For the week after, Gloria locked herself in her room and worked on the project.
Lucas would come to her from time to time. Sometimes, he would ask her to eat with him. Sometimes, he would just lie on her sofa and wait for her for the whole morning.
He did not disturb her, and she had gotten used to his company as time passed by.
Mandy did not call Gloria anymore. Instead, she contacted Gloria through text messages. Every day, she would tell Gloria that Patrick was fine. He ate well and was in good health.
The Carter Group became partners with Heath. Such an outcome was both expected and unexpected.
The moment the two parties signed the contract, Gloria was silent, her eyes lit up all of a sudden as if the thing that she had been waiting for a long time had finally been completed.
It was also at this moment that she seemed to have no reason to continue staying here.
"Thank you, Lucas." She thought, 'He helps me a lot. Without Heath, things would have gotten a lot trickier.
And without Lucas, I wouldn't have had a chance to meet Heath.'
She thanked Lucas sincerely, while a strong hand grasped her shoulder. She looked up in confusion.
She saw Lucas' chiseled chin. He slowly lowered his head, his eyes burning as he stared at her. His voice was hoarse and alluring. "Thank me? Gloria, don't just say it."
"I know. You have helped me a lot. Of course, I won't just be thanking you verbally. If there is anything I can do for you..."
Lucas interrupted her while narrowing his eyes and looking at her, "Gloria, if you really want to thank me... I want nothing but you."
Gloria was shocked, and it took her a long time before coming back to her senses. Only then did she realize what he meant.
She straightened her back, pulled his hand away, turned around, and left without a word.
Lucas was anxious, and he abruptly reached out and grabbed her arm. "Gloria, it was a joke. Don't take it seriously."
"Really?" Her face remained calm as she stared straight into his eyes. "Was it a joke? Ask yourself. Was it?"
Lucas felt his heart tighten.
He could no longer lie.
Lucas gritted his teeth. "So, what if it was not a joke?"
He thought, 'Am I not good enough? Am I no match for Patrick from the Black Thorn Pack? I am nicer to you than I have ever been to any woman!'
Gloria looked calm. She slowly lifted her eyes and looked at Lucas in front of her. "If it was not a joke, were you any different from three years ago?"
Lucas was shocked at her words. "Of course, I'm different. I was wrong about you three years ago, but you're not who I thought you were. Now I know the real you."
Gloria lowered her eyes to hide the self-mockery in her eyes. She thought, 'The real me?
I don't even know what the real me is.
Three years ago, you used the money to get what you wanted. Three years later, you have an opportunity, but you still just want to get what you want.
How are you different?'
Yet Gloria did not say these hurtful words out loud after all. She just stared at Lucas' stubborn face and said, "Whether it's the money from three years ago or today's opportunity, they are the same. Lucas, you are an outstanding hunter, so you have been improving. But hunters care about nothing but getting the prey in front of them."
Having said that, she knew that he understood her implication.
Lucas heard the word "hunter" again. He found that he disliked this word more and more.
Gloria was in front of him, and her eyes looked incomparably clear and rational, and at this precise moment, he felt like he was completely seen through.
She said that the money from before and today's opportunity were the same.
He wanted to tell her that she was wrong and that there was a difference.
Yet he failed. He thought, 'Is there really a difference?
She said it tactfully, but I understand.'
There was no longer any warmth left in his palm. He stared at Gloria's arm and found it strange that such a skinny arm could easily fill the emptiness in his palm.
Gloria became blurry in his sight. She was so ethereal that he felt that he was having an illusion.
A hunter?
He started to hate this word.
All that remained in his world was her sensible response and cold expression.
He was not done with her yet.
He was once so close to her.
He said, "You're the one who is wrong. You've imprisoned yourself in the past. Gloria, I look forward, but you look into the past. That's why I'm never in your world."
As Lucas said so, he had a strong sense of unwillingness and an urge to take control.
He asked Gloria, "Do you think that's fair to me?"
Gloria's shoulders trembled imperceptibly, and her eyelashes flickered slightly. Her pale lips parted, but she was speechless.
Seeing Lucas' burning eyes, she somehow calmed down.
"If I had the time..." She paused, and her eyes flickered slightly. She rephrased, "If I had a choice, I would have chosen to be a phony. I would have gone to Heath and given up this opportunity to work with him."
"Because you didn't want to owe me a favor, right?" Lucas smiled self-mockingly.
'Yes,' she thought and didn't reply.
"Lucas, no matter what, thanks for introducing me to him. After all, I'll give you a generous reward for your introduction. I won't let you help for nothing." Gloria knew what he wanted, but she couldn't afford it and wouldn't give it to him.
"The heck with the reward! You know what I want," Lucas cursed. His chest heaved violently as he stared at Gloria. "If you want to return the favor, then be with me. I don't want anything else."
Gloria had a headache. She thought, 'How come I just can't talk sense into you, Lucas?'
"I admit that I was wrong three years ago. But why can't you give me a chance?
"Are you going to lock yourself up in the past forever?
"Gloria!"
Lucas' questions rang out behind Gloria.
He stared at her back as she left and thought, 'I'm a good hunter, and I'm self-disciplined. But today, I'm not sticking to my damn self-discipline.
I'll indulge myself once!'
At the moment when Gloria was about to disappear in the doorway, Lucas strode over and hugged Gloria tightly.
Gloria froze. She pursed her lips tightly and clenched her hands hanging by her sides. She was not used to being held like this anymore.
She wanted to break free from his embrace.
She had to admit that Lucas' warm embrace had once been what she longed for. What she wanted was not Lucas' affection, but just a warm embrace.
She had desperately hoped that the Moon Goddess could fulfill her wishes.
But now, she was no longer used to being intimate with anyone.
"You may think that I am a despicable man, but Gloria, please move on from the past, OK?" Lucas' voice was trembling. It had never happened before.
Lucas' words made Gloria inexplicably annoyed, and she shouted angrily, "What prison are you talking about? I'm not stuck in the past. Mr. Norman, I think you got it all wrong. I moved on. Look at me. I am doing great."