Reclaiming Her Heart
Chapter 524 A Blush as Crimson as Wine

Under the concealment of the tablecloth, Selena felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. With one hand incapacitated by injury and the other occupied with a spoon for her soup, she was powerless to resist him.

She had recently caused a scene by spilling a drink on him, a spectacle that left him humiliated before everyone. It was improbable that he would let such an incident pass without retaliation. This, she surmised, was his revenge. Her grip on the spoon tightened, rendering her unable to proceed with her soup, her mind consumed by the fear of their secret being discovered.

Across the table, Lucas Den noticed her flushed cheeks and inquired with a note of concern, "Selena, are you feeling unwell? Your face is as red as a beet."

Biting her lower lip, Selena shook her head in denial.

Raymond, seated to her right, had his right hand preoccupied with his soup, while his left hand rested on her thigh. To an unsuspecting observer, there was no hint of impropriety, save for Selena's unusually flushed face.

As Raymond took his first spoonful of soup, his brow furrowed in discomfort. His tongue was smarting.

The bite Selena had inflicted on him earlier was far from playful, and the soup only served to exacerbate the stinging sensation.

With an air of nonchalance, he squeezed her thigh with his left hand before leaning back in his chair.

"Mr. Den," he began, "have you concluded your business in Ridgefield?"

Caught off guard by Raymond's initiation of conversation, Lucas Den responded, "Not yet, but I'm not required there for the next couple of days. I'll likely head there the day after tomorrow."

"Must be exhausting, dealing with the construction crews, isn't it?" Raymond asked, his tone casual.

Lucas, responding as if to a superior's query, replied, "It's not too bad, really. The people actually working on-site are the ones who are truly busy; they hardly have time for socializing."

Raymond raised an eyebrow, his fingers daring to venture further up Selena's leg.

"I've heard that those working on construction sites lead rather chaotic lives. Being away from home constantly, infidelity rates tend to be high. There's even a term for it-site spouses-a way for workers to satisfy their needs while away and then play the dutiful husband when they're home."

Lucas Den shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Though skilled at handling professional matters, discussing such intimate details with a high-profile executive like Raymond was beyond his comfort zone.

Despite the uncomfortable truth in Raymond's words-the men on those sites, long separated from their wives, would sometimes seek out other women to fulfill their needs-it was a topic that Lucas found unsettling.

Construction site couples were a reality, and when another woman happened to be on-site, the two often hit it off straight away. Their relationship would remain a secret from outsiders, short-lived and thrilling. "People say Mr. Den is a handsome man, he wouldn't cheat on his wife, would he?"

Selena caught the insinuation in Raymond's tone - he was cornering Lucas Den.

Just as she was about to interject on Lucas Den's behalf, a hand on her leg suddenly found its spot and pressed down hard. She shivered, her hand trembling, but then she felt someone rise from the table behind her, as if they had finished dining. It was as though their under-the-table play was on the brink of discovery; she couldn't bear the embarrassment, so she stood up abruptly.

"I need to use the restroom."

Her heart pounding, she avoided the gazes of the other three and made a beeline for the restroom. But she wasn't actually heading for the restroom - this wasn't some fancy hotel; the bathroom was grubby from overuse. Instead, she sought refuge outside in the garden, seeking some fresh air to alleviate the tightness in her chest.

She even contemplated texting Lucas Den to inform him that she wouldn't be returning. But just as she took out her phone, a slender, attractive hand reached from behind her. It was the same hand that had been teasing her under the tablecloth in front of so many people.

"Give it back."

Raymond glanced at the phone and noticed she had two SIM cards, raising his eyebrows in curiosity.

"The number you gave me, it's not your work number, is it?"