Chapter 50

Hearing Gerald's words, I understood his meaning, but remained uneasy. I tried to keep a straight face as I said, "We should end this now. There's no need to continue."

I was acutely aware that, even without Gerald, another pawn might have been dispatched last night. In short, Ricardo had schemed to create a threat against me.

Kas subtly narrowed his eyes, surprised by my quick forgiveness of Gerald. As he glanced at Lukas, Elena smiled. "Lukas, now that Miss Lopez has pardoned Gerald, let's extend the same generosity to the Hughes family."

A thoughtful silence followed before Lukas spoke carefully. "I'm doing this not for your benefit, but for Elias's dignity. The Hughes family ought to learn their boundaries."

Elena understood the undercurrent in Lukas's words: his concern was for Elias's reputation. Elena, Elias's younger sister, was distantly related to Gerald through the Schmidt family. Despite this, Lukas's primary concern was for his brother.

She nodded, her fingers curling around Gerald's arm as she impishly directed him, "Quick, offer your gratitude to Mr. Strakovski!"

Gerald's eager nod was almost comical; his words rushed forth, "Thank you, Mr. Strakovski, for your generosity. And Miss Lopez, thank you for your kind forgiveness. Rest assured, I won't err again!"

Elena breathed a sigh of relief. Though Lukas's demeanor didn't soften, the storm seemed to be dispersing. She glanced at Lukas and asked, "Lukas, are you available tonight? Gerald and I would be delighted if you and Miss Lopez would join us for dinner."

"No need. You're free to leave," Lukas's directive was clear.

Elena recognized his unwavering resolution. A flush of embarrassment tinged her cheeks as she nodded and left with Gerald.

Chapter 30

I also began to leave, but Lukas's voice stopped me. "You stay. There's something I wish to discuss."

My surprise was brief, but I acquiesced.

Elena overheard and subtly pursed her lips. She cast a parting glance at Lukas before departing with a faint sense of hesitation.

After Elena left, Lukas's gaze settled on me. The barrage of questions about his feelings for me throughout the day nagged at him, his brow furrowing involuntarily. His scrutiny questioned if I, too, had been contemplating similar feelings.

Lukas's eyes flashed, and he spoke quietly, "Sophia, concerning my intervention last night, I hope you won't misinterpret my actions. Anyone with a sense of justice would have acted similarly."

My brows knitted; I was baffled. What did he mean?

Even confused, I nodded. "In any case, I was grateful for your assistance last night, Mr. Strakovski."

Lukas's brow arched. Did I not understand?

"My assistance wasn't solely due to your association with the company or its image. It's more about my aversion to being manipulated. Does that resonate?" His gaze deepened.

My composure heightened, my caution tangible. "I understand. Thank you sincerely for today, Mr. Strakovski."

Lukas's consternation increased. He seemed surprised I hadn't understood his message. He pressed on, "Our marriage is a pragmatic arrangement. I won't allow anyone to coerce me with emotions. Unnecessary sentiments have no place in our union. Sometimes, I bantered with you merely because you intrigued me momentarily—nothing beyond that. Can you grasp that?"

Surprise rippled through me. Was he implying I shouldn't develop genuine feelings for him? Did he fear I might become attached solely due to the marriage contract? A faint tug played at the corner of my lips, and my heart felt heavy.

Unspoken Farewell at 30,000 Feet

Chapter [Number Missing]

While I felt gratitude, it hadn't become dependence or clinginess. And now, he was preemptively setting boundaries.

I responded earnestly, "Mr. Strakovski, I understand your standpoint. Ours is a marriage of convenience, and I have a favor to ask. I want to borrow your stance on unwarranted emotional entanglement. You needn't worry about any inappropriate sentiments from me."

I stood unruffled, my once fierce demeanor mellowing.

Lukas's gaze flickered, an unfamiliar unease creeping upon him. Nevertheless, he pursued, "Our marital contract hinges on mutual benefits. Hence, I'm contemplating a one-year term for this arrangement. What are your thoughts?"

"The decision rests with you, Mr. Strakovski. I raise no objections." I veiled my reaction, responding politely and with detachment. Given the foundation of our association, what grounds did I have to protest?

Lukas gauged my response, a semblance of contentment flickering within him. Then he casually changed the subject. "Regarding Hugo, do you have any other thoughts? He stood on our side this time and helped you. If you still want to suppress him, I can assist you."

Another wave of surprise registered. Was he wielding a stick while simultaneously extending an olive branch? Unfortunately, our relationship was based on mutual needs, and it was better to keep a distance.

The passage has been significantly improved in terms of grammar, punctuation, and flow. There were some inconsistencies in capitalization and formatting (like chapter numbers) that were corrected to the best of my ability, but some numbers were missing and couldn't be fixed.