CHAPTER 31: THE TRUTH

Braelyn’s POV

"Yep. I can’t tell you my past for free. If you tell me why you can’t divorce Raphael I will tell you about the chef that made the psycho learn how to cook."

I bowed my head trying to gather my thoughts. "It’s fine if you don’t want to talk about it." Lucien’s voice drew me from my thoughts. The blender was switched on, and he stood next to it, his hand over the top to prevent the contents from spilling.

The loud electronic sound of the blender was deafening. He didn’t push further. I sighed. "Things are a bit complicated you know," I muttered.

He heard me despite the noise. "I know you can make me understand with a few words but I understand if you don’t trust me yet " His words felt heavy. I stared at the blender.

"Well, since you are so curious, I can tell you." The blender was switched off. His bait worked

"You don’t have to if ..."

"We both know you are dying to know." I cut him and he chuckled. They moved to the pan to serve the pasta.

"Am I that easy to see through?" He asked. The pasta he made was enough for one serving. He placed the plate on the counter.

"We have to share one plate then," Lucien added before pouring two glasses of smoothie. The meal was placed in the centre aisle.

"That smells really nice." I mused.

"It sure does." He said, rolling the pasta with a fork, he brought it next to my lips. He was really pushing.

"You don’t have to feed me. Stop pushing your luck." I rolled my eyes then hopped off the aisle to pick a fork. Lucien shrugged then ate

After picking a fork, I sat on a high stool and then joined him. The aroma was vibrant, and the taste was not only lovely, but it had this homemade taste that melted in my mouth.

The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the sauce was perfect. I only hope I didn’t have garlic breath after this.

"So your Ex," I asked, and he was rolling some pasta. His wet hair was sticking to his forehead. I wondered how long he stood under the rain

"Her name is Elena, on the surface she was the typical heiress, but if you get to know her personally, she was something more, and it was the first time I thought I was in love." He explained, taking a sip of his drink

"Elena, that lovely name." I complimented noting the way his eyes lit up subtly when he said her name.

"Braelyn is prettier." He teased. My lips twitched.

"You can’t let go of an opportunity to flirt. Can you?"

He smiled almost looking hopeless. "I can’t help it. That’s one of my charms."

I rolled my eyes at this narcissist before me. The worst type of men were those who knew they were good-looking and knew how to use it. The typical Playboy

"Back to our story. What happened to our dear Elena?" I could not stop eating. The pasta was really good and I was starving.

I subconsciously moaned just relinquishing the taste. His gaze lingered on me. Lucien awkwardly cleared his throat and took a mouthful of his drink. By the time I realised what I just did, it was so embarrassing.

"Things were great, at least I thought so, until the day things fell apart. Apparently, her family won’t let her date an illegitimate child who spends his days in a racing club, before I could even get a hold on the situation, she was engaged." His voice dropped.

"Sorry," I whispered awkwardly reaching for his hand. Once my fingertips brush his skin, I pull back. Lucien sighed.

"It’s not a big deal since I got over it ages ago. At least she is happy now..." Silence bloomed, and the air felt a bit heavier.

Lucien suddenly burst out laughing startling me. He pointed his lips. "You have a moustache."

My eyes widened and I quickly reached out for a napkin to wipe my lips. Smoothie was smudge over my lips. Lucien snickered doing his best to hold back his laugh.

"It’s not funny." I glared at him. He averted his face fighting his laugh. "So what’s your story?" He asked, his gaze now falling on my lips, lingering a bit before it moved.

I ignored it then straightened up. "I am sure you heard the rumours about my mother." I started. Lucien settled down to listen like every word mattered.

"Well, they are half-truth. My parents did have me as elders, that’s why our fathers are best friends, and yes, I am biologically theirs, but it wasn’t a medically assisted birth." I explained.

"They tried for years and never had a child. Dad’s family always urged him to divorce his wife as an heir was needed but he refused." I explained with a smile.

"He really loved her," Lucien muttered, and I nodded, remembering the way Dad’s eyes always lit up when he spoke about Mum.

"I guess he did. After trying and failing multiple times they gave up on having children. Dad claimed he didn’t care about an heir, but I guess Mum knew he said that because of her." I paused my eyes stung. I drew in a deep breath, then clung to the smoothie.

"When mum got pregnant she thought it was menopause. She was already in her fifties, and there was no way she could get pregnant, but I was real. the best gift she had as dad said but one that caused her life." A tear slid down my cheek which I wiped off.

"I never knew my mother and my father loved me more than anything. I was the only reason he woke up each morning. When I fell in love with Raphael, he knew he wasn’t going to stay, so before he died, he made a will clause which was meant to protect me ...."

"I don’t know the exact details, but I can’t divorce Raphael, or I will lose everything, even the villa I grew up in. We have to be married for at least 10 years before a divorce. When the clause was made, it felt like a joke because I never imagined myself ever wanting a divorce."

Lucien didn’t say anything for a while. His lips parted a little word slipped out. "Sorry." It wasn’t much but it stirred something in me.

Tears started to drop. I turned around to hide them while I tried wiping them. I didn’t know if I was crying because of Raphael or Dad.

"You truly love him.." he muttered. "Your father I mean."

"He was the only family I truly had," I whispered between choked cries. Dad had cut off ties with his family because of Mum, so I never knew them while growing up.

"I only wished he saw my child..."

’ But that seemed like a distant dream,’ I wanted to add, which I didn’t.

"Braelyn..." My shoulders froze. "Please look at me." I slowly turned towards him.

Suddenly, it felt like he was close...too close. Lucien bent over his thumb and rubbed off my tears. "Everything will work out with time." He muttered, his breath fanning against my face.

My body seemed to realise this man was shirtless before me. My legs pressed together a lump formed in my throat. For a moment none of us spoke and just stared.

"When you stare like that it makes it hard not to kiss you..." His breath was raspy. My throat suddenly went dry.

"Sorry." He gasped, his Adam’s apple bobbled. I didn’t know why he apologised at first until his lips stole mine.

His lips brushed mine before my brain could protest, and everything: the thunder, the rain, the ache fell silent and heat took over.