CHAPTER 138: DO YOU EVER FEEL WORTHLESS?

Author’s POV

"Your eyes... they seem lon... lonely and empty... like there’s nothing left for you," Seraphina said, finally letting go of him.

Lucien froze.

He had everything a man could want... wealth, status, the kind of life others envied. People looked at him with admiration, even desire. But none of them had ever tried to understand what was behind his cold exterior.

No one ever tried to understand him, not even his girlfriend.

And now, this little girl standing in front of him had stripped him bare with a single sentence.

For a moment, he couldn’t move. Her words kept echoing in his head. He’d mastered the art of hiding behind smirks and sharp words.

But she’d seen all of it. And that left him feeling unsettled.

"What do you know..." Lucien scoffed, rolling his eyes at her question. "Has anyone ever left you?" His voice was flat, almost careless. "Did you ever feel unwanted... worthless?"

He said those words lazily, but he could feel the weight of his own words in his heart.

"Yes," Seraphina breathed as her throat tightened. "Yes, I have."

Her fingers curled into her sleeves. "I... I was abando... abandoned by my parents. No... no one ever wanted to adopt me. I was... bullied, and..." She stopped, swallowing hard as her lips trembled.

Silence hung in the air. She tried to speak, but nothing came out. Her chest was tight as her eyes burned.

Lucien didn’t move as he turned toward the girl in front of him and held his gaze on her.

Tears made everything in front of her blur. She hated how weak she sounded and couldn’t even convey what she wanted.

Sera wanted to keep talking about the nights she cried herself to sleep, about how lonely she was, and the place where she lived felt like a cage. But she didn’t know how to form those words.

Even without her continuing, Lucien got the rest. The way she stood with the crack in her voice, he knew she wasn’t lying to him.

He looked away, jaw tightening before his face went blank again. "Tch." He exhaled sharply and added. "Do not try to compare your miserable little life to mine!"

"I..." Sera froze.

For the first time in her life, she’d followed her gut and chased after someone, thinking she was about to stop him from ending his life. But she was wrong. She’d only made a fool of herself.

The tears she’d been holding back finally spilled. She swiped them away with her sleeve, but more streamed out uninvited. She didn’t want him to see, so she turned her back on Lucien.

Her heart was still pounding for some unknown reason. She didn’t even know why she cared so much. She barely knew him and yet she tried to save him, who didn’t even bother about her care.

Behind her, Lucien didn’t move. She could feel his eyes on her back, but she didn’t move.

Sera was still thinking about what to do next. If she should leave or stay there, and apologize when a voice echoed from behind.

"What did you just say?"

Sera flinched at the sudden voice. Emma’s words cut through the air, catching their attention.

Sera stiffened, wiping at her face again, trying to erase the mess before turning toward her. But it was too late, Emma had already seen her tear-filled eyes.

Lucien’s gaze shifted, and his expression changed as he looked at the person who had just entered the scene.

"What are you being so rude to her for?" Emma shot back, stepping closer. Her jaw was tight as her eyes were locked on him like she was ready to fight.

Lucien didn’t flinch. His gaze slid to her, slowly and sharply. "And... who might you be?" His voice was low and cold as if he was uninterested in hearing the answer.

"Em... Emma..." Sera cut in before Emma could say anything else. "I... I thought he... he was about to... end his life... so..." She stumbled over the words as she felt a lump in her throat. "It... It’s not his fault."

Lucien’s eyes flicked to her, just for a second. He was amused and shocked that how this girl was trying to defend him even if he was so rude to her.

"Sure, it’s not his fault," Emma muttered, slipping her hand into Sera’s, squeezing it tightly. "Darling, you’re too kind. You shouldn’t just go around helping people like him. Not everyone out there deserves your kindness."

Sera looked down, her lashes wet. She didn’t argue, but her stomach twisted. Emma was right.

No one had ever been kind to Seraphina, except some people whom she could count of her fingers.

She had thought that if she were kind to others, people would do the same in return and would like her, just as Emma did.

Lucien stayed quiet, leaning back slightly, watching them. There was no expression on his face, but his eyes... they lingered on Sera, as if he was trying to figure her out.

"Let’s go, darling!" Emma tugged on Sera’s sleeve, pulling her along. Sera let her, but her head kept turning back, eyes looking at the man who was still watching her. His gaze didn’t move but didn’t soften either.

"Sera!" Emma suddenly stopped when they were away from Lucien. "Stay here. I think I dropped my wallet back there." She didn’t wait for an answer before heading straight toward Lucien, who hadn’t moved an inch.

"O... okay," Sera mumbled, letting Emma’s hand slip from hers.

"Hey!" Emma’s voice was sharp as she pointed at him. "You were really rude to my friend just now!"

Lucien’s eyes shifted to her, slowly. He hadn’t expected either of them to come back, let alone confront him. His gaze flicked past her shoulder, scanning behind her, like he was looking for someone else.

Emma frowned. "I’m talking to you."

Lucien’s stare returned to her, and for a moment, he didn’t say anything. Then, the corner of his mouth lifted, but it wasn’t a smile. "If she’s your friend, maybe you should tell her not to follow strangers around."

Emma’s brows pulled together. "She was trying to help you."

"I didn’t ask for it." His voice was calm, but it was so cold that Emma felt a chill down her spine.

He was right. Sera shouldn’t follow strangers around. But she was just... like that.

"What you said is not wrong," Emma admitted after a long breath. She swallowed the rest of her anger as her voice turned softer now. "Let me apologize for my friend. She... she must’ve seen you looking so sad and alone that she wanted to tell you— you have to keep living. Because... no matter what... there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel."

Lucien’s brows pulled slightly. The shift in her tone caught him off guard. Just a second ago, she was ready to bite his head off, and now she was apologizing.

"Please don’t mind her," Emma went on. "It’s just... she’s been through a lot herself. She doesn’t want anyone else to go through the same."

Lucien didn’t answer right away. His eyes moved past Emma to where Sera was standing, watching them from a short distance. She wasn’t saying anything, just staring back, her hands gripping the sleeves of her shirt.

Something in his chest stirred that he couldn’t name, but his face stayed cold. "Then maybe she should be more careful who she’s trying to save."

Emma smiled faintly at his words. "Not everyone is as calculative as you, sir," she said with a little bit bitterness in her words. "She just wants people not to be lonely... because that’s how she is."

Lucien didn’t reply, but his eyes followed them as Emma turned away.

With those last words, Emma led Sera out of the building. Sera didn’t look back this time, though she could still feel his gaze on her back. That day, neither of them knew it wouldn’t be their last meeting.

Later, after a quiet afternoon together, the two girls were finally heading home, and their mood was a little lighter now. They were just stepping out of the resturant when Sera sensed a familiar figure.

A drunk man staggered into the middle of the road, swaying on his feet.

And then headlights flashed. A truck too fast and uncontrolled barreling toward him.

"No!" Sera’s voice tore out before she even thought. Her stomach dropped when her eyes caught the face. It was him. The same man she’d tried to save.

Her feet moved before her mind caught up. The truck’s horn blared, its tires screaming against the road, but it wasn’t slowing enough.

The man didn’t even notice. He was too drunk; his steps were clumsy, and his head hung low.

"Sera!" Emma’s voice called after her, but it was already too late. Sera was halfway into the street, the rush of wind from the truck hitting her face as she grabbed his arm.

He stumbled against her, heavy and unsteady. The truck’s headlights flooded her vision, blinding her for a moment.

A strong force yanked her back, hardly, just before the truck could hit her. She was saved by an inch.

Her heart had almost stopped for a second, and then it started pounding in her ears when she looked up. And there was Lucien. His grip was tight on her wrist, his expression unreadable, but his eyes were sharp and burning, not leaving her even for a bit.

"You!" Before he could say anything, he had lost consciousness.