FUN?

As the day drew to a close, Ace sat at his desk, staring blankly at the papers in front of him. He couldn't concentrate, his mind kept wandering back to Lucian and the pain he had seen in her eyes.

He had been ignoring her all day, trying to keep his distance and maintain his composure. But it was getting harder and harder to do. Every time he saw her, he felt a pang of guilt and regret.

Ace knew he had to keep up the charade, at least for now. He couldn't let Lucian know how he really felt, not yet. He had to protect himself, and his heart.

But it was getting harder to ignore the way he felt. Every time he saw Lucian, he felt drawn to her, like a magnet. He wanted to reach out and touch her, to hold her and never let her go.

Ace took a deep breath and tried to shake off the feelings. He couldn't afford to get distracted, not now. He had to keep his focus and maintain his distance.

But as he looked out the window, he couldn't help but wonder what Lucian was doing right now. Was she okay? Was she thinking about him?

Ace's heart skipped a beat as he thought about Lucian, and he knew he was in trouble. He was falling for her, hard. And he didn't know how to stop it.

Ace's phone rang, shrill in the silence of his office. He hesitated for a moment before answering, knowing that the call was from his father.

"Ace, my boy," his father's voice boomed through the line. "I hope you're doing well. I just wanted to remind you that you have one month left to fulfill your obligations."

Ace's gut tightened as he knew exactly what his father was referring to. The family business, the inheritance, everything was contingent on him being married within a certain timeframe.

"Yes, Father, I'm aware of the deadline," Ace replied, trying to keep his tone neutral.

"Good, good," his father said. "I just want to make sure you understand the importance of this. If you don't bring home a wife within the next month, everything will be transferred to your brother, Herod."

Ace felt a surge of anger at the mention of his brother's name. Herod was always the favored son, the one who could do no wrong in their father's eyes.

"I understand, Father," Ace said, his voice tight with tension. "I'll make sure to take care of it."

"See that you do, Ace," his father said before hanging up.

Ace sat back in his chair, his mind racing with thoughts of Lucian and the impossible situation he found himself in. He had to get married, but the only woman he wanted was the one person he couldn't have.

Ace picked up his phone and dialed a number, his mind made up on a plan. He needed to fake a relationship with someone, anyone, to see how Lucian would react. He couldn't shake off the feeling that Lucian had feelings for him, and he wanted to test the waters.

"Ken, I need a favor," Ace said, his voice low and serious.

Ken, his trusted friend and associate, answered on the first ring. "What's up, Ace? What do you need?"

"I need you to find me a girl, someone who can pretend to be my girlfriend," Ace said, his eyes scanning the room as he spoke.

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Ken spoke up. "Ace, what's going on? You're not exactly the type to fake a relationship."

"I just need to see someone's reaction, okay?" Ace said, his tone firm. "Just make it happen, Ken. I need someone tomorrow morning."

"Alright, alright," Ken said, sighing. "I'll take care of it. But you owe me, Ace."

Ace smiled to himself, feeling a sense of satisfaction. "I'll owe you one, Ken. Just make sure she's convincing."

With that, Ace hung up the phone, his mind already racing with thoughts of how Lucian would react to his fake girlfriend. Little did he know, his plan was about to set off a chain of events that would change everything.

Lucian's eyes flashed with anger as she thought about all the times Ace had invited her to his office, only to humiliate her by kissing Nora in front of her.

She remembered the first time it had happened, she had been so excited to receive the invitation, thinking that maybe, just maybe, Ace was finally going to confess his feelings to her.

But when she had arrived at his office, she had been met with a scene that had left her breathless - Ace and Nora, locked in a passionate kiss.

It had happened again and again, each time leaving Lucian feeling more and more hurt and betrayed.

Why was Ace doing this to her? Was he trying to prove a point, or was he just enjoying watching her squirm?

Lucian's eyes narrowed as she thought about Ace's motivations. She was determined to find out what was really going on, and to make Ace pay for hurting her.

As Lucian sat at her desk, seething with anger and hurt, she couldn't help but wonder what Ace's endgame was. Was he trying to push her away, or was he just trying to prove a point?

She thought back to all the times they had worked together, all the late nights and early mornings. She had thought they had a connection, a spark that went beyond mere colleagues.

But now, she wasn't so sure. Ace's behavior was confusing and hurtful, and Lucian didn't know how much more she could take.

Just then, Ace's voice came over the intercom, his tone smooth and confident. "Lucian, can you please come to my office? I need to discuss something with you."

Lucian's heart sank, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. What was Ace going to do now? Humiliate her again, or was he going to finally confess his true feelings?

With a sense of trepidation, Lucian stood up and made her way to Ace's office, wondering what lay ahead.

As Lucian walked into Ace's office, she was met with the familiar sight of Nora sitting on the couch, looking like she owned the place. Ace was standing behind his desk, a smirk on his face.

"Lucian, thanks for coming," Ace said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I wanted to discuss the Johnson account with you."

Lucian's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with suspicion. She knew Ace was just using the account as an excuse to humiliate her again.

As she approached the desk, she saw that Nora was watching her, a smug look on her face. Lucian felt a surge of anger, but she kept her cool, determined not to give Ace the satisfaction of seeing her lose her temper.

"So, what's the plan for the Johnson account?" Lucian asked, her voice neutral.

Ace leaned back in his chair, a self-satisfied smile on his face. "I think Nora and I have come up with a great strategy," he said, his eyes flicking to Nora.

Lucian's eyes followed his gaze, and she felt a pang of hurt and anger. She knew she was being played, and she was determined to put a stop to it.

As Ace continued to explain the plan, Lucian's anger and frustration grew. She couldn't believe that Ace was still trying to humiliate her, and that he was using Nora to do it.

Just as Ace was finishing up, Nora stood up and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm so proud of you, Ace," she cooed. "You're such a genius."

Lucian felt a surge of disgust and anger. She had had enough of this charade. "Excuse me," she said, her voice cold and detached. "I think I've heard enough."

Ace looked up at her, a smirk on his face. "Oh, Lucian, don't be like that," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "We're just trying to have a little fun."

Lucian's eyes narrowed, her anger boiling over. "Fun?" she repeated, her voice rising. "You call this fun? Humiliating me in front of the whole office, using your girlfriend to make me feel like dirt?"

The room fell silent, with all eyes on Lucian. Ace's smirk faltered, and Nora looked taken aback. For a moment, no one spoke. Then, Lucian turned on her heel and walked out of the office, leaving Ace and Nora staring after her.