Chapter 72 “Are We Close?”
Chapter Seventy-Three
For a moment, Kurt and Vera stood shell shocked, unable to take in the sight before them.
“Wow, It’s actually Lucian Graves.” Vera uttered, blinking at Lucian with her gaze dripping with admiration.
She tucked her hair behind her ears, and smiled shyly at him, despite the cold way in which he looked at her.
“Lucian Graves?” Kurt uttered in wonder, walking forward as well, “I heard that he was in a coma from an accident three years ago. How come he’s here? Ah!”
He jerked and yelped in surprise when Vera gave him a jab in the ribs.
“If he’s here, that means he recovered already,” she hissed at him, “I heard about all of it previously and that he was married…”
Her voice trailed off as soon as her gaze met that of Aria.
She had been so enthralled with standing face to face to Lucian that she’d not noticed any other person in the room.
She and Kurt did not even realize how rude it was to speak about other people’s affairs directly in front of them.
They were clueless like that.
However, as soon as Aria slowly stepped forward towards Lucian, the conversation died immediately.
They stared at her with a mixture of fear and awe, with eyes wide open in shock.
Nope, they did not recognize this woman standing before them, but they knew when someone was staring at them with burning hatred.
Vera realized to her shock that she was trembling slightly, her hands gripping the sides of her dress.
“What the actual fuck?” She blinked, her thoughts all in a disarray, “What’s wrong with me? Who the hell is this woman?”
This woman was stunning.
Her figure was outstanding and her face was as flawless with high cheekbones, striking eyes as green as emeralds, and hair as black as sin which flowed in luscious, wavy locks down to her freaking waist.
Vera’s eyes roved over her in envy.
Her own straight brown hair could never.
Aria was still wearing the third outfit and her aura was very domineering. Vera felt like a scullery maid in front of this woman, who looked like a boss lady.
She hated this feeling.
It was so familiar.
It felt like…
Her eyes snapped up, widening in realization.
She felt like scum, the way she’d always felt with Elara Vaughn.
Damn it, even their gaze were similar; haughty, striking and now extreme hatred.
“Ah, are you his wife? Wow,” Kurt uttered, the first to recover. He flashed his charming smile at them, regardless of their cold stares, then stretched out his hand to Lucian for an handshake, “Congratulations. Lucian, you really hit the jackpot. Hehehe! Your wife is stunning!”
Lucian let Kurt’s hand hang for an eternity.
“Are we close?” Lucian uttered, his voice cold and measured.
Kurt froze, his gaze slowly coming up to meet Lucian’s. He chuckled in disbelief, withdrawing his hand, “It’s me, Kurt Eugene,” he uttered, his eyes growing dark at Lucian’s refusal of his shake, “Are you saying you don’t recognize me?”
“I asked, are we close?” Lucian asked once more, giving Kurt a level look.
Kurt stared at him for a few seconds as his smile slowly faded. He saw the look of pure disgust in Lucian’s eyes and suddenly threw his head back in laughter.
True, he was not close with Lucian and had only ever spoken to him when he and Elara greeted each other in formal gatherings, and he threw in his own greetings as well.
Other than that, he’d never had an audience with the man.
He’d always been envious of Lucian Graves, intimidated by his domineering aura, his prowess in the business world, his accolades and his extremely wealthy family.
He was always pissed as hell whenever Elara spoke of him as though he was of high importance. She spoke of him with a mix of annoyance and fondness. It sounded like she could not wait to see him and his reaction whenever she won against him at some award or something.
She called him her biggest rival.
To consider someone your rival, that means they have in some way impressed you, or are even in the same level as you are.
You definitely have them some level of respect.
That was it.
Lucian Graves and Elara Vaughn had been on the same level, something he would never achieve.
Kurt found it disgraceful that he could never be her rival. He was never going to be on the same level as she was.
He felt like Elara Vaughn was looking down on him.
And now, here was Lucian Graves doing the same, claiming he did not recognize him.
“How dare you, Lucian Graves?!” He thought to himself.
“How rude!” Vera uttered out loud, stepping forward in righteous anger, “he was only trying to wish you well after recovery. Did you have to embarrass him like that?”
“Why should I care if any random person is embarrassed or not?” Lucian uttered, his cold gaze landing on her, “Didn’t you all embarrass yourselves when you barged in here earlier without permission?”
Vera blanched, her face draining of all color.
“What nonsense!” Kurt finally uttered once more, “We have as every right to use the private room as you do!”
“No, you don’t.” Aria finally uttered, glaring directly at Kurt, “You can only use this private rooms if you are the owners.” She paused and gave them a sickening smile, “Are you the owners?”
Kurt and Vera stopped, looking at each other in dismay for a second. They had actually forgotten the rules at this shopping mall.
It’s true that only the owners are allowed to use this private room, but the owners had never stepped foot inside the shopping mall except at its inception, so sometimes the room was given out to VVIPs, who demanded for it.
The employees were grateful the private room was actually vacant that day, else they would have been in big trouble.
Vera had thought it would just be a regular VVIP in the room today as always. She did not expect that they would find the actual owners, Lucian Graves, in there.
“We are done for,” she muttered to Kurt with her eyes, “Lucian Graves is very ruthless. What do you think he will do to us?”