Chapter 200: The Immature Man

"But I…" Claire Grace stammered.

"No more 'but,' okay? If my parents come back and see you carrying their grandchild, they'll be over the moon," Lucas Zeller teased, his tone playful but his eyes smoldering. The heat coursing through him was unbearable, and if she kept hesitating, he feared it might just kill him.

"Then at least feed me first," Claire countered, pouting.

"I am feeding you," he replied with a mischievous grin, his kisses growing more impassioned.

"Stop messing around!" she protested, her voice rising in mock indignation. "I mean real food! I'm starving here!"

"Well, I'm hungry too," Lucas suddenly said, lifting his head.

"Huh?" Claire blinked in confusion, unsure of where this conversation was headed.

"And right now, I'm hungrier than you," he declared with a devilish smirk. "So let's not argue. Feed me first, then I'll feed you." With that, he silenced her protests with a deep, insistent kiss, leaving her no room to object.

---

The next morning, Claire woke up to find Lucas already gone for work. Still groggy, she stumbled into the bathroom, yawning as she went. Her eyes landed on the mirror, where a pink sticky note was affixed. The note read:

*Good morning, my wife. This is the first time I'm calling you that. I used to think it was cheesy when Roy Lin called Lauren Wells that, but now I realize it's such a heartwarming feeling. I've prepared your toothpaste, and your favorite breakfast is waiting for you. The milk has been boiled and sanitized; just heat it in the microwave for one minute. I'm off to work.*

It was signed at the bottom: *Your husband?*

Claire read the note aloud, her lips curving into a radiant smile that lit up her entire face. Happiness swelled in her chest. She truly felt like a queen being pampered, and for the first time, she wondered if this blissful feeling could last a lifetime.

After enjoying Lucas's heartfelt breakfast, Claire slung her purse over her shoulder and hurried to her job at Blue Aesthetics.

---

"What? A queen?" Blaine Jackson exclaimed, nearly spilling the freshly brewed coffee he was pouring into two cups. He had just ground the beans to perfection, but this shocking revelation almost ruined everything.

"Hey, calm down!" Claire chided, taking one of the cups from him and sitting down at the table. "If you spill coffee all over yourself, I'll feel awful."

"It's just... unbelievable," Blaine muttered, still processing her words. "Lucas Zeller, the arrogant CEO, treating someone like a queen? That's newsworthy. Maybe we should check the weather forecast to see if a red rainstorm is coming this year."

"Oh, stop exaggerating," Claire replied, rolling her eyes. She took a sip of the coffee, savoring its warmth. "People's personalities aren't set in stone. Lucas has changed because he truly loves me. Just like I've grown to love your coffee, even though I used to hate it."

"That's not the same thing," Blaine retorted.

"Believe what you want," Claire said with a contented smile, her faith in Lucas unwavering. Even the bitterness of the coffee tasted sweet in that moment.

"Women can be so naïve sometimes," Blaine remarked bluntly, before changing the subject. "Speaking of news, did you hear? Sophie Jackson got engaged."

"What?" Claire was stunned. "That's so sudden! Who's the lucky guy? Sophie never mentioned liking anyone."

"Oh, you know how it goes with love at first sight," Blaine said dismissively. "Women are suckers for romance. Even someone as selective as Sophie couldn't resist. She's agreed to marry the guy after only a month. I'm just worried she might get hurt."

"Sophie's not a child, Blaine. She knows what she's doing. But what about you? Your brother has Sophie Leroux, and now Sophie Jackson has her fiancé. What's your plan? Are you going to head back to France for those matchmaking sessions your mom set up?"

"In her dreams! I'll choose my own woman, thank you very much," Blaine declared haughtily. "Speaking of Lucas, is he seriously offering me a consulting role for Zeller's cosmetics division? What's up with that? He used to call me 'that Jackson guy' with barely concealed disdain."

"He's grateful for how much you've helped me and wants to express his thanks," Claire explained. "He also said he'd like to hire you as a consultant for Zeller's new makeup line."

"Well, it's about time that guy acted like a human being," Blaine said, smirking.

"So, you're saying he wasn't human before?" Claire teased.

"Not quite. It's just weird for him to be so nice all of a sudden. Makes me feel like I misjudged him all along."

"But aren't you planning to go back to France? How will you take on the consultant role?"

"That's up for debate now. Zeller's products are internationally renowned, even surpassing some of Charm CN's lines. I might just stick around," Blaine admitted.

Claire chuckled, shaking her head. "You're so transparent. You never even used Zeller's products before. Now you're singing their praises. What gives?"

Blaine retrieved a concealer stick from his makeup kit and handed it to her. "Take off the outer packaging and see the brand for yourself."

Curious, Claire peeled back the layer of wrapping. Her jaw dropped when she saw the name "Zeller" etched on the product.

"Surprised? I've been using Zeller's products for years," Blaine admitted with a shrug. "I just didn't want Lucas to find out and get all smug about it."

Claire burst out laughing. "Blaine, you guys can be so childish sometimes. But it's kind of adorable."

Blaine rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Laugh all you want. I'm not the only one who's immature. Your dear husband once feigned a fever to win you back. Talk about over-the-top."