Chapter 2

The next day, I changed into modest, dignified clothing and went to the Anderson family estate.

The Anderson family had prospered for hundreds of years with deep roots. This marriage was the Morgan family marrying up.

My parents could never find another family like this, which was why they insisted Megan marry into it.

But why should I listen to them?

I brought gifts to visit Lucas's grandmother Emma. She was very pleased with my gentle, gracious manner.

From then on, I went to the estate every day, sometimes personally cooking a dish, sometimes just keeping Emma company.

I didn't deliberately try to please Lucas, but thoughtfully integrated myself into his life.

After running into me at his family home several times, Lucas invited me to attend events as his companion.

At my first event of this scale, Lucas worried I wouldn't understand high society etiquette and might make mistakes, but my performance exceeded his expectations.

I conversed naturally with guests, looking like a socialite who'd grown up in wealthy circles.

Lucas couldn't help but smile slightly. In the light, his eyes showed a touch of warmth.

"When did you learn all this? I remember Megan saying the family that raised you wasn't well-off financially. You shouldn't have had access to this kind of training."

"Not well-off" would be an understatement. I thought of the moldy walls, the drafty windows, and my abusive birth parents, yet I still managed a graceful smile.

"I didn't want to embarrass you. I hired two etiquette tutors."

"Luckily, my hard work these past few months paid off."

Lucas sounded impressed.

"To learn so much in such a short time, you are very clever, Jenna Morgan."

I only smiled and said nothing.

When I first returned to the Morgan family, Megan secretly mocked me for being unsophisticated, for not understanding proper manners.

I still remembered our first meeting when she tearfully apologized to me while deliberately wearing designer clothes worth hundreds of thousands in front of me.

Using her fair skin to contrast with my sallow complexion, using her decades of elite upbringing to highlight my rough manners.

So with my first payment, I secretly hired etiquette coaches. Whatever Megan knew, I would learn. Whatever she didn't know, I would learn too.

But I wouldn't tell Lucas any of this.

"It's what I should do."

Lucas was pleased and pulled out a black card.

"We're engaged. From now on, use this card for whatever you need."

I showed a playful smile and happily accepted it.

"Thank you, Lucas."

From that day on, my relationship with Lucas grew closer.

I would bring him meals during work under the pretense of his grandmother sending them, and attended various occasions with him.

I always maintained a comfortable distance from him.

Within two months, he'd grown accustomed to my presence. What really changed his view of me was when a French translator had an emergency during a foreign client inspection, and I helped Anderson Corp secure the deal with fluent French.

That time, Lucas stared at me for a long while.

I smiled at him against the light.

Lucas seemed to be seeing me for the first time and was stunned. When we parted that day, his expression was complex.

"Jenna, you're completely different from what I thought. You're truly an outstanding person."

From that day on, the way Lucas looked at me changed-the way a man looks at a woman. I pretended not to notice and maintained my relaxed attitude toward him.

He started inviting me to lunch and dinner, and brought me gifts from business trips.

Until one business dinner when a man deliberately tried to get me drunk and take advantage of me.

Lucas immediately stepped in front of me and beat the man up.

When we went to the hospital, I hugged him tightly for the first time, gripping his hand.

"Lucas, please be okay. You have to be okay. It's all my fault."

He held my hand back, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Jenna, don't worry. I'm fine."

I heard his heart pounding.

As we grew closer, Megan, who'd been waiting in vain for Lucas, finally couldn't stand it anymore. She subtly revealed her location to Lucas through friends back home.