Chapter 20: A Dangerous Proposal
The safe house was silent except for the ticking of a vintage grandfather clock nestled in the corner of the living room. Elara sat curled on the edge of the leather sofa, watching Lucien pace the room. The flickering shadows from the fireplace danced across his sharp features, making him look both haunted and noble.
Lucien's phone lay face down on the table. He hadn't touched it since the cryptic message arrived.
"Lucien," Elara finally broke the silence, her voice soft, "what exactly does this proposal involve?"
He stopped pacing. For a moment, he looked at her—really looked at her—and she saw the conflict in his eyes.
"It's from Leontis," he said grimly. "He used to work with my father before they turned on each other. Now he wants to strike a deal. He'll give me everything I need to destroy my father's control over the company… but only if I agree to marry his daughter."
Elara's breath caught.
"Marry… his daughter?"
Lucien nodded slowly, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "It's political. Symbolic. A merger between two dynasties. He believes it will give him leverage over my father and the board. And I—" he paused, pain flashing in his eyes, "—I'd lose everything we've built."
Elara stood up, her pulse racing. "So what are you going to do?"
Lucien turned to her, his gaze intense. "I don't want her. I don't love her. I never have. You're the one I want beside me, Elara. But if I refuse, I might lose everything—the company, the ability to protect you, to fight back."
Elara stepped closer, struggling to mask her fear. "Then let it fall. We'll run, disappear, start fresh—"
"No." His voice was sharp, final. "We can't run. He'll find us. My father won't stop until I'm under his thumb or gone."
The truth hit Elara like a cold wave: they were trapped in a web spun long before she entered Lucien's life. And now, they had to play the game to survive.
She swallowed hard. "Is there any other way?"
Lucien hesitated. "There might be. But it's risky. Illegal, even. Leontis has a daughter, yes—but he also has a son. A son he disowned years ago."
Elara blinked. "And?"
"If we can find him, convince him to come forward with what he knows… he could destroy Leontis's influence. And give us a chance to strike on our own."
A rush of adrenaline surged through her. "Then we find him. Where do we start?"
Lucien gave a faint smile, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I knew you'd say that."
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Later That Night
Elara lay awake in the guest room, staring at the ceiling. Every choice they faced was a thread in a tightening noose. Marry a stranger. Betray an empire. Run and live in fear. Or fight back with no guarantees.
A soft knock echoed on her door.
She rose and opened it to find Lucien standing there in a plain white shirt, the top buttons undone, revealing the faint bandages across his chest. His eyes were darker than usual, unreadable.
"Can't sleep either?" he asked softly.
She shook her head.
He stepped in, closing the door behind him. "I don't want to lose you, Elara. No matter what happens."
She moved closer. "Then don't. Just promise me one thing."
"Anything."
"Promise you won't shut me out again. We face everything together—whether we win or lose."
Lucien nodded solemnly. "Together."
He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. Their faces were inches apart, and when he kissed her, it wasn't rushed or desperate—it was quiet, deep, filled with every unspoken word between them. There, in the safety of a borrowed room in a borrowed house, they found a moment of peace in the chaos.
Tomorrow, war would resume. But tonight, they had each other.
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