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    LUCIAN’S POV.

    I brushed a strand of hair from Alina’s sweaty face, watching how peaceful she looked with her cheek pressed on the sheets. and her eyes closed.

    I thought of what happened a few minutes ago, it was unlike anything I have ever experienced or felt before. It was perfect.

    She was perfect.

    I stood up and went to the bathroom to freshen up. I returned a few minutester, freshly showered and wearing another pair of sweatpants, with a wet towel and a fresh shirt and shorts in hand.

    I wiped the mess I made on her ass and back before gently turning her onto her back.

    When I began to wipe in between her thighs, she stirred, her tired eyes fluttering open.

    “I’m sore, Lucian.” She whined in protest, her voiceced with fatigue, making me chuckle.

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    “Rx, doll, I’m just cleaning you up.” I told her with a teasing grin. “What kind of a monster do you think I am?” I added jokingly.

    She rxed and spread her legs to me, the faintest blush spreading on her cheeks.

    The sight of her core was beginning to get me hard again, but I knew I had to control myself.

    I focused on cleaning her, ignoring the little moans that escaped her lips, moans that did nothing to help my restraint. After

    I was done, I helped her into the shirt and shorts before returning to the bathroom to dispose of the towel.

    When I came back into the room, I got into bed beside her, pulling her into my chest and cing a soft kiss on her forehead.

    “Sleepy?” I asked, brushing my fingers lightly through her hair.

    “Not anymore.” She responded, her fingerszily tracing over my chest.

    “Have you been eating well?” I asked her. “You’ve lost weight.” I pointed out, my eyes scanning her face.

    I didn’t fail to notice the faint bags under her eyes either. She looked… worn out.

    “I’m alright. Just upied with work, that’s all.” She assured me with a tired smile.

    That wasn’t it.

    I knew there was something she wasn’t telling me. I could always tell when she was hiding something. But I decided not to push her, she’d tell me in her own time.

    “I’m sorry about what happened,” I spoke after a quiet moment. “I had hoped to apologize the next morning, but something important came up and you looked so peaceful that I didn’t want to wake you, so I left.” I exined.

    “Why haven’t you been taking my calls or returning my messages then?” She asked, pulling away slightly to look at my face. Her brows drew together. “I thought you were avoiding me because of the fight we had.”

    I couldn’t tell her why I hadn’t taken her calls… or else I’d have to tell her the real reason I left for Tharovia that morning. That would only make her stressed, and I didn’t want that.

    155 vouche

    “I wasn’t avoiding you, I promise,” I said gently. “I was just so busy, and I didn’t want us having that conversation over the phone either.”

    “Oh.” She said, her tone dropping, her expression softening into something unreadable.

    “Listen,” I said, grabbing her chin and making her look at me. “I’m sorry if I made you feel like I was making decisions for you. It wasn’t my intention. I just assumed it was what you would want. I was wrong. And I should’ve listened when you asked me to let her go. I was just so mad that you wanted her to go unpunished after she tried to kill you-”

    “Hey,” she cut in gently, grabbing my face, and just like that, my anger melted away under her touch. “I understand you’re upset. But I promise, Seraphina will pay for what she did to me. I won’t let her get away with it,” she assured me in a steady voice. “Just promise that you’ll ask for my input before you make any decision that concerns me next time.”

    “I promise,” I told her sincerely. “But you have to promise me that you’ll alwayse to me if you have any problem.” My tone grew serious, my gaze locking onto hers.

    She hesitated for a few seconds, then finally responded.

    “I promise.” She said softly, before cing her head back on my chest.

    She was lying. I could tell, she was definitely hiding something. But what? I wasn’t sure yet.

    “So how was your reunion? Did you have fun?” I asked, gently running my hand through her hair.

    I wanted to see if she was going to tell me what happened with Adrian on her own.

    “Not really.” She shrugged, brushing it off.

    Liar. She looked pretty cozy with Adrian in the pictures I received.

    “Anything special happen?” I asked, giving her another chance toe clean, but she lied again.

    “Not really. Talia and I just stayed for a while. I had too much to drink, then we left.” She said, her tone even, not revealing anything.

    My jaw clenched.

    Was she intentionally forgetting to mention the part where she and Adrian had a little meet-up?

    “Is that all that happened? Nothing interesting happened?” I pushed, trying to keep my voice light.

    “No. Why?” She asked, her voice calm and unreadable.

    “Nothing,” I said tly. “I just thought you would have fun meeting your old college friends again.”

    “I didn’t get along with a lot of them, so it wasn’t that fun. Sure, it was nice seeing Evans, Dominic, and Emily, but I barely spoke to them.” She told me.

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    “So Seraphina and Vaughn didn’t give you any trouble?” I tried another approach, watching her face closely.

    “Not at all. Besides, even if they did, I can handle myself. Are you okay?” She asked, raising her head again to scan my

    “Yeah, I’m fine.” I told her.

    “You sure? You sound a little off. Did something happen?” She asked, her brows furrowing with concern.

    face.

    I hated how she was acting like she didn’t know what I was trying to ask. I was half tempted to blurt it out and tell her that I had seen the pictures, but I didn’t. I didn’t want this beautiful night ending with one of us sleeping in another room.

    “I’m sure.” I said, forcing a small smile as I ced her head back on my chest.

    She wasn’t going to tell me. And I wouldn’t force her either. I’d just do things my way, and get rid of Adrian Vaughn.

    I knew that Alina and I still had a long way to go in our rtionship, but him being around wasn’t helping at all. So he had to olli/li/ol

    “How was your trip? What was so important that you had to leave?” She asked, yawning.

    “Work.” I said simply.

    “Wow. Thanks for drowning me with the details.” She said sarcastically, a faint smirk on her lips.

    I was half tempted to say ‘I’m not obliged to tell you what I’m up to when you won’t tell me what you’re up to either’, but I bit back the words.

    “I’ve been pushing a project for a while now, so I had to fly out that morning to meet the individuals involved.” I lied.

    “I hope everything went well and you were able to achieve what you went there for.” She said, voice softening.

    “Yeah, I was.” I lied again.

    “Mhkay.” She murmured sleepily, cuddling further into me. “Lucian?” She called softly.

    “Yes.” I responded.

    “Can you do me a favor?” She asked.

    “Whatever you want, doll.” I told her, meaning every word.

    I would do anything for her. If she asked for my heart, I would rip it out of my chest and give it to her. That was how much I loved her. I only wished she could feel the same.

    “Can you allocate some projects to my dad?” She asked.

    “Why?” I asked, a frown tugging at my lips.

    I didn’t know why she insisted on helping those people when all they ever do is hurt her.

    “Please, just trust me.” She pleaded, her eyes searching mine.

    How did she expect me to trust her when she doesn’t ever tell me anything?

    “Okay.” I agreed.

    “It shouldn’t be something big though.” She added quickly.

    What was she up to?

    “All right, doll. Anything for you.”

    “I love you.” She mumbled, cing a light kiss on my chest.

    Oh, how badly I wanted to believe those words. But I knew they weren’t true.

    It’s all right though, soon she would realize how much I loved her. And she would love me just as much. I just have to take Vaughn out of the picture.

    I waited for a while until I was sure she was fast asleep before leaving the bed, careful not to wake her.

    She stirred slightly, cuddling into the pillow I ced in front of her.

    Certain she wouldn’t wake, I walked out of the room.

    I met Ace in front of the stairs. Just the person I want to see.

    “Doing a round?” I asked him.

    “Yes, boss.” He nodded.

    “Come with me. I need to talk to you about something.” I said, walking to my study with him following behind.

    I poured two sses of whiskey and handed one to him.

    “Thanks, boss.” He said, taking it.

    “What has Vaughn been up to these days?” I asked him, swirling the amber liquid in my ss.

    “Nothing much. Hispany is doing fairly well, but he’s been pushing the Fairview project for a while now.” Ace replied, his tone casual as he took a sip of his whiskey.

    The Fairview Project? Wasn’t that the same project Alina was threatening to hurt herself over if I didn’t give it to him?

    As if reading my thoughts, Ace added, “Madame has spoken to you about giving him the project in the past.”

    “Give it to him.” I said.

    “What?!” Ace looked at me, wide-eyed, confusion etched all over his face.

    “I need to get rid of Vaughn, Ace.” I told him firmly.

    “We can always make him disappear boss.” Ace suggested in a low voice.

    “And have Alina hate me for life? Not a chance.”

    “Boss, Madame doesn’t have to know.” Ace said.

    I couldn’t risk it.

    “Do noty a hand on him, Ace.” I warned. “Just arrange a meeting with hispany. Make sure it’s not hush either.”

    “But boss, how is giving him the contract supposed to get rid of him?” Ace asked, clearly not liking the idea. It was a big contract, after all.

    “You’ll see.” I smirked, gulping my whiskey in one go and weing the burn that followed.

    415

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