Mirrors & Motives

Zara’s pov***

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the figure in front of me. Seriously, didn’t he own a shirt?

The water still clung to his skin, beads trickling down as he casually tied a towel around his waist.

My thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind, especially with his damp hair falling into his eyes.

“I asked you a question,” he said again, his voice deep and steady.

I gulped hard on my saliva.  “I lost my way,” I managed to say, my words feeling clumsy and unconvincing.

This was all wrong. I was meant to be sticking by Levi, using my presence to make him jealous, not drooling over the man I hated who clearly noticed my gaze.

What was wrong with me? Maybe it was just that I hadn’t seen a man like this in forever.

“Why are you in my house?” Roman’s voice sliced through my thoughts as he stepped further into the room.

“Mr. Lucien, I’m just checking in on him,” I finally blurted out, trying to keep my tone calm.

There was no way I was going to let myself get sidetracked. I disliked him, and that wasn’t about to change.

“This,” he pointed at the door, his eyes narrowing, “is not my father's side of the house.” He fixed his gaze on me, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

“I lost my way, I’m sorry,” I said, turning to leave the room, half-expecting him to stop me. But he didn’t. I picked up my pace, a mix of flustered and relieved, and headed back toward Sir Lucien.

Roman’s POV***

After turning off the shower, I was enveloped in a rare moment of peace. Then I heard a faint rustling coming from my study.

My instinct was to check the security cameras, but instead, I decided to see for myself what was happening.

To my surprise, I found Sera, my newly found, almost sneaking around.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, keeping my tone even, though irritation simmered just below the surface.

It was strange. Normally, I’d snap at anyone in my space, but with her, there was something different. Something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I’d barely had a chance to talk to her or Levi since everything went sideways.

Levi was practically family to me, and I would never want to hurt him. Yet, against my better judgment, I found myself drawn to Sera, especially considering how things had ended with Zara.

She tried to play it cool, pretending she hadn’t been caught mid-snoop. I glanced at my shelf, everything looked fine, but still, the feeling in my gut wouldn’t settle.

“Something about you, Sera Quinn, doesn’t sit right with me,” I said, shaking off the unease as I slipped into my suit and prepared to step out.

I hated the fact that Sera was slowly slipping her way into becoming his new person, and I didn’t want to be ridiculed by my dad in front of a mere employee.

With a heavy sigh, I made my way into the heart of the house. Laughter drifted from the dining area, and I couldn’t help but scoff. My father, eating at this hour? Unbelievable.

“Good morning, sir. I see you’re feeling better,” I said, standing rather than sitting, imagining it would be brief as usual.

 “Roman, come join us!” My father motioned to me, and even Sera flashed me a smile.

“I was just asking young miss here if she had any friends she could introduce to me, on your behalf,” my father remarked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“That won’t be necessary, sir,” I responded, trying to keep my tone steady.

“Oh, it will be. Trust me, it will be, because I need a grandson from you, young man.” His voice turned unnaturally cold again.

I struggled to find the right words, and the frustration simmered within me.

“Sir Roman has a woman in his life already; I’m sure he’s just waiting for the right moment to introduce her to you,” Sera jumped in before I could say anything.

Who on earth is she talking about? My mind raced, irritation flaring. I didn’t want her sticking her nose into my family issues; it was none of her business, and I was going to make that clear.

“Is that so?” my father asked, his demeanor softening almost instantly.

“I really don’t want to take up your time, sir. I hope your day is pleasant,” I said, completely brushing off his question. I refused to get tangled into anything like that.

My father was a master manipulator, and this wasn’t the first time I’d seen his tactics.

“Hold on there, Ms. Sera will ride with you,” he declared, his tone leaving no room for debate.

“I’m sure she…” I tried to interject, but he cut me off with authority.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a hint of discomfort flicker across Sera's face for just a moment.

“She will ride with you,” he insisted, unwavering.

Turning to Sera with what seemed like sincere kindness, he added, “I’ll have my driver bring your car around to the office.”

He held her hand, thanking her for the meal, and I watched as they exchanged smiles and a quick kiss goodbye.

I wanted Sera to stay behind, but before I knew it, she had caught up with me. The ride to work was steeped in silence. I buried myself in some documents, and Sera didn’t offer a word.

“You don’t get to poke into my family business ever again,” I finally broke the silence, testing her reaction. She said nothing.

“You’re not some kind of savior, here to rescue anyone, especially not me,” I pressed on, ignoring her silence. “I’m sorry,” was all she said, still looking a bit distant.

I couldn’t help but notice the bright red lipstick that stood out against her features. I had seen it before when I caught her in my study, but I couldn’t think about that now.

It highlighted her face, complementing the waves of her hair perfectly.

“Are you serious about Levi?” I asked, trying to shift the conversation, especially since she wasn’t engaging with me.

I really didn’t want to revisit that near-kiss incident; I was trying to put aside those confusing feelings.

“I am,” she replied, and a strange twist in my chest caught me off guard. In that moment, I convinced myself it was simply because she reminded me of Zara, nothing more.

I was still nursing the wounds of her betrayal, and Sera mirrored that in a different light.

The drive continued in silence, or so I thought, until she broke through the quiet.

“Are you serious about Tania?” she asked, her tone nearly a whisper, but the question hung heavy in the air.