She's Lying
1405 Words
Lucas Graves swallowed nervously as he watched Sara Hart turn and head toward the corner. He hesitated for a moment before cautiously suggesting, “Should we...call her?”
Adrian Blake cast a cold glance in his direction, so piercing that Lucas instantly clammed up, feeling a chill run down his spine.
Adrian's lips pressed into a thin line as he made a sharp turn and headed back in the opposite direction. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white, and the veins on the back of his hand became visible from the pressure.
He shouldn’t have let his guilt over that cup of tea soften him. He shouldn’t have allowed the past few weeks of peaceful coexistence to lull him into complacency.
He should’ve known better. They were all the same.
He shouldn’t have softened, and he definitely shouldn’t have compromised.
The atmosphere in the car grew thick with tension, and Lucas deeply regretted tagging along today. He huddled into his seat, feeling small, helpless, and utterly out of his depth.
Adrian’s emotions had only flared briefly. Once he turned the car around, his driving returned to its usual steady pace. His expression was as calm and unreadable as ever, but this cold, composed version of Adrian made Lucas even more anxious.
Unable to bear the silence, Lucas whipped out his phone and frantically tapped away in the group chat titled "Adrian's Latest Gossip":
"Help! Help! SOS!"
"Emergency! I need backup, ASAP!"
"Please! Someone save me!"
In the offices of Eric Thorne and Noah Ashford, both men glanced at their phones, puzzled by Lucas's frantic messages. At first, they were inclined to ignore him - after all, Lucas had a habit of exaggerating. But his next message stopped them in their tracks.
" Adrian might have just been cheated on! 😭"
Eric Thorne’s fingers paused mid-air over his phone: “What?”
Noah Ashford: “???”
Lucas Graves: “Adrian came to North Capital University to pick up Sara, but he saw her getting out of a Koenigsegg. Now he’s not saying a word, and he just turned the car around without a word.”
He added a trembling emoji for dramatic effect.
Noah Ashford spun a pen between his fingers, his expression thoughtful: “A Koenigsegg, huh? There aren’t many of those in North Capital. A quick check and we’ll know who the owner is.”
Eric Thorne: “How’s Adrian reacting?”
Lucas risked a glance at Adrian, who was still driving in stoic silence. Slowly, he typed: “Everything looks normal, but the air in the car is so cold I might freeze to death.”
Eric Thorne recalled the night he had spotted Sara at the Plaza Hotel. Back then, the person she was with didn’t seem like someone who could own a Koenigsegg.
“This Sara is more complicated than she seems,” Eric Thorne mused.
None of them were quick to jump to conclusions. In their circles, such things happened frequently. But this was Adrian’s private affair, and it wasn’t their place to meddle.
Eric Thorne: “Just keep quiet.”
Lucas Graves: “???”
---
When they arrived at the Villa, Lucas Graves, who had only ever visited Adrian's family homes, took in the sprawling mansion with wide eyes. The first thing he noticed were the roses. They bloomed in thick clusters along the fence, their vibrant petals climbing and spreading freely.
In an attempt to break the tension, Lucas casually remarked, “These roses are pruned beautifully.”
Adrian, however, was immediately reminded of the day he had watched Sara tend to those very same flowers, and how, for a brief moment, he had felt a sense of peace. How absurd.
Without a word, Adrian strode straight into the house.
Lucas, puzzled by the sudden change in mood, scratched his head, unsure what had gone wrong this time.
Inside, Adrian’s grandmother, Madam Blake, looked up in surprise as her grandson entered. “Back so early, Adrian? I thought you’d be coming home after work.”
She had been planning to ask him to pick up Sara Hart.
Before Adrian could respond, Lucas’s voice rang out from the doorway, cheerful and loud. “Grandma Blake! It’s been too long! You look even younger than the last time I saw you!”
“Lucas! It’s been a while. Still such a smooth talker,” she laughed, her eyes crinkling with genuine warmth.
“No smooth talk here, I’m telling the truth!”
Adrian watched Lucas effortlessly bring a smile to his grandmother’s face and thought to himself that it had been a wise decision to bring him along tonight.
Madam Blake’s thoughts soon returned to Sara. “Adrian, Sara hasn’t returned yet. Why don’t you give her a call?”
Adrian’s gaze darkened momentarily, but when he replied, his voice was as gentle as always. “I will, Grandma.”
---
Sara Hart returned home about half an hour later. She was surprised to find both Adrian Blake and Lucas Graves already there.
“Grandma,” she greeted Madam Blake softly, her voice gentle and sweet. She nodded politely to Lucas as well.
“Sara, welcome home!” Madam Blake took Sara’s hand, beaming. “This is Lucas. You two should get acquainted.”
“Oh, we’ve already met, Grandma,” Lucas interjected quickly. Then, turning to Sara, he grinned. “Good to see you again, Sara!”
Madam Blake raised her eyebrows in pleasant surprise. “You’ve met already? That’s great!”
She assumed Adrian had introduced them, which she considered a promising sign.
“Well, since everyone’s here, let’s wash up and get ready for dinner,” Madam Blake said, her smile deepening.
As they sat down for the meal, with Madam Blake at the head of the table, Sara and Adrian sat on one side, while Lucas took a seat across from them.
Lucas, always observant, noticed that Sara had changed her clothes - earlier, she had been wearing pants, but now she was in a dress. His mind raced. “Did something happen? Could it be what we all think it is?”
Madam Blake, meanwhile, was enjoying the lively atmosphere. She eagerly filled Lucas’s plate with food, even as she fussed over Sara and Adrian, making sure they ate enough.
Sara glanced at Adrian from time to time. He was eating quietly, only speaking when Madam Blake addressed him directly.
After everything that had happened that day, Sara felt more acutely aware of how fragile life could be. She couldn’t afford to hold back any longer. She had to seize every opportunity that came her way.
Alice Miller, the housekeeper, brought over a pot of soup. “This soup was simmered all afternoon. Madam Blake made sure it turned out perfect. Please have a taste!”
“Thank you, Grandma! I feel so lucky to be here today,” Lucas exaggerated, making everyone laugh.
“If you like it, you should come by more often!” Madam Blake smiled.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be here so often you’ll get sick of me!”
“I could never get sick of you,” she chuckled, clearly delighted.
Alice Miller served the soup to everyone, handing a bowl to Sara as well.
“Thank you, Auntie Alice,” Sara said politely, accepting the bowl.
But as the hot porcelain touched her hand, she winced, instinctively letting out a small gasp.
Everyone’s attention shifted to her hand.
“What happened?” Madam Blake asked, concerned.
Sara quickly withdrew her hand, hiding it beneath the table. “It’s nothing, Grandma. Just a little scratch. I’m fine.”
“Did this happen at school?” Madam Blake pressed.
“Yes,” Sara replied, hoping to reassure her. She didn’t want to worry Madam Blake and definitely didn’t want to mention the lab explosion.
She had been in Ethan Brown’s car when Madam Blake had called earlier. Feeling disheveled and smelling of disinfectant after her fall, she had gone back to the apartment near the university to shower and change before heading home.
But Adrian Blake and Lucas Graves exchanged a knowing glance.
They had seen her get out of that Koenigsegg. She hadn’t gone to school at all.
She was lying.
Lucas’s eyes darted nervously to Adrian.
Adrian sat quietly, his long lashes casting shadows over his eyes, concealing the derision that flickered within.
- Writer
