Ch. 1371..1380
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1371--I can’t believe I thought Lucian stretched his hand out to hold hands with me. He’s obviously not that childish.
Noticing her silence, Lucian halted in his tracks and turned over his shoulder to ask in concern, “A penny for your thoughts?”
His voice snapped Roxanne out of her reverie. She couldn’t help but blush upon recalling the reason she fell silent. “Oh, it’s nothing.”
Lucian arched a brow. He clearly didn’t believe her explanation.
Roxanne caressed her stomach. “I’m hungry after walking this far. Is there anything to eat nearby?”
As soon as she uttered those words, Lucian acted quickly, snatching her hand before she could take it back.
Roxanne felt her heart skip a beat as she stared at their hands incredulously.
“Come on. Let’s go find a restaurant.”
Lucian pushed the suitcase with one hand and held her hand with his other. He slowed down so he could walk beside her.
Stunned, Roxanne allowed him to lead her forward.
This quaint little town, nestled in the foothills, was known for its pleasant atmosphere and peaceful surroundings. However, it wasn’t without its shortcomings as it lagged behind in terms of development.
There were only small, cheap restaurants by the road.
They walked along the entire street but failed to find one restaurant that Lucian approved of.
“This will do.”
Gradually, Roxanne calmed down and stopped in front of a restaurant that sold pasta.
She observed Lucian’s countenance with increasing amusement as it transformed into a look of disgust.
When she was abroad, she frequently journeyed with Harvey to some of the most isolated mountains and rural areas.
On occasion, they would venture to remote areas to offer medical consultation services. On other occasions, they would embark on expeditions to seek out rare and precious medicinal plants.
Roxanne had been in poorer conditions, so she was used to eating at dingy restaurants.
However, Lucian was used to eating at five-star restaurants.
His frown deepened as he stopped beside her and glanced at the restaurant she was talking about. It was clear that he didn’t like it at all.
This particular restaurant looked cleaner than the others, but Lucian still thought its cleanliness wasn’t up to standard.
Roxanne said calmly, “This is the cleanest restaurant we can find here.”
With that, she went up the steps.
Lucian’s brows creased, but he ended up going after her.
It was noon, so the restaurant was pretty crowded.
Their appearance attracted the attention of the crowd in an instant.
Roxanne seemed used to it as she found a seat and sat down. However, Lucian’s frown deepened, showing that he was on the verge of losing his temper.
Roxanne quickly assured him, “We’re obviously outsiders. It’s only natural for them to feel curious.”
Right then, the owner of the restaurant approached them with a warm smile. “Ah, you must be new to the area. You’ve certainly made the right choice!” He gave them the thumbs-up. “We take pride in our establishment, which is the cleanest restaurant in town, and our food is nothing short of delicious! Just look how crowded it is here!”
Roxanne gave him a polite smile. “Yes, I can see that.”
Hearing that, the owner grew more enthusiastic. He handed them the menu and proceeded to engage them in conversation. “You two certainly look like a couple. What brings you to our little town?”
Roxanne’s hands paused in her action of flipping through the menu as she looked at the man sitting across from her instinctively.
It seemed that Lucian had accepted the restaurant, as he had returned to his usual composure and was leisurely browsing the menu.
Perhaps he looked too overbearing, for it felt as though they were in a five-star restaurant even though they were eating at a random restaurant.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1372--“You’ve gotten it wrong…”
Roxanne looked away from Lucian and tried to explain to the owner.
The owner flatly rejected her explanation, saying, “It’s impossible. I saw the two of you holding hands when you walked in. To be honest, you both are quite attractive. I’ve noticed the two of you since you arrived on our street!” To prove himself, the owner tapped Roxanne’s suitcase. “This belongs to you, right? I saw this man taking it from you! He acted as though he had done this so many times.”
He then proceeded to reveal their interaction along the way.
The customers in the restaurant couldn’t help but sneak glances at Roxanne and Lucian as they entered.
The owner’s words only added to their curiosity, causing them to stare at the couple openly.
Some got curious and asked, “Are you guys celebrities here to film something?”
Knowing she couldn’t persuade the owner to think otherwise, Roxanne explained in exasperation, “We’re not celebrities. We were passing by, and our car broke down.”
The owner finally stopped talking.
Relieved, Roxanne quickly ordered, “I’ll have squid ink pasta and a salad, please.”
She then glanced at Lucian, afraid he couldn’t accept these dishes.
Lucian turned to the owner. “I’ll have the same.”
The owner nodded and left to prepare their food.
Lucian swept his gaze across the crowd, and they looked away guiltily.
“They don’t have any ill intentions. Don’t behave like this,” Roxanne advised helplessly.
Lucian turned back to her and regarded her darkly. “Have you been here previously?”
He had a feeling that Roxanne was familiar with this place.
Roxanne was taken aback. Knowing what he meant, she chuckled and explained, “No. I haven’t been here exactly, but I have experienced something similar. When I first went overseas, I had the opportunity to accompany Professor Lambert on various medical consultations. We often had to trek up mountains to gather herbs for our treatments, which was quite an adventure!”
That was why Roxanne didn’t show any disgust for the town and felt at ease there.
Lucian’s eyes darkened when he heard her answer.
He thought that this area was bad enough and did not expect her to tell him she had been to worse places.
She had been through a lot over the past six years. If I hadn’t acted that way, would she still be with me? Would she have been spared from all the difficulties and struggles she had gone through?
Knowing he felt guilty, Roxanne said solemnly, “I wanted to do these things because they were meaningful to me. I didn’t feel the least bit tired doing it, so don’t take it the wrong way.”
Back then, Professor Lambert gave me a choice: remain in the lab or venture out and experience new things. I chose to take the leap of faith and explore the unknown, and I would not trade that decision for anything in the world. The trips I went on not only provided me with a wealth of knowledge but also irreplaceable memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Had I stayed in the lab, I would have missed out on the invaluable lessons and experiences that I gained from the trips.
However, Lucian’s face was still dark.
Roxanne helped him with the utensils. “I know you’re used to dining at expensive restaurants, but I’m sure you’ve never experienced a taste quite like this before,” she said encouragingly. “It’s really quite delicious.”
She then began eating.
A wave of guilt washed over Lucian’s heart when he noticed how natural she looked.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t get used to the environment. He just felt that she deserved to eat at a better restaurant.
He was completely unaware of the many hardships and struggles that she had experienced over the last six years.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1373--They were slurping their pasta when Roxanne’s phone rang.
Roxanne’s gaze shifted to the caller ID on her phone before she shot a quick, apprehensive look at Lucian. It was clear she was unsure whether to answer or not.
Sensing her gaze, Lucian immediately knew who it was. “It’s Jack, isn’t it?”
Roxanne nodded. “I told him I might be late, so he’s probably calling to find out what happened. I’ll head out to answer it.”
She got up, ready to leave.
However, Lucian stopped her. “You can answer it here. It’s related to work, anyway.”
In other words, he was saying that Roxanne had no reason to hide from him if it was a work call.
Roxanne returned to her seat and answered the call. “Mr. Damaris.”
Jack’s tired voice rang out. “I’m sorry. I was busy with the medical consultation and just got a chance to look at my phone. What happened?”
Roxanne explained that her car broke down halfway. She didn’t mention Lucian was with her.
Jack assumed she was alone and expressed his concern.
Roxanne explained gently, “I’m fine. The car is being repaired, and I believe it will be ready soon. You don’t have to worry.”
Jack still sounded concerned. “Do you need help? Should I ask someone to pick you up?”
Roxanne glanced at Lucian.
Lucian’s head was lowered as he focused on eating his pasta. He didn’t seem to have heard them.
“No need. I think it will be done soon. You should hurry up and treat the elderly people. I’ll join you after I’ve arrived,” Roxanne rejected his offer calmly.
Jack didn’t insist and reminded her, “All right, then. If something crops up, remember to give me a call.”
Roxanne agreed.
After the call ended, she grew anxious.
Jack sounded exhausted, so she assumed that they were swamped with work. She felt compelled to go there to lend them a hand.
“How long will it take for the car to be done?”
Lucian stopped what he was doing. “Let me ask.”
He pulled his phone out to call the service center.
The call was answered shortly after.
The mechanic sounded uncertain after he heard Lucian’s question. “I understand that you’re in a hurry, and we’re doing everything we can. Your speedometer needs to be replaced, but unfortunately, we don’t have the same model in our workshop. But we’ve already placed an order for it, and it should be delivered soon.”
Lucian’s brows scrunched up. “How much longer will it take?”
The mechanic answered, “At least half an hour. I’m already urging them, so please give us more time.”
At that, Lucian shot Roxanne a helpless look.
He had put his phone on speaker, but the volume wasn’t too loud. They were the only ones who could hear the mechanic’s answer.
Roxanne grew increasingly anxious when she learned it would take at least thirty minutes.
As Lucian seemed displeased, she decided to appease him first. “Safety comes first. Let’s wait a bit more!”
Lucian gave a curt nod and hung up.
Right then, Jonathan’s text arrived.
Jonathan: How’s the town? Not bad, right? I asked many people before discovering its existence!
Lucian glanced at it and quickly locked his phone.
On the other side, Jonathan was confused as he didn’t receive any reply from his friend.
I went through a lot of effort to find a scenic town that happened to be beside the highway. Don’t tell me Lucian didn’t go there.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1374--“Let’s go for a walk outside,” Lucian suggested after pocketing his phone.
Roxanne assumed he didn’t like the interior of the pasta restaurant. She didn’t ponder over his request and nodded obligingly.
After they paid for their meal, Lucian got up and took Roxanne’s suitcase. They then walked out of the restaurant.
As they strolled along the street, surrounded by the mountains, Roxanne and Lucian felt the temperature was just right despite it being past noon. Although the sun should be shining brightly, the foliage provided ample shade to keep the heat at bay.
Roxanne might be in a hurry to head to Jadeborough, but she couldn’t help but relax in such an environment.
“Do you like it here?”
Lucian’s expression softened when he discovered that she seemed relaxed.
Roxanne’s lips curled as she nodded. “When I first went overseas, I had the privilege of accompanying Professor Lambert on a number of excursions to the mountains, where we would search for herbs. Later, I had to stay in the lab. I do miss the feeling of being out in the wilderness but never had the chance to do so again.”
Lucian’s eyes dimmed as conflicted feelings rose in his heart.
He believed that Roxanne had experienced a great deal of hardship, but it appeared that she had actually been quite content.
“Don’t you find this place beautiful?” Roxanne stared at him, her eyes sparkling under the sunlight.
Lucian was momentarily dazed. He quickly regained his composure and gave a brief nod.
Indeed, this town was scenic.
Nevertheless, the most important thing was that she loved it.
They strolled ahead for some time until Roxanne realized it was pretty late. Concerned, she demanded to know the progress of the repair.
“Is the car done yet? If it’s still getting repaired, I’m afraid we’ll have to spend the night here. There is no hotel in this town.”
Lucian fished his phone out to call the workshop.
The person on the other end of the line sounded particularly helpless and distressed. “I’m sorry to say that something came up while they were delivering the part. I’ve already urged—”
Before he could finish, Lucian cut in unhappily, “I don’t want to hear any excuses. Just tell me when it can be done.”
“I’m afraid it won’t be done by today.” The mechanic sounded increasingly guilty.
Lucian’s brows drew together deeply.
Realizing he was about to lash out at the mechanic, Roxanne gave his sleeve a careful tug. “Forget it. Let’s get someone to fetch us.”
She meant to call Jack to send someone here to give them a ride.
Lucian understood her meaning. His eyebrows furrowed once again as he ended the call.
Roxanne pulled out her phone to contact Jack.
“I’ll ask Cayden to come here. He can drive the car back when it’s done,” Lucian said to her quickly before she could make the call.
Roxanne paused for a few moments as she thought about his proposal. After weighing up the fact that the two cities were relatively close in proximity, she eventually decided to agree to his suggestion.
Only then did Lucian call Cayden to come pick them up.
Cayden agreed without hesitation.
It would take some time before Cayden arrived. Lucian seemed to be in a foul mood, so Roxanne said to him gently, “The villagers told me there is a beautiful lake right ahead. Let’s head there to take a look!”
Lucian relaxed slightly and took her hand, and they strolled to the lake.
Meanwhile, the mechanics in the workshop were confused.
“Didn’t he ask us to take our time? Why did he get mad at us?”
One mechanic seemed accustomed to such antics as he explained, “He is obviously courting that lady. That was just an act!”
Comprehension dawned on everyone.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1375--“If you enjoy it here, then we can go traveling often in the future,” Lucian said when they were on the way to the lake. “The past few years have been incredibly hectic, so I’m looking forward to taking some time off to relax during my vacations.”
He was holding Roxanne’s hand. She stared at his side profile and felt a bitter feeling spreading across her heart.
For the past six years, they had been out of touch and unaware of each other’s current status.
Roxanne led a hectic but fulfilling life.
On the contrary, Lucian didn’t seem to be doing well.
“We can bring the kids here one day. I don’t think they have been in the mountains before.”
Lucian stopped in his tracks and turned over his shoulder to look at her.
They had arrived at the lake.
Perhaps they were in the mountains, for the lake water was crystal clear. The branches of the drooping willows by the lake were swaying lightly in the breeze.
Roxanne glanced at him and said distractedly, “I believe Archie and Benny want to travel, too. I’ve been busy with work and never got the chance to travel with them. Essie…” She didn’t know much about Estella but could roughly guess the little girl’s situation. “Essie used to be afraid of strangers, so I don’t think she has gotten out much, right? Now that she’s doing better, we can go travel.”
She sounded natural as though she had been thinking about this for a long time.
Lucian tightened his grip on her hand, surprised.
He was saying that on the condition that Roxanne agreed to be with him.
Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Roxanne to continue the conversation readily.
Does she feel the same way as I do?
Roxanne’s heart skipped a beat when she met his gaze. She didn’t continue and merely gave him a bright smile as an answer.
They remained by the lake until sunset.
Before Cayden arrived, Roxanne received a call from Jack.
“How’s the situation? Has your car been repaired?”
“No. I’m afraid I can’t make it there today. I’m sorry about that. Has the medical consultation ended? What about the elderly people’s condition?”
Jack chuckled bitterly. “The medical consultation has ended. Everyone is exhausted. All these elderly patients have been suffering from old and stubborn diseases that are hard to cure completely. All we can do is help them recuperate slowly and patiently.”
Roxanne frowned as an apologetic look appeared in her eyes. “You must’ve worked hard today. I’ll make sure to arrive on time tomorrow to meet up with you.”
Jack reassured her, “Don’t worry. We have plenty of doctors here to take care of any medical needs. Be careful and let me know if you need any help.”
Roxanne thanked him gratefully.
They chatted briefly about the elderly people’s medical condition before hanging up.
Taking in Roxanne’s downcast expression, Lucian pulled her into his arms.
“It’s not your fault that they got sick, so don’t beat yourself up over it. If you’re looking for someone to put the blame on, then I’m the one to blame. I should have driven more carefully, so you could have made it in time.”
Roxanne sighed. “That has absolutely nothing to do with you. I just couldn’t help but feel bad for them. They were alone despite being ill, with no one to turn to for help. Even if I can provide them with the treatment they need, it will be difficult for them to survive without the support and care of someone else.”
Lucian was moved by her kindness. “We’ll figure out something. The most important thing now is to treat their sickness.”
Roxanne nodded. “I need to arrive at the nursing home as early as possible tomorrow. I couldn’t be there today, so I must work twice as hard tomorrow.”
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1376--It was almost six in the evening when Cayden finally arrived.
After instructing Cayden to stay and wait for the car to be repaired, Lucian got into Cayden’s car and drove off with Roxanne.
When they reached Jadeborough, it was already nine at night.
Lucian sent Roxanne to the hotel that Jack had booked for the doctors.
After he unloaded her luggage from the car, he glanced at the night sky and said apologetically, “Sorry to have kept you so long.”
Roxanne smiled and replied, “It’s not your fault. No one expected the accident to happen. I should be thanking you instead for sending me here even though it’s already so late.”
She knew that they had made their way to the hotel that late at night because she did not want to be late for the medical consultation the next day. They could have waited for the car to be fixed and set off the next morning.
Lucian had asked Cayden to switch cars with them because he didn’t want her to be disappointed.
“It’s getting late. I should head in now. Text me when you reach your accommodation,” Roxanne said before she turned around and entered the hotel.
Lucian stood rooted to the ground, upset at the thought that the woman was staying in the same hotel as Jack.
However, he knew that he shouldn’t be kicking up a fuss about that, as Roxanne was solely focused on her elderly patients, hoping that they would recover soon.
Lucian received a call from Jonathan the moment Roxanne disappeared into the elevator.
He glanced at the caller ID before answering the phone coolly.
“Are you guys okay?” Jonathan asked with a trace of panic in his voice.
“We’re fine. What’s wrong?” Lucian replied while getting back into the car.
Jonathan’s expression changed slightly as he asked in disbelief, “If you’re fine, why didn’t you reply to my messages? I’ve been texting you all day. I thought something bad happened to you!”
After all, it was Jonathan’s idea for Lucian to intentionally get his car to break down on the road.
He could never forgive himself if they had gotten into an accident because of that.
Jonathan had spent the entire day worrying and was hurt by Lucian’s nonchalant attitude.
Lucian had merely told him that he and Roxanne were fine without going into any details and even asked him if anything was wrong.
Sensing Jonathan’s tone, Lucian finally realized that his friend had been worried about him. The corners of his lips curled up into a smile as he replied, “I saw your messages but didn’t get a chance to reply. It’s a beautiful town.”
Jonathan was slightly appeased after getting an acceptable explanation. Feeling concerned, he asked, “So did the two of you…”
If things had gone according to plan, both of them should be currently trapped in the town, and naturally, they would…
“We’re in Jadeborough now,” Lucian replied placidly.
Jonathan gaped in shock when he heard that. “Jadeborough? Aren’t you supposed to be in town? Are both of you together now?”
“No. Jack booked a hotel for the doctors, and she’s there now,” Lucian replied.
Jonathan gasped in disbelief. “You had such a good opportunity! I can’t believe you didn’t do anything.”
Alas, it seems that my idea has gone down the drain!
Lucian explained helplessly, “She has a medical consultation at the nursing home early tomorrow morning, and most of the elderly there are seriously ill. After some thought, I decided I should take her here.”
Lucian could not help but feel guilty when he saw the pained look in Roxanne’s eyes as she spoke about the elderly.
Jonathan was also in the medical field, so he could understand Roxanne’s feelings.
In an uncertain tone, he said, “But still, you should at least do something. You have already followed her to Jadeborough. Do you really intend to just watch over her like a knight in shining armor?”
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1377--Lucian furrowed his brows and replied, “What else can I do? I don’t know anything about medical consultation. Since you are in the medical industry as well, give me some tips, then.”
Jonathan held his forehead in exasperation.
Is he seriously thinking of helping out at the nursing home tomorrow?
The man let out a long sigh in his heart before replying patiently, “From what you’re telling me, Roxanne and Jack are staying in the same hotel now. Aren’t you worried at all? You know Jack has ulterior motives toward Roxanne…”
The crease between Lucian’s brows grew deeper.
He looked up at Roxanne’s room and saw that the lights had already been turned on.
Recalling Jonathan’s words, Lucian could no longer sit still. Immediately, he opened the door and got out of the car.
Jonathan was still blabbering nonstop over the phone.
After heading into the hotel, Lucian made a reservation for the room next to Roxanne’s.
It was already almost ten at night when Roxanne entered her room.
She hesitated for a few seconds when she walked past Jack’s room but decided not to disturb him and proceeded straight to her own room.
After a long day, Roxanne was drained. The first thing she did was take a shower.
When she emerged from the bathroom, she noticed that her phone was ringing.
She cast a glance at the screen and saw Lucian’s name flashing on the caller ID.
Assuming that he was calling to tell her he had reached back safely, Roxanne answered the phone while drying her hair. “Are you back already?”
She heard a beeping sound on the other end of the line, which sounded like someone opening a door using a key card.
“I am. I just found out that the branch office had booked the same hotel for me. If I had known earlier, we could have walked together. Where’s your room?” he asked with a straight face.
A look of surprise and confusion flashed across Roxanne’s face when she heard that.
She could not help but find it strange that the branch office did not inform Lucian of the arrangement earlier.
Besides, everything that happened that day seemed to be too much of a coincidence.
However, as it was nothing serious, Roxanne did not think much of it and told Lucian her room number straight away.
Right after she finished speaking, Lucian exclaimed, “808? What are the odds? I’m just next door.”
Roxanne knitted her brows slightly. This is indeed too much of a coincidence…
If Lucian had not asked for her room number first, she would definitely have suspected that he had planned everything intentionally.
Lucian remained standing outside the door while staring blankly in the direction of Roxanne’s room.
He and Jonathan had assumed that, after knowing that Lucian was staying next to her, the woman would have at least opened the door to take a look.
However, after he waited for some time, to his dismay, her door remained shut.
Just then, Roxanne’s voice sounded. “It’s getting late. You should rest soon. You must be very tired after driving the entire day.”
She let out a yawn as she spoke.
Clearly, it wasn’t appropriate for Lucian to suggest anything else. He had no choice but to agree. “You too.”
Roxanne hummed in acknowledgment before ending the call.
Lucian stared at his phone and furrowed his brows in displeasure before entering his room.
He could not believe that he had entertained Jonathan’s bad idea and was upset at himself for even having those thoughts.
He was worried that Roxanne would realize the uncanny string of coincidences and start doubting him.
Meanwhile, Jonathan, who was at home, was wondering if he should call Lucian to ask about his progress when he suddenly felt his ear burning.
He rubbed his ear and decided against it.
What if they are having… He did not want to interrupt the couple at the wrong moment and spoil the party.
I’ll just wait until tomorrow!
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1378--Lucian was about to take a shower and get some rest when he heard a knock from the room next to his.
After that, he could hear Jack’s voice. “Have you arrived, Ms. Jarvis?”
Jack had assumed that Roxanne had arrived as he heard the sound of people talking in the corridor above.
Roxanne had just finished showering and was only wearing a robe, so she replied without opening the door, “Yeah, I just got here. I didn’t tell you because I thought you were asleep.”
Jack nodded and asked, “Have you taken your dinner yet? If you haven’t, how about we go outside and grab a bite? We could also discuss the condition of the elderly people while we’re at it.”
Lucian’s face clouded over the moment he heard that.
Knowing Roxanne, there’s no way she’ll be able to say no if he mentions those elderly people!
Roxanne really wanted to speak to Jack face-to-face, but it would be incredibly inconvenient to do so in a robe with her hair still dripping wet.
After hesitating for a bit, Roxanne decided to turn him down. “We’ll discuss this in the car tomorrow. It’s a little late now.”
Jack knew better than to pressure her any further. “All right, then. Rest well. We’ll head out earlier tomorrow morning.”
“Okay!” Roxanne replied with a smile.
The look in Jack’s eyes was gloomy as he stared at her door, which was tightly shut.
All he knew was that Roxanne came here by car, but he didn’t know who she came with.
They rushed over even though it’s so late at night…
Roxanne waited until she heard his footsteps fade into the distance before blow-drying her hair.
She wasn’t all that hungry before, but hearing Jack talk about dinner got her feeling a little hungry when she was done drying her hair.
Roxanne was about to order some food via room service when Lucian’s call came in.
“You’re still awake?” Roxanne asked in confusion.
“I was going to bed, but then I got hungry because I haven’t had dinner. You’re probably hungry too, right? How about we go eat something downstairs?” Lucian suggested in a deep voice.
Roxanne was about to turn him down when her stomach growled loudly.
Because of how quiet her room was, Lucian could hear it very clearly over the phone. “I visited a place not far from here a while back, so I know a restaurant with amazing dishes for supper. It’s been quite a while since my last visit, so I kind of miss the food. But it’d be pretty boring to go eat there all by myself. Oh, well… If you’re not hungry, then I’ll just forget about it.”
What Lucian meant was he would go to bed hungry if I refused to have supper with him.
Roxanne had no choice but to take him up on his invitation. “I’ll go get changed and give you a call when I’m ready to head out.”
She hung up the phone and threw on a dress that she had lying around.
Although she wasn’t exactly excited about having supper, Lucian did spend the entire day driving her here, so she couldn’t let him go to bed with an empty stomach.
Besides, Roxanne felt as though Lucian was acting a little childish, which formed a huge contrast with his usual personality.
Since it wasn’t often that Lucian would behave childishly toward her, she couldn’t possibly bring herself to turn him down.
After getting dressed, Roxanne gave Lucian a call to let him know she was ready.
The two of them then stepped out of their respective rooms, one after the other.
The spaghetti strap dress that Roxanne had on was rather short and revealed the flawless skin on her thighs.
She looked so stunning that Lucian could not take his eyes off her when she stood before him.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1379--“So, what are we going to eat?”
Since he had already heard her stomach growling, Roxanne decided to be straightforward about it.
Lucian retracted his gaze and replied, “I haven’t been here in a long time, so I’m not too sure if that restaurant is still in business. Come on, let’s head downstairs.”
The two of them continued chatting as they made their way toward the elevator.
That was when Jack’s door opened by a crack, and he could see them as they entered the elevator.
The look in his eyes turned gloomy the moment he saw Roxanne’s outfit and recognized the man standing next to her.
That’s Lucian! So, he’s the one who came to Jadeborough with Roxanne! I can’t believe Roxanne declined my dinner invitation only to go out for supper with Lucian! Is it true what the rumors say about their relationship improving because of Essie? If that’s the case, then it’ll be near impossible for me to win Roxanne over!
Jack’s face darkened.
The elevator slowly came to a halt on the first floor, and Roxanne followed behind Lucian as they made their way toward the hotel entrance.
The moment they reached the entrance, Roxanne was filled with regret.
She had chosen a fairly short dress for the sake of convenience. It exposed a huge part of her body to the icy-cold winds at night.
Roxanne wrapped her arms around her body and shivered when a blast of cold wind hit her.
“Wait here for me. I’ll head back and—”
She was about to say she would go put on a jacket, but Lucian cut her off by taking his dress shirt off and handing it to her.
Because they were going to have supper, Lucian was dressed rather casually in only a black dress shirt over a T-shirt.
His slender arms and veins that bulged underneath the skin were exposed when he took his shirt off.
Roxanne instinctively averted her eyes when she saw that, only to have it fall upon his incredibly muscular chest.
As Lucian was usually dressed in formal attire, such as a dress shirt and suit jacket, she could only see that he had a huge frame.
It wasn’t until she saw him in a T-shirt that she realized just how muscular he was.
He looked nothing like a man who spent most of his time in the office.
Roxanne was snapped out of her dazed state when Lucian’s voice rang out.
“Are you satisfied with what you see? I’ve been keeping up with my workouts over the years.”
Her face burned bright red when she realized she had been ogling him. “I-It’s fine. I’ll go grab a jacket from my room…” she stammered while looking the other way.
Lucian frowned in displeasure. “Why? You had no issues with wearing Larry’s clothes, right?”
Roxanne stared at him in confusion for a few seconds before understanding what he meant.
Oh, that’s right… Lucian saw Larry draping his coat on me when I attended an academic conference back then. I can’t believe he still remembers that! Also, is he being jealous?
Roxanne stopped fidgeting and stood there while Lucian put the shirt on her.
Unsatisfied with just draping it over her shoulder, Lucian even buttoned the first few buttons to cover her chest before letting go.
Roxanne’s face was still a little red as she caught a whiff of his refreshing scent. For some reason, it filled her heart with a sense of security.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1380--“I just thought you weren’t dressed warmly enough either. Aren’t you cold with just a T-shirt on?” Roxanne explained in an attempt to clear up Lucian’s misunderstanding from earlier.
Lucian turned and stared at Roxanne, who was all covered up in his shirt, and held her hand. “I won’t be cold if we stick together.”
The two of them looked really intimate as they walked side by side while holding hands.
After making a lot of turns, Lucian and Roxanne arrived at a small alley.
Noticing that the alley was completely dark, Roxanne flashed him a confused look and asked, “Is this the place you mentioned?”
Lucian nodded. “It’s probably closed. Let’s eat somewhere else. What would you like to eat?”
As Roxanne was very hungry, a huge variety of options popped up in her head when she heard that.
After taking some time to filter through her options, she said, “Let’s have crawfish. I haven’t had them in a long time. I’m kind of craving them right now.”
Oh, wait… Most high-end restaurants are already closed at this hour, so we’ll only be able to find crawfish at the food stalls on the street. I’m not sure if Lucian will find such environments to his liking…
Noticing the conflicted look on her face, Lucian held her hand and led her toward the food stalls that lined the streets.
Roxanne breathed a sigh of relief and quietly followed behind him.
Concerned that Lucian would dislike crowded environments, she was planning on bringing him to a stall with fewer customers.
However, Roxanne couldn’t help but go to the liveliest one when she got there.
Since she hadn’t been there before, she figured the one with the most customers probably had the best food.
It wasn’t until they had taken their seats that Roxanne realized Lucian would probably dislike the stall she chose.
Sure enough, Lucian had a somewhat gloomy look on his face.
“I’m sorry. You don’t like dining in a noisy and crowded environment like this, do you? How about we bring the food back to the hotel instead?” Roxanne suggested apologetically.
The frown on Lucian’s face smoothened when he realized how much she liked dining there.
After observing his expression for a little while longer, Roxanne felt a little relieved when she saw that he was fine with the place.
Even so, she kept trying to chat with him to divert his attention until the food was served.
It wasn’t until the waiter served the food they ordered that she stopped talking and began deshelling the crawfish.
After deshelling one crawfish, Roxanne hesitated for a few seconds before placing it on Lucian’s plate. She did that to express her apology for making him dine here with her.
She waited for him to eat it before she started deshelling another one for herself.
Halfway through the meal, Roxanne realized something was amiss.
Huh? That’s strange… I keep eating, but there always seems to be more crawfish on my plate…
As she turned to look at Lucian, she saw that his plate was empty.
The next thing she knew, Lucian had topped up her plate with yet another crawfish that he had just deshelled.
Lucian paused when he noticed Roxanne staring at him in confusion. “What’s wrong? Does it not taste good?”
Roxanne shook her head. She was about to say something when someone bumped into the back of her head, causing her to let out a surprised squeal.
“What the… Hey! Didn’t you see us coming through?”
The sound of slurred speech was soon followed by the intense smell of alcohol.
Roxanne frowned as she realized they had encountered some problematic drunkards.