Chapter 2 Crushing His Ego

Lucian's harsh words sounded like garbage to her ears as she listened to him, only that unlike before, she wasn't intimidated by his tone, she only felt pure disgust toward him. She summoned a composure that was far-fetched so that she could get through with this call without telling him to go to hell. "I just woke." She simply said. She heard Lucian scoff over the phone. "Let's have lunch at Dennis by 12. Don't be a minute late." He didn't bother to hear her response before putting an end to the call. Dennis was his aunt's eatery, one of the most expensive ones across town.

With a small knowing smile on Lenora's face, she freshened up and picked up an elegant short red dress from her closet. She made sure that it was 12:30 pm before she started dressing. By the time she was done, she looked quite sophisticated, and sassy. Just how she wanted to look when she's faced with him. "Nora! I'm going out to grab some groceries." Her mother's voice jolted her as it pierced through the room from outside. She had stopped living with her mother in her past life but this was five years ago. She remembered this very moment. "Okay mum!" She responded, glad that her mother who was sick in her past life was here hale and healthy. She would make sure to take good care of her this time around, so she wouldn't have to end up having kidney problems.

A lot had really happened in her past life, but that was about change-For the best. Moments later, she arrived at the said venue. The usual scent of freshly made grilled steak hit her nostrils as she stepped into the eatery. She carefully took her steps with an unusual confidence, looking unbothered. She spotted Lucian, who was already seated, dressed in an over-expensive two-piece tailored black suit. Lucian was the type who cared so much about his appearance because he depended on materialistic things to inflate his ego and get people to respect him.

He also usually revels in being the main character anywhere he is. Seeing him again after all that had happened, the feeling of hurt, and anger started to consume her afresh. It wasn't her fault that he met her at a grand party hosted by some billionaire CEO that her company sent her to represent.

They had even given her a grand dress to wear there and she had caught Lucian's eyes. She had quickly fallen for his charm and good looks as well. It was later that she got to know Lucian had thought she came from a rich home. He didn't know that she stemmed from a middle-class family and was only at the party to represent her company, not because she could afford the high-priced ticket. Then he started to treat her like shit after he took her virginity.

But Lucian enjoyed how Nora worshipped the floor he walked on, and how no matter what he did, she wouldn't talk back to him to avoid losing him. Excusing her memory, she returned to the present. Lucian was looking slightly angry as she approached his table. At some point, Lenora could swear she noticed his hard demeanor falter slightly as he accessed her. It wasn't every time she dressed up this gorgeous. She could even feel glances on her, but she didn't mind it. She stopped at their table, smacked her fully colored red lips together, and sank into the leather chair across him. "Hi Lucian," she greeted, her blue eyes meeting his green ones fearlessly. "You are 45 minutes late.

I warned you to be on time, but you went ahead and kept me waiting, I would have left and let you come here feeling embarrassed at your..." "Come on, Lucian. I was hoping you would compliment my dress, but I guess I overrated you." She interrupted casually, looking away from his shocked look to the waiter. "I would like a bottle of margarita please." The waiter nodded respectfully and left. "Are you sick in the head or something?" Lucian asked, raising a thick dark brow up. "Have you forgotten your good manners at home? You didn't just invalidate my complaint, did you?" The way his voice was fluctuating in highs and lows with authority was starting to irritate Lenora. "For an average looking man whose only value is his money, you overrate yourself too much, don't you think? Don't bore me, Lucian, I have important things to do, and I would gladly bail out of here if this is what you want to do all day." Lenora spat just as her margarita arrived, maintaining beauty while at it. Just then, she heard her name being called by a feminine voice. "Lenora," She recognized that voice even before turning towards it.

The voice that had traumatized her and haunted her up to this very moment. She hated it, and despised it, and surprisingly, it repulsed her to turn to it. She only spared Megan, her bestfriend, who had betrayed her in her past life a glance before she returned her attention to a fuming Lucian. Lucian, who was trying hard to mask his humiliation was still looking at her dazedly when she added, "You didn't order for my own drink but you ordered for yours, not such a gentleman, are you?" She sipped from her glass cup and licked the drop on her lower lip slowly and intentionally seductively. She was messing with his head, and was enjoying it. Even Megan, who was now sitting close to where Lucian was standing was surprised at Lenora's tone. "You must think you have some liver now because I settled for a low life like you. Don't forget that I could break up with you right here and the little dignity you have to your status would end with our relationship right now." Lucian's raised voice had called attention and people in the eatery were now stealing glances. "Your words mean nothing to me, Lucian" Lenora said, standing and meeting glare one for one. Megan stood too, looking like she was ready to side Lucian. "What has gotten into your head!?" Megan shouted at her, but Lenora was doing a good job at ignoring her. "Get out, now!" Lucian screamed, but that only gained him a disgust look from Lenora.

Just then, she heard her name being called. "Lenora, you need to get..." "Don't you dare intervene, Megan" Lenora finally addressed her, the force of her voice shocked Megan, and she dramatically slipped and fell on the floor. Lucian's eyes widened. "She...she pushed me." Megan lied. Even Lenora was confused for a moment, she had only gestured her hand forward to refrain her from intervening.

"No, I didn't..." Lenora was saying, when Lucian suddenly pushed her too and she fell on the floor. A lot of "Ohs" and different comments went on in the background, while Lucian helped Megan, who was faking tears up. Lenora, watching the scene before her, felt anger surged from within.

Without warning, she leaped to her feet, grabbed the cup from the table, and poured the remaining margarita in the cup on Lucian's head. Immediately, murmurs began going on like background music. "She is really bold" "Did she just pour the drink on him?

"That man deserved that, he's always too full of himself after all" More murmurs went on as the embarrassing scene of Lucian getting wet unfolded. Some went to the extent of turning on their camera features and capturing the scene. Lucian eyes widened in disbelief, anger contorting his face to an ugly expression. His fists tightened, restraining himself from hitting something, anything, or her? He wanted this to be a dream badly, and as if this wasn't bad enough, Lenora looked like she could burst into laughter anytime soon. "Do you really have a death wish?" Lucian spoke through gritted teeth. "Oh no, Lucian. I don't. We would never have to get to that stage. But at least you know better now than to cross me with your plaything again" The corner of her lips tilted arrogantly into a smirk. Megan, who had been staring at her incredulously, gasped as she was being regarded as a 'plaything'

"You..." Lucian's voice came out strangled, unable to form a coherent sentence. "Let's leave, she would embarass us." Megan whispered to his ears, tugging at his suit.

Lenora took a deep, satisfied breath, reveling in the sheer satisfaction that coursed through her veins. She remembered how this date ended in her past life; he had humiliated her and called her a whore for going on a business trip with her boss, and he had left her alone all by herself in the eatery. Lenora had sucked in her tears while already making plans of how to apologize to Lucian and get him to be cool with her, even though she had been embarrassed in public. But now, given a second chance at life, it was her turn to shine. She let her gaze trail over him, tilting her head slightly as if considering something.

She thought against it and started to walk away. Just before she could step out of the eatery, she slipped, but was quickly caught by two strong pair of hands. She gasped, holding on to the stranger's collar for balance.