Chapter 1610: Not As Husband and Wife

Roxanne was annoyed he'd left the hickey so visibly, but simultaneously grateful for his help resolving the research institute's troubles. For a moment, she was speechless.

Lucian remained unfazed. He approached and hugged her from behind. After glancing at the mark on her neck, he kissed it again.

Roxanne pulled away, her face flushed. "You knew about it beforehand, didn't you?"

Lucian looked at the hickey with a hint of disappointment. "I should have left it there."

This further frustrated Roxanne. "I can't hide it, even if I wanted to!"

Lucian shrugged. "I want everyone to know you're mine."

Before Roxanne could protest, he rested his head on her shoulder and whispered, "I had no choice but to resort to this, since you refuse my proposal..."

His tone was aggrieved.

Roxanne frowned slightly but quickly composed herself. She patted his head gently, coaxing him softly, "Does it matter if I agree or not? What difference does it make?"

Lucian took her hand and kissed it. "It's not the same."

He gazed deeply into her eyes before releasing her hand. "We should get ready. It's getting late."

Roxanne breathed a sigh of relief when he said nothing more. He took her hand and they left.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Their three children, well-rested from their weekend sleep, spotted them holding hands as they came downstairs.

Roxanne quickly covered the hickey on her neck.

Lucian remained calm. "We're going out this afternoon. You stay home. Call me if Grandpa and Grandma arrive."

The children nodded obediently.

Lucian and Roxanne went straight to Neon Boutique. It took Roxanne a while to realize he'd brought her for a makeover.

"Do we really need to make such a fuss?" she asked. The afternoon's press conference only required them to sign a contract; Lucian just needed a suit. Clearly, he had other plans.

Lucian, instead of releasing her hand, led her into the store. "It's not just you; I need to prepare too."

Roxanne watched his back, wondering what else he needed. He already looked like Prince Charming.

"This is our first official public appearance together. Though not as husband and wife, it's still significant," Lucian said earnestly.

To him, the press conference was more than just a contract signing; it was a chance to announce their relationship to the world. He felt a pang of jealousy remembering Jack's obvious interest in Roxanne.

Understanding Lucian's intentions, Roxanne complied. The Farwells were longtime VIP clients of Neon Boutique. The Horington branch head personally styled them.

"Mr. Farwell, you…" The stylist chatted with Lucian, occasionally glancing at Roxanne. They both anticipated his question about their readiness to go public.

Lucian glanced at him and asked, "What do you think?"

His ambiguous answer led the stylist to believe he'd misunderstood. "I see. Got it. I'll make you both look great. Don't worry!"