On a sunny morning, Selena hurried out of the bus, clutching her folder nervously. Today was an important day—the day of her interview for her dream job in Australia.
As she stepped off the bus, she walked toward the company building. Suddenly, she bumped into a tall man.
Their eyes met briefly.
Lucian was stunned when he saw Selena, and Selena was so shocked that she forgot to say sorry. But by the time she found her voice, he was already gone.
She shook her head. "Not now, Selena. Focus."
She straightened her dress and rushed into the building.
She quickly went to the manager's office. The manager was standing by the desk, looking irritated.
"Miss Selena Gomez, right? You came late for an interview. Do you realize how unprofessional that looks?"
"I'm so sorry, ma'am," Selena said breathlessly. "The traffic was terrible. Please, just give me one chance."
The manager shook her head. "The CEO already left. He doesn't wait for anyone, so you may go."
Just then, her phone rang. It was her foster mother.
"Selena, don't be upset," her mother said softly. "I've already arranged for you to meet someone tonight. It's a blind date. His father is a very good friend of your dad. At least go and see him."
Selena closed her eyes. "Why would you set me up like that without asking me first?"
"It's just dinner. If you don't like him, just reject him and leave, but you have to go," her foster mother said before hanging up.
She let out a long breath.
"First, I missed my interview, and now this blind date. Can this day get any worse?"
When she got home, she dropped her folder on the table and sank into the sofa. She buried her face in her hands.
After a moment of silence, she stood up slowly and went to her room. She took a bath and opened her wardrobe, but she didn't have the heart to pick anything fancy.
Instead, she slipped into a simple dress. She didn't even bother with makeup; she wasn't in the mood to impress anyone.
Then she grabbed her purse and left the house.
By the time she arrived at the restaurant, her heart was heavy. She checked her phone for the details of the blind date and walked to the receptionist's desk.
"I'm looking for a private room 204," she said quietly.
The receptionist nodded, glanced at the list, and gave her a polite smile.
"Yes, right this way."
Selena followed her, her heels clicking softly against the tiled floor. When the receptionist opened the door to a private room, Selena froze.
Lucian was already sitting there.
Their eyes met, and they both froze.
Selena stared at him in disbelief.
It's him... the man from this morning.
When Selena walked in, Lucian noticed that she looked very pretty. She carried herself with a soft charm, and her simple dress suited her perfectly.
The waiter entered, breaking the silence, and placed two menus in front of them. Selena glanced at hers nervously, pretending to read, though her eyes barely caught the words. Lucian spoke first.
"Bring me the chef's special." He didn't even bother looking at the menu. "The lady will have the same."
Selena frowned slightly. "I can order for myself, you know."
Lucian leaned forward, his dark eyes fixed on her.
"Then be quick," he said.
Selena stiffened at his tone. She looked at the menu before saying, "I'll try the pasta primavera."
She told the waiter her order. Lucian watched her quietly.
When the waiter left, Selena folded her hands on the table.
"You know, that's a bit controlling," she said.
"I prefer the word decisive," Lucian replied smoothly. "It saves time. Most people waste their lives hesitating."
"So..." she began awkwardly.
"I'm sorry about this morning. I wasn't looking, and I was rushing for an interview. That's why I bumped into you."
Lucian leaned back in his chair and looked directly at her. He didn't smile, but his serious expression made her sit a little straighter. His voice was low and firm, carrying the weight of authority.
"I was forced by my grandfather to come here tonight," he said flatly.
Selena blinked, then let out a nervous laugh. "Really? That's funny... because I was also forced to come here."
Lucian's lips curved into a faint smirk. "Then we're both prisoners of family expectations."
She couldn't help but smile. "I guess we are."
For a moment, the tension between them eased.
She glanced at him curiously. "So, what did your grandfather tell you about me?"
"Nothing much," Lucian replied. "He only said I needed to come here and meet you."
She sighed. "Same here. My foster mother practically told me to come."
Lucian raised an eyebrow. "And you actually came?"
"I didn't exactly have a choice." She shrugged. "Besides, I thought it would be rude to refuse without meeting you first."
"And now that you've met me?"
Selena studied him for a moment before smiling faintly. "I think we can save both our families the trouble."
Lucian's eyebrow lifted. "How?"
"So maybe..." She hesitated, then smiled. "We should tell them we actually don't like each other, right?"
He watched her silently.
"We can just tell them we don't get along," she continued.
Lucian did not respond to her. He simply said, "Let's eat."
Then they began eating. Sometimes, Selena would glance at him, but Lucian seemed focused on his food.
After a while, Selena was done eating. She started looking around, unsure of what to do.
"Hmm, I should get going. It's getting late."
She stood up.
Lucian also stood up.
"You didn't tell me your name," he said.
"Oh, sorry," she replied. "You can call me Selena."
He nodded. "Mine is Lucian."
Selena was about to leave when Lucian spoke again.
"I know this might sound strange, but I'd like to get your number."
Selena hesitated for a moment before finally giving it to him.
"All right, I'll get going."
"I'll drop you off," Lucian offered.
"No, no. You don't have to. I can get a cab."
"I insist," Lucian replied.