"He's a friend of Henry's." Lucas smiled as he patted the dust off his clothes. "Serena, thank you. You protected me again."
I waved my hand dismissively. "No need to thank me for something so minor. When you run into people like that, you should put them in their place with words instead of resorting to a fight."
His gaze was filled with admiration and gratitude. "Mm, I understand."
"Serena."
A voice rang out from behind me. I turned around and saw Alex.
A wave of relief washed over me upon seeing him, like I had found an anchor in the middle of a storm. I quickly walked up to him. "You're finally here."
But he didn't seem pleased. His expression was unreadable as he asked, "What were you two talking about? Looked like you were having a good time."
"Mr. Hastings." Lucas smiled and stepped forward. "It's been a while."
When Lucas extended his hand, Alex hesitated for a moment before finally shaking it, though he didn't look too enthusiastic. "Mr. Schneider, I thought you wouldn't have time for events like this with your busy schedule."
"It's no surprise that I'm here." Lucas' smile was warm and effortless. "Even a busy man like you is here, after all."
A silence settled between them.
After a brief moment, Lucas glanced at Alex and took the initiative to excuse himself. "Mr. Hastings, I'll go talk to some of the other suppliers."
With that, he left, leaving just me and Alex.
The night air was growing cooler, and I couldn't help but shiver slightly.
Without a word, Alex took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. "What were you talking about that made you so happy?"
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