Chapter Seventeen: The Morning After

The morning light crawled into Ariella’s room slowly, like it was afraid to disturb her.

She hadn’t really slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him—Lucien—standing too close, his voice low, his breath mixing with hers, and that moment… that almost happened.

Her fingers brushed over her lips as if to erase the memory, but it lingered, stubborn and warm.

She sat up and exhaled shakily. The air felt heavy, charged with everything left unsaid between them.

A soft knock sounded on the door.

Her heart jumped.

“Come in,” she said, even though part of her wanted to pretend she was still asleep.

Lucien stepped inside, still wearing the same dark shirt from the night before. The first few buttons were undone, his sleeves rolled up. His expression was unreadable—calm on the surface, but his eyes gave him away.

He’d barely looked at her since last night.

“Breakfast is ready,” he said quietly.

Ariella nodded without meeting his gaze. “Thanks.”

He turned to leave, but something in her chest tugged before she could stop it.

“Lucien.”

He stopped. Slowly turned back.

Their eyes met, and for a moment the silence was louder than any words.

“About last night…” she started, her voice small, unsure.

Lucien’s jaw tightened. “You don’t have to say anything.”

“But I want to,” she said quickly, her voice trembling. “I just— I don’t understand what we’re doing. I don’t even know if I should trust you after everything.”

He exhaled slowly, stepping closer until the morning light hit his face. “You shouldn’t,” he said honestly. “Not yet.”

Her breath caught. “Then why—why are you still here?”

He hesitated. His eyes softened for the first time.

“Because walking away from you would hurt more than staying.”

Ariella’s chest tightened. She wanted to say something, anything, but her throat felt locked.

Lucien took another step forward, closing the space between them. The air grew warmer, and her heart beat faster. He stopped only a few inches away, his voice dropping low.

“I’ll prove it to you,” he said. “That I’m not your enemy.”

She searched his face—those eyes that used to scare her now only confused her. “How?”

“By finding the truth together,” he said. “No more lies. No more secrets.”

For a long moment, they just stood there. The world outside felt far away—only the faint sound of wind through the trees and their uneven breathing filling the room.

Finally, Ariella nodded. “Alright. But if I find out you’re lying again…”

He smiled faintly, the first real one in days. “Then I’ll let you destroy me.”

Her lips parted, her chest tightening in a way that scared her.

“Don’t say things like that.”

“Why not?” he asked softly. “It’s the truth.”

The tension between them was almost unbearable—like standing too close to fire and still refusing to move.

Then she looked away first, breaking whatever invisible thread held them together.

“I’ll be downstairs,” she whispered.

Lucien gave a small nod, his voice low. “Take your time.”

When he left, she finally let out the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

Her fingers brushed her lips again—just once—and she hated herself for missing something that never even happened.

But deep down, she knew the truth.

Something between them had changed last night.

And no matter how much she tried to deny it, she couldn’t stop the feeling that it was only the beginning.