CHAPTER 164: SWOLLEN AND RED

Beauty never expected that after Lucas went on his business trip, she would see him again at Sarah’s mother’s funeral.

It was around eight in the evening when she received Sarah’s text.

Lately, with no work, no school, and no one to supervise her, she had been indulging in complete freedom.

She had been going to bed early for beauty sleep and waking up at dawn for jogs around the gated community.

But when Sarah’s tearful voice crackled through the phone, she immediately threw off the covers and sat bolt upright.

"What?

How could this happen!

Sarah, don’t cry—are you at the hospital now? I’m coming right away."

Even though she had witnessed countless partings in life and death, her eyes still stung with tears at this moment.

She tossed the phone aside, threw on her clothes, and rushed downstairs in a frenzy.

"Madam... Madam, where are you going?"

The maid, seeing her dash out in such a hurry, scrambled after her, calling out.

Beauty finally stopped and turned, panting, to explain to the two thin, dark-skinned servants,

"My friend’s family is in trouble.

I need to go to the hospital—please call the driver for me!"

Her heart was racing with urgency, and she didn’t dare drive herself.

Her skills behind the wheel weren’t exactly reliable, and causing another accident would only make things worse.

Five minutes later, the driver appeared before her, dressed in casual workout clothes.

He must have just been exercising nearby.

Beauty immediately flashed an apologetic smile.

"I’m so sorry to trouble you this late.

I need to go to City First Hospital—my friend’s family member has passed away.

I have to go."

Understanding the gravity of the situation—and the fact that it was so late—the driver hesitated.

Lucas had explicitly instructed that she wasn’t allowed to leave the villa area at night for her own safety.

Lowering his voice, he said, "Madam, it’s not that we’re stopping you.

But the Boss gave strict orders—for your safety, you’re not to leave the villa area after dark."

"Since when do we blindly follow his orders?

Fine, call him yourselves!

Let me talk to him and see if he’s really cruel enough to forbid me from stepping foot outside."

Beauty’s face flushed with anger.

Ever since moving into the villa, she had treated everyone with kindness, always greeting them with a warm smile.

She never considered herself above them—after all, they were all living under someone else’s roof.

But when it came to Sarah’s situation, she could no longer remain composed.

Her face darkened as she snapped at the driver, her delicate brows furrowed in anger, her expression fierce and unyielding.

The driver rarely saw her this furious and immediately understood the gravity of the situation.

Without hesitation, he dialed Lucas’s number.

The phone rang several times with no answer

—until, at the very last ring, someone finally picked up.

"Hello..." A woman’s voice. The driver froze, momentarily at a loss for words.

None of Lucas’s assistants had such a coquettish tone, and the fact that a woman was answering his phone so late at night stirred an uneasy feeling in his gut.

"Did it go through?

Give me the phone—I’ll talk to him myself!"

Beauty was frantic, her patience long gone.

She snatched the phone from the driver’s hand and immediately called out Lucas’s name, only to hear the woman on the other end respond, "Lucas isn’t here right now.

He’s in the shower.

Can I take a message?"

The fire of anger inside her was instantly doused by a bucket of ice water, leaving her chilled to the bone.

Her tongue felt tied, her chest tight with suffocating frustration.

"Then tell Lucas that something’s happened at Sarah’s place.

I need to leave now.

Or better yet—knock on the door and have him call me back. I’ll be waiting."

Without another word, she hung up.

She didn’t want to know—couldn’t bear to know—what was happening between them. Nearly an hour passed, and still, her phone remained silent.

The butler and the driver refused to let her leave, no matter how much she protested.

The security guards blocked her at every turn, ensuring she couldn’t take a single step outside the villa.

Her patience had worn thin.

Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over as she crouched on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

She didn’t dare call Sarah again, nor did she know how to reach Lucas.

So she just sat there, crying until her eyes were swollen and red.

It had been a long time since she’d cried this hard.

The fiery spark in her heart had long been extinguished.

Another hour slipped by, and still, there was no response from him.

Then, at half past ten, her phone suddenly vibrated.

The words "Creepy Old Man" flashed across the screen.

A faint, bitter smile tugged at her lips as she answered the call, her voice eerily calm.

"Why haven’t you called for so long?

Even if you’re busy, don’t you care about me at all?

What about your years of friendship with Sarah?

Lucas, you bastard!

I see right through you now—you’re the kind of guy who abandons friends for a pretty face—"

A low growl cut off the rest of her words before they could escape her lips.

"Are you done yet?

Do you think I went to France on vacation?

I just got off the phone with Drake and found out Sarah’s mother passed away.

I’ve known Sarah longer than you have—do you really think I’m not grieving?

Is Beauty the only one with a heart here, and everyone else made of stone?

Even if you won’t consider my feelings, what gives you the right to scream at me like this?"

Lucas’s aggressive tone shut her up completely.

She crouched on the floor, her eyes swollen like light bulbs, struggling to suppress her sobs so he wouldn’t hear her crying.

"Lucas, I’ve waited so long for your call.

Don’t I even have the right to be angry?

When you were busy being sweet with another woman, did it ever cross your mind that someone at home was waiting for your call?

Was it really that hard to just call back?"

Hearing the tremor in her voice, Lucas’s tone finally softened.

"I was in a meeting earlier.

My phone was in the office the whole time.

Nathalie told me just now, and I—"

"Save it.

I don’t care.

Just tell the driver to let me out.

I want to be with Sarah.

That’s all I’m asking—please, just this once.

Show some mercy..."

"Enough!

Give the phone to the driver!"

Before she could finish, his sharp command cut through like a whip, his voice explosive, as if he’d swallowed gunpowder.

Impatience dripped from every word.

Beauty finally got her wish—the car pulled away from the villa district.

The entire ride, she didn’t utter a word, letting silent tears streak down her face.

She didn’t know if they were for Sarah or herself.

Lucas’s attitude had shattered her completely.

She’d once believed that beneath his cold exterior lay warmth.

But now she knew—his heart was as icy as his appearance, ruthless and unfeeling.