Since She Met Lucian

"Wouldn't Lucian think it unusual that you and Jonny are living apart like this?" Courtney asked the question that Amelia feared
the most.
She had already made a decision regarding this. She didn't think that it was a good idea to continue staying at Jonny's villa so
she moved out. She only had thoughts about working hard for her and her baby's future.
"We may not be living together but we're still a couple," Amelia confessed.
"Sometimes, I really don't get what goes on in your head, Amelia. To be honest, it would've been better for you to have stayed
with Jonny than live alone like this. You always surprise me by doing things first and only telling me afterwards when the deed is
done." Courtney sighed at the end of the line. She added, "It's not wrong to choose to be independent. Look at Kent! He once
promised me a bright future together, and look at what happened? He's a father now, just like that!"
Courtney hadn't mentioned Kent in a while and Amelia thought that she had already gotten over him. Hearing her talk about him
again made Amelia realize that Courtney had only been pretending to be strong, when in fact, her heart had clearly not forgotten
him.
"Just try to look ahead, Courtney. Better things will come," said Amelia, sounding optimistic. But she did believe in her heart that
better things were in store for her friend.
Just like Courtney and Kent, she and Lucian could never go back to the way they were. Shelly dropped by that day to make
Amelia cut off all contact with Lucian. She told her flatly to stay out of their lives.
Amelia had no intention of interfering with their lives, and she had an inkling that Lucian felt the same. It was as if their love was
a treasure that they had to bury deep into the earth.
After a long chat with Courtney, Amelia sent Jonny a message to make him feel at ease.
The next morning, Amelia woke up early to get to work on time. She had been experiencing morning sickness recently, but she
felt better that day.
She felt lost in the sea of new faces during her first day at work. It was lucky that a colleague showed her around and guided her
as she started to familiarize herself with the whole morning routine.
Her name was Maggie Wang. She was thin, tall, and looked like she was in her thirties. She didn't smile once as she showed
Amelia around. She only talked about work and never showed interest in getting to know her on a personal level.

"You're Amelia, right?" Upstairs, there was a break room and a small cafeteria for the supermarket's staff. Every noon, the
employees were given an hour for lunch and in order to save money, Amelia chose to eat at the cafeteria. Maggie took the seat
opposite hers and smiled at her for the first time.
Amelia relaxed after seeing Maggie's friendly expression. Returning her smile, she replied, "Yes! Thank you for walking me
through the whole work routine earlier."
Maggie said it was nothing and continued warmly, "You look like you're the smartest among everyone here. You'll save me a lot
of trouble."
"Really?" The compliment made Amelia blush. She looked around the cafeteria and realized that there was only the two of them
in the room. She asked, "There are twenty people manning this supermarket, right? Why are we the only ones having lunch
here?"
Amelia was still feeling shy around Maggie.
"I asked the same question when I started working here because I would always eat alone," Maggie answered, "The rest of the
staff live around the neighborhood, so they go home for lunch every day."
"I see," Amelia replied meekly.
"I'll call you Amelia. I'm older than you but you can call me Maggie," the woman said.
The way she laughed and talked immediately changed Amelia's impression of Maggie.
She didn't smile at all when she was showing Amelia around the supermarket stations. Their other colleagues also seemed
scared of her because of her standoffish behavior. But conversing with her then, Amelia found her very friendly and
approachable.
"Okay, Maggie," Amelia mentioned her name with a smile.
"You must be wondering why I wasn't this friendly earlier when I was showing you around," Maggie casually mentioned in
between mouthfuls, guessing Amelia's thoughts correctly.
Amelia's face turned red. With an awkward smile, she denied, "Oh, no. It's just that I've always been meticulous at work. I'm just
worried that I won't do a good job."

Confidence had never really been one of Amelia's strong points.
"Well, you're new here so it's normal for you to think that way. I've been in your place before and I completely understand. But if
you have any questions about the work here, you can always just ask me," Maggie said after draining her bottle of water.
Amelia counted herself lucky for finding someone like Maggie at work. Her gratitude for her kindness made Amelia less nervous
and more comfortable.
After work, Amelia bought some vegetables and fruits from the supermarket. She wanted to cook dinner for Mrs. Chen once
she'd arrived home.
She was a few steps away from her rented house when she saw a tall, familiar figure that made her shudder.
That silhouette... She couldn't be mistaken. It had to be Lucian.
That figure was so embedded in her memory, she knew she would recognize him even with a passing glance. Seeing him
standing there stirred up old memories.
Mrs. Chen's home was small and cozy. It was a bit different from the other houses in that neighborhood but it was definitely a
sight to behold.
Vines and shrubs adorned the front gate and the patch of yard. Colorful flowers would bloom during April, but the ancient trees
remained emerald green all year round. The walls of the residence were made with blue bricks. The house looked bright yet
beautiful in its serenity.
Lucian noticed her from a distance. He gave her a long lingering look before walking up to meet her. Amelia saw nothing but
coldness in his eyes.
She could tell that Lucian bore a grudge against her.
"You must be wondering why I'm here," Lucian said coldly once he reached her.
Amelia had indeed been surprised to see him. But she also knew that Lucian had a wide range of contacts so it wouldn't be
difficult for him to learn her whereabouts if he wanted to.
When Zhan Group was in crisis, Lucian had been distracted by the company's problems, affording her the chance to leave and
lie low. She had evaded his pursuit by staying indoors for days.

"How can I help you, Mr. Lucian?" Amelia said, trying her best to appear calm.
The man in front of her stood in a perfectly tailored suit that only made him look taller and more dignified.
Amelia thought he looked even more handsome. She had always found him irresistible whenever he wore a suit.
She looked at him with admiration but took great efforts to hide her feelings.
"Can you really help me, Amelia?" Lucian mocked. Everything about him was cold, from his eyes to his voice.
Amelia opened her mouth to speak but couldn't think of anything to reply.
She didn't want to invite him in to chat so she merely stood there, trying to mask her embarrassment. No one spoke anything for
a few minutes. They just stood still, looking at each other.
They hadn't seen each other for days. Amelia had always been thin but it seemed to Lucian that she had lost more weight. Her
face looked tired and gaunt. The bright eyes he had always admired looked sunk and sleepless.
"Hasn't Jonny been treating you well?" Lucian's words were sharp. Mentioning Jonny's name hurt him, but he couldn't suppress
his feelings anymore.
Amelia was stunned by the question but hid her emotions with a smile. She replied, "Why should you care if he treats me well or
not?"
Her tone was casual but her words were scathing. This enraged Lucian.
Hearing her sarcastic response broke his heart. He felt as if the woman in front of him was no longer the same woman he loved.
The shy and gentle Amelia that she knew had long gone.
The cruel smile on Amelia's face disappeared. She couldn't tell if her answer made Lucian feel insulted. Seeing his serious
expression, she couldn't find it in herself to relax.
His question backfired on him.
"If you're so happy with him, why do you work in a supermarket?" Lucian said with a frown. He felt sorry for her.
Despite of how badly she treated him, Lucian still cared and worried for Amelia.

Amelia felt panic in the pit of her stomach. She didn't consider that Lucian was this well-informed. She just got the job yesterday
after her short interview and she only started work this morning.
"Is it so wrong for me to be working?" She wanted him to stop asking questions about her life. She didn't wish to involve him in
her decisions anymore.
"Amelia, we used to be a couple so I couldn't help but care. Even if I don't want to, I still worry about you!" His tone was
indifferent but his words betrayed his honest feelings.
Amelia was caught off guard by his passionate declaration. Her pretend calmness was beginning to fade, leaving her thoughts in
turmoil. She was losing control over her emotions.
"Mr. Lucian, I don't want to see you again. If you value our relationship before, please stay out of my life," she pleaded.
Gloom fell over Lucian's face. He only looked at her in silence. He didn't withdraw his gaze until he saw that Amelia was starting
to look anxious and fearful.
"Even smart people make stupid decisions, Amelia, especially when they insist on doing things by themselves," Lucian said flatly.
Amelia trembled in fear. She looked at him and asked in disbelief, "What do you know?"
Did he know why she moved out of Jonny's place?
"Are you scared?" Lucian bent down and stared her in the eyes. His look was electric and Amelia couldn't muster the courage to
look away. She was being drawn in, lost in his gaze.
Amelia's heart was beating louder and faster. She was sweating out of nervousness. But she reminded herself that she couldn't
tell him the truth. Even if Lucian knew about the baby, she had to deny everything.