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nThe week had dragged on endlessly for Amy. Lucas had told her he’d be unreachable, busy with tests for some days.

nShe had known he would be absent, but what she hadn’t known was that the reality of his absence would hit her harder than she anticipated.

nWhen the weekend finally arrived, Amy woke up feeling an unsettling emptiness. She had hoped to hear from him, but now it seemed like a distant possibility.

nSaturday morning began as usual. But instead of going to the sports complex where she usually played tennis and whatever sports she fancied, she decided to go for a run instead, since she was feeling unmotivated to go for any games.

nThe crisp morning air usually invigorated her, but today, she ran mechanically, her mind drifting back to Lucas with every step. She wondered what he was up to if he was thinking about her, and when she might hear from him again.

nAfter her run, she showered and dressed in her favorite old t-shirt and sweatpants, the comfort of the well-worn fabric offering some small solace.

nShe tried to distract herself with chores; she cleaned up the whole place, did her laundry, and went grocery shopping, but everything felt dull and lifeless.

nAmy just found it hard to believe that she felt this way simply because Lucas was unavailable to talk to her.

nIt just didn’t make sense that Lucas who she had been communicating with barely weeks ago was already such a vital part of her life that she couldn’t function properly without hearing from him.

nBy the time she was done with everything, it was evening already and she realized that she had been so distracted by her thoughts and chores all day that she had forgotten to eat. Now she had no idea what to do about dinner.

nShould she cook something simple or just order takeout? She mused as she stood in the kitchen, staring blankly at the fridge.

nSuddenly, her phone rang, startling her out of her thoughts and she hurried to the living room to pick it up.

nHer heart leaped with joy when she saw his name flashing on the screen. It was a WhatsApp call from Lucas.

n“Lucas!” she exclaimed happily, answering the call.

nLucas smiled when he heard the joy in her voice, “Hey, beautiful. What are you up to?” he asked, his voice warm and familiar.

n“I’ve been cleaning up the house. I just finished and want to have dinner. What about you? Why are you calling now when you should be asleep?”

n“I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Do you want to watch a movie together?” he suggested.

nAmy smiled, “As much as I’ve missed you, I know you must be exhausted. You should go to bed.”

nLucas chuckled, “But I can’t sleep because I’m thinking about you and missing you. Don’t worry, I will get some sleep after now.”

nAmy’s heart melted. “How have your tests been going?”

n“Great. I’m done now. So, what are you doing right now?” Lucas asked curiously.

n“I’ve been wondering what to have for dinner. I can’t decide if I should cook something or order takeout,” Amy said, feeling more enthusiastic now about dinner.

n“How about we prepare something together and then watch a movie?” Lucas offered.

nAmy glanced at the clock, “Isn’t it too early for you to make breakfast? You’re going to disturb Tyler’s sleep.”

n“I don’t think so,” Lucas replied confidently.

nBefore Amy could respond, her doorbell rang and she frowned. “Hold on, Luca. Someone’s at the door.”

n“Are you expecting someone?” Lucas asked simultaneously.

nShe hesitated, “No. Give me a minute.”

n“I’ll wait,” he said patiently.

nWith her phone in hand, Amy walked to the door to see who was there, and when she opened it, she screamed in surprise.

n“You!” she exclaimed, shutting the door in his face when she saw Lucas standing there with a grin on his face, holding a bouquet in one hand and holding his phone to his ear with his other hand.

nAmy’s heart raced as she shut the door, and hurried into her bedroom to check her appearance in the mirror.

nLucas chuckled from the other side of the door as he waited for her. He had been looking forward to this moment from the time he decided to fly down to Ludus, and he was

ndisappointed by her reaction.

nInside the bedroom, Amy quickly brushed her hair, applied a bit of lip gloss on her dry lips, and then looked down at her attire.

nHer old T-shirt and sweatpants were not suitable for this unexpected visit. Without wasting a moment she quickly changed into a blue floral playsuit with delicate white flowers, cinched at the waist to flatter her figure. She spritzed on her favorite perfume before hurrying back to the saʀᴄh th NƟvelFre.et website on Ggl to access chapters of nvels early and in the highest quality.

ndoor.

nWhen she opened it again, Lucas was still grinning and before he could speak, she threw herself at him.

nLucas chuckled as he pulled her close with his free hand and embraced her back.

n“I can’t believe you’re actually here right now,” she said, her voice muffled against his chest.

nAmy pulled back, looking back at him with shiny eyes, “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

n“Can I come in first?” Lucas teased, holding out the bouquet.

nAmy accepted the flowers with a grin and stepped aside to let him in. “Of course. Come in.”

nAs they walked inside, she couldn’t help but bombard him with questions. “What are you doing here? When did you get here? Is that why I didn’t hear from you for the past two days? Why didn’t you tell me?” Amy asked as she set the flowers on the table and focused on Lucas. Lucas smiled at her. “I wanted to surprise you. I think I like seeing you flustered this way. I can’t believe you shut the door in my face to go change your clothes.”

nAmy laughed happily, tears welling up in her eyes as she embraced him again. This time, she

nheld on longer.

n“Why are you crying?” Lucas asked softly when he noticed she was crying and felt the wetness

non his chest.

n“I’m just so happy to see you,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion as she remained there with her face buried in his chest.

nLucas’s heart softened and he scooped her up in his arms and sat on the couch, settling her on

nhis thigh with her face buried in his chest.

n“I missed you too, and I’m very happy to see you,” he whispered as he patted her back and hair gently, offering comfort.

nWhen Amy’s tears finally subsided, she looked up at Lucas with an embarrassed smile. “It seems I’m always crying in front of you.”

n“I don’t mind,” Lucas said softly as he kissed her forehead and then used his thumb to brush off the tears on her cheeks.

n“How have you been?” Lucas asked as Amy wiped her eyes.

n“I’m sure you know exactly how I’ve been. Where’s your bag?” Amy asked curiously as she rose, suddenly feeling self-conscious when she realized she had been on his body that way. Needing to do something to keep herself busy, she picked up the flower and went to the kitchen to find a vase and water.

nLucas followed her, “It’s at Lucy’s place but she doesn’t know I’m here yet. I was supposed to arrive during the week,” Lucas replied as he watched her put the flower in the vase and add

nwater to it.

nAmy looked at him curiously, “Supposed to arrive during the week? What did you come for?” She asked since he had not told her anything about coming.

n“I came first because of you,” he said with a smile and she smiled back at him. “And also because I wanted to attend my class reunion.”

n“Oh. When and where is the reunion?” Amy asked, wanting to know how long he would be

naround.

n“It’s next Saturday in Heden,” Lucas explained. “Will you come with me as my plus one?” He asked as he held out a hand to her.

nAmy hesitated as she took his hand, “I’m not sure I can travel. I have to be at work on

nMonday.” “We’ll be back by Sunday evening,” Lucas assured her. “We’ll be flying with Lucy and Tom, who also need to be back for work on Monday.”

n“Really? That’s fine then,” Amy agreed, her excitement growing.

nLucas beamed, “Great!” he said as he tucked her hair behind her ear and Amy’s heart fluttered.

n“So, you plan to stay at Lucy’s all through your stay?” Amy asked, swallowing past the lump that had formed in her throat.

n“Yeah,” he said, not wanting to tell her yet that after his program he was relocating to Ludus and taking over the place from Lucy since Lucy was planning to move in fully with Tom now.

n“Now, what should we do for dinner? Do you want us to go out, make something together, or order takeout?”

n“You just got back from a long trip,” Amy said thoughtfully. “Let’s order takeout. What do you feel like having?”

n“What do I feel like having?” Lucas asked, pulling her closer with his arm around her waist.

n“Food. I mean what food do you feel like ordering?” She corrected and Lucas chuckled.

n“I know what you meant,” he assured her.

nShe grinned, “I just wanted to be sure we were saying the same thing.”

n“Can I kiss you?” Lucas asked, his gaze dropping to her lips.

nAmy’s heart skipped a beat as Lucas’s gaze dropped to her lips. She felt a flutter in her chest,

nand her voice barely above a whisper, she replied, “Yes.”

nLucas’s lips brushed against hers, soft and gentle. The kiss deepened, and Amy felt herself melting into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

nAs they broke apart for air, Lucas smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I always wanted to do that every time we had a video call,” he whispered.

nAmy’s heart swelled with emotion. “Me too,” she replied, her voice filled with conviction. Lucas’s arm tightened around her waist, pulling her closer. “Let’s order takeout and watch a movie together,” he suggested, his voice low and husky.

nAmy nodded, her mind racing with excitement. She couldn’t believe Lucas was here, in her apartment, holding her close.

nAs they sat on the couch, scrolling through food options on Amy’s phone, Lucas’s hand brushed against hers. She felt a spark of electricity, and her heart skipped a beat.

n“So, what do you feel like having?” Amy asked, trying to sound casual despite the butterflies

nin her stomach.

nLucas grinned mischievously. “Surprise me,” he replied, his eyes glinting with amusement.

nAmy laughed, feeling carefree and happy. She ordered his favorite food, and they settled in

nfor a cozy night together, watching a movie and enjoying each other’s company as they ate.

nAs the night wore on, Amy realized she didn’t want this moment to end. She wanted to savor

nevery second with Lucas, to cherish the feeling of having him there with her, but as the credits rolled on the movie, Lucas glanced at his watch. “I should get going.”

nAmy’s heart sank, but she knew he was right. “I’ll walk you out,” she said, trying to sound

n-casual.

nAs they stood at the door, Lucas turned to her, his eyes serious. “I’m glad I surprised you,” he

nsaid, his voice low. “I wanted to see you smile.”

nAmy smiled. “I’m glad you did,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

nLucas leaned in, his lips brushing against hers once more. “I’ll see you tomorrow,”

n“he

npromised.

nAmy nodded, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation. And as she closed the door

nbehind him, she couldn’t help but smile, her heart full of joy and love.

nShe was in love with Lucas. She had no doubt about it.

n*****

nQuick Question: I plan to join a contest with JD story.

nBecause of the rule of the contest, I might have to break out of my character in naming the

nstory and my writing style.

nI want y’all to choose the name.

nStolen Identity: The Mute Heiress

nOr

nThe Billionaire’s First Love Is The Mute Hidden Heiress.

nAlso, would you like me to write in first person POV or maintain this third person POV?

nSarch the NovlFre .t website on Ggl to access chapters of nvels early and in the highest quality.

n