Chapter 6

As Aria entered her office, Lucas greeted her with a question, "What happened to your car?" He stood by the window, sipping from his half-filled glass of champagne, his gaze flicking to the half-empty bottle resting on Aria's orange desk. The green hue of the champagne clashed with the vibrant shade of the table, just like the varying shades of orange that dominated her office.

Aria remained silent and placed her shoulder bag on the desk before settling into her dark orange mechanical chair. Lucas finished his drink and set the glass on the desk.

"You didn't answer my question, Aria." Lucas circled the desk and leaned against it on the left side. "Why did you want me here?"

Aria tapped her right finger on the smooth glass surface, her gaze fixed on the wall ahead. "I was brought here by someone I would rather not encounter. My car tire burst, and my father... " Her voice trailed off as she stopped tapping her finger