Chapter 273: I need to be with my wife.

There had just been a heated argument in the conference room.

His head was still buzzing from it.

They say the end of the year is tough.

And that's no lie.

At SUN, several real estate projects were put on hold. The real estate market had been rough these past couple of years, with many developments left unfinished.

Lucas had seen the trend early on and had been cautious with real estate projects, always treading carefully.

But slip-ups were inevitable.

The difficulty in recovering funds had led to some cash flow issues for the entire group.

Those old-timers at the company, they were all smiles when profits were rolling in, but the moment something went wrong, they were quick to jump in and criticize!

Lucas had exchanged harsh words with them.

He rubbed his temples. The newly acquired SEA, under Arthur's management, was also facing numerous challenges.

The stock market at SUN was unstable.

Thomas knocked and entered, "Mr. Firestone..."

"If it's about her, don't bother me with it. I'm already stressed."

Thomas quickly shut his mouth.

Lucas picked up his phone and saw a message from Ariana.

Seeing the short video she sent, Lucas felt instantly refreshed.

"When are we going skiing?"

Ariana didn't reply immediately.

Lucas waited for a while before sending a video call.

There was some noise on Ariana's end. "What's up?"

"When are we going skiing?"

James grabbed the phone, and his face appeared on the screen. "You're too late. We've already left, haha!"

"Why didn't you wait for me?" Lucas frowned.

"We just didn't! You didn't reply to the messages!"

"Give the phone back to my wife!"

"Is that how you talk to your brother-in-law?"

Lucas immediately backed down. "Bro, could you please give the phone back to my wife?"

His tone was overly respectful.

"You're so pathetic. I can't stand that pathetic look on your face," James said with disdain as he handed the phone back to Ariana.

"We heard it snowed, and there's a rare cedar forest that's really beautiful. My third brother had some free time today, so we left right away," Ariana explained.

Ariana originally planned to wait for Lucas, but James only had time in the next couple of days.

"You're not waiting for me..." Lucas sounded a bit hurt.

"You've been busy lately, and I noticed you haven't replied to my messages..."

"You should wait for me!"

"Alright, alright, next time. We don't even know if we'll see anything this time; it's our first visit, just checking it out."

James quickly grabbed the phone and ended the call.

"No need to explain so much to him. You're just spoiling him!" James said, handing the phone back to Ariana.

Lucas immediately stood up. "Cancel everything for today and tomorrow."

"Mr. Firestone, is that really a good idea?"

"Why not? If the sky falls, there's always someone taller to hold it up! I'm going skiing with my wife."

Thomas looked exasperated. With so much work piling up, Lucas was already swamped.

And yet, he still insisted on going skiing with Ariana?

It's not like he absolutely had to stay, right?

Lucas Firestone seemed a bit confused about what was truly important right now.

Determined to leave, Thomas Archer had no choice but to watch him wave goodbye, leaving work behind.

When Ariana and James arrived at their destination, they were captivated by the view.

The world was covered in a blanket of white, as if they had stepped into a fairy tale. It was breathtaking.

"Wow! It's really beautiful!" James exclaimed, snapping photos with his phone. "Ariana, do you want to take some?"

Ariana hesitated for a moment but decided to take a few pictures.

To her surprise, James's photos turned out stunning.

"At least our family has a good eye for beauty. I'm pretty good at this photography thing."

"Is that a skill you need for being a central air conditioner?"

James's face fell, "Oh, come on, making fun of your brother!"

Ariana recorded the beautiful scenery around them.

It was truly mesmerizing.

They arrived late on the first day, so they just enjoyed the views and played around the lodge. Tomorrow, they'd hit the slopes for skiing.

After taking plenty of photos, they returned to the villa.

"This place has private hot springs. Once we're tired from playing, we can soak in them back in our rooms," James said.

Everyone cheered, feeling that this trip was totally worth it.

After a tiring card game, they each went back to their rooms.

Ariana found that the hot spring in her room was already prepared.

Feeling exhausted from the day, she decided to take a soak.

As she immersed her body in the warm water, a sense of relaxation washed over her.

She took out her phone and played a romantic song.

It was a love song, and as she listened, she started to miss Lucas. Hadn't it been a few days since they last met?

Ariana had been quite busy herself, with wedding plans to be involved in, and she was planning to hold an art exhibition after the New Year.

When she was with him, she sometimes felt overwhelmed, craving some alone time.

But when apart, she felt lonely.

People truly are strange creatures.

Suddenly, a pair of hands covered her eyes.

"Don't move!"

Ariana was startled at first, then she removed the hands, "Stop messing around!"

Turning her head, she saw Lucas's face!

"What are you doing here?"

Lucas tilted her chin up with a playful smile. "You look surprised and happy. Missed me, didn't you?"

"Who would miss you!" Ariana splashed water at him.

In no time, Lucas stripped off his clothes and jumped into the water, wrapping Ariana in his arms and giving her a quick kiss.

"Not admitting it, huh?"

He playfully pinched her waist. "Admit it or not?"

Ariana knew him too well. If she didn't admit it, he had a hundred ways to make her confess.

"Okay, okay, I admit it. I missed you, really missed you."

Lucas felt extremely pleased and kissed her lips again. "Being so good?"

The two of them relaxed in the hot spring, with Lucas sitting and Ariana perched on his lap.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," Ariana suddenly mused.

"Sure, let's stay like this forever."

Ariana suddenly turned her head, looking at Lucas with a serious expression. "Are you hiding something from me?"

Lucas was clearly feeling a bit guilty.

Ariana, however, kept her eyes fixed on him without blinking.

"Yes."

Lucas hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.

"What's going on?" Ariana suddenly felt anxious.

She had only meant to bluff him a little. Although she sensed he had been acting strange lately, she chalked it up to her being overly sensitive. She hadn't expected there to actually be something.

"Just a bit of trouble at work."

Ariana thought to herself, it's probably more than just a bit if Lucas is this worried.

"What kind of trouble? Is it serious?"

Lucas rested his chin on Ariana's shoulder. "It's a bit tricky, but your husband here is capable of anything. I'll figure it out."

"Show-off!" Ariana splashed him with water playfully.

Lucas let out a long breath, relieved that he had managed to dodge the issue for now.