Chapter 77: The Fear of Lucas

That voice—it was smooth and magnetic, a tone that should've been pleasant to hear, yet somehow, it sent chills down Lauren's spine. It was as if she'd suddenly been thrust into a snowstorm in June. She mentally scoffed. Who was she kidding? This wasn't some ancient tragedy with snowfall in summer! It was just Lucas Zeller—just Lucas! Sure, he was known to be as intimidating as a tyrannosaurus with a sharp tongue and a nasty temper, but so what? She wouldn't—wait. Was she actually a little…afraid of him?

Taking a deep breath, Lauren forced a smile to her lips, doing her best to make it appear natural before she turned around.

"Wow, Lucas! You look fantastic today!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with mock awe. "I mean, look at you in that formal tailcoat and three-piece suit. Normally, a classic suit like that would come off stiff and outdated, but on you? You somehow make it look refined and…wow! I almost didn't recognize you. Perfect fit, handsome and dashing, an absolute gentleman…" Since she couldn't beat him in an argument, she'd have to butter him up. Claire had once mentioned that her boss had a soft spot for flattery, hadn't she?

But—was her "stiff and outdated" line a compliment or an insult? And, she'd completely overlooked one tiny detail. She was *not* Claire Grace.

And judging by the storm cloud gathering over Lucas's sharp features, he'd noticed.

"So, Lauren," Lucas began, stepping further into the room and circling her, his gaze strangely intense, making her break into a cold sweat. She started wondering why her dear husband wasn't here yet to rescue her.

"I… I mean, I wasn't being overly complimentary," she stammered. "You look really sharp in that suit. Honestly! You don't believe me? Go ahead, ask Claire." How had she forgotten? If her husband wasn't here, Claire could at least take some of the heat for her. "Claire, wouldn't you agree your boss looks even more impressive today?"

Sure enough, Lucas's piercing gaze shifted instantly to Claire, whose eyes had widened as if caught off guard. His expression softened slightly, looking as though he was eagerly awaiting her answer.

"Uh, well…we already saw that suit at the wedding boutique the other day, didn't we?" Claire stammered. He did look dashing, of course. She'd even stolen a peek from the fitting room that day, admiring him in secret.

Lauren rolled her eyes, sighing internally. If today weren't her big day—her wedding day, with her husband waiting to exchange vows with her—she'd faint on the spot just to escape this. Really! What did Claire mean by "we already saw it"? It's like saying, "We ate yesterday, so no need to eat today." She just needed Claire to praise him a little more so he'd be in a good mood and drop any lingering grudges. Was that so hard?

Lucas simply raised an eyebrow in response, showing no further reaction. But he seemed satisfied, seeing the admiring glint in Claire's eyes. So—

"Lauren, if you think flattery will get you out of this, think again." Lucas's expression darkened. If he were so easily fooled, her husband wouldn't have suffered his sarcasm since middle school.

"Oh, come on! What do you even want from me?" she huffed. "And let's not forget, I'm the bride today! The bride! Which means I outrank you today, got it?" She added a pointed look, hoping he'd take the hint.

"Did I say I was going to do anything?" Lucas arched a brow, his smile turning mischievous. "I simply wanted to ask our esteemed Dr. Mills here for some medical advice."

A red flag shot up in her mind. Alarm bells rang.

"It's my wedding day, Lucas. No doctor talk! You'll jinx it," she pleaded, hoping some old-fashioned superstition might get him off her case.

Lucas scoffed, giving her a side-eye full of disdain.

"Oh, really? Well, this is the first time I've heard that reindeer antler extract and sea dragon tonic have heat-clearing and detoxifying effects. Was that your own scientific discovery, Dr. Mills?" he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

A wave of dread washed over Lauren as she caught the dark glint in his obsidian eyes. She knew that look—it meant he was planning payback.

Fine! She'd call the whole wedding off! What bride has to deal with this kind of nonsense? She felt like a helpless little pup, forced to take orders from the "wolf" without protest.

"Lucas, you knew those supplements were…for vitality?" Claire suddenly interjected.

Lucas frowned, resisting the urge to knock some sense into her. Instead, he grumbled, "Do you think I'm an idiot like you?" He was a perfume maestro, a genius. Besides, his mother had been feeding him vitality tonics since he was young, nearly every other day. He'd always secretly dumped them out, which was why he hadn't recognized the taste of the soup last night.

"Regardless, whether it's for energy or detox, it was Dr. Mills who introduced the supplements that helped your condition improve," Claire said, pouting a little.

"Thank her? Me?" Lucas's voice rose suddenly, so loud it seemed to drown out every other sound in the room. His gaze whipped back to Lauren, cold as steel.

"Oh—no, no need!" Lauren, understanding immediately, waved her hands, trying to defuse the situation. "It was…just medical ethics. As any doctor should." She found herself unable to continue, feeling his gaze cut through her like knives.

Lucas shot her a look as if to say, *Good, at least you know your place.*

"Sweetheart, the wedding's about to start. What are you doing in here?" Roy's voice rang out, his confident stride bringing him into the room just in time.

Before anyone could respond, he sniffed the air. "Wait—were you guys burning something in here? Why does it smell like…gunpowder?"

"Oh, honey, if the ceremony's starting, why are we still here?" Lauren took his arm and quickly ushered him toward the door, casting a quick glare his way. *He really had to say that out loud?* If they didn't hurry out of here, things could only get worse!

Without another thought, she latched onto Roy's arm and dashed out of the bridal suite.