Scarlett stepped into the office and gently closed the door behind her. A bright smile was fixed on her face, every step she took toward Lucian's desk graceful and deliberate.
"Lucian," she called sweetly, her voice soft and seductive.
Lucian looked up, expecting to see Scarlet Winter. He had thought she might return to ask about the visit to her parents, something he was already prepared for. But when the steps grew louder and the voice reached his ears, his brows immediately furrowed in irritation.
"Who let you in?" he asked flatly, his voice cold and distant.
Scarlett Roberts chuckled as she stopped near his desk. "What do you mean? As your fiancée, don't you think it's strange to be announced or led in by someone else? Besides, the whole city knows you're mine."
Lucian's expression didn't change. "Scarlett, both you and I know that's not true. Just because I respect your brother doesn't mean you should mistake my patience for weakness."
He leaned back in his chair, twirling a pen between his fingers, his eyes back on the documents in front of him.
Scarlett's face twitched with frustration, but she quickly masked it. She walked to the chair opposite him and sat down with a proud posture.
"Ask your assistant to bring me coffee or tea," she said coolly.
Lucian paused and looked at her again, his eyes narrowing as if seeing her in a new light.
"What did you just say?" His voice was sharper now.
Scarlett tilted her head. "I simply asked for a cup of coffee or tea. That's normal, isn't it? A basic gesture for a guest."
In truth, she wanted to humiliate Scarlet Winter. Let's see how that little assistant reacts when her dear husband orders her to serve his ex-fiancée.
Though she couldn't change Lucian's decision to marry someone else, she could at least make sure Scarlet felt out of place. If Scarlet wanted to play the assistant, then she wouldn't mind treating her like one.
Lucian's lips curved into a cold smile as he stared at her.
"Do you remember that the assistant you're referring to is actually my wife?" he asked calmly.
Scarlett shrugged. "Well, she's just a mistake waiting to be corrected," she replied, not breaking eye contact.
She wasn't ready to give up. The marriage agreement between the Roberts and Sterling families had existed since they were children. It was meant to be her by Lucian's side. She wouldn't accept anyone taking her place so easily.
Lucian sighed, his fingers pressing against his temple. He had hoped for a quiet day at work, but clearly, that was too much to ask for.
Without another word, he reached for the intercom and pressed a button.
"Bring in a cup of tea and some snacks," he said to his secretary, then hung up.
Scarlett smiled to herself. She thought she had pushed him into a corner. She believed Lucian would now have no choice but to ask Scarlet Winter to serve her, and she could enjoy watching the girl feel humiliated.
Her eyes gleamed with victory as she planned her next move.
A few minutes later, the door opened.
A young, elegant secretary entered, holding a tray with a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits.
"Your tea, sir," she said politely, placing the tray on the table before bowing slightly and leaving the office.
Scarlett's smile vanished.
Her eyes followed the girl as she left, and her fists slowly clenched on her lap. Her pride had taken a hit. She had been expecting Scarlet to serve her the tea—not some other secretary.
Lucian didn't hide his amusement. He leaned forward, his voice mocking and smooth.
"Your tea, Miss Roberts," he said, watching her closely.
Her face was frozen in place, her eyes cold, but Lucian's smirk only deepened.
"Lucian, are you serious?" Scarlett Roberts asked, her voice shaking slightly. She hadn't expected this. Things were clearly slipping out of her control.
"What?" Lucian asked, his tone calm but mocking. "Didn't you ask for tea or coffee? It's been served. Why do you look upset? Or… did you have something else in mind?"
A knowing smirk tugged at his lips. He wouldn't have been surprised if Scarlet Winter had been the one to bring in the tea—and maybe it would've been spilled on purpose, burning her hand. It would've seemed like an accident, but he knew better. Scarlett Roberts was capable of such schemes.
Scarlett averted her eyes quickly. To hide her flustered state, she picked up the tea and took a quick sip—only to spit it out instantly, coughing as the hot liquid burned her tongue and messed up the floor.
Lucian's eyes turned colder. "I never expected the Roberts family to have such poor manners," he said, smirking.
"You did this on purpose, didn't you?" Scarlett snapped, her voice rising. She couldn't believe this was happening. Lucian used to tolerate her moods. He used to agree to her demands. But now, he seemed determined to protect the woman who had taken her place.
"Miss Roberts," Lucian said calmly, "don't you think you're being delusional? Are you saying I forced the tea into your mouth?" His smile widened, but it didn't reach his eyes. "If you don't have anything important to say, you can leave. I've already had a stressful day."
Scarlett opened her mouth but swallowed the words on her tongue. She had come with a plan—to talk about the marriage and fix what she saw as a mistake.
If she left now, she might lose her only chance.
Slowly, she stood and walked over to Lucian's chair. She leaned forward, placing her hand on the headrest, her fingers lightly brushing his shoulders. Her tone softened.
"We can talk, right? Maybe change things. We can fix this if we work together…"
Lucian looked up at her with a hard expression. "Scarlett, this isn't some fairytale where you wave a wand and change everything. What's done is done. This marriage isn't going anywhere. You should leave."
He didn't want to waste another second with her. He pushed back his chair and stood up to leave—but before he could take a step, Scarlett suddenly threw herself into his arms, clinging to him tightly.
"Let go," Lucian said sharply and tried to push her away, but she only held him tighter, her body pressed close in a way that looked far too intimate.
At that exact moment, the office door creaked open.
Scarlet Winter stood at the doorway.
Her eyes flicked between the two of them. Scarlett Roberts didn't even try to move away. Instead, she smiled and spoke in a calm, mocking voice.
"Assistant Winter, do you need something?"
Lucian's expression turned icy, his jaw clenched, his fists tight. Scarlet Winter looked between them and, seeing the emotion in Lucian's face, assumed he was angry because she had walked in without knocking.
Her heart sank.
"I just came to drop off these documents," she said quietly and placed the papers on his desk.
As she turned to leave, she caught the smug, victorious smile on Scarlett Roberts' face.
But Scarlet Winter only smiled back—calmly and sweetly.
"Enjoy yourselves," she said, then turned and walked out of the office.
Once her back was turned, the coldness returned to her eyes.