C8 TV interview

Her previously buttoned-up shirt was now unbuttoned at the top two buttons, revealing her graceful neck. Even without expensive clothes, Emily radiated a captivating charm.

The unexpected encounter with Sophia at the TV station today... Surely Finn knew by now, didn't he? He had adored her so much back then. He had even betrayed Emily for her. Four years had passed, and he hadn't called once.

Emily's lips curled into a bitter smile. What was there left to think about? To them, she was just a tool to be used.

She slowly exhaled another puff of smoke, her lonely figure not unnoticed by Lucas. Wasn't this the woman from earlier today?

What a coincidence.

Lucas had come out to escape Liam's constant chatter about his marriage prospects. The more Lucas stayed silent, the more Liam prattled on.

"Hey, Lucas, I think this girl is not only beautiful but has great presence too. She's perfect for you..."

None of Liam's words registered in Lucas's mind. Liam talked a bit more before noticing that Lucas had been standing in the hallway for quite a while. Curious, he peeked over Lucas's shoulder.

Liam immediately spotted Emily. She was undeniably beautiful, smoking with a mix of sultriness and independence, without a hint of unpleasantness. But what caught his attention most was that Lucas seemed to be watching her intently.

"Hey..."

Liam's voice interrupted his thoughts about Emily. Her appearance just now had indeed made him reflect a little. So mysterious... and even somewhat sorrowful. She seemed like a completely different person from the one he had met earlier that afternoon.

Lucas averted his gaze and continued walking past her as if nothing had happened. Hearing footsteps, Emily turned her head to look, but she only managed to catch a glimpse of a tall, somewhat familiar figure...

Liam ran after him, calling out twice, "Lucas!" Emily didn't have time to see his face; she only heard the name Lucas.

Lucas...

His figure disappeared around the corner, and Emily paid no further attention. She extinguished her cigarette, threw it away, and then headed back to her room.

The hallway of the bar was somewhat dim, and the rooms all looked the same. Emily didn't realize she had entered the wrong room. She casually pushed the door open and stepped inside. The people inside all looked up at her at the same time upon hearing the noise. Seeing the completely unfamiliar faces, Emily awkwardly muttered, "Sorry," and was about to leave, but a few men, already drunk, noticed her beauty and became interested. Mistaking her for a waitress, they pulled her back to tease her.

"Hey there... Where are you going? Stay with us."

One of the men casually slung his arm around her neck, pulling her close. His breath, reeking of alcohol, wafted into her face, making Emily extremely uncomfortable.

"Let go of me!"

Emily raised her voice slightly and pushed his hand away, causing him to stumble.

Liam recognized her as the girl from earlier and whistled, while Lucas, standing beside him, remained cold and expressionless.

Emily ignored them and tried to open the door to leave again, but she was blocked.

"Hey, it's easy to walk in, but getting out is another story."

Seeing her silent endurance amused him further, and his hand reached out indecently to grope her.

"What's your name? How long have you been working here? Make me happy, and I'll give you a lot of money," he said crudely.

Emily gritted her teeth, refusing to respond.

Recalling how she had pushed him earlier, he forcefully shoved her again and laughed loudly. To her surprise, the push caused her to fall on her knees right in front of Lucas.

Her knee hit the floor painfully, and she frowned tightly, her hands gripping Lucas's thighs, her face nearly touching him. Lucas's eyes darkened. The position between them was highly suggestive. He stood tall and imposing, while she looked small, kneeling between his legs. To make things worse, Emily accidentally blurted something out, causing the room to burst into laughter and mockery.

"It's so hard..."

Liam watched the scene with amusement. Emily, embarrassed, looked up and met Lucas's cold eyes. This face... wasn't it the man from earlier this afternoon?

Her face flushed, and she scrambled to stand up and explain, but Lucas finally spoke.

"How does it taste?"

"Oh..."

Another round of applause echoed, and Emily instantly jumped up, stepping back from him. Embarrassed and angry, she retorted,

"What are you talking about? I just walked into the wrong room, and I didn't do that on purpose!"

"Are you sure you didn't do it on purpose?"

"I didn't!"

"Come on, girl, one look at you and it's obvious you were trying to get close to him. You've got good taste too, falling right in front of Lucas... haha..."

The man kept talking, and the people around him joined in, mocking her further.

The other girls serving drinks looked at her with disdain, snickering mockingly.

"Lucas, say something! She touched you just now. How did it feel?"

Emily looked at him, but he only glanced at her coldly before turning away. Feeling humiliated and insulted, she wondered what she had done wrong. It was all because of them, and Lucas's attitude-he didn't say a word in defense. He was just like the rest of them. Emily felt foolish for thinking he might be Noah's father.

"How could Lucas like a shameless girl like her?"

Ava, standing off to the side, had long been annoyed by Emily and hurled insults at her. Even she hadn't been able to get that close to Lucas, yet Emily dared to do something so suggestive?!

Everyone in the room knew Ava had a crush on Lucas, and they were all enjoying the spectacle. To these rich kids, there was no shortage of girls, only a shortage of entertainment.

Emily wanted to endure it for Noah's sake, but her long-buried temper, inherited from her privileged upbringing, flared up. She was never one to back down, even years ago.