grinning mischievously. "You're thinking about Claire, aren't you?"

Lucas didn't hesitate. "That's right." He admitted it freely, but then quickly added, "I was thinking about how to mess with her."

"Pfft! Do you really expect me to believe that?" Roy shot back, giving him a skeptical look. "Come on, I know exactly why you transferred her to Brighton Plaza. You can't fool me." Roy smirked knowingly. Lucas might have claimed he didn't like Claire, but his actions told a different story. Everyone could see it—Lucas had used his authority as CEO to separate her from Tyler, and it was all because he didn't want them getting close.

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "And what exactly do you know? Do you have too much free time?"

Roy just shrugged, flashing a teasing smile. "I'm just giving you a heads-up. Honestly, you've already been hit with Cupid's arrow." He gestured to Lucas's chest. "It's lodged right there, pointy end and all."

"Roy, are you trying to forfeit your wedding leave and honeymoon vacation?" Lucas leaned back casually in his chair, dark eyes narrowing into a direct and unmistakable threat.

Roy blinked in surprise.

Was Lucas seriously threatening to cancel his three-month wedding and honeymoon leave if he didn't stop talking? This was his best friend—and now Lucas was using his position to intimidate him!

"Whoa, no need for that. If I lose my vacation, Stacy will kill me for sure," Roy grumbled. His fiancée Stacy, the daughter of a powerful businessman, wasn't someone to mess with. She was known for her fiery temper and her favorite catchphrases always involved words like "chop," "slice," and "destroy."

"Then why are you still wasting time with all this nonsense?" Lucas replied, waving him off. Cupid's arrow? Yeah, right…

"Hey, I'm just trying to help. I might be going on leave soon, and since Linda, your secretary, resigned due to illness last week, who's going to help you with all these files, meetings, and schedules? I was actually going to suggest that instead of transferring Claire to Brighton Plaza, you should've just had her fill my position as your personal assistant. That way—"

"Stop right there!" Lucas raised a hand, cutting him off. His long eyelashes lifted slightly as he easily saw through Roy's true intentions. "What you really want is to take an extended vacation, don't you?"

As if Lucas didn't know Roy after all these years! They'd been friends for over a decade—Lucas probably understood Roy better than Roy's own fiancée did.

Roy's face flushed at being called out, though he responded with only a few awkward grumbles.

"I did offer her the position as my personal secretary in the beginning, but she flat-out refused," Lucas muttered, irritation evident in his tone. Just thinking about it annoyed him. His brow furrowed, then he suddenly relaxed, his dark eyes flickering toward Roy. "Alright, just let me know when you want to take your leave." It was almost noon, and he couldn't resist the urge to stop by Brighton Plaza for a visit.