Ch. 2021..2030

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2021-Stella smilingly replied, "Miss Melody isn't just my friend; she’s also friends with Lucas! You must've heard some good things about Melody from Lucas, right?"

With a smile, she walked up to Lucas and looked down at him. "Otherwise, Lucas wouldn't be here today, right?"

Stella kept staring at him, hoping to detect some different expressions on his face. However, she saw nothing.

Lucas maintained a stern expression, his gaze fixed on a certain spot. "If you have something to say, say it directly. I don't like people who beat around the bush."

"I didn't mean anything else!" Stella sounded somewhat disappointed. She found another chair and sat down. "I just feel quite useless."

Stella lowered her head, chuckled self-deprecatingly, and said, "Miss Melody is so good at mollifying people. You've only known her for a short time, yet she has managed to get you to secure a role for her."

This time, Lucas' expression changed. He looked at Stella and asked, "You think I helped her get this role?"

"It's okay, Lucas. I know Miss Melody just entered the industry and needs this opportunity. It'll certainly make it easier for her to gain a footing in the industry if you help her. She won't have to run around like I did back then, begging for endorsements."

Stella smiled bitterly, but her eyes looked like they were about to cry.

"I didn't help her. She got this role on her own," Lucas said, his gaze darkening as he thought of Melody. "I was willing to help her, but she didn’t want to rely on me."

Stella was somewhat surprised. After a moment of contemplation, she could not bring herself to believe Lucas' words.

'How could Melody refuse help from Lucas? Who'd pass up taking a shortcut?

Melody's acting skill is better than I thought. She managed to convince of her independent nature which prompted him to help her willingly! It appears I've underestimated how cunning this bitch can be!' thought Stella.

Stella did not voice out her thoughts, nor did she press the topic further. Instead, she walked over to Lucas with a smile, saying, "Let's not talk about that. It's almost noon, and I'm hungry. I heard there's a good Korean restaurant nearby, so let's have lunch together."

"No, I have a meeting at the company," Lucas replied, not even giving her a glance. He then stood up and left.

"Lucas." Melody reached out to grab him, but she was a step too late, and her hand grasped at thin air. She looked at her empty hand, and a surge of anger ignited within her. 1 Lucas…rejected her for Melody and embarrassed her in front of Shaun.

Lucas never treated her like that before, and it was all that cunning Melody's fault.

"Lucas came here quite early, so there must be a lot of things waiting for him to handle at the company,"

shauh interjected, trying to smooth things over.

Stella snapped back to reality. Lucas had already left, but Shaun was still there.

Even if the female lead for 'War Song' had already been settled and there was no chance for do Nabofation,"

Shaun would be directing many more movies in the future. Thus, Stella still needed to maintain a good

relationship with him for future opportunities.

Stella turned. In that instant, the anger on her face had disappeared, replaced by a radiant smile"p M upderstahd? Lucas manages such a large company, so it's only natural that he has a lot on his plate. Besides, men always prioritize their careers."

"Yeah. Even just with my small company, I often feel overwhelmed. Not to mention Mister Lucas," replied Shaun with a resigned sigh.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2022-Stella's eyes wandered as she walked over and sat in the chair opposite Shaun.

"I heard you spent several years working on 'War Song'. Is that why I haven’t seen any new works from you in the past few years?" she inquired cautiously.

"Yes, that's right. I love the story of 'War Song', and I personally oversaw the script. I strongly believe this movie will be a big success," said Shaun, becoming quite talkative when it came to his new project.

After finishing his previous film, Shaun faced a creative bottleneck. He did not know what genre to pursue or how to break through. Eventually, he encountered

the story of 'War Song'-a tale of a female entrepreneur. It took several years of dedication to craft the script.

"But isn't it a bit risky to cast a newcomer for such an important production?"

Stella's question was met with Shaun's deep gaze.

Feeling his eyes on her, Stella quickly put on an innocent expression and waved her hands. "Mister Shaun, please don't misunderstand. I'm not saying anything negative about Miss Melody. I'm just a bit puzzled by your choice, so I'm trying to understand where you're coming from."

Recalling the moment he saw Melody in that advertisement, Shaun could not help but smile satisfiedly. "While it's true Melody hasn't acted before, I just feel like the female lead’s role should be hers the moment I laid eyes on her. She possesses the kind of strength I want for the female lead!"

"Oh? Is she that suitable for the role?" Stella's jealousy simmered within, but she did not express it.

Shaun nodded affirmatively. "She's the perfect choice in my opinion. Moreover, I have confidence that she'll excel in this role."

"Well, I trust you, Mister Shaun. I'm sure that with your guidance, she'll do well,"

Stella lied, suppressing her jealousy and anger.

She could not believe that Melody, a newcomer to the industry, could outperform her in her first movie. She was eager to see how Melody would perform and to see Shaun regret not choosing her to portray the female lead in 'War Song'.

"Mister Shaun, I have another endorsement to attend to, so I'll take my leave."

Stella stood up with a smile. "I wanted to catch up with you, but my schedule is too tight. Next time, make sure to think of me when you start shooting a new movie again, okay?"

Shaun was relieved to hear she was leaving. "Of course, of course! It'll be an honor to work with you."

"You're too kind! Well then, until next time." Stella smiled as she turned and left.

However, she immediately stopped smiling as soon as her back was turned.

Her visit made her realize just how truly capable Melody was. After all, she managed to earn Shaun's respect and Lucas' help.

Stella would never underestimate Melody again.

Melody left the company in a particularly carefree manner. The car Lucas arranged was still waiting at the entrance. She opened the door and got in.

Once seated comfortably, Melody noticed that the driver had not started the car.

It seemed like the driver had not heard her. He remained quietly m seated in the driver's seat.

Melody waited for a while longer, and when he still did not start the gan she was about to get dut and find her own way home. However, the back door opened, and Lucas got in.

Puzzled, she asked, "Umm… Why aren't you driving?"

"Drive," he ordered.

The driver immediately started the car, not even giving Melody a chance to get out.

It seemed that Lucas had informed him to wait until he arrived before driving.

"Why were you in such a hurry to leave just now? Yoy didn't even Wait for me, Mudas calmly asked her.

Hearing that, Melody became so angry that she did not even want to talk to him.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2023-Melody pretended not to have heard anything and turned to look out of the window.

Lucas suppressed his annoyance and patiently said, "Melody, I'm talking to you.” Melody turned her head slightly, but quickly turned it back. 'How could he ask me that when he was the one going with Stella to meet with Mister Shaun!' It was as if she was the one in the wrong.

Lucas' patience had run out by then. He had taken the initiative to speak to her twice, but both times he was ignored.

"Stop the car," he ordered.

Upon his command, the driver immediately parked the car at the nearest available spot and turned to ask, Mister Lucas, do you need me to get out? IV "Yeah."

The driver left the car swiftly, leaving only the two of them inside. Lucas forced Melody to turn and face him.

"Melody, I'm talking to you. Didn't you hear me?"

Forced to meet his gaze, Melody sighed reluctantly. "I heard you."

"Then why didn't you answer me?" Lucas frowned when he saw the displeasure on her face.

He personally approached Shaun to ensure that Melody faced less hardship in the entertainment industry. Instead of thanking him, she ignored him!

'She's truly an ungrateful woman!' he thought.

Melody looked at him resentfully. "Didn't you come with Miss Stella? What are you doing here with me instead? You should've stayed with her!"

"I came with Stella?" Lucas frowned. "Who told you that?"

Melody pouted. 'He's still trying to lie to me, even now?’ "I don't need anyone to tell me that. I saw it myself! Otherwise, why would you meet with Mister Shaun so early in the morning?"

"So you thought I went to see Shaun for Stella?" Lucas' mood lightened when he heard this, and a small smirk appeared on his face.

'Ah, so she's jealous!' he thought.

His anger immediately dissipated, and he released his grip on her shoulder.

"I didn't know she’d be there today. I actually went to see Shaun for you."

"For me?" Melody was surprised and, frankly, somewhat skeptical. After all, why would Lucas go to see Shaun for a contract wife?

Seeing that she did not believe what he said, Lucas sighed helplessly "l happened to knaw Shaun; So Pwent to ask him lo take care of you on the set, lest you be bullied because of your clumsiness."

"Did you…really go see Mister Shaun for my sake?"

Lucas patiently explained to her again, "Yes, I went to see Shaun for you. I've said it so many times. Do you believe me now?"

Melody was even more shocked. 'Is he really telling the truth? Did he, o mi really go to Misten Skaun to ask him to take care of me on set because he was worried I'd be taken advantage of? But why?'

Melody truly did not believe, or perhaps she dared not believe

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2024-However, when she looked into Lucas' firm eyes and listened to his patient explanations, she began to believe, albeit slightly, that he really went to see Shaun for her sake.

Realizing that he was truly there for her, the frustration Melody felt just a moment ago disappeared, replaced by a sense of bashfulness. She seemed to realize that the relationship between her and Lucas was no longer the same as before.

"Now are you willing to talk to me nicely?" Lucas leaned over her and smiled.

"You haven't had lunch yet, have you?"

Melody was not hungry, but when Lucas mentioned it, she suddenly felt a hollow sensation in her stomach and nodded. "Yeah, I'm a bit hungry."

Lucas raised his hand to look at the time on his watch.

"It's already past twelve. I haven't had lunch either. How about we grab a meal together?"

"Sure."

Melody tried to restrain the smile on her face. It was only when she had her back turned to him that she allowed herself to beam with joy with her cheeks slightly flushed.

She glanced down at the contract in her hand and felt grateful for the contract.

'If it weren't for this contract, I'd never know Lucas would do something like that for me,' she thought.

Lucas took out his phone and called the driver, instructing him to come back and drive them to the restaurant.

The driver was very professional and quickly returned to the car, then took them to the restaurant.

"This restaurant must be expensive, huh?" Melody could not help but exclaim when she saw the exterior of the restaurant.

The restaurant was owned by a friend, and Lucas often went to eat there. He never had to pay. He had not thought about whether the restaurant was expensive or not since it was not something he needed to consider.

"As long as the food is delicious, the price doesn't matter." Lucas casually took her hand and led her into the restaurant.

Before Melody could react, she was already pulled into the restaurant." Hey, Lucas…"

Her emotions were all over the place as she looked down at their interlocked hands and thought of what he had done for her earlier in the day.

Lucas sat in his usual private room and was about to order as he usually did when he remembered Melody was with him. Thus, he handed her the menu before calling the waiter over.

"What would you like to eat?"

It was not Melody's first time dining out with Lucas, but Lucas always ordered aggording to his own preferences, never bothering to ask if Melody liked the dishes.

This time, he himself handed the menu to Melody.

Melody took the menu and ordered a few dishes she liked.

"That'll be all."

Lucas then took the menu from her hands and ordered several of his usual dishes before handing the menu back to the waiter.

"Shaun promised me that he'll take good care of you during the filming.

Hell also find a way tobely buff you chopselto Continue working as an actress afterward," said Lucas, recounting his conversation with Shaun after ordering the food.

Melody did not expect him to think so far ahead for her. Besides the film she was about to shoot, he already planhed out her future career path in the entertainment industry.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2025-Melody had not even considered that far ahead herself.

"Thank you, Lucas," said Melody sincerely. In all her years, it was the first time someone had shown so much care and consideration for her.

As they talked, the waiter pushed the door open from the outside and brought in the food.

"Lucas! What a coincidence." Stella entered, following the waiter.

Melody's smile immediately disappeared when she saw her coming in. She had formed a negative impression of her from the moment Stella confronted her in

Shaun's office.

Lucas was surprised to see Stella coming in as well.

His visit to the restaurant was impromptu, so no one should have known in advance.

'Why would Stella appear here? Could it really be a coincidence?' he wondered.

"Weren't you just saying there was something to handle at the company?

How…" Stella turned her gaze toward Melody with a hint of aggression in her eyes. "How come you're now having lunch with Miss Melody here instead?"

Lucas only said there was something he needed to attend back at work as an excuse to get Stella off his back. He did not expect his lie to be exposed so quickly.

"I was starving," Lucas replied, seemingly not very concerned about her feelings.

It was obvious Stella did not believe him, but since he had spoken, she had no choice but to go along with it.

"Oh, I see! I'm starving too. I was thinking of having a meal here before going back to the set. What a coincidence to bump into each other again. It seems like fate, don't you think? So let's have a meal together."

Stella smiled and sat next to Lucas without even waiting for anyone's approval.

She then looked through what they had ordered. "Why did you order so little food? We should order more since there are three of US eating now. Don't worry, it'll be my treat."

"No, that won't be necessary, Miss Stella. I think we have enough food as it is.

It'll be a waste if we've ordered too much and can't finish it. Isn't the city campaigning for zero food waste?" said Melody in a not-so-nice tone.

Stella never liked Melody much, but because Lucas was present, she maintained a friendly facade.

However, all bets were off since Melody was so obviously trying to embarrass her.

"Miss Melody, I think you've misunderstood! I just didn't want you to feel shy because I'm buying this lunch, so why are you being ungrateful? I must say, I'm truly saddened by your attitude."

Stella pulled out her signature move, casting a pitiful glance and lowering her gaze as if she were about to burst into tears.

Melody could not stand this kind of pitiful act, but with Lucas around.

could not be botheredid engage with fella any further and simply turned her head, indicating she had no intention of talking to her.

Seeing this, Stella turned her attention to Lucas, who had been sitting silently on the side.

"Lucas, I didn't know there's a sentimental side to you. You've been coming to the restaurant since way back. You really like the food here, huh?” As much as Lucas did not want her to be there, he could not just ask her to leave.

"Yeah, I'm pretty partial to the food here."

"I see you still haven't changed!

You've always preferred things that can bring up nostalgia" Stella m laughed recalling Childhood mémories. "I remember when you were a child, you loved a particular type of candy. You had to eat it every day, and you often shared it with me."

As she spoke, she reached out to pat Lucas's arm. "Do you remember? I didn't like that candy at first, butm because vou gave it to me, I gradually fett in love with the taste! It's a pity that the manufacturer closed down later, and we couldn't buy it anymore!"

Stella lowered her head and sighed.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2026-Lucas picked up his glass and sipped his water. "It didn't close down. I stepped in and acquired it before it went bankrupt."

"Really?" Stella's face lit up with surprise. "So that means I can still have it?

Lucas, when can you take me to the factory for a tour?"

While they chatted, Melody remained silent, engrossed in her phone the entire time. She had not experienced these past events, so she could not find a way to join the conversation, other than playing with her phone, she could not think of anything else to do.

It seemed like Stella intentionally brought up this topic to create a distance between Melody and them. She was trying to make Melody understand that she and Lucas were childhood sweethearts and a perfect match.

Playing with her phone, a message from Sherman popped up on the screen, and Melody casually clicked on it.

[I heard you signed the contract for Shaun's new movie. Congratulations!] Upon seeing the message, Melody's first reaction was how he knew about it.

She then realized that Shaun chose her after seeing the advertisement by Parr Group, so Sherman must have known, too.

[Thank you. speaking of which, I have to thank you. I wouldn't have gotten this role if it weren't for the advertisement your company shot.] [Nah, you got it on your own merit. It has nothing to do with me. I hope you'll still remember me when you become a bigshot celebrity!] [Stop teasing me. I don't even know if I can do it. It'll be over for me if I mess up the performance.] [Don't worry, you can definitely do it. I believe in you.] Melody was still worried about letting Shaun down, but she did not know whom to share her concerns with. Thus, she felt a lot better after talking to Sherman about it.

However, what she did not know was that Lucas had been staring coldly at her while she was texting on her phone.

"What are you talking about?" Finally, he could not resist anymore. He reached over and took the phone from her hand. His face darkened even more as he read through the conversation between Melody and Sherman.

'What's wrong with her? She'd rather talk with Sherman than to me?' he thought angrily.

"Give me back my phone." Melody reached out to retrieve her phone, but he skillfully dodged her.

Lucas locked the phone and placed it aside, saying, "You shouldn’t use your phone during meal times. Eat your food now.”

"I haven't replied to the message yet."

Melody thought it would be rude if she did not reply to sherman Since he had helped her. Thus, she wanted to get her phone back to reply to the message. Nonetheless, she was frightened by Lucas' expression.

"Fine. I'll eat first."

'A wise person doesn't invite trouble, 'thought Melody. With Lucas looking so displeased, pushing m further might provoke his anger again. Thus, it was better to do what he said and once he was feeling better, she would ask for her phone back.

She decided to drop the phone issue, and Lucas' expression softened slightly.

Stella found the interactions of the two particularly irritating. She did not expect Lucas to be so concerned about Melody's behavior.

'Have they become so intimate in such a short time? I've spent more than a decade, trying to get him to be closer to me, yet Melody gets it so quickly! D *mn it! What does Melody have that I don't?' she thought.

"Lucas, I heard there's a good private dining place near your company. Are you free tomorrow night? Let's go try it together," Stella joined the conversation with a smile.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2027-Upon hearing this, Lucas glanced at Melody. He then shook his head, saying, "I have to attend a meeting at work tomorrow." "What about the day after tomorrow? I'm quite free for the next few days," Stella cheekily replied. "You know my schedule is always packed with shoots, so it’s rare for me to have so many days off."

Lucas intended to refuse, but the thought of Stella’s father once saving him made him hesitate.

Seeing that he did not respond, Stella flashed a radiant smile at him, thinking that he was agreeing to go out with her. She then glanced at Melody while

saying, "You're the best, Lucas! I'll text you the time and location, then."

Melody felt quite uncomfortable at listening to her 'husband' discussing a date with another woman. However, she knew she had no right to say anything.

Stella felt a dark sense of satisfaction when she saw the change in Melody's expression. Despite Melody and Lucas flirting with each other earlier, Stella emerged as the victor.

Stella lowered her head and noticed the glass Lucas had just drunk from.

Suddenly, an idea formed in her mind.

"What's wrong with the food here today? It all tastes so salty," said Stella with disgust. She then reached for Lucas' glass and brought it to her lips to take a sip.

Melody’s eyes widened when she saw what Stella did. The glass Stella had just drank from was the one Lucas had used in front of both of them.

Melody refused to believe Stella mistook this fact.

'Stella picked up the cup Lucas had drunk from and took a sip herself.

What's she trying to achieve? An indirect kiss?' Melody bit her lip, lowered her head, and let out a scoff.

'She's really shameless! Drinking from the same glass as a married man is akin to an indirect kiss, no?' Lucas noticed Stella had drunk from his glass as well. He had every intention to stop her, but before he could do so, Stella had already taken a sip.

Lucas' eyes darkened. His hand paused midair before he withdrew it.

Stella feigned surprise as if just realizing she had drunk Lucas' water. ’ Oh my goodness! Sorry, I think I mistakenly drank from the wrong glass."

She 'apologetically' placed the glass back in its original position.

"Lucas, I'm sorry. You're not mad at me, are you?"

Stella's words were like putting Lucas on the spot. It would make him seem petty if he scolded her then.

Since he did not know what to say, Lucas simply stayed silent. He proceeded to eat his food with a glower.

Stella did not get what she wanted, but she was not scolded either. All in all, it was a win for her. Feeling vindicated, she asked the waiter to bring a set of utensils for her so that she could have lunch with Lucas and Melody.

Throughout the meal, Lucas did not touch that glass again, Instead, he picked up thelglass in front of Melody after he had finished eating.

"Uh… That's my…"

Before Melody could finish her sentence, Lucas downed the water in the glass in one gulp. After finishing the water, he stood up.

Stella watched as he deliberately avoided the glass she had drunkn from and chase Melody's glass instead.

That left a bitter taste in her heart.

"Let's go back home."

'Just what kind of tricks did Melody use to make Lucas like her so much?' she wondered.

The three of them left the restaurant together.

Melody was about to get into the family's car when Stella, who had been behaving herselfSpoke upm again, "Oh My! My manager seems to have gone missing, and I can't reach him. The set is quite far from here, and I don't know how to get back!"

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2028-Stella might not have stated anything explicitly, but her intentions were unmistakably clear. She was subtly hinting to Melody that she should willingly let her and Lucas take the Riveras' car.

Melody could comply, but she could not fathom why Stella never chose to express her intentions directly. Instead, she opted for this indirect approach, which felt far from nice.

Stepping back a few paces, Melody turned to survey the surroundings.

They were not really that far from the city center, so there should be a way to leave. Sure enough, she spotted a bus station not far away.

She would be able to find her way back home as long as there was a bus.

'I should just let Stella have Lucas' car since she seems so hellbent on taking it,' she thought.

"There's a bus stop over there. I can go home by myself." Melody pointed to the nearby bus stop. "Lucas, you should give Miss Stella a ride to her set since it's so far away."

Stella's expression brightened 'gratefully'. She grabbed her hand and said insincerely, "Melody, thank you so much. I hope you don't mind me calling you Melody. You're really awesome, do you know that?"

"Of course not. Now then, I'll be going." Melody chuckled, withdrew her hand, and walked toward the bus station, completely ignoring Lucas.

Once again, Lucas found himself pushed over to Stella by Melody. 'She seems to have the habit of making decisions for me without bothering to ask what I want,' he thought. 1 "Let's go, Lucas." Stella was particularly happy at having gotten rid of Melody.

She reached out to link arms with Lucas.

Lucas stared coldly at Melody's back. 'Since she doesn't care about me, I won't care about her either.' 1 "Let's go." Lucas avoided Stella's hand, but let her get in the car nonetheless.

Stella smiled triumphantly as she followed Lucas to the car. However, after she got into the car, Lucas remained standing outside the door.

She turned to look at him and asked, "Lucas? Why aren't you getting into the car?"

"The driver will take you back to the set. I have some other things to attend to."

After saying this, Lucas signaled the driver and shut the door.

"Lucas, you…" Stella wanted to argue, but the driver had driven away.

Stella's face darkened when she saw Lucas walk toward the bus stop through the window. The anger in her heart erupted like a volcano.

'I can't believe he'd rather take the bus than take his own car with me so that he could stay with that b*tch! H was born with a silver spoon! When has he ever taken the bus before?!'

Stella grew increasingly livid, and her hands involuntarily clenched into fists.

"Lucas?!" It would be an understatement to say that Melogy was shocked to seel adas at the bus stop. "Whal are you doing here?

Weren't you supposed to leave with Stella?"

Lucas looked out of place in the crowd since he was sharply dressed in a suit.

"The driver is taking her to her set as we speak," he answered coldly.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2029-"The driver is taking Stella? What about you?" Judging from the expression on Lucas' face, Melody figured he was not planning to leave. "Don't… Don't tell me you're planning to take the bus with me?"

Lucas turned to look at her and nodded. "What? Am I not allowed to do so? n "No, that wasn't what I meant." Melody glanced around and leaned in, lowering her voice. "It's just that you're the president of Rivera Group, so isn't taking the bus a bit beneath you?"

Seeing her acting furtively, Lucas narrowed his eyes. "Is there a law saying that people of my status can't take the bus?"

"Of course not." Melody straightened herself and decided not to dwell on the fact that he was taking the bus.

Melody was, however, secretly pleased. The fact that he was there at least proved that he was not that concerned about Stella.

The bus arrived around 15 minutes later, and the two of them boarded.

To Melody's surprise, there were many passengers on the bus. After all, it was not rush hour. The two of them were almost squeezed onto the bus, and Melody found herself pushed into a corner.

She turned to glance at Lucas, who was beside her. He had completely lost the calm demeanor he had just moments ago with a frown plastered on his face.

Melody lowered her gaze, chuckling mischievously. She then teased him in a hushed tone, "What's the matter, Lucas? The life of ordinary folks not suiting you?"

It was Lucas' first time taking a bus, and he had not expected it to be so crowded. The bus was packed to the point that he could not even find a place to stand.

"Ouch!" Melody was jostled by someone behind her, causing her to fall onto Lucas' arm.

Her cheeks turned red, and she was about to stand up when the person behind her jostled her again, leaving her unable to move. "Um… Sorry about that."

In contrast to her embarrassment, Lucas smiled faintly. He reached out to steady her, suddenly feeling that the crowded bus was not as uncomfortable as he thought.

Melody leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat echoing in her ears. Her cheeks involuntarily grew hot.

To prevent her cheeks from getting even hotter, Melody tried to disentangle herself from his embrace. However, it seemed like the other passengers were conspiring against Melody. Everytime she tried to leave Lucas' embrace, someone would push her back into him again.

She could not stand upright at all, and to avoid falling, she had to stay nestled in Lucas' arms throughout the journey.

Lucas' hand gently supported her shoulder exceptionally tenderly.

Having been so close to him throughout the entire bus ride, Melody found that telanger she harbored because of Stella was not as intense anymore by the time they reached their destination.

The mansion where the Riveras lived did not have a direct bus route, and although Melody had chosen the closest bus stop, they still had to walk a bit.

Melody could not help but feel a bit awkward as they walked side by side.

The atmosphere was tense, and she wanted to say something to break the silence but did not know what.

"Are you upset today?" After walking for a while, Lucas broke the silence.

Having hit the mark, Melody's expression became somewhat embarrassed. However)she Chose not to reveal her feelings and instead shook her head, saying, "No, not at all. I signed a contract today and found a job. I'm quite happy."

Melody also stopped and looked at him quietly. "Well, what if I say I am upset?

"I wasn't talking about that." Lucas stopped in his tracks, looking at her quietly. "I'm talking about when Stella appeared while we were having lunch. Melody, you can tell me if you're upset."

What would you do then?"

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 2030-Undeniably, Melody was harboring expectations in her heart when she asked him that question. She wondered, 'Who am I exactly to him?’ Lucas gazed at her silently for a while before sighing helplessly. "Although Stella and I grew up together, we're not childhood sweethearts. We're just ordinary friends," he explained.

Melody's heart skipped a beat. Did his explanation imply that he cared deeply about her feelings?

'Oh, sh*t!' she thought when she realized that.

She was afraid she might develop feelings for Lucas if things continued at this rate. Unfortunately, that was simply impossible. She and Lucas were people from two different worlds-he a prince, and she a peasant. How could they have a future together?

"Okay, I understand." Melody did not say much more. She just nodded in response to Lucas' words and walked ahead. "Let's go. Grandpa and Grandma must be waiting for US."

Lucas was not entirely satisfied with her response.

The only reason he was willing to explain to Melody was so that she would not be upset anymore, but she did not seem to care much about what he said.

The two walked side by side, and just as they reached the doorstep, Melody saw Beatrice and Cedric gardening in the yard.

She immediately stopped in her tracks and looped her arm through Lucas'.

Lucas was puzzled by her action and turned to her, asking, "What's wrong?"

"Grandpa and Grandma are in the yard." Melody had already put on a loving smile; she looked completely different from moments ago. "We should appear as a loving couple in front of them."

Lucas snorted. "A loving couple? If you're so loving, why did you ignore me today?"

"Well…we can't let Grandpa and Grandma know that we had a disagreement because of Miss Stella, right?" Melody immediately shook her head and grabbed his arm. "Work with me, Lucas.” She led him inside, flashing a bright smile at Beatrice and Cedric." Grandpa, Grandma, what are you two up to?"

Seeing the two return, Beatrice waved and smiled at Melody. "Melody, come and take a look at the flowers I planted!"

Melody let go of Lucas' hand and walked over. "Grandma, these flowers look really beautiful."

"Yes, they bloomed exceptionally welli this year. Probably because you and Lucas got married. My wish came true, and.my mood improved, so the flöwers bloomed even better."

Beatrice handed the shovel to Cedric and led Melody back inside. "I'm so glad you and Lucas are getting along well."

Melody smiled and nodded, then turned to glance at Lucas. "Don't worry, Grandma. We'll always get along well."

In the past, she had emotionlessly uttered many similar words to deceive Beatrice. It was purely ton maintain the appearance of a loving maintain the appearance of a loving couple. This particular time, however, Melody felt a somewhat different sensation in her heart. Perhaps, deep down, there was a genuine hope that she would be able to stay married to Lucas.

Back in the room, Melody sat down on the balcony, gazing at the scenery outside with a troubled expression. In the past, she had no emotional M attachmentto Lucas, treating their relationship as merely a job that she could do with a clear conscience.

Acting was just a matter of fact for her. However, she realized that she might be catching feelings for Lucas.

She could not completely treat it as just a job anymore.

Regardless, they could not have any other kind of relationship. Even if Melody entertained other thoughts, they would inevitably come to nothing.