Chapter 54
The car turned around, wound through a few streets, and stopped in front of a quiet private restaurant.
Lucinda was led to a VIP private room. As soon as she sat down, a server handed her a menu. She'd barely opened it when Reginald started listing off dishes. "Matsutake chicken soup, steamed fish, king crab risotto, foie gras, and a grapefruit water."
The server jotted everything down and left.
Lucinda closed the menu and looked at Reginald.
She hadn't ordered yet. But everything he'd named was something she loved.
The thing was, she didn't remember telling him any of that.
"Did you ask around?" she asked.
Reginald leaned back in his chair, a hint of smugness in his smile. "Didn't need to. I just watched how long you looked at each dish on the menu."
Lucinda froze. She thought back to their last meal at La Perle Blanche, when she'd flipped through the menu. Her gaze had lingered on certain items longer than others.
She'd thought he was just sipping tea, head down. Turns out he'd been watching her the whole time.
She lowered her head, picked up her teacup, and took a sip. She didn't say anything, but the tips of her ears turned faintly red.
The dishes arrived one by one. Every single one was something she liked.
Lucinda was a food lover. She'd never denied it.
During her years with the Wipere family, the moments that truly made her happy had been few. Good food was one of them.
She ate with focus—unhurried, chewing each bite carefully.
When she tasted something she liked, her eyes would narrow slightly, and her lips would curve up without her even realizing it.
Reginald sat across from her, barely touching his utensils. He watched her the entire time.
He watched her pick up a piece of fish—tender white flesh glistening with soy glaze—and place it in her mouth. Her eyes narrowed.
He watched her scoop crab meat into her rice, the grains coated in golden sauce. She took a big bite, her cheeks puffing out like a satisfied cat.
His smile spread from his eyes, impossible to suppress.
When Lucinda got to the foie gras, a bit of sauce clung to the corner of her mouth—golden, glistening under the light.
She didn't notice. She reached for a napkin, but someone else's hand got there first.
Reginald's fingertip brushed the corner of her mouth, warm and slightly rough with calluses.
He wiped away the sauce and withdrew his hand as naturally as if he'd done the most ordinary thing in the world.
Lucinda's hand froze mid-reach, the napkin still out of grasp.
She looked at him. He was pouring himself water, head down. The tips of his ears were red.
She pulled her gaze away, picked up the napkin, and wiped her mouth—slower than usual.
After dinner, Reginald drove her home.
The car stopped at the usual spot. She opened the door. He got out too.
She walked to the entrance and stopped, turning to look at him.
He stood under the streetlight, the hem of his coat lifted by the night breeze. His gaze rested on her face, tinged with reluctance.
"See you tomorrow," he said.
Lucinda paused, then spoke. "Tomorrow morning, I'm picking up your father. You don't need to come."
"I'm going with you."
"Don't you have work?"
"I'll reschedule." His tone made it sound obvious.
Lucinda looked at him for a moment, said nothing more, then turned and walked inside.
The door closed behind her. She leaned against it, hearing the sound of the car engine starting, then slowly fading away.
She changed her shoes, went upstairs, returned to her room, and closed the door. She flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, and let out a long breath.
Were all CEOs this idle these days?
She rolled over and buried her face in her pillow. Her mind was full of tonight's scenes.
Him reciting the names of her favorite dishes. Him wiping the sauce from her lips. His red-tipped ears as he pretended nothing had happened.
She sat up and patted her cheeks, trying to calm herself down. She still had work to do.
She picked up her phone and dialed a number.
It rang twice before someone answered. It was the direct line for the facility's head of security.
"Ms. Wipere." The voice on the other end was respectful.
"A lot of people came to the facility today, trying to find Mr. Hayden Lancaster?" Lucinda's voice returned to its usual coolness.
There was a pause on the other end, the tone turning anxious. "Yes, more than a dozen groups came by today. We stopped them all at the entrance. It was our oversight—we didn't take preventive measures in advance—"
"Find out how those people knew Mr. Hayden Lancaster was staying here." Lucinda cut him off. "From now on, strengthen security. No unauthorized personnel are allowed near the VIP area. I don't want this to happen again."
"Understood. I'll handle it immediately."
Lucinda hung up, placed her phone on the nightstand, pulled the blanket over herself, and lay down.
Beside her pillow, the little fox plushie sat with its hat askew, grinning its goofy grin.
She reached out and flicked one of its ears, rolled over, and closed her eyes.
She had to pick up Hayden tomorrow. Better get to bed early.
Early the next morning, Reginald called.
His voice carried a note of apology. Something urgent had come up at the company. He had to deal with it. He couldn't go with Lucinda to pick up Hayden.
Lucinda said, "It's fine," and hung up. She changed clothes and headed out.
The entrance to the facility was even busier than yesterday.
The barrier had been pushed all the way across the street, and the number of security guards had doubled. But even that couldn't stop the people trying to use birthday greetings as an excuse to make connections.
They clustered in small groups outside the barrier, holding gift boxes, craning their necks to peer inside—like a school of koi waiting to be fed.
Lucinda had given orders last night: strengthen security, keep all unauthorized personnel away from the VIP area.
The staff didn't dare slack off. They'd pushed the perimeter out another hundred and fifty feet. But the facility was a public space—they couldn't close off the entire street. So the crowd still gathered at the entrance, watching from afar.
Lucinda got out of her car and walked straight toward the gate.
The moment the guards saw her, they immediately cleared a path, bowing slightly with respectful expressions.
She didn't break stride. She passed through the barrier, walked through the entrance, and her figure disappeared into the corridor.
The crowd erupted.
"Who is that woman? Why didn't anyone stop her?"
"Right? We've been standing here for half the day, can't even get a look at the guards' faces, and she just walks right in?"
Allegra stood at the back of the crowd, trying to push her way forward.
She'd come again today. Gemma stood beside her. Mother and daughter refused to give up, thinking maybe they could slip in while Hayden was being discharged.
But they'd been stopped the moment they arrived. They couldn't even get past the barrier.
Then they saw Lucinda get out of a car. Saw the guards let her through. Saw her walk inside without a backward glance.
"Mom..." Allegra's voice was dry. "How did she get in?"
Gemma's expression was even worse. She stared at Lucinda's retreating figure, unable to say a single word.
In the hospital room, Hayden had already packed and dressed. His suit was immaculate, his hair perfectly combed. He looked nothing like a man about to be discharged from a medical facility.
When he saw Lucinda push the door open, his eyes lit up instantly. "Young lady! You're finally here! I thought you'd changed your mind."
"I don't go back on my word." Lucinda walked over, set her bag on a chair, and pulled out a stethoscope. "Let me check you over first."
Hayden sat obediently, though his mouth didn't stop moving. "You're way more reliable than Reginald. That brat said he'd come pick me up, then took off after one phone call. Is his company more important than his father? I think he just doesn't want to see me."
Lucinda didn't respond. She focused on counting his heartbeats.
After a moment, she asked a few questions about his sleep and diet.
Hayden answered each one, cooperative as a grade-schooler at a checkup.
"Everything looks good. You're cleared for discharge." Lucinda let go and closed the medical chart. "Once you're home, take your medication on time. Don't overexert yourself. If anything comes up, contact me immediately."
Hayden nodded repeatedly and stood up. Lucinda naturally reached out to support his arm.
Hayden looked down at her hand on his arm. His eyes reddened slightly, but he quickly blinked it away.
"Let's go," he said, his voice louder than usual. "Let's go home."
The two of them left the room, walked through the corridor, and headed toward the entrance.