Chapter 46: Dancing with the Devil

THE HEATED argument with Lucian lingered in Magdalena's mind longer than she expected. Before him, she could easily shrug off the things that hurt her, but not anymore. Lucian's words were stuck in her head. Lucian's coldness remained in her heart. It was hard to forget them all, like they were printed on her skin.

The seven whole days of silent meals, careful footsteps, and retreats were suffocating. Viktor's suffocating manipulation made it worse. She was caught in between the father and son that were like ice and fire.

Walking and moving around the mansion should be easy, but Lucian made it difficult for her.

Three days ago, he wouldn't even look at her. But these past few days he's everywhere.

In the pool area where she likes to unwind, he would deliberately dive into the water after stripping his shirt in front of her.

In the kitchen whenever she makes Angel's snacks, he would pop up and drink a glass of juice he never finished.

And at the staircase, he would deliberately brush his shoulders with hers even when there was enough space for them.

His actions were hard to ignore, but he didn't say a word. Not a single glance, nor apology whenever he purposely bumps into her shoulders.

Lena ignored his attempts, but it was not easy. Especially with those piercing and unreadable expressions on his face, with a little mischief on his empty smirk, like a devil tormenting her.

And every encounter with him is like a step in a twisted dance, one wrong step, she'd stumble and fall.

\[Are you sure everything is alright there?\] It was Viktor on the phone. Lena had been on the phone with him for almost ten minutes. He was out of town for a big client. He had no choice but to leave although at first, he didn't want to.

He has been busy, so he didn't succeed on his plan of making her give in to him.

Lena nodded. "Yes."

She was actually thankful that Viktor left two days ago. It was hard to deal with Lucian and Viktor at once. It was draining for her.

Lena was in the garden, talking to Viktor. Angel is taking a nap and Lucian is nowhere to be found. She almost felt the peace, only if Viktor didn't call.

For the past few days, she was thinking of how to tell Viktor that she wanted out. She's decided, and she doesn't want to marry him.

Not because she wants to be with Lucian, but because being caught up between the two is hard and destructible.

\[Make sure you're not hiding something from me, Lena. I have eyes everywhere.\] Viktor's possessive tone made Lena's fingers curl into a fist.

"I'm not," she whispered, like it was a hard thing to do.

Viktor ended the call after he was satisfied, but Lena remained standing on the bed of green bermuda grass. She slowly lifted her hand and touched the flower in front of her.

The gardener took care of the flowers very meticulously. The flowers are healthy and blooming.

The garden was quiet as Lena stood in front of the flowers until something rolled to her feet.

A basketball. Lena stared at it.

"Oops," followed by the dry voice in front of her.

She didn't need to look to know it was him. The sarcasm was distinct.

Lucian appeared in sweats and a plain shirt, hair tousled, towel slung over his shoulder like he'd just finished a casual workout. His jaw was tight, and his expression unreadable, but his eyes were sharp and with a hint of sarcasm.

Lena took a deep sigh and turned her back to look at the flowers again, intended to ignore him like she's supposed to.

"Wow. We're not really speaking at all now?" Lucian called, voice laced with mocking calm.

It sounded sharp in Lena's ears.

She didn't turn around as she remained silent.

She heard his footsteps behind her, not hurrying,  just close enough to make her feel like prey and he's about to devour her.

"Silent treatment, huh?" Lucian said again, his voice dripped with poison.

"We're supposed to ignore each other, Lucian," Lena said, although it immediately backfired. Her heart clenched.

"I did," he said. "Right after you called me a jerk and told me you hated me."

Lena's hand froze on the flower petal. It felt soft against her fingers, delicate and beautiful.

Her lips curled into a frown. The audacity. The nerve. Argh!

"I meant it," she said without looking back. She was still so angry about what he did. He made her feel special, but it turned out he only wanted to get physical.

What's the use of those sweet talks and late night messages?

"No, you didn't," Lucian said, stiff and cold.

Lena faced him, anger dripping in her eyes. "I did."

He moved closer, jaw clenched. "You didn't."

He was staring at her like he was trying to calm himself by looking at her face. And she doesn't want to believe what his eyes say anymore.

She turned sharply. "Why are you doing this? You've made yourself clear, Lucian. You said what you said. That little thing is important to you. We have different perspectives. That's it. End of story."

Lucian's brows furrowed. "That's not how it ends."

"Really? Because it sure looked like an ending to me." She folded her arms, her left brow rose. "You wanted my body, I gave it to you. That should be the end, or you want another round? In your room perhaps? Or on your father's study table to humiliate me more and show who owns the power."

Lucian's jaw clenched. The emotions in his eyes changed like he was insulted by her accusations. Oh wait, it's not an accusation. It was the truth.

"You let my father kiss you," Lucian said before Lena spoke again, like his sanity completely snapped.

Lena was shocked as she stared at him.

"What?" She asked, confused. Isn't he angry because she didn't satisfy him?

"You let my father kiss you," Lucian said again, like he was trying to make her remember something she had forgotten, and that something was engraved in his head painfully.

So, that was why he was angry? That was why he didn't come home for days? That was why he treated her coldly?

Lena doesn't know what to say. She thought...

She sucked her breath and slowly closed her eyes. No...That should be the end of their affair.

She should've drawn the line from the very beginning. She should never have tried to cross it.

"Your father is my fiance," Lena said, like it was the answer to all of these.

Lucian grabbed his hair in frustration. "Goddamn it, Magdalena! I know that very well. But you gave yourself to me! I felt you that night. You didn't only kiss my lips, you kissed my soul. How am I supposed to forget that?"

"That doesn't matter now," Lena answered, shaking her head. "Lucian, this is wrong."

"Loving you never felt wrong," Lucian whispered and Lena's heart skipped a beat.

He...loves her?

"Lucian..." she whispered, begging.

Lucian stared at her like it was the most painful thing to do. The fleeting moment stretched into a few more seconds before he stepped back slowly, the wall of tension vibrating between them. It was suffocating.

"So, we're strangers again?" he asked with a hint of bitterness. "We live in the same house and pretend none of it ever happened?"

Lena nodded, pain was visible in her eyes no matter how hard she tried to hide it. "Exactly."

There was a long pause between them.

Lucian stared at her coldly.  Something in his eyes changed, the fire dimmed, replaced by a frozen kind of acceptance that hurt more than rage ever could. The begging in his eyes slowly vanished and was replaced by indifference.

Lena swallowed hard. She was suddenly scared.

"Fine," he murmured. "I'll treat you like a stranger from now on." And the he walked away, like something inside him died quietly.

Lena stared at the flower once again after Lucian walked away. Suddenly, the flower became ugly. Like it suddenly grew invisible thorns that pricked her fingers painfully.