Chapter Six

Some men in black shielded them and led them out into a waiting limousine like they were part of the British royal family.

Only a day ago she had been sitting on a plane that almost crashed. Before that, she had been signing divorce papers. Now she was sitting quietly inside Lucian’s car as it drove through the wide streets of City A.

Her hand rested lightly on her stomach.

Even now the everything still felt so unreal.

She glanced sideways at Lucian seated across from her , nothing about his demeanor suggested the chaos they had survived only hours ago. His posture was relaxed and his expression was steady.

“You don’t have to worry,” he said suddenly, as if he could read her thoughts. “Everything is arranged.”

Sephora nodded, but her fingers tightened slightly against her dress. Everything in her life had changed so quickly that she barely had time to process it.

Lucian had offered her protection by marriage.

Even now she still wasn’t sure if she was dreaming or if she was making the right choice. All she knew was that she needed to survive at least for the sake of the baby in her womb.

The car finally slowed and turned through a pair of large iron gates.

Sephora looked up and her breath caught.

The mansion ahead was enormous.

Tall white pillars stood at the entrance and warm lights shone through the large windows. A fountain sparkled in the middle of the driveway and perfectly trimmed gardens surrounded the building.

She had seen rich houses before. Dominic’s family had money too.

But this…

This was something else entirely.

The driver parked the car and stepped out first to open the door for them.

The moment Sephora stepped outside, several servants appeared near the entrance. They stood respectfully, waiting.

“Welcome home, sir,” Mr. Fredrick greeted courtly.

Their eyes briefly moved toward Sephora with quiet curiosity, but none of them asked questions.

Lucian gently placed a hand on her back and guided her inside.

The interior of the house was even more impressive. A large chandelier hung above the marble floor, casting soft light across the wide hallway. Paintings and sculptures decorated the walls, and everything looked elegant and expensive without feeling overwhelming.

Sephora felt small standing there.

Lucian seemed to notice her hesitation.

“Relax,” he said quietly. “No one here will disrespect you.”

Before she could respond, footsteps sounded from the staircase.

A beautiful middle-aged woman walked down slowly. She had kind eyes and a gentle smile that immediately made Sephora feel less nervous.

“Lucian,” she said warmly hugging Lucian and kissing him like he was a four year old child.

“Luis informed us about the plane crash and we immediately rushed over”

“Are you hurt at all? Are you alright? Why did you leave the hospital, were you not meant to stay for at least a few days so you could recover” she frowned.

Lucian let out an exasperated sigh seemingly used to his mother’s smooshing.

“Ma, I’m fine. A lot of people survived the crash not just me. I’m okay”

Helena went on to berate Lucian asking him why he refused to use his private jet and joined a commercial flight. Hammering him on his impulsive behaviors and carelessness.

Then her gaze moved to Sephora.

“And who is this lovely looking young lady?”

Lucian nodded. “Mother, this is Sephora.”

Mrs. Helena Cole’s face lit up.

“Oh my dear,” she said, walking forward and taking Sephora’s hands in hers. “I have been praying for this day for years.”

Sephora blinked in surprise.

Instead of judging her or asking uncomfortable questions, Lucian’s mother simply smiled warmly.

“You must have gone through so much,” Helena continued softly. “But you are safe now. You are part of this family.”

“Mom you don’t even know who she is…how is she now a part of our family”

“Shut up you!” Mrs Helena blurted.

“You’ve never brought any girl home since your adult life. You know, I almost believed the rumors about you being…well about you being attracted to the opposite sex”

Sephora’s eyes widened at this statement.

“I’ve never even seen you speak to a lady almost like you try to avoid them at all costs. For you to bring this young lady here, to your house. She must mean something to you no?”

For a moment Sephora didn’t know what to say.

No one had welcomed her like this before.

Behind them, a tall older man stood quietly. Lucian’s father watched everything with calm eyes.

Lucian introduced him.

“Father.”

Mr. Richard Cole nodded once.

Before the moment could become awkward, another voice suddenly spoke.

“Well this is interesting.”

A younger man walked into the room with a grin.

He looked very different from Lucian. While Lucian was calm and serious, this man looked lively and relaxed.

“Brother, you disappear for a few days and come back with a lady?”

Lucian gave him a warning look.

“This is my younger brother, Ethan.”

Ethan grinned and shook Sephora’s hand.

“Welcome to the madness.”

A young woman stepped forward beside him.

She looked shy but kind.

“I’m Lily,” she said softly.

Sephora smiled at her immediately.

Something about Lily’s gentle nature made her feel comfortable.

Dinner that night felt surprisingly peaceful.

Lucian explained to his family that he and Sephora had been secretly seeing each other during his visits to City Z. When he learned she was pregnant, he decided to marry her immediately and was bringing her back home to be introduced to them before the plane crash happened.

Helena seemed overjoyed.

“My son finally did something sensible,” she laughed.

Sephora lowered her gaze slightly, still adjusting to the sudden warmth.

Later that week, Lucian took Sephora to get their marriage license.

The process was quick and private.

When Sephora signed her name beside Lucian’s, she paused for a moment.

Her hand trembled slightly.

Lucian noticed.

“This is only for protection,” he said quietly. “Nothing will be forced on you.”

She nodded.

Even if their marriage was only an arrangement, it still felt like a major turning point in her life.

Getting out of one marriage and barely days later getting into another, it felt surreal to say the least.

When they returned to the mansion, the staff had already begun addressing her as “Madam.”

At first Sephora felt embarrassed hearing it.

But everyone treated her with respect and patience.

Lucian arranged a bedroom for her beside his.

Sometimes, when family members were around, they shared the same room for appearances.

But most nights Lucian quietly slept in the guest room so she could rest comfortably.

Sephora appreciated that more than she could say.

Days slowly settled into a routine.

Since she could not work during pregnancy, Lucian began teaching her about business.

Every morning they met in his study.

At first the reports and financial numbers made her head spin.

But Lucian explained everything patiently.

“How a company grows,” he said one afternoon. “Depends on how it’s leaders think. A weak leader equals a weak company. You can never look weak.”

Sephora listened carefully.

She had never imagined herself learning things like this.

In the afternoons Lucian sometimes trained her in other ways.

“How you speak matters,” he told her once.

“How you walk into a room matters even more.”

He taught her how to carry herself confidently during meetings and social gatherings.

At first she felt awkward.

But slowly she began to understand.

Lucian was preparing her for something bigger.

One evening Sephora sat in the garden reading a business magazine Lucian had given her.

She felt strangely proud of herself.

Only weeks ago she had been a woman abandoned by her husband.

Now she was learning how powerful companies worked.

Lucian watched her quietly from the window.

In his mind, old memories stirred.

Dominic.

Twenty years had passed, but Lucian had never forgotten what that man had done.

Fate had brought Sephora into his life at the perfect time.

For now she only needed protection and guidance.

But one day, she might also become the key to destroying the man who had wronged him.

Lucian pushed the thought aside.

That was a battle for the future.

For now, Sephora needed stability.

That night, Sephora sat on the edge of her bed, rubbing her already showing baby bump.

A gentle knock suddenly sounded on the door.

Sephora looked up.

“Come in,” she said.

The door opened slowly and Lucian stepped inside.

For a moment neither of them spoke.

Lucian glanced around the room before his eyes settled on her.

“Are you comfortable here?” he asked.

Sephora nodded quickly. “Yes. Everything is… more than I expected.”

Lucian walked a little closer but stopped near the desk, leaving a respectful distance between them.

Sephora hesitated before speaking.

“Your family…” she began slowly. “They accepted me very easily.”

Lucian’s expression remained steady.

“My mother has wanted me to marry for years,” he replied. “You gave her a reason to celebrate.”

“And your father?”

Lucian gave a small shrug.

“He cares about results more than explanations.”

Sephora couldn’t help letting out a quiet laugh.

That description sounded accurate.

For a moment silence filled the room again.

Then Sephora looked up at him more seriously.

“Why are you really helping me?”

Lucian’s eyes rested on her calmly.

“You already know the reason.”

“The baby?” she asked.

“Yes.”

Sephora studied his face carefully.

There was something about Lucian that was difficult to read. He always looked calm, as if nothing could disturb him.

But she had seen another side of him on the plane. The way he had protected her without hesitation.

“You don’t even know me,” she said quietly.

Lucian leaned slightly against the desk.

“That can change.”

Sephora frowned slightly. “What does that mean?”

“It means,” Lucian said evenly, “that we have time.”