CHAPTER 169: MAKE HIM BEG FOR IT

Leia had kept herself confined to her room all day, refusing to step out.

"Something happened between them, Mom," Inara said at last, her arms folded tightly across her chest.

"Between whom?" Fleur asked, pausing in the middle of folding a dress.

"Leia and Brother Lucien," Inara replied, biting into her apple with a sharp crunch. "Something’s off between them. She hasn’t spoken to anyone since morning, and I can’t help but wonder if Brother Lucien has upset her. What if he hurt her feelings?" Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully before a sly smile curved her lips.

"Maybe we should do something to lift her spirits. If we take Leia away with us for a while, the three brothers will finally realize what it means not to have her around. That might teach them to value her more."

Fleur shook her head firmly. "If Lucien is at fault, it isn’t fair to punish the other two for his mistake. And besides," her voice softened, "Mother will be happier with Leia close by."

From the doorway, Azalea spoke up, her tone calm but resolute. "I think Inara makes a good point. Let Leia come with you to your pack for a few days. Some distance may help her heal, and perhaps it will help Lucien see more clearly as well."

Travis steadied his grandmother by the arm as he guided her gently into his mother’s room.

"Mom, you know how Lucien is," Fleur began, worry etching a deep crease between her brows. "He’ll throw a fit if Leia leaves. And besides, the three of them spend most of their time away from the mansion anyway. At least Leia stays here with you. If my brother-in-law hadn’t fallen sick so suddenly, we wouldn’t have come back so soon."

Her mother listened quietly, then shook her head. "The thing is, Fleur, I want Leia to step away from this place for a while. She’s been with them too long without a breath of freedom. I heard from the servants that Lucien barely lets her out of his sight. That girl carries too many thoughts and worries in her heart. You’ll only be gone for a week, and it might do her good."

Her expression softened, though her voice carried quiet conviction. "At first, I couldn’t quite understand Leia. But now I see it. She longs for freedom. She thrives in it. Lucien, on the other hand..." she paused, choosing her words carefully, "Lucien still doesn’t know what love means. To him, it feels more like possession than devotion. And that must change."

"I agree with Grandma," Kieran’s voice came from the doorway. He leaned casually against the frame, his phone still in hand. He had come to deliver a message from his uncle, Fleur’s husband, but instead had caught the tail end of their conversation.

"Lucien is only confusing Leia," Kieran said firmly, stepping into the room. "And Leia... she’s torn, trying to figure out how to move forward with three mates. She needs space, time away from all of this." His gaze softened as he looked at his aunt. "Your house is the best place for her to find that peace."

He paused, then added with a sharp edge in his tone, "Lucien isn’t even home right now, Aunt Fleur. This is the perfect chance. Ask Leia to go with you. Let my brother suffer in her absence. Only then will he understand what it means to yearn for someone when you’re truly in love."

"Lucien, if he finds out, then—" Fleur began.

"Who’s going to tell him?" Kieran cut in with a smirk.

Travis and Inara exchanged a glance and shook their heads in unison.

"Even my lips will remain sealed," Azalea assured.

Fleur sighed, torn. "Fine. I’ll do it for Leia. But if she refuses, I won’t force her."

"She won’t," Kieran said with quiet confidence.

"Mom, I’ll pack your things," Travis offered. "You should go speak with Leia."

Fleur’s stern expression softened into a smile before she turned and made her way upstairs. At Leia’s door, she tapped lightly and called, "Leia, it’s me, Fleur. May I come in?"

Leia, who had been standing silently by the window, straightened at once. She stepped up as Fleur gently pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Clasping her hands together, Fleur crossed the room and reached out to smooth a strand of Leia’s hair with maternal tenderness. "Something has come up in my family. I need to return home with the children. We’ll likely be gone for about a week."

Leia’s brows furrowed in concern. "Is everything alright, Aunt? What happened so suddenly?"

"My brother-in-law has taken ill," Fleur explained softly. "That’s why we must go back."

Leia gave a small, reassuring smile. "Don’t worry about me. I’ll stay with Grandma the whole time."

Fleur shook her head gently. "Actually, Leia... I’d like you to come with us. I know the circumstances under which you were brought here, and how little freedom you’ve had since. You deserve time away, a chance to breathe, to see the world on your own terms. Just for a while."

Her eyes searched Leia’s face as she asked, "Would you like to come with us?"

"I don’t want to trouble you, Aunt Fleur," Leia murmured, her fingers twisting nervously together.

"It’s no trouble at all," Fleur reassured her warmly. "You’re like a daughter to me, Leia. I would be glad to cook for you, take you around, let you see new places. And Inara already looks up to you as an elder sister. But you need to decide quickly, I don’t have much time before I must leave with the children."

Leia blinked, her thoughts tumbling. ’I want to go... I need to go. But what about Grandma?’

As though reading her heart, Fleur reached out and gently clasped her hands. "Don’t worry about my mother. She has her grandsons here, and they will care for her. She won’t be neglected."

Relief washed through Leia, loosening the knot in her chest. She drew in a slow breath before speaking with quiet resolve. "I’ll go with you, Aunt. Thank you... for giving me this chance."

The moment she said the words, a strange calm settled over her. Something inside her finally eased, as though she had been holding her breath for far too long.

Fleur truly was like a mother to her, over these past few days, she had shown Leia the kind of gentle care she hadn’t realized she craved.

"That’s wonderful. Go and pack your bags," Fleur urged with a smile.

Leia hesitated. "I... I must inform Lucien."

"Why?" Fleur’s expression hardened, her brow arching. "Aren’t those tears you’ve been shedding since morning because of him?"

Leia’s eyes widened. "How did you—"

"Everyone in the mansion knows you two quarreled," Fleur cut in gently but firmly. "I had hoped, being the eldest, he would treat you with patience and respect. That he would show you maturity. But clearly, I was mistaken." She exhaled slowly, softening her tone as she reached out to brush Leia’s arm. "We’ll talk about this later. For now, go and pack your things. Let Lucien feel your absence. Let him realize what you mean to him."

Her voice carried quiet steel as she added, "Sometimes, the only way for someone to understand your worth... is to live without you for a while."

Leia nodded, her eyes glistening, before throwing her arms around Fleur in a tight embrace. A genuine smile curved her lips as she pressed a grateful kiss to her aunt’s cheek. "You’re amazing, Aunt!" she whispered with warmth.

Then, with renewed energy, she hurried toward the cupboard and pulled out a small cabin bag from its lower shelf.

Fleur watched her with a faint smile, though she shook her head in quiet disbelief. "I’ll wait for you in the living room," she said gently. "And I’ll send a maid to carry your bag down."

"Alright," Leia replied, placing the bag on the bed. With careful hands, she began folding her clothes, tucking them neatly inside the bag.

"Lucien, I hope you suffer in my absence and cry the same way I did," she mumbled. Fleur had already stepped out of the room.

Leia zipped the cabin bag and bent to lift it, but before she could, Kieran’s hand closed firmly around the handle.

"I’ll carry it for you," he said.

"Aunt Fleur wants—"

"I know," Kieran interrupted with a soft smile. His thumb brushed gently beneath her left eye, wiping away the faint trace of a tear. "I just want you to enjoy this week, Leia. Don’t worry about Grandma. And even if Lucien demands your return... don’t give in. Make him beg for it. That’s what a Luna deserves, to be valued."

A small laugh escaped Leia as she lifted her gaze to him, eyes shimmering. She leaned up and pressed her lips lightly against his. "Thank you. You’ve always been so good to me," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head against his chest.

His steady heartbeat soothed her as she added in a quiet promise, "I’ll come back in time to help you through your rut. And we’ll talk every day on the phone until then."