Annette asked curiously, "So, you met her first, but why did she end up being Lucas' mate?"
"At that time, Lucas took care of overseas business and was rarely in Akron, so I never got to introduce Alina to him. One day, Alina and I were out with some friends at a restaurant. Lucas had just come back from abroad for a while and we ran into him. Lucas came over to say hello and he fell in love with Alina at first sight. After returning home, he asked someone to check on Alina's background. Although Alina and I had some ambiguous feelings towards each other at that time, we had not confessed to each other. Lucas thought that Alina and I were just old classmates. He soon pursued her. Alina felt embarrassed about this, so she came to me and told me about it. Then, I talked to Lucas about it at home. It wasn't until then that Lucas realized that something was going on between me and Alina. Lucas took his feelings for Alina seriously. So, for a long time, though he stopped bothering Alina, he didn't want to talk to me either."
Annette wondered, "But how did they end up together?"
"For Lucas' sake, I never announced my relationship with Alina. I planned to wait until Lucas no longer had feelings for Alina and then tell her about my feelings. However, the Norman Group experienced unprecedented turmoil and the company's stock plummeted. It was the biggest crisis the Norman Group had faced in decades. To save the company, Lucas and I worked together. We agreed that he would take charge of the company while I went abroad. For almost a year, I hardly returned to the country and my contact with Alina was only through phone calls. At that time, she probably knew that I was very busy and tired, so she only told me about the good news. During that time, someone found out about the relationship between me and Alina and took advantage of the timing, and attacked her. So, their real target was me."
"While I was away, Lucas was the one who stayed by her side, taking care of her and comforting her. One night, while I was resting, I received a call from Alina. She told me that she decided to be with Lucas. I was so shocked at that time. I asked her for the reason, but she refused to say anything. She only asked me not to contact her again. I felt betrayed, so I traveled home immediately. It wasn't until I got home that I found out that Alina had an accident."
Annette felt a sudden unease and asked, "What happened to her?"
"Two days before I came home, someone tampered with Alina's car. That day, Alina was being bullied at work and was in a bad mood. When Lucas found out about it, he went to see her. To comfort her, Lucas got into Alina's car and drove her home. Later, Lucas realized that the brakes malfunctioned. He asked Alina to move to the back seat. Right after she buckled up, the car ran off the road. Lucas lost his leg in that car accident."
"Alina knew that Lucas suffered the tragedy because of her. If Lucas hadn't driven that car that day, maybe she would have died. To repay Lucas and to make up for her guilt, she decided to be with him. That day, Alina cried hard. She questioned me why I didn't confess to her. At that time, I couldn't say anything. Everyone has a plan to carry on. Although I included her in my plan, I didn't know that things would turn out that way. In that situation, even if I didn't want to let go, how could I compete with Lucas? After all, Lucas had done so much for Alina. In order not to leave any regrets in Alina's heart, I didn't explain anything and chose to bless them."
After listening to Connor, Annette felt both jealous of Alina for having experienced so much with Connor, and also a little heartbroken for Connor, who had to give up the woman he loved.
She thought, 'He must be so heartbroken watching Lucas being with the woman he loved.
And, he had to put up with it for so many years.'
Annette thought of the scene where she had a one-night stand with Connor and he took her to meet Alina for dinner.
She felt that Connor was really infatuated with her.
But somehow, she felt angry.
She turned her head and glanced at Connor.
Connor rubbed her head and said, "What is this look?"
Annette said unhappily, "Well, I don't know how to respond to that."
Connor tried to please Annette and said with a smile, "You wanted to hear about my past, but when I told you, you weren't happy. What should I do?"
"I didn't say I was angry," Annette's expression softened.
She felt less angry when she thought that she was a better match for Connor than Alina.
She looked at him and said, "I have another question for you. If I were Alina, and if I said I wanted to be with Lucas in that circumstance, would you have agreed?"
Connor's expression froze.
He would never allow such a thing to happen.
However, he started laughing while thinking about it.
Annette asked in confusion, "Why are you laughing? Answer my question."
"I couldn't allow it, because I suddenly realized that I might love you more than I had imagined. I loved you so much that I only wanted to have you all to myself."
With that, Connor pinned her on the bed. "You've got what you wanted. Now it's my turn to get what I want."
Annette was about to talk back, but Connor sealed her lips with a kiss.
The room was cold, but the atmosphere was hot like a fire.
After finishing the battle, Connor and Annette lay satisfied on the bed. He rubbed his stomach and asked, "Are you hungry?"
Annette turned to Connor and said, "Yep."
Connor stood up and said, "Go take a shower. I'll ask them to prepare some food."
After Connor left, Annette curled up under the blanket for a while longer before getting up.
After taking a shower, she was about to dry her hair when she heard a quarrel from downstairs.
She recognized Lucas's voice and quickly put down the hair dryer, changed her clothes, and went downstairs.
Lucas saw Annette on the stairs, pointed at her, and shouted angrily, "Annette, you are not welcome in this house. Get out immediately."
At the same time, Alina was sitting on the sofa crying, while Marcus was standing between Lucas and Connor, seemingly trying to break up a fight.
Connor stepped forward and stood in front of Lucas and said, "She is my mate and you don't get to tell her what to do. If you don't like it, then get out of my house."
"Connor, snap out of it. Alina was nothing but kind to her, but she humiliated Alina. Who gives her the right to do that?" Lucas glared at Connor and shouted, "I'm telling you, you have to make a choice today. In this family, only one of us can stay. Me or her?"
Annette slowly walked down the stairs and approached Lucas and Connor.
Alina quickly got up and stood next to Lucas' wheelchair.
"Lucas, stop. I told you I'm fine. Why do you have to be like this?"
Annette arched a brow with a sarcastic smile.
Lucas was furious at her reaction.
Marcus waved his hand and said, "Annette, go upstairs."
Annette didn't listen to Marcus. She walked next to Connor and looked at Lucas.
"Lucas, I have never rebelled against you, but that doesn't mean I am wrong. I have endured all the accusations you imposed on me, but I won't tolerate them today. Let me ask you. Do you have any evidence that I humiliated Ms. Grace? And how did I humiliate her?"
Lucas turned to Alina and said, "Tell everyone. Tell them how much you've suffered from her. Though I'm in a wheelchair, I can still protect you."
Alina cried out, "Lucas, stop it. I already told you not to do this. I'm OK. Why do you have to come back and make a scene? Is this what you want to see?"
"I'm helping you out. What's wrong with that? Why do you have to put up with her?"
Annette said seriously, "Lucas, let me tell you why your mate has to put up with me."