AUTHOR’S POV

bAlina /bimmediately stood up from the table, causing a frown to appear on Luar

He had seen the way her expression lit up at whoever was calling, and he had an inkling of who it might be.

“And just where do you think you are going?” Lucian’s voice was stern, bringing her attention back from wherever it had wandered to the

present,olliLuhmm……/li/ol

going to my room.” She stuttered, not having time toe up

up with a reasonable excuse.

“Why? Who is calling you?” Lucian’s intense gaze never left her face as he waited for her to confirm what he already suspected.!--

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“No one of importance.” She answered truthfully.

It was the truth, Adrian wasn’t anybody important anymore, but Lucian didn’t know that Of course, he didn’t believe a single word she had just said.

see, Lucian hummed under his breath. “Sit down and finish your meal. His tone left no room for arguments

“Do not make me repeat myself, Dollface. His tone was sharp, and his hand tightened around the cutlery.

Alina sat down again without another word. She could see his temper rising, and she did not need to make him any more furious.

Of course, she was eager to take Adrian’s call and set her bns /bin motion, but she did not want to risk infuriating bLucian/b. The n was to get him to trust her, not push her further away.

Alina forced herself to finish every bite on her te to pacify Lucian, even though she felt like her stomach was about to explode.

“All done.” She announced, dropping the cutlery with ba /bbtter /band leaning back in her chair to catch her breath.

bLucian /bgrunted in response, knowing he had no reason to keep her there anymore.

“I’ll be in bmy /broom.

Alina’s earlier excitement returned as she bestowed a quick kiss on Lucian’s check before all but skipping up the stairs to her room.

Lucian’s eyes followed her until she was out of sight. Then he dropped his cutlery with a loud tter. But unlike with Alina, the servants froze in fear bbecause /bthey bcould /bfeel the tension radiating from him. And nothing good ever came from that.

bI /bneed you to get somebody to keep an eye on her twenty–four hours a day,” Lucian ordered Ace in a bvoice /bbso /bstiff and controlled dripping with anger that was barely containedb. /b

b“/bOn it, boss” Ace’s response was immediate, already texting on his phone to arrange it

Ace has always disliked Alina because of the way she treated his bboss/b. bHe /bcould never figure out why Lucian wouldn’t bjust /blet her go. There were plenty of women in the entire country of Velmora who would give an arm and a leg just to have Lucian’s notice their way. bBut /bno–he was head over heels in blove /bwith a bwoman /bbwho /bdidn’t give a shit about him one bit.

Ace didn’t for one second believe Alina’s new “good girl act. She’d done the same thing before–only to find new ways to undermine Lucian or bolt the moment he let his guard down.

People balways /bwonder why Ace was so loyal to Lucian but nobody knew bthat /bLucian had pulled Ace off the street when they were both teenagers, getting jumped by some thugs in an alley, bLucian /bhad stepped in to break it up. Those guys would have beaten Ace to death if Lucian hadn’t stepped in. And when Ace regained consciousness a weekter, he bhad /bsworn his allegiance to Lucian until the day he died.

He had intended it. He would do anything to keep Lucian bsafe/b, even if it meant keeping him safe from the one person Lucian would give his life for, Alina

“All set, boss.” Ace’s voice spoke, eyes still fixed on

fixed on his screen.

“Get a doctor to examine you. Lucian bsaid/bb, /bstanding up as he nodded towards bAce’s /bbneck/b.

b6:27 /bAM

0)

Lucian might be a man of few words who rarely showed emotion except when it came to Alina, but he cared for Ace like a brother. And Ace knew this was his way of apologizing for earlier.

“That won’t be necessary, boss. I’m alright.” Ace’s bvoice /bwas firm, his face void of emotion.

“Good. Get ready. We’re going to the Obsidian Club in thirty minutes. There are whispers in the air that Ro’s been spending a lot of time there,” Lucian said bas /bhe walked toward his home office, Ace trailing behind him.

The Obsidian Club bwas /ba private undergroundwork owned by Lucian. A ce where the elite gambled vast fortunes, brokered secret deals, and dictated the bfate /bof the powerless.

Do you want me to send some guys over to get him over to the warehouse?” Ace asked, a note of anticipation in his voice. Nothing good bever /bes from being brought to the warehouse, at least, not for the unsuspecting victim being brought there.

“That won’t be necessary. I’ve been too lenient with him, sending men to him. I need to bhave /ba face–to–face. Let him tell me to my face. what gives him the idea he can gamble in my club when he still owes me.” Lucian snarled, going through some documents on his desk.

“Here.” He handed the file to Ace. This is bthe /bproperty transaction. Make sure Arnesto signs it, bbecause /bbheaven /bknows we’ll have one dead body and ba /bnew property if go there myself.”

I’ve got it covered, boss” Ace’s voice held a hint of amusement in his bvoice/b,

He knew Lucian. While Ace bwas /bmore patient with negotiations, Lucian wasn’t. That is why they were left mostly to Ace. Any negotiation bLucian /bengaged in busually /bresulted in broken bones band /bpails of bloodb. /b

“Get the car ready! Lucian gave bone /bfinal order before he left the office and went straight to his room.

Lucian had just walked past Alina’s room when he heard voices.

He had thought she would be in his room, seeing bas /bshe had practically forced him to let her stay there the

e previous night.

Her door was slightly ajar, making it easier for her conversation to float out. It wasn’t his intention to eavesdrop, but the moment he heard the name of the person on the other end, he couldn’t help himself.

“Of course, Adrian,” Alina spoke in a fake, sugary voice, her back towards the door,pletely unaware of the other person quietly listening to her conversation.

“You have to apologize bto /bPhina for pping her, okay? She only has our best interests at heart,” Adrian’s voice filtered through the phone, making Alina clench it tightly as she fought to suppress her banger/b.

-Did

you hear what I just said, Alina?” Adrian asked in a voice tight with irritation.

In the past, Alina would have missed it. She had been bso /bblinded by her love and loyalty to him that she didn’t hear the subtle changes,the growing acidity in his tone, the icy irritation buried underneath.

She would have written this off bas /bAdrian simply showing concern for her adopted sister. But now she knew better. They had both made a fool of her, and in this life, they were going to pay

“Yeah, Adrian, I bheard /bbyou/b. I’ll invite her out for lunch sometime this week and apologize.” She bforced /bher bvoice /bto remain meek and

sweet.

“Good girl.” Adrian praised. The words made Alina’s skin crawl as she fought the urge to puke. “How about youe see me at the hospitalb?/bb” /bbHe /bsuggested.

“I can’t leave the house right now. Lucian has guards everywhere.” She replied.

Although it was an excuse–because she didn’t want to see Adrian anytime soon–it wasn’t a lie. The entire ckwood estate was swarming with additional guards than busual/bb.. /b

“You don’t love me anymore? Maybe Seraphina was right by saying you’ve fallen in love with bthat /bbeast, Lucian.” Adrian had descended bto /bemotional ckmail, bmaking /bher almost roll her eyes.

“Of course that’s not true. I do not love Lucian. It’s you I love, I will always love you.” The lie rolled off her tongue, leaving a bitter taste bin /bits wake.

Outside the bdoor/bb, /bLucian clenched his fists so tightly that his bnails /bdug into his palm, drawing blood. Rage ran through his entire being. band /ball he wanted was to storm inside, snatch the phone from her hand, and smash it against the wall.

?

427AM P

“I just need him topletely trust me. That way, it would be much easier to get my bway/b.” Alina continued, oblivious to the fuming man standing just inches away.

“bYou /bmust figure out a way toe see me. That’s the only way I’ll know you still love me.” Adrian pushed.

Alina mped down harder on the phone as she tried to control her breathing

“Fine. I’ll look for a way to leave band /be see you.” She said through gritted teeth.

Having heard enough, Lucian stormed downstairs, his heavy footsteps echoing through the vast halls. He met Ace at the foot of the stairs, his eyes burning with cold fury.

“Change bof /bns. Get Ro hitched up in the warehouse in the next ten minutes!“.

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