Chapter 51: Shopping.

Amaarae's POV 

I looked at the well written letter with annoyance creeping under my skin.. I didn't want to take another glance so I tossed it back to the night stand… not taking any effort to fold it up or admire it.

Lucas thought this was an apology? A letter? Please. If he wanted to say something, he could say it to my face. "Coward," I muttered, brushing my hair out of my eyes. My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten breakfast in days. Not because I wasn’t hungry—I was—but Lucas had this way of ruining my appetite.

Today, though, I wasn’t going to let him get to me. I grabbed a light sundress from the closet, slipped on my sandals, and made my way to the dining hall. It felt strange to go there again after avoiding it for so long, but I figured a real breakfast would do me some good.

The hall was bustling when I arrived. The hum of conversation and the clatter of utensils filled the space. I walked in, head held high, ignoring the eyes that seemed to follow me. I found a table in the corner, sat down, and finally allowed myself to relax—at least until I felt it.

Someone was staring at me.

I looked up and scanned the room, and there he was: Lucas. Sitting at his table, staring straight at me like he had nothing better to do. For a moment, I ignored him, focusing on my plate. But his gaze didn’t waver.

"What are you staring at?" I mumbled under my breath.

When I couldn’t take it anymore, I turned to face him. "Do you need something, or are you just trying to burn a hole through my head with your eyes?"

He didn’t say anything. He didn’t even blink. Just chewed his food slowly, like he had all the time in the world. His silence annoyed me more than anything he could’ve said.

Fine. If he wanted to act like that, I’d play along. I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "You know what? If you’re going to just sit there, at least give me some money. I’ve got plans today."

That got a reaction. His fork paused mid-air, and for a moment, I thought he might actually laugh. But no. Lucas being Lucas, he went back to eating like I hadn’t said a word.

I glared at him. "I know you heard me, Lucas."

Still, nothing. When he finished his meal, he wiped his mouth with a napkin, stood up, and said, "Follow me."

I rolled my eyes but got up anyway, trailing behind him as he left the hall. We stopped in the corridor, where he pulled out his black card and handed it to me.

"Don’t go crazy," he said, his voice flat and unreadable.

I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. "Wow, Lucas. Didn’t think you had it in you. Thanks."

He just nodded and walked away without another word. Typical. But I didn’t care. I twirled the card between my fingers, already planning my day.

"Don’t go crazy," I mimicked under my breath with a smirk. "We’ll see about that."

After a quick stop at my room to change, I stepped out in my favorite outfit: a sleek, form-fitting jumpsuit and strappy heels. My hair was laid, my lip gloss popping. I was ready to take on the day.

First stop? The luxury mall downtown. The moment I walked in, I felt like royalty. Sales associates greeted me with bright smiles, their eyes flicking to the black card I casually held in my hand.

I went through store after store, picking up everything that caught my eye. A designer handbag here, a pair of sunglasses there. And then there were the shoes. Oh, the shoes. I bought a pair of killer heels that cost more than most people’s monthly rent.

At one point, I passed by a jewelry store and saw a diamond necklace sparkling under the lights. It practically called my name. Without hesitation, I bought it.

"This is too easy," I said to myself, swiping the card again.

When my arms were full of shopping bags, I decided it was time for lunch. I headed to a rooftop restaurant with a stunning view of the city. The menu? Luxurious. I ordered lobster pasta, a perfectly seared steak, and a glass of champagne to wash it all down.

By the time I finished eating, the sun was beginning to set, and I wasn’t done yet. I booked a massage and a facial at a nearby spa. The staff pampered me like a queen, and I felt the stress of the past week melt away.

Lying there.

Right now, it was all about me.

Later, I treated myself to dessert at a high-end ice cream parlor. I sat on a bench outside, surrounded by my shopping bags, enjoying my cone as the city lights twinkled in the distance.

"Not bad for a day’s work," I thought quietly to myself. I was away from the city, at the outskirts and I knew that no one could probably find me here so I smiled to myself.

My fingers clicked on the new phone I had bought with Lucas's money and I started going through the manuals as I equally reminded myself of the staff's words in my head.

Just as I was immersed in my thoughts, a soft lullaby.. a comforting rhythm caught my attention..I stood up, moving to the door and I started moving without anything in mind.

I got deeper into the outskirts, now I was surrounded by tall trees and dangerous animals but my legs didn't stop moving until it got to a fancy altar. It looked more than beautiful..I ogled at it for a while before I remembered I gained powers over my legs. 

My mind retraced, I didn't know how I got here nor how to leave and I just wanted to scream or no I screamed…i shrieked and looked for help only to be responded to by the howls of the night.

I walked away from that direction but the pull became stronger.. it was getting to me and didn't let me move until I was in front of the altar.

There was a flower there, a black rose that depicted the sweetest part of life… death.

I noticed there was also a ring with diamonds, I put them on my finger without any second choice or option.

Then I moved on to the letters that laid there.. it said, 

“ You came. I missed you.”

The second sent chills down my spine as it said, 

“ I'm watching.. Don't look back.”