CH 87

“Huh? What are you doing here?”

Ares greeted Becky from behind Arista’s frozen back. After scanning Arista with a snake-like gaze, Becky smiled shyly, as she always did.

“I haven’t seen Lucas lately, so I thought I’d drop by to catch up. I hope I’m not interrupting your work?”

“No, we were just taking a break, too.”

Becky sat down across from the Lydias, holding Lucas’ arm.

As she set down the dessert she’d brought, Becky noticed the cheesecake on the table.

“Huh? You had dessert?”

“Yes, Lucas actually bought it.”

“Oh, really? Darling, how did you know I was coming here and bought it?”

“Oh, it’s not that…….”

“My brother bought it for me.”

Arista interrupted as Lucas stammered in embarrassment.

Brows furrowed, Becky locked eyes with a pair of gleaming violet eyes.

Arista crossed her legs, lifted her chin, and glared down at Becky with a knowing look.

“……I bought it for the princess.”

“Yes, there was something I helped my brother with a few days ago. He bought me a cake that I like today. I didn’t buy it, but enjoy it.”

The corners of Becky’s mouth twitched. She glanced slyly at the box next to the cake.

It was from the same bakery she’d refused to buy for herself because she couldn’t afford it, even if she wanted it so badly.

She thought she’d recognized her threat before, hadn’t she?

Surely she hadn’t wanted anyone to know about her unrequited love for Lucas then, but with the way she was acting now-

‘It’s like you’re declaring war, isn’t it?’

“Baby, you’re not eating.”

It wasn’t until Lucas’ voice brought Becky out of her thoughts. Before she knew it, a cup of tea was sitting in front of her.

“Yeah, thanks.”

Becky smiled at Lucas, but she couldn’t speak at the moment. 

It was a little odd that the princess who had cowered at her words now had the upper hand. No, it made her uneasy that she seemed to have the upper hand.

‘Are you going to tell Lucas that I’ve been with another man?’

Naive, she thought, but manipulative. 

When Arista and Becky’s eyes met, Arista sneered at Becky, the corners of her mouth twitching upward in a caustic manner.

In return, Becky glared at Arista, and then she had an idea.

“So, Princess, is there anyone you’re seeing seriously?”

Arista’s hand trembled slightly. Becky realized she’d hit the nail on the head.

Arista set her teacup down and smiled.

“No, I’m afraid not.”

“Oh, I thought you’d be very popular since you’re such a beautiful woman.”

“Popular, yes, but no one has caught my eye.”

“Then, can I introduce you to a man? What do you think, Lucas? Don’t you think it’s a shame the princess is wasting her youth now?”

Becky squirmed against Lucas and glanced slyly at Arista. 

“Well, that wouldn’t be a bad idea either…….”

Lucas’ affirmation split the two women, but then he said something that caught them off guard.

“If you’re going to introduce a guy to a girl as gorgeous as Arista, he better be a prince, or you’ll be wasting her.”

Lucas’ comment was both a compliment to Arista and an unintentional belittling of Becky.

It implied that none of the men Becky would introduce her to would be good enough for Arista.

Of course, Lucas didn’t mean it that way, but it stung all the more because he didn’t mean it.

“Eh, it’s not that bad.”

“Haha, I know, but don’t you think so too? Arista is too good to give to just any guy.”

“She’s worthy of a marquis, at least.”

After hearing Lucas and Ares’ conversation, Becky and Arista’s expressions changed dramatically. 

Becky couldn’t help but look like she’d just eaten a turd, and Arista momentarily forgot she was there and was overjoyed that Lucas thought so highly of her.

“Arista, don’t you think so too?”

Lucas said to Arista out of the blue. Arista smiled shyly and held out her hand.

“Don’t think I’m so great, I’m just a random person.”

“Oh, no, not just anyone. Arista, there are a lot of dudes out there, so be careful what you wish for. I’m sure you’ll be able to pick the right one.”

“Haha, thanks for the compliment.”

“But are you ever going to be in a relationship? Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you with anyone.”

Ares remembered that there hadn’t been anyone besides Arista until now.

Maybe a few men she was close to, but none of them could be called lovers.

“I’m not interested in a relationship.”

“But at your age, you should be in a relationship. You’re going to get married after not dating once?”

“I’ll take care of it, so don’t mind.”

Amidst the cheerfulness, Becky was the only one who felt out of place. The bond between the three of them was impenetrable.

It was so unpleasant that it made her sick to her stomach. Becky opened her mouth, feeling her insides bubbling over.

“Is that so? I thought you had a crush on someone else right now, don’t you?”

The bombshell came out of her mouth. Becky swallowed hard when she realized how quickly the mood had subsided.

All or nothing. At some point, Arista may overturn everything and tell what was happening with Lucas. But that was significantly less likely.

Now that it’s like this, Becky would rather Arista’s unrequited love for Lucas was caught and left him forever.

Suddenly, Arista lost control of her expression and her eyes grew fierce. Becky’s sneer faltered for a moment as she felt like she was in the presence of a predator.

However, before the two of them could get to the nerve center, there was a commotion around them.

“What? Is there someone you like?”

“Who the hell?”

“You never said anything about that!”

Ares and Lucas took turns asking questions in pairs, initially pleased that Lucas was surprised, but then Arista’s enthusiasm took over.

“……Is it so surprising that I like someone?”

“It’s…….”

Lucas paused, locking eyes with Arista. 

‘Come to think of it, why am I surprised that Arista has a crush?’

“Of course! Somehow that look on your face said you’ve never been in a relationship.”

Before Lucas could finish his thought, Ares burst in from the side.

“Who the hell is it, and did you confess to him? There’s no way you’re his girlfriend… and you didn’t confess to him, did you?”

Trembling, Arista’s eyes grew salty for a moment. Then she shoved Ares, who had moved closer to her.

“You’re overreacting, I didn’t realize you cared so much for me.”

“Oh, I don’t care who cares. I’m just curious as family.”

Ares coughed, realizing in hindsight that he had overreacted.

“So who do you have a crush on now?”

A voice whispered in his ear. He turned to see Lucas staring back at him, his face serious.

Arista awkwardly averted her gaze, not sure if she could speak properly through that wall of words.

“Well…yeah.”

“Who do you like?”

“I can’t tell you that, but… I’ve had a crush for a while.”

Ares stuttered in surprise, and Lucas frowned involuntarily.

“Where do you like him?”

“It’s ……. You don’t have to have a reason to like him, it’s just love at first sight.”

The thought of Arista, everyone’s first love, falling in love, at first sight, made their body tingle with curiosity.

Ares was excited, especially since he’d never heard of his sister’s love life.

“I want to know more about him. Can’t you just whisper it to me?”

“No. You’re gross. Go away.”

Sure enough, Arista stalked away from Ares in disgust.

Meanwhile, Becky, who had been watching the situation, clicked her tongue inwardly when she realized that it wasn’t going her way.

‘Well, I kind of expected that.’

She didn’t look like the kind of person who would fall for a trap like this, as she seemed to have ten worms inside her.

Still, she would take this opportunity to get Arista away from Lucas once and for all. 

Becky snorted as she pressed herself even closer to Lucas.

“I thought it was just a rumor, but the princess really had a crush on someone. Besides, I wonder if you fell in love at first sight. That’s right, Lucas.”

Purposely raising her voice so that Arista could hear her, Becky looked up at Lucas with a fierce look on her face, and she couldn’t help but wipe the smile off her face.

She realized that Lucas was looking anywhere but at her.

He was staring at the other side of the room with a serious expression on his face.

‘No way….…’

Becky slowly turned her head to follow Lucas’ gaze, and her vision caught Arista arguing with Ares.

“Is it first love…….”

Lucas’ voice was low, reaching only Becky, who was beside him.

Becky knew at once. Lucas has a crush on Arista, maybe even a deeper one than he has on her.

As far as she was concerned, Lucas was a ten out of ten. But sometimes. There were times when she felt that the affection he showed her was half-hearted.

There were times when she felt like she was being showered with endless love and affection, but rarely did she feel like it was genuine.

Whispering his love in a sweet voice, stroking her face with a gentle hand, not because Becky was special, but because she was just like every other girl he’d ever been with.

She’d seen Lucas with his ex-girlfriend and approached him, curious about the blind love that comes with being in a relationship.

It made perfect sense to her, filling a void she hadn’t been able to fill with other men. But now that the truth is in front of her, a wave of nervousness washed over her.

‘No. Where are you looking? Lucas, you’re mine. You’re mine!’

Her stomach churned. Lucas was still staring at Arista.

“Lucas.”

Lucas snapped out of his reverie at Becky’s call and looked back at her, then smiled, his frosty expression fading.

His face relaxed, and his eyes softened. It was the same as usual, except for one thing: the walls between his words seemed strange today.

The walls were transparent, and he could see Becky’s reflection in them.

However, even if a woman other than Becky was sitting here, his eyes would have focused on Becky instead of on the other.

Stupidly, Becky looked into those eyes and thought he was in love with her.

“What’s wrong, didn’t you have something you wanted to say?”

Lucas asked gently, noticing Becky’s silence. If hearing his voice always filled a void in her heart, why didn’t she feel anything now? If anything, it made her thirsty, hungry for more.

“Lucas.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s get engaged.”

“……what?”

Becky’s words stopped Lucas in his tracks, and Lydia siblings, who had been bickering, turned to look at her as one.

Becky’s voice had lost its sweetness, and her face had lost its attempt to look pretty.

That’s why Lucas knew she meant it.

Engaged. Okay, so he’d been talking to Lucia the other day and thought he might be getting engaged soon. But why now….…

‘Why can’t I say anything?’

Becky’s words stuck in Lucas’ throat like a thorn in his side, and even though he knew he’d be engaged at some point, he couldn’t be happy with Becky’s words.

Lucas turned his head involuntarily to look at Arista.

He could see Ares’ grip on her, and Arista’s eyes widened in surprise.

The fact that those purple eyes were looking at him was unbearable.

“Why aren’t you answering? You don’t want to be engaged to me?”

Becky pulled Lucas by the hem. Naturally, the anxiety grew more when she saw his eyes returning to Arista.

Lucas hastily pulled her into a hug as Becky sulked.

“That can’t be right, I was just so surprised…….”

“I want to get engaged to you, get married, have cute kids, and live with you.”

Lucas smiled and stroked Becky’s head without answering.

He didn’t seem to be laughing, even though he was smiling. It felt more like a fake smile to him.

“So, we’re engaged now, right?”

“……Yes.”

“I’m so happy! I love you, Lucas!”

Lucas threw his arms around her small body. 

Next to him, Ares clapped and congratulated him on his engagement at last. And Arista also –

“…… Congratulations.”

She gave a heartless greeting of congratulations. At that moment. Lucas couldn’t possibly turn his head and see Arista.

He didn’t know why, and he couldn’t figure it out.