Chapter 33 She’s Dead, Lucian!
Chapter Thirty-Three
Zach shook his head, as his lips stretched into a smile, but the smile had no mirth.
“It’s nothing, Lucian,” he uttered, “Let’s just get on with what we were looking at. Information on your lovely wife.”
Lucian gave him a level look, not buying any of the shit Zach was trying to put up. He knew Zach was trying to lighten up the mood to avoid revealing what was bothering him.
But Lucian’s interest had been piqued already and it would take a lot to get him to relax if he was not getting his answers.
He’d seen the way Zach’s face had immediately become saddened, when he’d stopped talking earlier.
That gave him the clue that something was indeed very wrong. Somehow, he felt a sense of foreboding surround him as well and he could not shake off the feeling that something was wrong somewhere.
Was something wrong with Aria? Is that why Zach was refusing to talk?
He glared at Zach, “You’re not leaving this place unless you tell me what’s bothering you.”
“Jesus, man! Just let it go!” Zach uttered, throwing his hands up in exasperation, “I told you it was nothing. Just chill, will you?”
Lucian cocked his head at him, his glare still very apparent, “Do you want a beating?”
Zach scoffed, his eyes roving over Lucian’s form on the bed, “I don’t think you can, even if you tried.”
Lucian sighed, “Spit it out already, will you!” He uttered, then his voice became calm, “Don’t you think if would be better if you tell me yourself, instead of me hearing it from someone else?”
Zach stopped, biting his lips in indecision. Finally, he sighed heavily, his shoulders slumped.
Lucian had never seen Zach looked so downcasted, and his heart started beating faster.
Oh God, something was really wrong with Aria.
Perhaps she was dying? Perhaps she’d suffered a lot before coming into his family?
His fists clenched involuntarily at that thought.
“Anyone who dares to make my woman suffer would be paying a hundred fold!” He thought to himself, his nostrils flaring with anger as he turned to glare at Zaire once more.
“Just spit it out already!” He thundered, “What’s wrong with Aria?!”
“Aria?” Zach’s brow furrows in confusion as he faced Lucian.
‘Does he think I’m hiding something about his wife?’ He thought in confusion.
“Is she gonna be okay?” Lucian asked once more, his voice slightly shaky.
Zach closed his eyes in exasperation, “Dude, your wife is okay! For all I know, she’s as healthy as a horse, she’s not in any debt and has lived quite a plain and uneventful life in the country side. Which is kind of sad, considering she’s the Beaumont Heiress.”
Lucian’s heart rate immediately slowed down at those words, “She’s okay?” He breathed and Zach nodded, clicking his tongue slightly at Lucian’s behavior.
The man was really smitten.
Zach guessed that was a good thing, considering the news he was about to deliver to Lucian at the moment.
Lucian inhaled deeply, then suddenly remembered that Zach had not said what was actually bothering him.
He narrowed his eyes at his friend, “I thought you had some bad news to tell B me about Aria,” he said, “If everything’s okay with Aria, then what did you want to say?”
Zach stared at him for a long time, while Lucian blinked at him in puzzlement.
Finally, he sighed, “It’s about Elara Vaughn.”
Lucian blinked as his features finally relaxed, “Elara?” He repeated, “What do you mean? Are you perhaps sad because I am married now and it looks like I’m happy with Aria?” He eyed Zach incredulously, “But you never supported me being with Elara.”
“She’s dead, Lucian.”
It was as though all the air had been sucked away from the room in which they were.
Lucian stared at Zach, his head blank in disbelief for a minute, “What…what did you say?”
Zach sighed once more, as he lowered his head and spoke in a downcast voice, “Elara Vaughn is dead.”
Lucian swallowed hard because his throat suddenly became parched. He did not know what to say as he could feel the banging on his head come back with full force.
He held it with his hands, his head down as he breathed hard, “You’re lying.” He uttered through gritted teeth and his breath was harsh.
When Zach refused to say anything more, he looked up and grabbed a hold of the other man’s collar and pulled him fiercely, “You’re Lying!” He yelled into his face like a mad man.
His grip was shaky and his neon colored eyes swam in tears that made them look like glass.
Zach remained calm, not even trying to pry off Lucian’s hand from his collar, “She was buried yesterday.” He continued in a small voice, “Along with the rest of the Vaughn family. They were all killed off together.”
Lucian closed his eyes in horror as he let go of Zach’s collar. He bowed his head, with his eyes clothes and his body still trembling from the news.
Elara’s face flashed across his mind. She was smiling at him, her smile as bright as the stars and her golden hair given her some kind of halo around her head.
He recalled the moments they had spent together. From the moment that they’d met, up until the time where they met over the years.
He’d always been the one watching her, stealing glances at her over the run of his wine glasses, helping her in whatever way he can with her business…
He recalled how joyous he felt whenever she won anything.
He pressed the heel of his hand against his chest, as if to stop his heart from hurting.
It hurt so bad. So bad.
It was as though his heart was going through a squeezer.
“How could this happen?” He breathed in agony, as tears cascaded down his face.
Zach sighed tiredly once more, “They were killed off, Lucian.”