Chapter 161 It Was the Lady Who Invited You, Not Lukas
Chapter 161 It Was the Lady Who Invited You, Not Lukas
“Lukas…” She called out, her voice trembling. “I feel a bit unwell.”
Lukas asked anxiously, “What’s wrong?”
“With so many people seeing me like this, I feel embarrassed.”
Lukas couldn’t help but chuckle. He then changed the subject. “What would you like to eat tonight?”
“Hmmm…” Lia bit her lip and shook her head, deliberately feigning vulnerability. “I don’t feel like eating right now. I want a lollipop.”
“Erik.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Erik emerged from a hidden corner. He bowed respectfully before Lukas. “Mr. Müller.”
“Go get a lollipop and bring my laptop.”
“Yes, sir.”
Erik moved swiftly, but not as swiftly as Lukas.
Lia sat perched on his shoulders, unable to discern how he moved. He seemed to be strolling leisurely, yet the scenery whizzed past rapidly.
The rushing wind stung her face slightly.
By the time she regained her bearings, they were already outside the main villa.
The front yard featured a small garden. Not long ago, Lia had wanted to admire the night view on a whim. She had had a small area enclosed and a set of tables and chairs installed.
Several small lamps were placed around the perimeter.
Their soft glow created a dreamy, hazy atmosphere.
Lukas sat in a chair with Lia perched on his shoulders.
Erik kept his head bowed as he approached Lukas with a lollipop held in both hands, daring not to look up.
“Madam, please.”
Lia took the lollipop, but before she could start licking it, Lukas reached up and snatched it away.
“Oh, Lukas…”
He’d promised to let her have it!
Lukas peeled off the wrapper and handed it back to her. “Eat it.”
Lia popped the candy into her mouth and looked down to see what Lukas was doing.
He opened his laptop and pulled up a document. Was he…working?
“Lukas, please put me down. This position isn’t very comfortable.”
As she shifted, bracing her hands on his shoulders to slide down, Lukas caught her calf and tapped it lightly. “Stay put. Don’t move. Don’t talk.”
“But—”
“Eat your candy.”
She couldn’t get her words out; Lukas cut her off every time she tried.
If he didn’t notice his shoulders getting sore, she could just stay like this.
Lia’s eyes darted around restlessly, yet she remained still and quiet, occasionally glancing at Lukas and his computer.
“Mr. Müller, Kai is here.”
Erik came to announce, but Kai had already entered before he finished speaking.
He never waited for announcements to finish before coming in. Taking advantage of Lukas’ indulgence, there was nowhere in Stilles Haus he couldn’t go.
“Lukas, is Lia here? I need to talk to her.”
Lia crushed the candy in her mouth. Seeing Kai in his flashy suit suddenly felt comforting, and she immediately waved at him. “Kai, good evening!”
He walked over cheerfully, but when he saw her perched on Lukas’ neck, he stopped abruptly.
Back in childhood, Lia had done exactly this, riding Lukas’ neck and letting one rip right in his face.
To this day, he couldn’t stand potatoes, always detecting that same stench.
The incident had haunted him from adolescence into adulthood.
His face instantly drained of color. Without another word, he turned and bolted!
Lia’s hand remained frozen in the air, her expression stiffening. “He ran! Why did he run?”
Lukas lifted an eyelid. “Go. Bring him back.”
“Okay.”
Erik received the order and vanished in a flash, leaving only streaks of motion behind him. In the blink of an eye, he was beside Kai.
He smiled gently. “Kai, the lady requests your presence.”
Before meeting Lia, who had restrained him, Kai had never imagined that anyone in this world could inspire more fear than Lukas.
“Can I refuse?”
Erik’s tone remained unchanged.
“Kai, if Mr. Müller summons you, refusing is possible. If the lady summons you… that’s a different matter.”
“Stop! I understand. I’ll go.”
Kai pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket and wiped his forehead, surprised at how much sweat had gathered.
“Go call Dr. Becker. Have her prepare some emergency heart medicine. I fear my heart might not withstand this.”
“Right away. Just a moment.”
Erik didn’t take Kai’s words as a joke.
Kai’s heart condition was congenital.
Lia had already climbed down from Lukas’ neck. Unable to find a trash can for her lollipop stick, Lukas tucked it into the small left pocket of his suit jacket.
Kai sat down slowly, carefully watching the two of them as he settled in.
Who would have thought that Kai, who was usually hot-tempered, could be so timid?
Lia, however, had a way of calming him down.
“Hey, Kai!”
Lia slapped the table and started walking toward him.
But before she reached the table in front of him, Kai suddenly sprang up.
He clutched his chest and exhaled a long breath. “Lia, um…just say what you need to say. Don’t scare me like that. I’m easily frightened.”
Lia was momentarily taken aback.
This Kai… Was he putting on an act?
Seeing him looking so pitiful and helpless, she felt an unexpected pang of sympathy.
Her voice softened involuntarily. “Kai, is this about work? What is it? Tell me!”
Kai’s eyes were wide, and he didn’t dare blink.
His mouth felt sewn shut; he couldn’t utter a sound. He found it hard to speak, feeling Lia’s intense gaze fixed on him.
He pressed his hand to his forehead, feeling thoroughly uncomfortable.
“Lukas, maybe I should leave first. I’m not feeling well today. I’ll come see Lia again in a few days. It’s not urgent.”
If Riley hadn’t been pestering him so relentlessly at the office, he wouldn’t have come at all.
The moment he mentioned leaving, Lia’s anger flared. Her expression darkened as she declared, “No, you said you needed to talk to me. If you have something to say, say it. Why stop halfway?”
Lukas stood up and closed his notebook.
The sound was soft, yet it silenced them both.
They turned to look at him simultaneously, their eyes filled with timidity and respect.
“Let’s eat first. We’ll talk after.”
With that, he took his notebook in one hand and Lia’s hand in the other. He led her toward the villa.
Lia tried to walk alongside Kai, hoping to ask what was wrong, but Lukas pulled her away.
Kai let out a long sigh and wiped his face forcefully with his hand.
Just then, Erik returned and handed Kai a bottle of medicine, instructing him on the dosage.
Kai clutched the bottle tightly, as if it held a lifesaving pill.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out his car keys, wrapped them around his pinky finger a few times, and tossed them to Erik. “Go get the stuff from the backseat of my car,” he said.
Erik caught them. Before leaving, he reminded Kai: “The lady caused quite a scene today. Mr. Müller just managed to calm her down.”
He froze upon hearing this.
No wonder Lia had clung to him so desperately—she hadn’t dared to face Lukas alone and had dragged him into it.
He resolved that the next time he came here, he would definitely consult an astrologer.
Who could endure living in such constant dread?
Up ahead.
Lia watched Lukas holding her hand. She pouted and murmured in protest: “Lukas, you promised me this evening. You won’t go back on your word, will you?”
Lukas stopped.
Lia didn’t keep up and bumped straight into his arm.
A sudden, heavy pressure descended from above.