The Outsider (Outsider #1) ✔️

Chapter 82 : Another Shareholder's Meeting

Dusk opened her mouth, and no sound came out of it. She shut it again. She closed her eyes wondering if it was a dream and opened it, but Luke was still sitting there, looking handsome and cute and it was the same one who was spouting nonsense. She pinched herself and yes, she was awake all along.

Did he really say he was worth $15 Billion? That was far more than Catherine, who was a Princess, adopted or not! She tried to be rational and found she couldn't. This man was not in her league. And to think she once considered him as a fellow poor student and offered to pay for his university fees. How he must have laughed at her...

Luke was looking at her with a grin on his face.

"Luke, I am sorry, but now I really can't be around you. I never liked the rich. You are not just rich, you are super-rich. I don't know if we were considered 'Dating' or a 'Couple' or just getting somewhere, but if we are, we have to break up, if we were not, then we need to stop now." Dusk said uncertainly.

"But why? I told you the truth! I could have lied. You said you will break up UNLESS I tell the truth!"

"Because, Luke Jones, you are far out of my league. I will only get hurt in the end."

"Don't you love me? I thought you did! I heard you tell that to Susco and Catherine."

Dusk bit her lower lip and answered, "I do, but it will not work out. It goes against almost all the things I know and believe in. I told you that before. And you can have any girl in the country if you have that kind of money. Why should I believe that, given all the options, you will want me and stay with me? Perhaps you are now being very nice due to Catherine, but one day you will tire of humouring me and there will be a bunch of others, far better and more suited to take my place."

"Don't you trust me Dusk? You said you will!" he exclaimed.

"That was before I heard the absurd amount of money you have." She replied firmly. "When we met, you made me think you were a commoner. Handsome, better than me, but still a commoner. From there it went to someone 'comfortably well off', which I can accept. But this, I can't. And you are not willing to tell me your actual name, family history, let me meet your family. How can I trust you?"

Luke crossed from his side of the table to her side. As he stepped forward, she stepped back, knowing what he wanted to do.

"But I am the same person you knew in Ci'gazze! I have not changed!"

"Oh yes, you have! And also, the veil is lifted. Even if you had not changed, I would have found the difference as I find out more and more about you." Dusk replied as she stepped back but then her back hit the wall.

Luke stepped in and closed the distance, then he caught hold of her and started kissing her. Dusk felt herself struggle between rejecting him because of his lies and his status and accepting him for who he actually was. Her mind stopped working and she could not make a decision. She could not push him back, because, well, deep down, she did not want to...

The door clicked open and there was a giggle. Luke and Dusk quickly separated and looked at the door. Catherine, Rosemary and Susco stood at the door. Susco was embarrassed at catching them kissing, but Rosemary had an indulgent smile on her face. Catherine, on the other hand, was so excited on seeing them that way, she was almost jumping. She seemed to have gotten over the previous dark mood pretty quickly. A visit to the fast-food store did the trick.

"If you lovebirds have finished whatever you were up to, I hope you have time for the Shareholders meeting? Luke, you are joining I hope." Rosemary said. She turned to Susco and asked, "You mean they have been at this for the last hour since you left?"