Chapter 997 Not My Place to Meddle

Astoria broke the silence, perhaps to ease the awkwardness. "Ms. Scott, the pasta is delicious." I offered her a smile. "Help yourself to more," I said, and then we lapsed back into silence. She nodded and added, "There's this great pasta place by Sunrise Gateway. Their bolognese is amazing. I used to go there all the time. We should check it out together sometime." "Sounds good," I responded, my tone neutral. At a loss for words, she glanced at Lucas, who was focused on his meal. She bit her lip and returned to her food in silence. Dinner was over in minutes. The silence was so profound one could have heard a pin drop. Astoria wolfed down her food and was done in no time. She laid her fork to rest and announced, "Ms. Scott, sir, please enjoy your meal. I'm finished and will go straight to my room." I nodded while Lucas just hummed in acknowledgment. With Astoria's departure, the mood at the table grew heavier. I kept eating, my face a mask of indifference. I was not in the mood for chit-chat. "You bought a new place." Lucas broke the silence. "Yeah," I replied, not elaborating. My bowl still had pasta in it, but my appetite had vanished. I set my fork aside and took a sip of water. As I drank, Lucas caught my eye and asked, "When's the move?" "In the next day or two." He nodded. Noticing I was not eating anymore, he casually transferred my leftover pasta to his bowl and resumed eating. He asked, "Heading back to Lake City after you're settled in?" "Yeah." Our conversation was as awkward as it was brief. I was not up for small talk and got up to do chores in the kitchen. "Yvette!" His voice stopped me in my tracks. I turned to him, my expression unreadable. "What's up?" He looked better. The bruises on his face had faded, and his sharp features seemed more pronounced—maybe because he was feeling better. He was definitely more handsome than he had been a few days ago. "I've been thinking these past few days..." I cut him off, "If you don't enjoy the pasta, don't push yourself. There's fresh fruit if you're hungry. I'll handle the work in the kitchen." I reached for his bowl, which still had a fair amount of pasta left. However, he stopped me with an urgent look in his eyes. "It's good, really. I'm not forcing myself. I'm not done yet." I pulled back. "Okay, then. Enjoy." I collected the rest of the dishes and retreated to the kitchen. I washed up in silence. Before long, Lucas was at the kitchen door. "I'm done eating." I glanced back to find him in his wheelchair, the bowl in his hands nearly empty. I took the bowl and fork without a word, silently tidying up. The intense stare from behind me was unsettling, but I did my best to shrug it off. 15 minutes later, as dusk approached, I got ready to head out. Astoria walked me to the gate, and her voice tinged with concern as she said, "Ms. Scott, you haven't said a word to him. Are you upset with him?" I shook my head. "No, I'm thinking of the move tomorrow. Get some rest tonight. We've got a big day ahead." She nodded, though a bit puzzled, and watched me walk away. … The following morning, I was up early to tackle the move. Thankfully, with the movers I had hired, we were done moving Astoria's and Lucas' stuff by midday. Exhausted, we opted for takeout in the new place. After eating, Astoria retreated to her room to sort things out. Lucas, whose room was on the ground floor for easy access, settled with a book in the living room. After a stroll through the yard, I was feeling satisfied that we were nearly settled in. I walked back inside and accidentally locked eyes with him. I quickly looked away, but he broke the silence. "Yvette, we need to talk." I nodded, poured us both a glass of water, and joined him on the couch. He wasted no time. "I shouldn't have left without a word. I'm sorry." I met his gaze evenly. "You don't owe me an apology. It's not my place to question where you go or what you do." I finished speaking and quickly handed him a bank card before he could get a word in. "I've been sorting out the assets and properties you signed over to me years ago. Some of the real estate isn't easy to move quickly, and with your unique situation, transferring ownership and dealing with banks just isn't possible. "So, I've put most of your money on this card. The PIN is your birthday." Lucas' expression turned stormy, and he glared at me with furrowed brows. "What are you trying to say?"