Chapter 347 Don't Want to Do It Anymore
Lucas and I strolled out of Nicholas's study, side by side.
"I can't handle this life anymore," Lucas suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"I just want to be with Lila. Even if we have to sell paintings or wander around, living a poor life would be better than this." He fiddled with his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes trembling slightly in the shadows.
I looked at his frustrated face, choosing my words carefully. "Have you ever thought that everything Nicholas does is for you?"
"For me?" Lucas scoffed.
"He took over the Howard Group back then, and now he's taken that research project from you and dumped it on me."
"That project was his from the start," I interrupted. "It was my way of paying him for helping me find Skylar."
"He just wants more profit!" Lucas suddenly raised his voice, startling birds from the eaves.
He ruffled his meticulously styled hair in frustration. "You always say he's paving the way for me, but I have no interest in those business meetings or research conferences!"
He kicked a pebble by the roadside, sending it skimming through the grass and startling a black cat hiding in the flower bed.
The cat let out a piercing yowl and leaped onto the roof, its tail sweeping down a few dry leaves.
Lucas watched the shadow dart across the roof, his voice suddenly lowering. "He doesn't care what I want."
He loosened his stiff tie. "He wants me back just to make more money for him."
I was about to speak when Lucas turned and stared into my eyes. "Why are you defending him?" he asked.
I shook my head slightly. "You're wrong. Nicholas has spent decades building relationships and resources in the business world. Someone has to inherit that."
Lucas leaned dejectedly against the garden wall, the gold-rimmed glasses reflecting tiny specks of sunlight.
I looked at his crooked tie clip and continued, "Take this research project, for example. You might not be interested now, but the value behind it is significant."
I lowered my voice. "If it succeeds, it could bring your family billions in profit and give you financial freedom. And you and Lila could travel the world if you wanted."
As I spoke, Lucas's furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and the anger in his eyes vanished. He lowered his head and stayed silent for a long moment before finally saying softly, "Maybe you're right, but I don't even understand the technical parameters of the project. There's a technical issue I can't solve. I don't want to do this anymore."
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Seeing Lucas so defeated, I couldn't help but reveal the truth. "Lucas, to be frank, the reason you're struggling with this project is that a crucial patent belongs to an individual programmer. We can't proceed without his approval."
"Even you were conspiring against me?" Lucas's furious question cut me off as he irritably yanked off his tie."No, I only found out about this issue recently. Nicholas was in such a rush for the project that I didn't follow up," I explained. "I emailed the programmer, but he hasn't responded yet."
I thought Lucas would be relieved, but instead, his brow furrowed even more. "It's so complicated. I really can't do this. I'll just give the project back to you. I don't want to waste any more time on it. I just want to find Lila and leave." With that, he turned to walk away.
"Lucas, hold up." I quickly blocked his path.
"Think about it. When you handed the Howard Group to me, it made your father unhappy. He took this project from me, but now you want to give it back. What do you think your father will say?"
I tried to persuade him earnestly. "This project is a hot potato. If I take it back, do you think your father will tolerate me?"
Lucas paused, a flicker of internal conflict in his eyes.
Noticing his emotions starting to settle, I pressed on. "We need to face this problem together, not avoid it."
Lucas still doubted himself. "How do we solve it? Finding that programmer is easier said than done. Even if we find him, what if he demands a high transfer fee or refuses to authorize us? What then?"
I looked straight into Lucas's eyes and said firmly, "No matter how difficult, we have to try. Besides, I've already tracked down the programmer and emailed him. He just hasn't replied yet."
I glanced at the roses swaying in the breeze and couldn't help but say, "I believe if we understand his needs, we can negotiate. And don't forget, if this project succeeds, the profits and influence will attract more people to help us rescue Lila."
Hearing that it would help rescue Lila, he showed a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
He lowered his head, deep in thought.
Suddenly, he crouched down, holding his head and crying. "Diana, all I can think about is Lila being trapped. I should be saving her, not hesitating between business and rescue. I shouldn't be like this."
Seeing Lucas break down, I felt my heart tighten. My voice softened. "Lucas, don't torture yourself. If Lila saw you like this, she'd be heartbroken."
I crouched down, gently placing my hands on Lucas's trembling shoulders. "I know you're hurting, but we can't give up. Right?"
Lucas remained silent, crouched on the ground.
After crying, Lucas finally looked up, as if making a decision. "Let's try one more time. If it doesn't work, I'll go rescue Lila myself and take her away. We won't need any company or law firm."
I nodded in relief, wearing a confident smile. "Don't worry. Since I've found the programmer's lead, I'll get a result. It's just a matter of time. The project will move forward smoothly. Lila is my good friend and our company's legal advisor. We'll definitely rescue her."
Despite my reassurance, I wasn't entirely confident.
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