Chapter 257 Keeping a Dog Called Lucian
The one who was staring at her was… Lucian.
It was unclear how long he had been sitting there. He was still dressed in how he was when they were at
the tourist hotspot earlier.
He sat there alone, with a translucent glass in his hand. Under the dim lights, the amber–colored liquid cast speckles of light on his fingers.
Lucian stood out.
His appearance, figure, the way he carried himself and his expensive clothing that anyone could tell at first glance attracted lots of attention from his surroundings.
There were a lot of women doing prostitution in this bar. Several types of women were present, be it the seductive ones, conservative ones, innocent ones, dominant ones–you name it.
Some of them were chatting away together, some were wandering around in the bar with a glass in their
hands.
Once they had their eyes on someone or someone was interested in them, they’d sit down and chat the
night away.
Calista wasn’t here for too long, but she’d already seen a few of them as they walked away with their partners, with their arms intertwined together and bodies pressed against each other.
One of them was sitting right behind her. Being close to their table and with the place being quiet, she
could hear their conversation.
They didn’t particularly talk about money. Instead, they dove straight into expressing their feelings and they were exceptionally sincere.
Calista felt like they had all fallen in love at first sight and had already confirmed their relationships.
Yet, there was a very well–placed implication between their lines that said–they had to be paid if one
demanded more from them.
As Calista glanced over at Lucian, she happened to see a woman carrying a drink, heading toward him.
Not only that, there were several gazes fixated on him as well, all waiting for her to fall so they could give
it a try themselves.
The woman was dressed in a white long dress. She looked similar to Lily, who carried an air of
But just as she approached Lucian and her hand reached out to pull a stool, she was abruptly stopped by
him.
He said coldly, “I don’t have any money.”
Her actions were immediately halted by his blunt words.
A trace of embarrassment flickered across her face. He was being too direct.
She froze for a few seconds before she continued with a honeyed voice, “Mister, you’re being modest. A lot of people can’t even afford your clothes after a lifetime of work. Plus, I’m not that kind of woman. I just like you and I hope to take things further with you.”
They only targeted high–end clients so they were well–versed in all kinds of luxury goods. After all, the rich
wouldn’t wear clothes with huge logos everywhere.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that they scrutinized the fabric and stitching down to the finest detail.
Lucian’s outfit and his watch were worth as much as an apartment in a high–end residence in Capeton.
Lucian frowned impatiently. He tilted his head back as he downed the contents of his glass.
“Get lost.”
That rascal Paul was just going to watch Calista getting bombarded with drinks by Shawn. Paul’s acting all polite on the surface, but deep down he’s probably a nasty one.
It was clear that he had ill intentions.
The woman beside Lucian hadn’t given up. She finally had the chance to encounter a wealthy and good-
looking man.
If she could make him happy and become his long–term sugar baby, she could show off to her friends in
their circle for a whole year with his looks and demeanor.
It’d even be fine if she didn’t get any tips from him.
She was unwilling to give up just like that. So she stood by hesitantly and looked at him with a pitiable
expression.
Are you going to leave on your own or do I have to get the manager to kick you out?”
They had a profit–sharing arrangement with the hotel, that’s why they could show up at the hotel’s
exclusive bar for guests, even soliciting customers openly. However, they’re not allowed to harass guests.
Not only did Calista see what happened at Lucian’s side, but Paul did as well.
“Lucian’s luck with the ladies had always been good. Even though he often has a cold expression on, he’s the one who gets approached the most when the three of us are together.”
Paul said self–deprecatingly, “Is it that you girls all prefer guys like Lucian? The ones who seem hard to
get?”
Calista had already turned her head back when the woman approached Lucian.
“Not only women but men as well. They all like challenges, but they fail to assess themselves. So they always fantasize about picking those that are way out of their league. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many unrequited love stories.”
They didn’t want those who liked them. Instead, they’d yearn for those who despised them.
“How about you? Do you still like Lucian?”
“Isn’t it nice to work as much as I want? I can spend however I want with my money. I don’t have to be under anyone’s control and I can do whatever I want. Didn’t you hear of this saying? Men will affect your work efficiency–all they do is slow you down. Before I was divorced from Lucian, I took on commissions sometimes and I worked as a nanny at Northwood Corporation every single day. My monthly pay wasn’t even at par with the money you silver–spoon kids spent on your dogs.”
Calista saw this on the news. Not only did their dogs have private jets, but they also had full–time nannies. They could even go traveling around the country from time to time.
“After I divorced, I can work three jobs at a time. My future goal is to pay off my debt and retire when I save up to around one to two hundred thousand. I’ll go to a city with a nice weather. I’ll jog in the park in the morning and take an evening stroll. And I’ll keep a dog with me. It can guard the door and be sweet toward me. It’ll follow me wherever I go and it’ll always come at me for cuddles. Isn’t this much better than finding a man who’ll infuriate you anytime, and you can’t even vent your frustration directly at him?”
Paul couldn’t even compare to Calista’s dog. He felt so helpless.
After a moment of awkwardness, he said, “You’ve had all these planned out quite meticulously.”
“Of course. I’ve even decided what I’ll name the dog I’ll raise in the future.”
Calista tilted her head slightly, looking rather proud.
Paul smiled wryly, “May I ask, what will you name it?”
Stewy. If it’s a good boy, it’s Stewy. If it misbehaves, I’ll turn it into a stew.”
“… I thought you wanted to name it Lucian. Since I’ve heard you call him a son of a bitch plenty of times.”
Calista burst out laughing at his words.
“You’re overthinking it. I don’t hate him that much.”
Besides, she wouldn’t allow herself to linger over him that much, to the extent that she’d name her dog
after him.
Paul was still trying to pull her back from this state of contentment, where she only wanted to retire early.
“Aren’t you afraid of parting with the profession you love so much if you’re going to retire early?”
He briefly knew how much Calista charged for each commission. She could earn up to one to two hundred thousand easily by taking on more challenging tasks.
“Isn’t work meant to make my life more enjoyable? Besides, if my most beloved profession turns into a job that requires overtime and tireless efforts, I’ll lose my passion for it. If, at that time, I’m unwilling to give up my profession, then I’ll get a job at the local museum, or just take on some commissions with
more relaxed deadlines.”
Paul was at a loss for words. Calista was making a lot of sense.
He couldn’t bring himself to retort anything, although he wanted to find a reason to convince her to stay in Capeton, a city completely unsuitable for retirement.
Calista felt like she was a bit tipsy. Although the cocktails Shawn ordered weren’t very intoxicating, she’d eventually wear out if she chugged them down like a fish.
She got up.
“The meeting’s over and I really can’t handle it anymore. I’ll go back to my room first. You guys can carry
on and have fun.”
