Warming

Chapter 7

Lucille couldn’t help feeling a little shy at the mention of starting a family. She pretended to have a frog in her throat and coughed slightly before turning to leave.

This put Spencer in a good mood. He said politely to the employee, “Thank you. My wife’s a little shy; don’t mind her.”

The employee beamed. “I completely understand.”

She watched them leave while feeling a little envious. Spencer looked cold and seemed to keep everyone at arm’s length, but there was no doubt that he treated Lucille well.

He hurried after Lucille and grabbed her slender wrist. “Shall we have lunch together?

She’d yet to process the fact that she was married and was still dazed. Spencer continued, “This might just be a contractual marriage, but we can’t let people suspect it’s a fake marriage, can we?”

Lucille frowned slightly. That made sense. Anyway, it was just lunch. She wasn’t the type to act coy over these things. “Sure.”

“Is it okay if I pick you up at noon?” he asked like a perfect gentleman. When he saw that she was about to turn him down, he added, “This is all I can do to make my grandfather and your grandmother believe that we’re really together. I’ll always ask for your opinion, but feel free to turn me down.”

Lucille swallowed the rejection that had been on the tip of her tongue. If she were to do so, she would seem rather….

Spencer was very much a gentleman; he’d asked her for her opinion at every turn. She was surprised, to be honest. She’d done her research on him last night after getting home because his name had seemed familiar to her.

The results had caught her off guard. Spencer was the CEO of JM Corporation, which was a company that had been around for over a century. Aside from that, he’d made a name for himself as a legend in the business world. He was also the mysterious heir to the Layton family.

He could easily influence Zyna’s economy and was a symbol of affluence and power. He was such a powerful man, yet he was asking Lucille’s opinion on such a small

matter.

Chapter 7

+25 BONUS

The elegant and gentlemanly demeanor he’d displayed didn’t seem to jive with his rumored ruthlessness. Lucille found this to be similar to her situation–that was why she’d agreed to a contractual marriage with him.

Just as Spencer thought she would turn him down, she said, “Alright.”

That was it. She wouldn’t say any more than she had to. Her indifference and aloofness made Spencer feel a little helpless, but he was sure she would change with the passage of time. He said, “Okay, then. You go to work; I’ll pick you up later.”

He looked at her with a gentle and doting gaze. It was as if he were a loving husband. It made Lucille’s heart race. She didn’t kn

of his grasp and hurried to her car.

what to say, so she broke free

Spencer watched her leave with a hint of a smile in his eyes. He could still feel the lingering traces of her warmth on his skin.

Lucille headed to Star&Ciel Group. Three days ago, they launched the Timeless series. Its sales had gone through the roof and broken records, and they’d even saved on advertising. Star&Ciel Group’s employees‘ respect for Lucille had grown, thanks to the success of her plan.

On the other hand, Johnson Group had been in a mess since Star&Ciel Group’s sudden product launch. In the past, Ambrosial Fragrances had always released their new products before Starbright Scents.

They were thoroughly caught off guard. They hadn’t expected Lucille to pull a surprise move like this and even use the hype around herself as a marketing tactic.

When Lucille arrived at her office, Samuel gave her a rundown of the Timeless series‘ sales and revenue. Soon, her phone rang. She glanced at it before answering it.

“What the hell do you mean by this, you ingrate? How dare you launch a new product without even giving us a warning? What do you think we are?” William roared on the other end of the line.

She couldn’t help rolling her eyes as she said sarcastically, “And here I thought you were calling about something important.”

William was furious, so his words grew harsher with every sentence. “And why did you throw Sabrina into the pond? Are you even human? Your heart has more venom in it than a scorpion does! I knew I should’ve strangled you at birth!

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“That would’ve saved me the trouble of having to deal with you trying to take Johnson Group’s business at every turn. To think that you keep trying to kill Sabrina, too. You’re the most pathetic, evil, and heartless creature Eve ever seen! Why don’t you just go to hell?”

Lucille listened to his curses and insults calmly. She wasn’t fazed in the slightest. She’d long since gotten used to the Johnson family’s hatred and disgust for her.

William was still raging when Lucille interrupted him. “Should I buy you a dictionary?”

I

He was nonplussed. Then, he heard the sound of a dial tone Lucille had hung up on

him

She threw herself into her work after hanging up. She was too busy to waste her time listening to the Johnsons rage and rant.

Lucille took a break when it was 12:00 pm. She was in the middle of a stretch when her phone rang with a call from an unfamiliar number. She thought it was one of the Johnsons calling her, so she answered it and said coldly, “You’d better have new insults this time. Fuck off if you don’t!”

Spencer was taken aback. After a pause, he said gently, “It’s me.”

Lucille fell silent. That voice didn’t belong to any of the Johnson family members, but it was familiar. After a few seconds, a handsome face popped into her mind. She

stiffened. It was Spencer.

“Sorry, I didn’t know it was you,” she said awkwardly.

“No, it’s my fault for not giving you my number beforehand,” Spencer said understandingly. He was ever the gentleman.

“How did you get my number?” Lucille asked. She regretted the question as soon as she asked it. Someone like Spencer would only need to instruct his subordinates to get her number.

She heard him chuckle on the other end of the line. Then, he said, “Come downstairs. I’ll take you out for lunch. I’m waiting for you nearby. My license plate number is L8899,”

Lucille checked the time. He was punctual. She quickly straightened her clothes. before heading downstairs.

Spencer had chosen to wait for her at a relatively well–hidden corner instead of before the company’s building. He was sticking to his promise of keeping their marriage a secret. His limited edition Maybach still caught people’s attention, though.

To Lucille’s surprise, he’d driven himself. His hands looked rood on the wheel. She glanced at his hands before asking, “Where are we going?

He kept his eyes on the road as he answered, “Zaytun Pavilion.”

“Okay.”

Lucille wasn’t good at making small talk. Anyway, she and Spencer hadn’t known each other long. She decided to remain silent.

Unexpectedly, Spencer, who was known for being aloof, struck up a conversation.” Can you tell me what Grandma likes?”