Chapter 270 A Cold Departure
“Okay.” Ruby nodded, still too shaken to even consider getting back into the air.
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Watching Arabella’s and Naomi’s helicopters in the distance, she could only clench her fists, frustration simmering inside her.
Half an hour later, both Naomi and Arabella had landed and were walking back from the tarmac.
“You did really well today. Your progress is impressive,” Lucas praised Arabella.
“Your instructions were very clear. That made it easier to follow,” Arabella replied, acknowledging his effective teaching.
“Hmph,” Ruby could only mutter her discontent under her breath, not daring to make another scene.
Seeing Naomi return, Ruby approached her. “How did your session go, Naomi?”
“It was alright,” Naomi replied, her expression tight.
Being up there had made the gap between her own skills and Arabella’s painfully clear, leaving her with a mix of resentment and helplessness.
“What’s wrong?” Ruby asked, sensing something was off.
“Nothing, just tired, I guess,” Naomi said, unwilling to admit her perceived shortcomings in front of others.
“That concludes today’s training. Everyone, get some rest,” Kyle announced to the group.
A chorus of “Okay” and “Thanks” followed.
“Good,” Kyle said with a satisfied nod before walking away.
“What are your plans after this?” Lucas asked Arabella.
“I have some work to take care of,” she replied.
“Ah, I see,” Lucas said, sounding a bit disappointed. “I was hoping I could take you to dinner.”
“Dinner isn’t necessary. You should head back and get some rest too,” Arabella said with a friendly smile as she said her goodbyes
Lucas watched her walk away, his eyes following her until she was out of sight.
Now that he was alone, Ruby seized her chance and asked softly, “Lucas, could I possibly catch a ride back to the city with you?
With Arabella gone, surely he wouldn’t refuse her this time?
“You didn’t arrive with me, so why would you ride back with me?” Lucas responded coolly.
“I…” Ruby was taken aback but tried to explain patiently, “Naomi has other plans now, so I can’t get a ride with her anymore “Then figure it out yourself.” What did her transportation issues have to do with him?
“But it’s really difficult to get a cab out here. Lucas, since you’re headed that way anyway, could you please just give me a lift? Ruby scrambled for reasons, hoping for a chance to be alone with him.
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Chapter 270 A Cold Departure
Lucas shrugged indifferently. “Then I suggest you start walking.”
With that, he turned and strode off without a backward glance.
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“Hey!” Ruby was so furious from the repeated rejection she felt like she could scream. Was this guy for real? She had practically begged, and he still turned her down flat.
“Naomi, don’t you think he’s being completely unreasonable?” Ruby’s face was flushed with anger. He’d been so gentle with Arabella just moments ago, but with her, he’d flipped a switch to cold and dismissive.
Naomi felt a flicker of annoyance but maintained her composure. “Actually, I’ve heard about Lucas. He’s known for being… detached with most people.”
“But he wasn’t ‘detached‘ with Arabella,” Ruby grumbled bitterly.
“That’s exactly why you need to keep trying. Like you told me earlier–don’t give up so easily,” Naomi said, offering the same advice back to her.
After a moment of tense silence, Ruby clenched her jaw. “I bet Arabella is behind this. She must have said something awful about me to Lucas. That’s the only reason he’d treat me this way.”
“Well…” Naomi hesitated briefly, then went along with it. “It’s possible, I suppose.”
Even though she sensed Lucas‘ genuine regard for Arabella was the real cause, she still needed Ruby’s cooperation for her own plans. Now wasn’t the time to be too blunt.
“Hmph. Just you wait, Arabella,” Ruby muttered through gritted teeth.
“Come on, let’s get going.” Naomi tugged at Ruby’s arm, and the two left the airfield.
“You’re finally here. I was starting to wither away from hunger,” Colton exclaimed, his eyes lighting up as Arabella walked in.
Arabella shot him an amused look. “You could have eaten without me.”
“And miss the chance? No way.” Colton shook his head dramatically. “You never visit. I had to wait so we could grab a bite together.”
“You might be waiting a little longer, then,” Arabella said with a slight grin.
Colton’s face fell. “You have something else? More important than food?”
“Not more important, but I need to review this consultation request first.” Arabella settled into the chair opposite his desk.
“That’ll be quick. For you, it’s a five–minute job,” Colton said, confident in her abilities.
Arabella didn’t reply. Once seated, she logged into the secure portal, quickly located the pending consultation case, and began tracing the IP address from which the request originated…
“This location… looks familiar,” Arabella murmured, her brow furrowing slightly.
“Something suspicious?” Colton leaned forward, instantly more alert.
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Chapter 270 A Cold Departure
“Not necessarily, but this address… run a full check on it for me,” Arabella said, passing the coordinates to Colton.
0471
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“On it.” Colton’s fingers flew across his keyboard. Moments later, he had the results. “Got it. The address isn’t far from your neighborhood.” He handed the tablet back to her. “Right here–Peterson Villa. They’re a well–established name in Doranor City, and they have connections to the Hamiltons… Wait a second.” His eyes widened as he made the connection. “That’s your uncle’s family!”