Putting her in her place

Charlotte's face was slowly overtaken by a smile, unable to contain her surprise at Lucas' gesture - he had bought her a shoe. She took it out to examine it, and to her amazement, it was the perfect size. How did Lucas manage to get it right without her even mentioning her shoe size? Then it dawned on her, remembering how he had helped soothe her legs by applying aspirin. That must have been the clue, she thought to herself.

Her smile widened at the realization that this was the first time someone had given her a gift that she truly needed. With work keeping her occupied, she had neglected to take care of herself and replace her worn-out shoes.

But as her excitement bubbled up inside her, she couldn't help but feel anxious. Why did Lucas buy her a shoe? Was it just a kind gesture or was there something more? She tried to push away these thoughts, but they kept nagging at her, causing a mix of emotions to flood her mind - confusion and excitement swirling together.

When it was time to