Chapter 293 Testing the Effectiveness
Calista got to her feet after she finished speaking and left without waiting for Teresa to respond.
As for Lucian, apart from the fleeting glance at the beginning, she never spared him another look. She
acted as if he didn’t exist.
When she mentioned the word “boyfriend“, his eyes narrowed. A dark look flashed in his eyes. He quickly got up and chased after her.
Despite not having legs as long as his, she was fast. By the time Lucian got outside, Calista to be found. A cold expression graced his features as he made his way to the stairs.
was
nowhere
Only Teresa was left in the private room. She had long since dismissed the tea sommelier and waiter.
She looked at the empty doorway and picked up Lucian’s teacup; only a small sip had been taken from it.
She downed the tea from it with a single gulp.
Lucian intercepted Calista at a corner in between the first and second floors. He grabbed her hand and
pulled her into his embrace.
“What nonsense are you going on about? Open your eyes a little even if you’re jealous. Don’t associate me
with every woman you see.”
The air was filled with the fragrance of tea. Perhaps that was because they were in a teahouse with teal paraphernalia everywhere. Calista could also detect the scent of tea coming from him.
She pushed him away. They were causing enough of a scene that the waiters downstairs were looking
their way.
“Stop being a pushy bastard out in public. Let go, Calista demanded.
“I think you need to behave and stop running away. Enough with your overactive imagination.”
Lucian circled her shoulders and led her downstairs.
Yara happened to have also gone to the washroom. When Calista failed to locate her, she decided to give
her a call. The moment she pulled up her call logs, Lucian snatched her phone away.
Aren’t you curious as to who Teresa is?”
hailed from the same country. There was also a justifiable reason for her to be by her side. Callsta
never considered how Teresa might simply be an alias, She frowned.
“The walls have ears Let’s talk in the car.”
He had already blown his cover Why would he be worried about someone listening in on them? Despite Calista’s reservations, she obeyed and got into Lucian’s car
“Is she part of the Jacquez family?”
“She’s Jean Jacquez’s daughter, Vivian She had been abroad until a few years ago when she was brought. home. But, she spends most of her time overseas. The Jacquez family is negotiating a collaboration with the Northwood Corporation. She’s here to broker a deal. She’s not my girlfriend.”
He didn’t mention that the collaboration with the Jacquez family was something he facilitated.
Calista turned to glance in the direction of the second floor. This was her first time here. She couldn’t
accurately pinpoint the room where Vivian had been in
At a glance, all she could make out were the ash green wooden windows.
Could this have been a coincidence? She had gotten into trouble with the Jacquez family back in Apthon.
Shortly after her return to Capeton, Vivian showed up,
Was she unaware, or had she been informed? What role did she play in this?
The mere thought of the vast number of people in the Jacquez family had Calista frowning. It was a
wonder how they could reproduce like rabbits.
Lucian held her hand, redirecting her gaze away from the second floor of the tea house.
“Leave the Jacquez family to me. You should keep your distance from Vivian.”
He thought about the information that David had dug up. Vivian had donated a tiara to the museum
where Calista was. She had also been frequently visiting this museum under the pretext of this donation.
He couldn’t be certain that Vivian had nothing to do with the people who kidnapped Calista in Apthon.
However, it was better to stay on the side of caution and have Calista keep her distance.
Calists thought of the widespread rumors and turned to Lucian. She smiled wryly.
Are you planning to seduce her?”
She seemed to be contemplating the possibility as she spoke before fervently nodding.
Teresa’s eyes were glued on you back in the private room. If you’re willing to sacrifice your body, maybe we wouldn’t even need an investigation. She might just willingly tell you everything.
Locian’s cold features were tinged by a hint of hostility. Slender fingers clamped onto her shoulder and
“What do you take me for, Calista? Am I someone who would casually engage in a sexual affair to
achieve an objective?”
Calista was frowning from the pain. She found herself being distracted by the man’s eyes
shrouded by chill.
that were
If Lucian’s mistreatment of her when they were married was a debt, he would’ve long since repaid it. After all, he had saved her from life–threatening situations multiple times.
The Jacquez family were Apthon’s local tyrants. There was no telling how far their reach was.
If her mother’s death had something to do with the Jacquez family, revenge would inevitably require her
to make another trip to Apthon.
No matter how much influence Lucian had in Capeton, he would still have had his hands tied in someone else’s turf. He wasn’t going to be trampled but he certainly wasn’t going to perform miracles either.
Calista couldn’t… no, she shouldn’t involve Lucian in this. It would be disgusting of her to continue to refuse marriage while enjoying what he had to offer. She knew what it was he desired.
Calista couldn’t simply reach out to him whenever it favored her. It would be better if Lucian ignored the
matter completely.
“Isn’t seduction a valid tactic? She already parades around as your girlfriend. Her eyes are practically glued to you. All you need to do is crook a finger and she will be reporting to you.”
Lucian’s expression darkened even further. There was a cold glint in his eyes that sent chills down her spine. He gritted his teeth; his jawline tense. His gaze seemed to freeze the air.
“You truly have your way with words…
The man had meant to taunt her but found his words stuck in his throat. It was as if a block of lead had
been lodged there. He couldn’t utter another word.
Lucian’s emotions finally settled after what seemed like an eternity. He smiled in a self–deprecating
manner.
“Since I’m so attractive, why didn’t you tell me to leave when I beckoned you? Why did you only tell me to
let go?
Calista fell silent as she wondered how she was supposed to answer the question. That was when the
hand that was clasping onto her shoulder circled to hold the back of her head.
That stopped her struggle and resistance. The man leaned in at a slow, torturous pace. Calista tried to
In his grasp, she was nothing more than a guinea pig awaiting slaughter.
Lucian stopped when there was only a palm’s width of distance between them. His lip parted slightly, his warm breath caressing her lips.
“I don’t believe a word you’re saying at all. I don’t like doing things when there’s no certainty that they will work. I’m willing to be a honey trap. But I’ll need to test its effectiveness first.”
Calista’s eyes widened in shock at what happened next.
