CHAPTER 75: TWINSTER: THE FOREST & THE SEA

"Ugh... huh, I’m Twin A," Adrian stammered, staring up at Lucien like he was some mythical creature descended from a chandelier.

He and Silas had never seen anyone like him. Sure, they’d seen blondes before—half the prostitutes dyed their hair that color—but Lucien’s hair glowed in a way dye never could.

And those amethyst eyes? They sparkled like gems under real sunlight, a color they had never seen on a living person.

Add that dazzling smile, and their five-year-old brains practically short-circuited. Adrian could barely speak. Silas couldn’t speak at all.

Lucien burst into laughter. "What? That’s not a name! Never mind, we’re leaving. This place is filthy."

He glared sharply at the man behind them, then grabbed the twins by their wrists and marched them toward the exit.

For children who had only known dark alleys and cramped brothel rooms, stepping into an open street felt unreal. But nothing prepared them for the car.

Their eyes went wide the moment they touched the seat.

"Wow... soft!" Adrian gasped, petting the upholstery like it was a pet.

Silas just nodded, frozen and overwhelmed.

Lucien sat in the front passenger seat while the red-haired Mikhail drove, looking like someone forced him to babysit a nuclear bomb.

"I know, right? Riding in a car is fun! You can see all the lights if you look out the window, and if you open it, you get a breeze too!" Lucien chimed cheerfully.

"Hah... Young Master, the Don is going to kill us if he finds out," Mikhail muttered, tightening his grip on the wheel. "I don’t even have a driver’s license."

"Us? No. He’ll kill you. You’re the one who brought me here. I just went shopping." Lucien crossed his arms dramatically.

"That’s because you told me to spend time with you..."

"You keep avoiding me. I’m just lonely."

His voice wavered a little. Silas heard it; small, sad, tired. It was the kind of sadness he recognized instantly, because he lived with it too.

Mikhail didn’t answer. The car fell into a strange silence, broken only by Adrian humming softly while he pressed his cheek to the cool window, mesmerized by the city lights rushing by.

When the car finally stopped, they found themselves staring at the largest mansion they had ever seen. Marble pillars. Fountains. Lamps brighter than anything in the Red District.

Silas and Adrian froze on the driveway, barefoot and dressed in oversized clothes, feeling painfully out of place.

Lucien didn’t give them time to feel ashamed. He stepped inside, barked orders at the nearest maid, and pointed at the twins.

"Give them a bath. And a room. A nice one."

The staff blinked, confused, but this was the Young Master, after all. His word was law. So they obeyed.

And just like that, two nameless twins from the darkest corner of the city stepped into the bright, impossible world of the Lucero mansion.

It was the first night they slept on a mattress. The first night they weren’t afraid.

And the first night they dreamed of Lucien.

***

The next morning, Adrian and Silas were summoned to a room by Lucien. They followed the maid inside with quiet curiosity, their eyes widening at the unfamiliar toys scattered everywhere.

A door at the far end opened into a garden, and a soft breeze carried the scent of flowers that soothed their nerves the moment they stepped outside.

At the back of the garden stood a towering wisteria tree. Lucien pointed at its highest branch and said, "Let’s race to that one. Winner gets ice cream from the loser."

They had no idea what ice cream was, but a race was a race, so the three boys took off and began scrambling up the trunk.

Silas was certain they would win. He had overheard enough from the brothel to believe that rich kids were weak, spoiled, and prone to crying over nothing.

Maybe that was true for some, but Lucien proved him wrong in an instant. The blonde boy moved with surprising agility, long arms and legs carrying him upward with ease.

By the time the twins were only halfway up, Lucien was already perched on the branch with his feet swinging.

Adrian reached him second. Silas arrived last, panting and scowling. "You cheated."

"Adrian," Silas warned sharply.

Back in the brothel, raising your voice could earn you trouble. Adrian stiffened and lowered his head.

"I’m sorry..." he mumbled.

Lucien only laughed. "It’s fine. But I didn’t cheat. I’m just taller. That’s all."

He puffed his chest, proud as a rooster, and Adrian’s grin returned, wide and gap-toothed.

They settled on the branch and looked out at the shimmering cascade of purple around them. Adrian plucked a wisteria flower and held it out to Lucien.

"For you. Same like your eyes."

Lucien accepted it with a soft smile and tucked it into his pocket so the flower peeked out.

"Thanks. By the way, have you two decided on your names?"

"Name?" Both twins blinked at him at the same time.

They shook their heads. Names were... whatever. Not something that mattered much where they came from.

"You can’t live without a name," Lucien said. "Mikhail told me it’s your identity. It’s something you carry everywhere."

Adrian and Silas exchanged a look before nodding. "You decide," Silas said.

Lucien pointed at himself. "Me? Are you sure? A name is really important. You don’t just change it whenever you want. Usually, your parents give it to you because it brings blessings. At least... that’s what Mikhail said."

"You important," Adrian added with a small smile.

Lucien scratched his head, flustered. "Alright, I’ll think of something. It’s harder than it sounds."

For the rest of the week, Lucien spent nearly every hour with them. They had tea together, tried desserts they had never imagined existed, learned new games, and even studied.

Adrian complained the whole time, while Silas absorbed every page like a sponge.

By the end of the week, Silas could read a fairytale out loud and even write the alphabet. Adrian could count and speak more clearly.

Lucien’s eyes lit up the moment he heard Silas confidently reading to him, and he nodded, proud and satisfied.

"I think I know your name." Lucien grinned and pulled a thick book from the shelf.

He flipped through the pages slowly before tapping his finger on a word he liked.

"Silas. It means forest."

He brightened as he explained, "Forests symbolise trees, and trees can represent knowledge and wisdom. Or mystery and unknown? Something like that... anyway." He rubbed his chin, clearly unsure of his own explanation.

"But forests also feel like adventures and folklore. Just like the fairytales you love. They’re filled with wonder, right?"

Silas couldn’t stop the smile that rose on his face. A soft warmth spread through his chest, unfamiliar but precious. He nodded, feeling—perhaps for the first time—truly happy.

"And for you, twin A," Lucien said, turning to the silver-haired boy, "Adrian."

Adrian’s blue eyes widened as Lucien pointed to the name. "It means ’from Hadria’. It’s connected to the Adriatic Sea, and your eyes remind me of that sea. Sometimes calm and beautiful, sometimes unpredictable and dangerous."

"Now both of your names mean the forest and the sea, just like you that is different but connected with beautiful scenery!" Lucien exclaimed.

Adrian gasped and spelled it out slowly, "A-d-r-i-a-n... Adrian!" He bounced to his feet and threw himself at Lucien. "I love it! I love you, Lucien!"

Silas joined him a second later, hazel eyes shining as he wrapped his arms around Lucien too.

"Thank you. We love you forever!" they said as they kept spelling their own name like a prayer.

Lucien laughed and hugged them both, his smile soft and proud. "Of course. You’re like my little brothers. I’ll protect you forever."

At that age, the twins didn’t understand much. All they knew was that this mansion felt like an entire world—wide, bright, and full of new things to discover.

Most importantly, they had found someone they could love, someone who gave them a life they never imagined, someone they would follow without hesitation.

That sense of safety was shattered when the door suddenly opened.

Silas and Adrian stiffened as the Don of Lucero stepped inside. Cesare’s platinum-blonde hair was slightly dishevelled, his amethyst eyes cold enough to make grown men tremble.

Behind him stood Mikhail, smirking in that way the twins always hated.

Lucien gently pulled away from their embrace and turned to the doorway. "Father? What’s wrong?"

"Come here. I need to speak with you. Alone."

Cesare’s voice was short and sharp. He turned and walked out, expecting Lucien to follow.

Lucien hesitated only a moment before going after him.

Mikhail remained behind long enough to let his smug expression linger. "Let’s see how long you last here," he muttered before walking out too.

The twins didn’t understand the meaning of his words. They were only five.

But they understood a threat when they heard one.