Welcome To Hell, Dear Wife-Chapter 41: The Uninvited

Chapter 41: The Uninvited
Lucas strode out of the conference room like he owned the world.
His phone was pressed to his ear while his voice was low yet sharp as he wrapped up whatever deal that had just been sealed.
The tailored black suit moved with him so perfectly with every step, looking precise and very much controlled.
The corporate hallway also buzzed with quiet activities as glass walls showed glimpses of other meetings and many people facing their work. But even at that, everyone’s attention managed to drift toward Lucas as he passed.
He always managed to have that kind of presence everywhere.
The type that made rooms go quiet even without him trying.
His assistant was by his side with a tablet in hand as she moved quickly to keep up with his long steps.
"Sir, since you asked me to move and clear your schedule, your next appointment is now at three. Which means you’re free until then."
Lucas stopped walking as his eyes narrowed slightly like he was making some sort of calculation in his head.
"Okay, good." He responded. "I need to be free before my wife arrives, and she’ll be here soon."
A staff member near him spoke with a playful tone. "Oh boss, this is so new. I’ve never seen you rush or pause work before like this. Love really is something good."
The words seemed to come out louder than he had expected, as it attracted a lot of attention.
Lucas turned his head slowly towards the younger man, and even though his expression did not the least bit change, the temperature in the hallway still managed to drop ten degrees.
He was only giving him the kind of cold stare that made smart people remember that they had somewhere they needed to be.
Without responding, he just continued walking towards his office, and that’s when another staff member hurried up looking nervous.
His secretary.
"Sir, there’s someone here for you."
Lucas looked visibly annoyed as he turned to his assistant. "Didn’t you just say that you cleared my schedule?"
The assistant beside him shifted uncomfortably. "I did, sir. This definitely wasn’t scheduled."
Lucas stopped in front of his secretary’s desk with his back to it while the woman looked up at him with anxiety.
"Tell whoever it is that I don’t have an appointment with them, so they should make one. I don’t have time for my schedules to be disrupted."
The secretary opened her mouth to respond but another voice spoke up before she could.
"Hello, Mr. Atkins. It’s me."
Lucas turned towards the voice as a woman emerged from behind the secretary’s desk.
She moved with the kind of confidence that suggested she belonged in high places while dressed in a sharp black dress that hugged her curves perfectly with a designer jacket thrown over her shoulders like she added it last minute.
Everything about her screamed expensive, from her perfectly styled hair to the red-sole heels that probably cost a lot. Yet Lucas could not help but feel like she looked rich but wasn’t exactly rich, if that made sense.
"You told me to come whenever I could," she continued in a smooth voice. "So I chose today, but I’m sorry if it’s a bad time."
Lucas stared at her for a moment before the recognition finally clicked in him.
The anniversary gala. The woman Lorena had slapped. The one he’d given his business card to, a calculated move to make things die down and maybe even annoy Lorena a little.
He honestly hadn’t expected that she would use the card and certainly not show up at his place of work like this. After all, it looked like he was trampling on her dignity, but then, people would always take the chance to make more money regardless of how rich they already were.
A little irritation crossed his face but it was so fast that it was almost invisible as he forced a polite and empty smile onto his face instead. "Miss...?"
"Naomi. Naomi Brooks," she supplied with glinting eyes.
"Miss Naomi," he repeated. "You sure showed up."
Naomi nodded with a smile as she stepped closer, and before Lucas could think, her arms had wrapped around him in a hug.
Lucas froze at that. Not because the contact affected him but because not even he had seen that coming.
Why on earth would she hug him like they were long-lost friends, and at work at that?
But instead of reacting harshly, he merely stepped back. "Follow me, we’ll talk inside," he said, even though he was already turning toward his office.
Behind them, the staff had started to exchange curious glances as expected. Whispers started immediately as they all wondered who she was and why she was hugging the CEO like that.
Lucas pushed open the heavy oak door to his office and gestured for Naomi to come in.
Naomi trailed inside with her heels clicking against the marble floor. She also looked around with obvious appreciation as she took in the vast expensive artwork and custom furniture.
The secretary followed them in, in her usual professional and efficient way.
"Would you like tea or coffee, ma’am?" she asked Naomi.
Naomi turned toward her with a confident smile. "Neither, I’ll take champagne instead."
The secretary blinked, obviously caught off guard by that, as she looked to Lucas as if asking,
What do I do?
Lucas just sighed. "She’ll have it. Let her have her choice."
The secretary nodded and hurried away, probably wondering what kind of business meeting required champagne at ten in the morning.
Naomi sat on one of the leather chairs across from Lucas’ desk and crossed her legs elegantly.
Lucas, on the other hand, didn’t sit. He merely leaned against the front of his massive desk with his arms crossed. "It’s quite unusual to have champagne in the morning," he said.
Naomi’s smile only managed to spread even wider. "Life is just too short to drink tea, Mr. Atkins."
"And I prefer my meetings without something like that, but it’s fine. You’re a guest." He retorted as he let his pure irritation show this time.
Naomi did not appear fazed by his irritation though. She only continued to stare at him with a smile on her face, even though it looked like she was trying to solve a puzzle in her own mind.
The secretary soon returned with a crystal glass and a bottle that looked so fancy and unique. She poured the champagne with practiced efficiency and left again.
Lucas waited until they were alone before he finally moved to sit in the high-backed chair behind the desk. He then opened a drawer and pulled out a chequebook.
He scribbled on it so fast while speaking. "About what happened the other day. I apologize for my wife’s mistake, and I agree that you deserve compensation."
He tore off the check and slid it across the polished wood surface over to Naomi.
Naomi glanced down at it and her eyes immediately went wide as she saw the figure.
Fifty thousand dollars.
That was enough money to be life-changing for a lot of people; even Naomi herself.
But she didn’t touch it as she managed to quickly mask her shock at the money. Then she slid the check back towards him without even picking it up.
"You didn’t even bother asking what I wanted first," she said in a soft tone.
Lucas sighed like his patience was already running thin at this point. "Nothing you could have asked for would be up to this."
"Yes, but that’s not the point at all." Naomi replied as her smile turned into one that looked like she was holding a secret that would give her all the power she needed.
"It’s generous enough, Miss Brooks." Lucas’ tone was now dismissive. "So just take it and we can both move on with our day."
Naomi wasn’t backing down though because she shook her head slowly and then stood up in a deliberate and graceful manner.
The action made her black dress more revealing, and it showed the way it clung to her body, the deep neckline, and many more.
Even anyone could now see how calculated and provocative it was.
"I don’t want money, Mr. Atkins."
Her voice became a whisper as she took a step closer to his desk. "I actually want something else."
Lucas genuinely looked confused now as Naomi moved around the side of the desk and stopped close enough to invade his personal space without quite touching him yet.
"What I want is something far more valuable than fifty thousand dollars."