Ch. 1551..1560
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1551-- Watching Us
Roxanne and Lucian practically went into all the stores in the mall.
Meanwhile, Shawn was sitting at a table by the window in a restaurant neither Roxanne nor Lucian paid attention to. With a meaningful look in his eyes, Shawn was watching the couple intently. If I remember correctly, the woman next to Lucian is the legendary Roxanne Jarvis. Isn’t she Lucian’s ex-wife?
Suddenly, a man approached Shawn respectfully and sat down opposite him. Shawn turned toward the man and asked in a deep voice, “What have you found? Who exactly is that woman?”
Shawn’s assistant whipped out a document and handed it to Shawn.
“Based on the investigation, Lucian’s ex-wife suddenly left him six years ago. She only returned to the country recently, but shortly after her return, she had already gotten entangled with Lucian. Besides, it seems like Lucian has been pestering her,” the assistant reported.
A sparkle of mischief glimmered in Shawn’s eyes when he heard those words, and he stared morosely at Roxanne, who was nearby. “Her? She isn’t too shabby, but there are plenty of beautiful girls around Lucian. Why is Lucian pestering her?”
Indeed, Lucian didn’t seem like a man who would be all over a girl.
“Ms. Jarvis is Harvey Lambert’s finest disciple. After she returned to the country, she became a person in charge at one of Harvey’s research institutes and took up quite a few projects. Besides, she stole the limelight during the Damaris family’s medical consultation. She has great accomplishments in the medical field,” the assistant elaborated.
As soon as those words fell, Shawn narrowed his eyes and cast Roxanne a scrutinizing gaze. It sounds like this woman is definitely more capable than Aubree.
With that in mind, Shawn licked his lips excitedly and looked at Roxanne curiously. I wonder what this woman tastes like. Wait… She has a few kids with Lucian, right? I’m not interested in going after something Lucian has used.
Shawn retracted his gaze from Roxanne and asked his assistant, “What else?”
The assistant hesitated for a moment before answering in an uncertain tone, “I heard that Ms. Jarvis’ research institute is currently working with Damaris Group. They seem to have jointly developed a special drug for cancer treatment, which has already achieved significant results. I can’t be sure because the information is confidential. However, if what I heard is true, the drug is going to be the world’s first. Hence, they’re going to get filthy rich.”
Just as he ended his sentence, the assistant saw his superior smiling meaningfully.
In response, the assistant cast Shawn a confused look.
Shawn’s eyes were filled with mockery when he said, “I was wondering if Mr. Farwell would really fall head over heels for a woman. But now, that’s clearly not the case. Mr. Farwell is just taking advantage of that woman so that he can take control of the new drug. With Farwell Group’s current capability, they’ll surely monopolize the market for the new drug. By then, I’m sure the company is going to make a fortune!”
Realization dawned on the assistant after he heard what Shawn said. That’s the difference between me and the rich men. These men are all dating to make money! No wonder I’m still not one of them.
Shawn retracted his gaze after he watched Lucian and Roxanne exit the children’s clothing store and enter the elevator. “I’ve seen enough. Let’s go. It’s time to make our moves,” he said to his assistant.
The assistant instantly knew what Shawn meant and hummed an acknowledgment.
The two men then left the restaurant, one after another.
At the same time, Roxanne was frowning and trying hard to recall what happened when she was shopping moments prior.
Lucian saw the strange look on her face, so he asked caringly, “Are you feeling exhausted?”
Roxanne shook her head and cast Lucian an uneasy look. “I felt someone was watching us earlier.”
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1552-- A Movie Date
Lucian slightly furrowed his brows and glanced at his phone. Nothing seems to be going on.
“Are you sure?” he asked Roxanne.
Roxanne hesitated before shaking her head. “Maybe it was just my imagination. Now that I think about it, I don’t think anything weird has happened.”
Lucian embraced her and reassured her in a deep voice, “If you feel something is wrong, tell me. Don’t be afraid. I’m with you, and I’ll never let anything bad happen to you.”
In response, Roxanne smiled and leaned against his chest.
Soon, the elevator arrived at the top floor of the mall, and Lucian brought Roxanne into the movie theater.
Roxanne thought they had to go to the counter to get their tickets. However, she saw Lucian walking straight toward the entrance of the movie hall and said something to the usher before turning back to wait for her.
She froze for a few seconds before she followed behind him. “Don’t we need to get tickets?”
The usher nearby smiled and explained, “This gentleman has already booked an entire movie hall for the evening. Please inform us whenever you wish to start watching the movie.”
Once again, Roxanne was stunned.
Before she could regain her senses, Lucian had already led her into the movie hall.
Obviously, they were the only ones in the hall.
The moment they sat down, the staff started serving them drinks and snacks. One of them even asked the couple if they were ready to start watching the movie.
Instead of answering the question, Lucian glanced at Roxanne and signaled to the staff to ask her for her opinion.
In an instant, Roxanne felt as though she had just teleported back to the men’s boutique.
Fortunately for her, the staff wasn’t as enthusiastic and talkative as the sales attendant in the boutique.
In an awkward tone, she said, “Please start the movie now.”
The staff nodded and left the movie hall.
Moments later, the screen in the movie hall lit up, and the movie started playing.
Before noon, Roxanne didn’t even know they were going to a movie, let alone what movie Lucian would take her to see.
Therefore, she was filled with anticipation when she saw the movie’s opening sequence.
Meanwhile, Lucian was staring at her intently to find out if she liked it.
Apparently, it was a romance film with a medical theme.
Although Roxanne appreciated Lucian’s gesture for picking such a film, she couldn’t help but feel less interested after seeing the theme of the movie.
“If you don’t like it, I can get them to change the movie.”
Lucian’s voice sounded beside her ears.
“That’s not necessary. Let’s just watch it.” Roxanne returned to her senses and smiled. It has been such a wonderful date. I wouldn’t want to ruin it for Lucian.
At the same time, she was also keeping something else from him to protect his feelings. Now that he has reserved the entire movie hall, it lacks the atmosphere of a proper movie date.
The movie started, and Roxanne was watching the movie and talking to Lucian about the scenes that involved medical knowledge.
Naturally, Lucian was listening to her intently.
Roxanne didn’t know if the scenes were too foolish or if she was influenced by how Lucian was listening attentively to her explanations, but she felt annoyed as the movie went on. What is all this? Why is the movie spreading false medical information? Are they trying to fool the public?
Frustrated, Roxanne gave up explaining and clarifying the scenes. Instead, she just munched on the popcorn. Although the movie is bad, the popcorn is amazing!
After the movie, they went to their car and drove home. When they were on their way home, Lucian asked in a puzzled tone, “Did the movie show a lot of mistakes? If needed, I can either pull it from release or pay the director to shoot the movie all over again.”
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1553--Did Daddy Take Care Of You
Roxanne was merely annoyed while watching the film earlier. Now that they exited the movie theater, she thought she was blowing things out of proportion earlier.
“No, it’s just that my occupational disease is acting up. It’s good enough that the plot of the movie was well-defined. There’s no need to dwell on such minor details.”
Lucian, however, still seemed a little apologetic. “I thought you’d like such genres. I’ll change to something else next time.”
As if a sudden thought popped into her head, Roxanne teased, “Then let’s watch something related to trade wars next time. I look forward to Mr. Farwell giving me a lesson too.”
Lucian’s eyes darkened upon seeing how she had taken the initiative to joke with him. Without hesitation, he agreed, “Sure. I’ll accompany you as long as you want.”
His decisiveness left Roxanne feeling somewhat guilty. “Well, forget it. Once is enough for such an unpleasant experience. Let’s change to something unrelated to our profession next time…”
At that, Lucian lifted his gaze and glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
As their eyes met, they shared a smile.
It was already nine at night when they arrived back at the manor.
The two headed inside the mansion with multiple bags in their hands.
Meanwhile, the three kids, who had been home since Cayden sent them back earlier, had their minds focused on their gifts and waited patiently for the entire night.
The moment Lucian and Roxanne stepped into the house, the kids flocked toward them excitedly.
“Daddy! Mommy!”
With Lucian carrying almost all of the bags, Roxanne, with her empty hands, bent down and rubbed the kids’ heads adoringly with a smile. “Have you all been good at home? Did you all listen to Ms. Catalina?”
The kids exclaimed in unison, “Of course, we are! We even helped Ms. Catalina prepare meals!”
The smile on Roxanne’s face grew wider when she heard those words.
“Mommy, where are the presents for us?”
Benny stared at Roxanne expectantly, to which she lifted her head and directed her gaze toward Lucian.
In response, he gave Benny’s chubby cheeks a pinch before he gestured with his chin and remarked, “They’re on the couch. Go and open them yourselves.”
Sounds of cheers erupted among the three kids, and they scampered toward the couch at once.
Within seconds, the stuff on the couch turned into a mess because of the kids’ rummaging.
Roxanne had no choice but to go over and help them out.
“Yay! It’s the latest Apple!”
Benny’s eyes were sparkling as he shared his joy with Archie enthusiastically.
At that point, Archie had also found his present. It was the same as Benny’s but in a different color.
Like Benny, Archie was also immensely thrilled. Not forgetting to express his gratitude, he turned behind to look at Lucian and said, “Thank you, Daddy and Mommy!”
Lucian nodded lightly. “I’m glad that you all like it.”
“Wow! So many dresses! I love them!” Estella’s soft and adorable voice rang out from one side.
With an eyebrow quirked, Lucian looked at Estella and said, “Mommy specially picked them for you.”
Estella endearingly wrapped her arms around Roxanne’s neck and planted her lips on the latter’s cheek. “Thank you, Mommy! I love Mommy the most!”
Estella’s sweet and lovely behavior instantly made Roxanne’s heart melt into mush. “I love you too, Essie.”
“Mommy, did Daddy take good care of you today?” Estella asked with a straight face, almost as though she was ready to reprimand Lucian right away if Roxanne gave no as her answer.
To that, Roxanne and Lucian exchanged glances.
The man was undoubtedly amused. This little girl is now trying to poke her nose in my matters, huh?
Nonetheless, after thinking carefully about it, Lucian figured that Estella was on Roxanne’s side and ultimately did not say anything. Instead, he even put on a cooperative posture.
“He has been taking great care of me.”
The imposing presence of the father and daughter duo left Roxanne torn between amusement and exasperation. Without a choice, she could only coax Estella first while she reproachfully glared at Lucian.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1554-- Glad That You Know
Lucian met Roxanne’s gaze calmly. An accusatory look danced past his eyes, almost like he wanted to tell on her.
Roxanne retracted her gaze in annoyance and leaned over to carry Estella up. “Come on. I’ll bring you upstairs to try on the dresses.”
Estella reached out and held onto Roxanne tightly.
Just as the two turned and strode toward the stairs, a commotion resounded from upstairs.
“You guys better be careful. Don’t break or drop anything.” Sonya’s slightly displeased voice rang in everyone’s ears.
Puzzled, Roxanne lifted her gaze, only to find several housekeepers moving many bags down under Catalina’s instructions while Sonya followed behind, with displeasure written all over her face.
When Sonya saw Lucian, Roxanne, and the kids downstairs, her expression darkened even more.
Roxanne carefully put Estella back on the couch, then whipped her head around to look at Lucian with a questioning look, seemingly asking him what the situation was about.
Lucian shifted his gaze onto Sonya and asked, “Mom, why are you moving back at such a late time? Can’t you move back tomorrow?”
Sonya responded with a cold snort. “I bet you can’t wait for me to move out! I’m just an eyesore to all of you here!”
After saying all that, she swept her gaze across the bags of gifts on the couch. As she spotted several bags with familiar brand packaging, she immediately shot Roxanne a ferocious glare.
All these are new clothing! Lucian must’ve paid for everything! This woman bears to let my son fork out so much money when they aren’t even married. Wouldn’t things only become worse in the future?
Sonya’s burning gaze was so intense Roxanne could sense it, but her voice stuck in her throat.
Fortunately, Lucian stood up for her and explained, “Roxanne bought me many clothes. I’m gifting her a few pieces in return.”
A tinge of guilt rose within Roxanne when she heard the man’s explanation.
I only bought him the shirt that he’s wearing right now. How did he make it sound like I’ve bought him everything here?
Of course, Sonya did not believe her son’s words, but she did not say more and merely let out a derisive snort as she did not want to waste her breath arguing with him. “It’s not like I’ve followed behind the two of you. How will I know who fork out money to buy all this stuff? You two can say whatever pleases you, isn’t it?”
Finishing her sentence, she returned her gaze to the housekeepers and ordered, “Hurry up. You all will hold up Mr. and Mrs. Farwell’s rest time if this drags on any longer.”
As much as Sonya had used “Mrs. Farwell” to address her, Roxanne could tell that the former was merely trying to be sarcastic.
At the same time, she was also attributing her moving out to Roxanne.
As that realization dawned upon Roxanne, her expression changed drastically. Then again, considering that Sonya was about to move out, she did not make a scene and instead went up to Sonya and attempted to grab the bag from her.
“Mrs. Farwell, let me carry it for you.”
Sonya avoided her hand in exaggeration. “How will I dare trouble you to do something like this? Lucian will probably throw me out of the Farwell main residence if I were to do that.”
Roxanne’s body stiffened almost instantly.
Sensing Sonya’s hostility, the three kids quickly rushed to Roxanne to protect her.
Sonya threw a quick look at Estella and snickered coldly. “Estella doesn’t even acknowledge me as her grandmother now. I wonder if I still have a say in this household!”
Unable to hold it in anymore, Roxanne said, “Don’t say that, Mrs. Farwell. As long as I haven’t gotten your approval, I will remain an outsider to the Farwell family. So, there’s no doubt you have the final say in this household. If there is anyone who doesn’t have a say here, that person will definitely be me.”
“Glad you know that! Don’t you dare assume I’m leaving because I’m afraid of you!”
Roxanne pursed her lips without saying another word.
With his brows tightly scrunched together, Lucian went up to pat her shoulders affectionately before following Sonya out.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1555--Do Not Take Them To Heart
“Why did you come out?”
Upon seeing that Lucian had followed her out, Sonya thought that he wanted to apologize to her.
After all, it was truly ridiculous for him to give her the boot when she was his mother.
However, Lucian merely took the bag from her hand and placed it into the car for her. Then, he turned and regarded her in displeasure.
“I’ve told you that Roxanne is the wife I want. I hope you’ll respect her accordingly, if only for my sake. I believe she also wishes for harmony in this family from the depths of her heart.”
His blatantly censuring tone made Sonya so livid that her face flushed bright red. “You want me to respect her? Who’s going to respect me, then? My son kicked me out of the house late at night because of her, yet I’ve still got to pander to her?”
A frown marred Lucian’s countenance. “You’ve been living perfectly fine at the Farwell main residence, but you’ve just got to come to the manor and interfere in our lives. Besides, I merely suggested that you move back to the main residence. You were the one who chose to do so at this hour.”
In truth, he was very much surprised that his mother would move out of the manor in the middle of the night.
Little had he expected that she would even use it as a pretext to pick fault with Roxanne.
“How could you talk to me like this because of that woman?” Disbelief was written clearly in Sonya’s eyes.
At that, Lucian’s expression darkened further. “She has a name. Don’t refer to her in such a manner anymore henceforth. The same goes for the boys.”
Sonya gaped at her son before her, a myriad of emotions brewing in her eyes.
Over the years, he’d never treated me like this, not even when I forced him to fulfill the marriage agreement between him and Aubree. Now that Roxanne is back, it’s as though he has turned into an entirely different person, not only does he have the guts to talk back against me but also admonishes me! Then, there’s Essie. In the past, she was greatly attached to me. Now, however, she’s also clinging to that woman. Hah! I reckon that woman must have bespelled both my son and granddaughter that they’re perpetually taking her side!
As her thoughts went in that direction, her temper spiked.
When she again recalled that Roxanne’s pile of branded clothes was all bought with the Farwell family’s money, distress and vexation swamped her.
“You should set off now since you’ve decided to leave tonight itself. It’s late.”
After having made his stance clear, Lucian gentled his voice and opened the car door for her.
Sonya shot him a hard glare in fury but ultimately said nothing.
Fine, I’ll put up with it today. But I’ll never allow that woman to marry into the Farwell family easily!
“Drive safe,” Lucian said to the driver.
The driver murmured in acquiescence. Subsequently, he drove away slowly.
Lucian watched until the car disappeared from his line of sight before whirling around and going back into the mansion.
Right then, Roxanne was sitting in the living room with the three children while Catalina explained the chain of events that day to her at the side.
Catalina had no idea what had happened either. As soon as Sonya returned that day, the woman clamored about going back to the Farwell main residence and ordered Catalina to have someone help pack her luggage.
It went without saying that Catalina dared not defy her. While helping to pack her luggage, she listened to her veiled slurs.
“Mrs. Farwell has left?”
At the sight of Lucian coming back into the house, Roxanne put that question to him.
Dipping his head a fraction, Lucian waved a hand at Catalina in dismissal. The latter promptly grasped his meaning and left.
“I was the one who told my mother to go back. She dragged her feet for two days, so I thought she didn’t want to do so. Never did I expect her to choose to leave at this hour. I’m sorry. Don’t take her words just now to heart. She was merely peeved that I didn’t allow her to continue living here.”
Lucian looked at Roxanne apologetically.
Despite his words, Roxanne understood the meaning of Sonya’s remarks earlier all too well.
She forced a smile. “I know. I just hope she’s not mad at me.”
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1556-- We Want To Learn Everything
“Let’s try on the clothes, Mommy!”
Noticing that her mother was in a bad mood, Estella tugged on Roxanne’s hand lightly.
Roxanne glanced down at her. Aware that her daughter wanted to divert her attention, she cooperatively nodded and went upstairs with the little girl.
Meanwhile, Archie and Benny started studying the various functions of their laptops.
“What would you two like to learn? I don’t mind teaching you.”
Sitting down beside them, Lucian took the initiative to bond with them.
Archie and Benny were just about to log into their respective accounts. The instant they saw their father taking a seat by their side, they furtively stilled for fear of giving away their identities.
Archie put on an innocent expression. “What can you teach us, Daddy? We want to learn everything!”
Taking the boys’ age into consideration, Lucian pondered for a while. Alas, he couldn’t think of anything suitable for them to learn.
But in the face of their eager gazes, coupled with the fact that he was the one who proposed it, he could only bite the bullet and declare, “I’ll teach you some simple programming.”
Stealing a peek at his brother, Archie glimpsed the distinct reluctance in Benny’s eyes.
Undeniably, it was a veritable torture for a hacker ranked second in the world to begin learning from programming.
Unfortunately, Benny hadn’t any choice but to feign anticipation and bob his head hard to keep their identities under wraps. “Thank you, Daddy!”
Inwardly breathing a sigh of relief, Lucian snagged one of the laptops over and started downloading the corresponding software.
While he did that, Archie and Benny silently exchanged commiserating looks at the side.
“Well? Is Essie pretty?”
Out of the blue, Roxanne’s voice drifted into their ears.
Jolted out of their thoughts, Archie and Benny jerked their heads in the direction of the voice.
At once, they were greeted by the sight of Roxanne holding Estella’s hand, both of them wearing dresses of the same design.
Estella even had a pair of petite wings at her back and appeared adorable, just like an angel.
Roxanne, on the other hand, wore a blue maxi dress looking beautiful and elegant.
Archie and Benny had long since been accustomed to their mother’s beauty. Finding their sister cute and unenthused about learning simple programming from their father, they instantly leaped off the couch and sprinted over to Estella.
“Essie is as pretty as a picture! Did you also look the same when you were little, Mommy?”
Curiosity was etched across Archie’s features. With that simple utterance, he complimented both his mother and sister.
“Essie is lovely! Are the wings retractable?”
Conversely, Benny studied the wings at Estella’s back inquisitively.
Estella loved that design beyond words. As such, she swiftly hid behind Roxanne’s back upon seeing that her brother wanted to remove the wings.
However, Benny wasn’t willing to give up.
In no time, all three children were embroiled in a game of tag.
Roxanne watched them play with a smile on her lips, tenderness written all over her face.
“Ms. Estella, Mr. Archie, Mr. Benny, be careful…”
Soon, the children ran out of the mansion as they played. Worried, Catalina hurried after them.
In a flash, the living room plunged into silence.
Only then did Roxanne notice the man sitting on the couch with a laptop in hand.
“What are you doing?”
She strolled over in curiosity, totally oblivious to the dark look in his eyes.
As Lucian sensed her approach, his Adam’s apple bobbed imperceptibly. In a deep voice, he replied, “Archie and Benny are very smart. Computer skills can be cultivated from a young age, so I’m planning to teach them personally.”
With the man’s back to her, Roxanne didn’t notice his odd demeanor. She sprawled over the back of the couch and pinned her eyes on the laptop screen.
Just when she was about to speak, Lucian suddenly lifted his hand and slammed the lid of the laptop shut.
“What’s wrong?”
She turned her head to him in puzzlement, but her lips were captured when she was mid-utterance.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1557--Never Believe Him Again
The two of them had been apart for six years. After bumping into each other again, Roxanne had been averse to Lucian’s touch.
Since she had finally accepted him, Lucian naturally yearned to make up for the past six years all at once.
He initially planned on giving her two days to recover, but he hadn’t expected her to be so enthralling that day.
Both her seriousness when she negotiated with Jack and the expression of her love for him while shopping tested his restraint tremendously.
The moment he saw her wearing the dress he personally picked earlier, his control slipped further.
The kiss lasted for so long that Roxanne was close to suffocating. That aside, she was afraid Catalina and the children would return without warning. Thus, she lifted her hands and shoved at him.
It wasn’t until then that Lucian dropped his hand from the back of her head and brushed his fingers across her lips.
Roxanne backed away slightly. “What’s with you?”
Clocking the intense love in his eyes, she inexorably recalled their passionate interlude the night before. Her heart immediately skipped a beat.
“Since Mr. and Mrs. Farwell have moved out, the guest room should be vacant today. I’ll go and change the sheets. I’ll take the guest room tonight!” she murmured guiltily.
After saying that, she spun around to make a run for it.
Verily, I can’t stand his stamina anymore!
Unexpectedly, Lucian stood up and scooped her up from behind in a bridal carry.
“Whoa!”
Gasping in fright, Roxanne instinctively lifted her hands and wrapped them around his neck.
In a voice that left no room for argument, Lucian stated, “Ever since you moved into the Farwell residence, I’ve never thought of having you stay in the guest room.”
Hearing the truth from him at long last, Roxanne was embarrassed and irked. But still, she kept the children in mind and protested softly, “Put me down! The kids will look for me when they come back in later!”
Nonetheless, Lucian remained unmoved. “Catalina will look after them. Back when you were away, she took great care of them.”
“I still need rest!” Roxanne’s voice turned into a mere whisper.
At that remark, hesitation crept into Lucian’s eyes.
Consequently, a spark of hope rose within Roxanne.
In the next second, however, he started striding ahead as resolutely as ever.
“I’ll be gentle.”
Roxanne’s face visibly fell.
If it were anyone else, I’d really hit him where it hurts. But then, this is Lucian…
Early the next morning, Roxanne’s waist was horribly sore when she woke up.
“You’re awake?”
All of a sudden, Lucian’s slightly hoarse voice sounded beside her ear.
Roxanne was stunned for a few seconds before raising her eyes and casting her gaze over. At the sight of the indulgent smile on the man’s face, defiance blazed in her eyes.
Perceiving her resentment toward him, Lucian stretched his hands out and massaged her waist spontaneously. “I stopped when you fell asleep last night.”
Following that comment, Roxanne’s brows furrowed, and she sounded incredulous. “I passed out last night?”
Right after that, her face flushed bright red. She furiously rolled over, loathed to face the man beside her anymore.
Last night, I only passed out because he put me through the wringer. Yet, he’s feigning concern here! How hypocritical of him!
Lucian turned sullen. “It never crossed my mind that you’d be so tired. I’ll definitely be more careful next time and allow you enough rest. I’ll never again—”
Enduring the pain at her waist, Roxanne sat up from the bed. In a weak voice, she interrupted, “There’s no next time! I want to sleep in the guest room!”
I’ll never believe him again, especially when we’re in bed!
Having finally had a taste of her, Lucian wouldn’t possibly allow her to escape him.
But at the thought that he had indeed gone a tad too far last night, he could only relent smilingly.
“All right. You take the master bedroom while I take the guest room, okay? Quick, lie down and rest for a bit. I’ll drive the kids to kindergarten. I’ll be back before you know it.”
After he had said that, he carefully helped her lie back down. Then, he got up and took a shower.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1558--Not The Time For A Falling Out
“Daddy!”
Downstairs, Catalina was serving the three children breakfast.
When the children saw that Lucian had come downstairs, they all greeted him in unison.
Subsequently, Estella asked morosely, “Where’s Mommy, Daddy? My dress is spoiled.”
Upon hearing that, Lucian scrutinized her with a frown.
Estella was wearing the dress Roxanne put on her last night, but the wings at the back had come off at some point in time.
“Where are the wings?” he questioned in a baritone voice.
Wearing a recriminating expression, Estella turned to Benny beside her.
Benny proceeded to raise a hand apologetically. “I accidentally tore them off. I’m sorry. I’ll help Essie fix them!”
His voice dripped with remorse.
Patting Estella on the head in consolation, Lucian crouched and took a closer look at her dress.
He remembered that the wings at the back of her dress were indeed detachable.
Regretfully, he didn’t pay much attention to the actual mechanics of it.
After studying the dress for a long time, he stood up and declared, “It isn’t spoiled. The wings can still be reattached. But then, we’ve got no time for it now, so have your Mommy help to do it tonight.”
Estella eyed him dubiously.
Mild exasperation flooded Lucian when he saw that his daughter had so little faith in him.
Hmm, on second thought, she’s more attached to Roxanne, so this is nothing usual.
Hence, he nonchalantly changed the subject. “The clock is ticking. We’re going to be late if we tarry any further.”
At once, all three children sped up.
After breakfast, Lucian drove them to kindergarten and gave Cayden a call before heading back to the manor.
To his surprise, Roxanne was already downstairs, eating breakfast with her brows knitted together when he returned.
“Why didn’t you sleep in?”
Throwing a look at Catalina, he strode over to Roxanne and sat down beside her. He naturally placed his hands at her waist and started massaging with the perfect pressure.
As the pain at her waist subsided, Roxanne glowered at him in aggravation. “It’s not the weekend today, so I’ve still got to work.”
Following the incident with Jack, she realized that she needed to interact more with the employees, especially right then.
Otherwise, a single slip might result in Jack poaching them away. Consequently, it might lead to the core of the medicine’s research and development being leaked.
A frown marred Lucian’s countenance. “Jack has replied to you?”
At the mention of the man, a headache assailed Roxanne. “No. I think he’s reluctant to accept my terms.”
Judging from his attitude, he’ll likely fight us to the bitter end. Anyway, the only repercussion for Damaris Group at the end of the day is making less money. Unlike them, we can’t sign a contract with other companies before Damaris Group breaches the agreement. Even when this batch of medicine is successfully developed, we won’t be able to do anything with it.
The more she brooded over it, the more she felt that the situation was disadvantageous to them.
On the contrary, Lucian’s only concern was her health. “Since he hasn’t come around, it’s okay if you don’t go to the research institute today. You might as well rest at home.”
However, Roxanne shook her head in disagreement and told him about her concerns.
“I can’t shake off the feeling that I can’t allow this matter to drag on. To this very day, the research institute hasn’t found a suitable medicinal herbs supplier. As such, now isn’t the time to have a falling out with the Damaris family.”
At the sight of her in a bind, Lucian’s expression likewise turned somber.
He had promised to teach her management, so it went without saying that he would do so wholeheartedly.
“The actual reason for curtailing the percentage of the Damaris family’s profits previously is to lower their expectations of the profit split. At the same time, when we make concessions later, it’ll also reflect the research institute’s utmost sincerity.”
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1559-- Wish Life Can Be Thus Every Day
Roxanne listened to Lucian’s explanation intently.
Then, Lucian added, “All you need to do is stay firm on Jack’s bottom line, then raise the percentage of the profits bit by bit. If he really wants the profits, he’ll definitely capitulate.”
After hearing that, Roxanne nodded in understanding. “I get it now.”
Lucian arched a brow. “As expected of the mistress of the Farwell family. You’re smart indeed.”
At his teasing, Roxanne feigned irritation and snapped her head back to order Catalina to help get the guest room ready.
Alas, Catalina was nowhere to be seen.
“Who are you looking for?”
Lucian sounded as though he had seen through her entirely.
“Where’s Catalina?” Roxanne huffed.
Sure enough, Lucian had anticipated that reply from her.
He regarded her in amusement. “Why would she be here when this is our time alone?”
Having said that, he increased the pressure of his massage. “Or do you want her to witness how I serve you?”
At his quip, Roxanne blushed bright red and lifted her hands to slap his away.
Aware of her intentions, Lucian apologized with a chuckle. “Okay, I’m sorry. I dismissed her because I knew that you’re shy.”
Only then did Roxanne’s expression ease.
Thereafter, Lucian questioned meaningfully, “I’m a pretty good advisor, huh? Are you not planning on thanking me when I taught you so much earlier?”
Roxanne promptly stilled imperceptibly. The instant she raised her eyes, she noticed that he was staring at her fixedly, his gaze blatantly roving over her lips.
Cottoning on to his intimation, she put down her fork in feigned calmness and asked in return, “Wasn’t that what I deserved? I’d even passed out last night.”
At the mention of the events last night, Lucian tactfully put his bluster away. Smiling, he agreed, “Indeed, it was what I owed you. I misspoke again. But you’re worn out today. The matter with Jack can still be put off for a while. Just rest at home for a day if there’s nothing important.”
While speaking, he glanced at her waist worriedly.
His scrutiny made her both mortified and galled. Her waist truly ached, so she had no choice but to relent and rest at home first.
Nonetheless, she felt bad at the thought of the employees at the research institute.
“Don’t you have to go to work?” she queried in bemusement, her gaze fixated on the man in front of her.
“Not today. I’m staying home to take care of you.”
Seeing that she had finished eating, Lucian leaned over and scooped her up. He headed upstairs right away.
Since Roxanne knew that her strength was no match for his and all struggles would be futile, she allowed him to do as he pleased.
He carried her all the way upstairs and placed her down carefully. Whirling around, he got her a ton of snacks and placed them at the head of the bed. On top of that, he thoughtfully poured her a glass of water.
Just when she thought he would go to the study to handle work matters, he flipped open the covers and snuggled in before reaching out and pulling her into his arms.
“Is it really fine that you’re not going into the office? And you don’t even need to settle some work matters online?” Roxanne was still a touch anxious.
However, Lucian merely hugged her and kissed the side of her neck. “Today, no work is as important as you. Back then, I’d already tired you out the whole night, and you even had to wake early to go to work. That was my mistake. I’m not going to repeat it again this time.”
Recalling her feelings when she woke up alone that morning, Roxanne contrasted that with the bliss of the man’s warm embrace then. Gradually, a smile bloomed on her face.
“How I wish life can be thus every day.”
The sensation of a soft body in his arms had Lucian uncontrollably tighten his arms around her.
Leaving The Country After Divorce Chapter 1560-- Unavoidable Responsibility
Roxanne allowed herself only a day of rest at home.
The following day, Lucian tried to persuade her to stay home, but she was hesitant. When she was about to give in, she received a call from Linda. “Dr. Jarvis, we have encountered some problems with Damaris Group. We might need your help to resolve them.”
Linda sounded serious.
Roxanne’s expression, too, darkened. “What happened?”
She could tell Jack might have lost his patience and thrown a fit.
Initially, she had intended to follow Lucian’s advice and give Jack the cold shoulder for a couple more days before discussing the distribution of profits with him.
To her surprise, Jack’s patience has worn thin much quicker than anticipated.
Roxanne somehow knew what Linda was about to tell her.
“The medicinal herbs we use to develop our drugs have run out. When we reached out to Damaris Group for a restock, they refused to provide us with the necessary materials.” Linda, who did not participate in the negotiation between Roxanne and Jack, had no idea the two sides had parted on bad terms.
She was struck dumb when Damaris Group declined her request.
That was why she immediately called Roxanne to ask for help after regaining her senses.
Upon hearing that, Roxanne’s expression darkened slightly. “Do we not have any medicinal herbs left?”
Linda responded, “We do have some, but it’s only sufficient for small-scale production. However, since we’ve finished the product registration, we’re preparing to start mass production. Therefore, the limited quantity we possess won’t be enough. Moreover, we’ve already invested a substantial amount of money into the production workshop, so it won’t be feasible for us to cover the costs in a short period of time. The scarcity of medicinal herbs will significantly impact our production, resulting in substantial losses to our business.”
In other words, they must get their hands on the medicinal herbs as soon as possible.
Once again, Roxanne’s expression darkened. After pondering for a while, she said, “Got it. I’ll figure it out. As for the registration, find a way to delay the process while I try my best to solve the problem.”
Not knowing what had happened between then, Linda did what she was instructed.
Upon ending the call, a look of worry washed over Roxanne’s face.
The heated argument she had with Jack last time had created a difficult situation that needed to be resolved.
It was a problem worth contemplating, but time was not on her side.
“What kind of trick is Jack up to now?” Lucian was on the side listening to her phone call, and he vaguely heard that the problem was related to Damaris Group. It seems they had stopped supplying medicinal herbs to the research institute.
As soon as she heard his voice, Roxanne felt a sense of calm wash over her. She proceeded to share her thoughts with him and the unexpected situation. “I’m afraid Damaris Group has had it up to here with us.”
Lucian arched his eyebrows and embraced Roxanne to comfort her while analyzing the current situation in a deep voice. “Jack wants the money, but more importantly, he wants to get hold of the patent for this batch of medicine. Damaris Group is known for its medicines, so patents, to them, are more appealing than money.”
Roxanne nodded in agreement. “But I don’t understand why he does this to us. Isn’t he afraid of damaging Damaris Group’s reputation?”
The news of the medicine’s launch had spread like wildfire, and countless patients were eagerly waiting for it, hoping it would be a lifesaver.
However, Jack’s selfishness caused a delay in the launch.
If the public learned about this, it would deal a blow to Damaris Group’s reputation, as they had always claimed to be in the business of doing well by doing good.
Lucian’s eyes narrowed slightly. With a hint of indifference in his eyes, he uttered, “That’s just how Jack is. He’s using this to pressure you into taking a stand. If the product’s release is delayed, it could result in negative public opinion. And this will reflect badly on the product, and your research institute will be held accountable for it.”