CEO Plus-Size Ex-Wife

Chapter 85:  Who Is The Masked Man?

Despite his evident displeasure, masked man stepped out of the car, his gaze lingering on Lucas Anderson's car as he drove off into the distance.

At that moment, Anne approached him. "Ten, why do you insist on wearing that mask? You're not a celebrity; nobody's going to recognize you," she said, her tone laced with frustration.

Without a hint of warmth, the masked man faced Anne and replied, "You should go back to A-country. He doesn't seem to have any affection for you."

Anne's resolve hardened, her fists clenching tightly. "No way! I'm not leaving; I’ll stay right here," she retorted defiantly.

The masked man torch-like eyes simply gave her a cursory glance before turning away, leaving the scene without another word.

Left alone, Anne's expression betrayed a mix of helplessness and unwavering determination. She took out her phone and quickly dialed a number. As soon as the call connected, she spoke into the receiver, "Did you manage to get the picture?"

A brief, unembellished "Yes" came from the speaker.

A wave of satisfaction washed over Anne's face as she grinned. "Excellent, you know what to do next," she instructed.

Once she received confirmation from the other end, a spark of cunning shone in her eyes, and her lips twisted into a smirk, reveling in her machinations.

"I won't let anyone snatch you away from me, not even Andrea Singers. You belong to me," Anne whispered to herself.

Lucas Anderson, unaware of Anne's plans, went to the supermarket to purchase groceries. After finishing his shopping, he returned home and prepared lunch.

Upon checking the time after his bath, he realized it was time to pick up Pete from school. Quickly changing his outfit, he started descending the staircase, only to encounter Housekeeper Win, who was on her way out to fetch Pete.

"Mrs. Win," Lucas called out before she could leave.

"Sir?" Housekeeper Win responded, turning towards him.

"I'll pick up Pete from school," Lucas said with a smile.

Housekeeper Win returned his smile and nodded before resuming her tasks.

Lucas arrived at Pete's school and, after a brief conversation with the gatekeeper, drove into the compound.

"Papa!" Pete exclaimed with joy when he spotted Lucas searching the crowd for him.

Lucas's face lit up with a smile as he lifted his son into his arms. "Pete, your papa's here to take you home," said Lucas, planting a kiss on his son's cheek.

Pete beamed with delight, then began to squirm, signaling to his father that he wanted to be let down. Understanding the cue, Lucas set him on his feet.

Eagerly, Pete dropped his backpack to the ground and unzipped it, pulling out a book. He flipped it open and proudly displayed a page to Lucas. "Look, Papa, I drew you, and Mama, and me!" he said, his eyes bright with excitement.

The drawing was charmingly childlike and bore little resemblance to the people Pete named, but Lucas touched his son's hair affectionately and praised him. "My boy is the world's greatest artist. Next time, make Papa larger, okay? How can you be taller than me?"

Pete looked up in innocent confusion and pointed to another figure in the drawing, saying, "This is you, Papa."

Realizing that he had mistaken the bearded figure meant to be him for Pete in the drawing, Lucas chuckled heartily but offered no correction.

Content with his father's reaction, Pete slipped the book back into his backpack. Lucas then scooped him up and headed to the car parked a short distance away.

After picking Pete up from school, Lucas Anderson was surprised to find Andrea at home earlier than expected.

"Mommy!" Pete exclaimed, rushing into her arms with glee.

Andrea lifted Pete into a hug and kissed his cheek. "How was school today, Pete?"

"It was great, mommy," Pete chirped, clearly delighted by his mother's presence.

"Go get changed, sweetie, so we can have lunch," Andrea instructed. As Pete scampered off. Earlier, the housekeeper Win informed Andrea that Lucas had prepared lunch before heading out to pick up Pete.

After Pete left, Andrea's expression shifted to one of discontent as she addressed Lucas. "Val, we need to talk. In the bedroom," she said, her voice laced with dissatisfaction. She then turned and ascended the stairs, leaving Lucas to follow, a frown etching his features as he sensed the brewing storm.

Once in the bedroom, Andrea cut straight to the chase. "Do you know Anne Rodrigo?" she asked, her tone icy.

"Yes, and you've asked me about her before," Lucas replied with a forced smile, trying to diffuse the tension. "What's going on, Andrea?"

Unappeased by his charm, Andrea pressed on. "Did you meet with her today?"

Lucas sighed. "Yes, Anne Rodrigo and I go back a few years, but we're just friends. I spoke with her because she's interested in working with you, and I wanted to understand her intentions," he explained.

Before Andrea could respond, her phone rang. After a brief pause to check the caller ID, she asked Lucas to hold on. Lucas took the moment to glance at his own phone and discovered a trending photo of himself and Anne, snapped during their morning meeting. The caption suggested they were a couple, a rumor likely fueled by Anne's fans. He realized then that the scandal might be why Andrea had come home early.

Once off the phone, Andrea's concern was evident. "Val, do you know the Mayor of Winchester District?"

"Why do you ask?" Lucas replied, he didn't know any mayor in Vegas and he didn't want Andrea to know this.

Andrea's frown deepened. "He's put a stop to all of my development projects, including the renovation of my childhood neighborhood and my old high school. He says it's disrupting the city's plan for Vegas, and he won't budge unless I agree to meet with him."

"Then we'll meet with him together," Lucas suggested confidently, offering a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Without hesitation, Andrea accepted his proposal, asking, "Can you accompany me tonight to meet him? I can't afford any delays in the project."