Chapter 25 The Beach Date
Sonia’s POV
“Hey, baby.”
His voice was a low, familiar rumble against my ear, but the tone was all wrong. The kind that could sell lies and get away with it. His arm tightened around my waist, pulling me back against him. The world slowed for a second, the crash of waves, the clicking of cameras, the heavy warmth of his breath grazing my neck. I could even swear I felt something thick poking against my lower half.
“What are you trying to do?” I asked in a whisper, trying so hard to control myself.
“Nothing dangerous! Don't worry, I don't bite,” Lucian replied with the same low voice.
For the paparazzi, it looked perfect. Our pose was the perfect couple frame. For me, it was a silent war between my body and my brain. I tightened my thigh against itself, my wetness getting slimy.
I swallowed, trying to steady my emotions. “You don’t have to-”
“Yes, I do,” he murmured near my ear, his tone soft enough that only I could hear. “They’re watching, Sonia, so we must give them what they want.”
I tilted my head slightly and caught a glimpse of the crowd beyond the glass. Camera lenses glinted like a hundred unblinking eyes. He wasn’t exaggerating. They were everywhere.
Lucian shifted, his grip loosening just enough to make the moment look natural. To them, it was a husband hugging his wife, whispering something sweet. To me, it was a reminder that a single mistake would ruin my act, and show Lucian how much I wanted him.
“Smile,” he sang melodiously in my ears.
I wanted to say no, but I had no choice, so I put on a fake smile. My heart beat too fast, and I hated that he could make me feel this way, cornered and protected at the same time.
“Good girl,” he whispered, finally releasing me and stepping to my side. “Now, let’s give them something to print.”
He intertwined our fingers before walking me toward the table. I didn’t dare look at him. His hand was warm and capable, like this wasn't his first time holding a lady intimately. My pulse, on the other hand, was chaos.
When we sat down, a waiter brought two glasses of wine. I noticed the flash of another camera from a distance. I forced another smile.
“So this is what love looks like to the world,” I muttered.
Lucian’s lips curved faintly. “To the world, appearances are everything.”
“And to you?” I asked, my curiosity slipping out before I could stop it.
He looked at me, not like a CEO, not like a husband pretending, but like a man who had seen too much to believe in fairytales.
“To me,” he said after a momentary silence, “love is leverage. The most dangerous kind….” he paused as if thinking of the right answer. “I should know, I've experienced it before.”
His answer sent a chill down my spine, even though I half-expected it. It was too honest, too raw. And maybe that’s why it hurts.
“So what am I then? A leverage? And where is your first love?” I asked, quietly.
His gaze flickered, unreadable. “Right now? You're my partner, and we're working together to protect ourselves. But… also my shield.”
There it was again, that contradiction I could never understand. I wanted to hate him for it, but something inside me refused to.
I picked at the edge of my napkin and whispered, “What about your first experience? Is she dead?” I asked again.
Lucian leaned back, studying me like he was trying to solve a riddle. “Why are you so interested in my first love? Are you jealous?” he arched his brows.
His words caught me by surprise. Was I jealous? I don't know. I couldn't even explain how I felt. Lucian was gradually becoming a necessity in my life, so the thought of him being with another woman terrified me. But I couldn't let him know how I felt. That would ruin our one-year contract, and prove to him that I was loose.
“Why would I be jealous of you? You're my contract husband, remember?” I replied in a whisper, and silence descended. We both faced the meal, lost in our thoughts.
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We ate in silence, enjoying the ocean’s splash, and ignoring the paparazzi comment. The flashes eventually faded, the photographers moving on when they realized no scandal would unfold today. When the last camera finally left, I exhaled in relief.
Lucian leaned closer to me. “They’re gone,” he murmured. “You can freely be yourself.”
I turned to look at him, intrigued. “Wow… the act’s over?”
He hesitated, then gave a small nod. “For now, yes. But you never can tell what will happen in the next minute.”
Something in the way he said for now made my stomach tighten. He stood up, walking toward the edge of the ocean, the wind tugging at his shirt. For a second, I saw the burden he carried, the exhaustion behind his control. Lucian wasn't a god or an immortal. He was a man, made of flesh and blood.
I followed, standing beside him. The air was cool, salt brushing against my lips.
“Lucian,” I said softly. “You don’t always have to act strong and mighty around me. You're free to be yourself.”
He glanced down at me, eyes shadowed but gentler now. “Neither do you, Sonia.”
I didn't know how to react, because he seemed to have made the conversation all about me. Deep down, I knew he was right, I get nervous whenever I'm around him. Not because of his intimidating aura, but because I knew I had feelings for him.
“This is about you, Lucian. Don't try and change the topic,” I replied with a polite smile.
“Well, we are married. So whatever is about me, is also about you,” Lucian said, and surprisingly, he offered me a smile.
I didn't know what else to talk about. I didn't want to push the topic because he seemed reluctant, but I also didn't want to remember how none of this is real. So I kept quiet, enjoying the present because I didn't know when it would be taken away.
We played in the water and built sand castles together. And for the first time, I saw genuine happiness on Lucian's face. He wasn't faking it, he was really happy to be near the ocean. Time went fast whenever we were together, and the sky quickly turned black. We both lay down on the edge of the ocean, the warm sand comforting our backs.
“I've never been to the ocean before. Thank you very much,” I appreciated, and turned to face Lucian. He lay beside me, but his eyes were fixed on the stars. I used the opportunity to admire his face, and although it was just his side view, I enjoyed it.
Suddenly, his phone rang, disrupting our quiet time. Lucian turned to face me, and our eyes locked. He must have noticed I was staring at him, but he didn't say anything about it, he simply brought out his phone.
“This is Lucian Smithfield, CEO of Smithfield Corporation, who am I talking to?” He asked with a professional voice, and the minute the person on the other end introduced themselves, Lucian's face drained.