CHAPTER 139: FEEDING HIM

Beauty picked up a lobster from the plate in front of her, peeling off its shell with her fingers now slick with grease.

She then rolled the large shrimp between her palms, watching with barely concealed amusement as Lucas’s brow twitched violently.

*Let’s see if you still want me to feed you,* she thought smugly, her dark eyes gleaming with mischief.

*Let’s see if you’ll ever eat anything another woman offers you again.

* With exaggerated gentleness, she stroked the shrimp’s plump body before cooing in a sickly sweet voice, "Lucas, this one looks especially delicious.

And I peeled it just for you—aren’t you touched?"

Lucas’s gaze turned glacial, the air around him dropping several degrees.

The sudden chill nearly made Beauty’s hand tremble—one wrong move, and that fat shrimp would have tumbled to the floor.

"Of course I appreciate it when my woman peels shrimp for me," he said, his voice smooth as ice.

"Since you put so much effort into it, I’ll let you have this one as a reward."

"*What?*" Beauty’s face fell.

She hadn’t even washed her hands after devouring that greasy lamb earlier—now they were slick with shrimp oil.

The thought of eating it made her stomach churn.

And this man was *making* her do it?

*Talk about backfiring.*

She had meant to teach him a lesson, only to end up the victim of her own scheme.

Grimacing, she stared at the shrimp in her hand, her lips pressed tight.

She shot Lucas a look of pure resentment, her fingers trembling slightly.

"Don’t drop it," he warned, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

"If you do, you’ll just have to peel another one.

Not very efficient, is it?

Hurry up and eat—we still need to toast Grandpa."

*Revenge is a dish best served cold.*

With a resigned sigh, Beauty steeled herself.

*Fine, I’ll eat it.

It’s my own hands that touched it anyway.

What’s the worst that could happen?

A little dirt never hurt anyone.

She shoved the shrimp into her mouth, forcing a bright smile as she arched an eyebrow at him in mock triumph.

Watching the little rabbit chew with exaggerated enthusiasm, Lucas allowed himself a faint, satisfied smile.

She was still too green to match wits with him!

After staying by his side for so long, even this little white rabbit had learned to be cunning.

Truly worthy of being Lucas’s woman.

Before she could react, her wrist was firmly grasped by a large hand.

The corner of his mouth curled into a faint, teasing smile.

"Be good.

Toast Grandpa and Dad."

A chill ran down Beauty’s spine, but she quickly steadied herself.

After all, this was just an act—a performance for the Marson family.

Thankfully, no media was allowed to take photos here, and no one dared to pry into their affairs.

No one would overhear their conversation either.

With practiced grace, she raised her glass, a warm smile spreading to the corners of her eyes.

Her soft pink lips parted slightly.

"Grandpa, I wish you longevity and good health.

May you and Grandma always be well."

She downed the red wine in one go.

The old man was quite fond of her—though, truth be told, even if he hadn’t been, it wouldn’t have mattered.

His wife adored her, and that was enough. After all, the stubborn old man had spent his entire life being wrapped around that old woman’s finger!

"Thank you, Beauty," Grandpa chuckled.

"I hope you and Lucas will marry soon and give us a great-grandchild."

The moment those words left his mouth, her cheeks burned crimson, as if painted with sunset hues.

Flustered, she immediately lowered her head and refilled her glass before turning obediently to Mr. Williams and Emily.

"This toast is for Dad and Auntie," she said, her voice sweet and demure.

With practiced elegance, she drained the wine again.

For a fleeting moment, she felt a strange illusion—this didn’t feel like a company banquet at all.

It was more like... her wedding with Lucas.

Following his lead with devout politeness, she toasted each elder in turn.

Before she knew it, a faint haze of tipsiness began to cloud her mind.

Perhaps this is what they mean when they say the wine doesn’t intoxicate—people intoxicate themselves!

Faced with so many employees, Emily couldn’t afford to lose face.

No matter how much she despised Beauty, she still forced a gracious smile and accepted the toast.

She downed the cocktail in her glass in one swift motion.

"Sister-in-law, you’ve toasted everyone except me.

What’s the meaning of this?"

Laura arched her almond-shaped eyes, her words sharp and deliberate, each syllable dripping with accusation.

Beauty responded with a faint smile, gently releasing Lucas’s hand as she stepped toward Laura.

With so many people present today, even if this little princess wanted to throw a tantrum, she wouldn’t dare act out in front of Lucas.

What was there to fear?

The two locked eyes for a brief moment, the air between them thick with tension.

Beauty pressed her lips together, her smile poised and unruffled.

"How could I possibly forget my dear sister-in-law?

Though we’ve had our share of disagreements, let’s let bygones be bygones—all in this glass!"

Her words came from the heart.

The Marson elders had treated her like their own granddaughter, and she didn’t want to put them in an awkward position.

So, she was willing to set aside her personal grievances with Laura.

"How magnanimous of you, sister-in-law."

Laura scoffed coldly, draining her wine in one gulp before dabbing her lips with a napkin from the table.

Ever since she had openly expressed her disdain for Beauty in front of the Marson elders, she could clearly sense the shift in her grandparents’ attitude toward her—nothing like before.

This time, she had learned her lesson.

The banquet wouldn’t end until the early hours of the morning, but Beauty, tipsy and in high spirits, couldn’t wait.

She dragged Lucas away from the hotel before the festivities concluded, hopping into a luxury private car for a nighttime cruise along the Seine.

Lucas had chartered an entire tourist boat, leaving the vessel eerily quiet—just the two of them seated across from each other, a delicate dessert, a plate of exquisite cuisine, and a glass of fine wine.

Pure bliss.

Outside, light snow drifted over the Seine, the riverbanks aglow with countless lights, the rare tranquility wrapping around them like a dream.

Beauty rested her chin in her hands, elbows propped on the sofa, gazing at the breathtaking view.

"Where do you want to spend New Year’s?"

Lucas leaned back into the plush chair, his gaze shimmering as it settled on her porcelain-like face.

Bathed in the silver moonlight and warm ambient lighting, her delicate features took on a soft, dreamlike quality.

Beauty thought for a couple of seconds, her dewy eyes meeting his.

"How about we spend a few days with Grandpa and Grandma first, then head back to Chicago?" Lucas nodded.

A gentle breeze tousled his meticulously combed raven-black hair, sending a few strands tumbling onto his forehead—unexpectedly, irresistibly sexy.

It was the first time she’d seen him with his hair slightly disheveled, and for a moment, it felt like she was glimpsing the boy he’d been in his student days.

"Don’t move."

Before he could react, Beauty whipped out her phone, snapping a rapid series of photos of his face.

Lucas reached out to grab her phone, but it was too late—his impossibly handsome features were already immortalized on her screen.

"Were you trying to capture my worst angle just to laugh at me later?"

A cold voice spoke deliberately through clenched teeth as he frowned at her.

An ugly photo?

If someone this handsome could be considered "ugly" in a photo, then she honestly didn’t know if anyone on this planet could ever take a decent picture.

She decided to set it as her wallpaper.

The warm orange light casts a soft halo over his chiseled features, making him look even more mesmerizing.

His allure practically radiated through the screen.

"I made you look this good—you should be thanking me," Beauty said smugly, shoving the phone in his face before he could snatch it away.

Then, with a swift motion, she tucked it safely back into her bag, guarding it like a treasure.