Chapter 47 Forty Seven

Chapter 47 Forty Seven
VALERIE

The silence thickened until it felt like it might choke the words out of all three of us.

I became painfully aware of everything at once — my bare legs, Lucas standing behind me, and Adrian’s eyes trying to make sense of a picture he wasn’t meant to see.

Not yet… at least.

Of all the people who could have been standing at the door, it had to be Adrian.

His eyes darted from me to Lucas and back, confusion twisting into shock. The easy composure Adrian carried melted away.

He cleared his throat, inclined his head towards Lucas, and stammered,

“U-umm… Mr. Castillo… good evening, sir… I-I didn’t know you were here, sir.”

Lucas didn’t answer at once. He watched Adrian with quiet intensity, his gaze unblinking. After a pause, he said, low and deliberate, “I live here.”

I stiffened, tension crawling up my spine. Why would he reveal that? I searched his face, but he never broke eye contact with Adrian.

His jaw set, unreadable, and his gaze slid down to me. My stomach clenched.

Adrian swallowed, voice uneven. “Oh… umm… I was looking for Valerie…”

Lucas’s eyes shifted back to him, steady, controlled. “I can see that,” he said softly.

Adrian blinked, eyes shifting nervously.
“I… I didn’t know she was at home… she didn’t say—”

Lucas cut through, measured: “Next time, call first. Check if she’s home… or possibly with someone else.”

I averted my eyes, chest tight. Adrian’s confusion was clear, every line in his face taut.

I twisted my T-shirt nervously. “H-hey… Adrian. Didn’t think you’d come by.”

“Is there… something you needed?” I asked, voice heavier than I liked.

Adrian blinked at me, then at Lucas.

“Y-yeah… work. I thought stopping by would save time.”

Lucas’s gaze stayed fixed. “Anything work-related goes through the office… or through me.”

Adrian swallowed hard; his throat bobbed up and down. “Yes… sir.”

A pause settled over the room, sharp and shorter this time, like the silence itself was tense with warning.

Adrian opened his mouth to say something else, but Lucas cut him off, voice deliberate:

“Anything else?”

I shifted slightly, unsure where to look, my stomach tight. Lucas had taken over the air in the room, protective, and it left me feeling awkward and out of place.

Adrian’s gaze flicked between us, hesitant, searching.

“Of course not, sir… that would be all,” Adrian said finally, forcing a polite smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “S-sorry to intrude.”

He stepped back into the elevator slowly, still glancing between me and Lucas as if trying to commit the image to memory. “Good night, Valerie… good night, Mr. Castillo.”

Before I could call out his name to stop him, the elevator doors slid shut.

I clenched my fist and put it to my head, closing my eyes for a moment. My chest was tight, and my mind buzzed with the image of Adrian frozen at the threshold, trying to make sense of what he had just seen.

Footsteps echoed behind me. Lucas was retreating, moving as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn’t just complicated everything.

I turned sharply, my eyes narrowing as I saw him about to climb the stairs. “What was that, Lucas?” I asked, voice sharp.

He stopped mid-step and glanced back at me, one eyebrow arched.

“Oh, now you’re going to act oblivious like you hadn’t just ruined everything?” I pressed, stepping closer.

Lucas’s gaze flicked toward me, calm. “What’s the fuss about, Valerie?”

I scoffed and let out a short, mocking laugh. “Fuss? Did you just say fuss right now? Do you even realize how awkward and suspicious things are? Adrian saw us — together — like this! He knows that we’re living together.” I gestured at my exposed thighs in the shorts I was wearing, letting the point sink.

Lucas’s eyes followed my hand; his expression darkened immediately.

I snapped my fingers at him, cutting him off before his mind could wander.

He looked back at me, eyes steady, unreadable, but the tension in the room told me he had noticed, just like I thought he would.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” I asked, voice tight, heart hammering.

Lucas had already turned, heading for the stairs. His shoulders moved with calm ease, but there was tension beneath it. “I don’t know what to say, Valerie. After all, you're the reason he knows where you live, and you're the one that let him in. ” he said, eyes fixed ahead.

He was right. This could have all been avoided if I hadn't mistakenly let Adrian in. But still… Lucas made everything worse.

“It was a mistake! And it was your fault. If you hadn't startled me, maybe I wouldn't have mistakenly pressed the button. But you just had to make things worse by saying this is your place! What is wrong with you?” I exclaimed, exasperation sharp in my tone.

Lucas stopped mid-step, his back still to me, calm. “This is my house. What was I supposed to say?”

“Come on, Lucas. You can’t be dumb enough to not have some other excuse in mind,” I said, frustration rising. “How do you think Adrian would interpret any of this? Who knows what he's thinking right now?”

Different possibilities were racing in my mind. What if he thinks that I'm sleeping with Lucas? A female employee in the house of her male boss doesn't paint a good picture.

He didn’t answer at first. He just looked at me, expression unreadable, jaw tight. Finally, he asked, voice low, deliberate: “Are you worried about people finding out, or just what Adrian would think?”

I let out a short laugh, bitter but soft. “Both. I don’t want him getting the wrong idea. I don't want anybody to find out about this situation until it's over.”

Lucas tilted his head slightly, considering me. “And you think it will be over soon?”

“Yes,” I said, stepping closer. “And until it does, let’s stick to what we agreed on. Please.”

He paused, gaze locking on mine. “You do realize you’re my wife, right?”

I gave him a side glance, voice cool but firm. “On paper, yes. Also, I’m just a substitute to you, Lucas. Not until Vanessa returns. I don’t want to get any more entangled in this than I already am. So please, whatever this is, let’s stick to it.”

A few seconds passed. The house was quiet, heavy with unspoken words. I thought I saw his gaze waver for a moment, just enough to catch me off guard, but I didn’t linger.

I finally looked away, exhaling softly, and walked past him. “Good night, Lucas,” I said, voice steady, though my heart was still racing.