Chapter 10

Sierra POV

I almost ran after Stephen when I remembered I had to behave properly and just started walking a little faster.

“Wait” I said as I grabbed his hand.

“I’m sorry,I know I should not have accused you like that,I’m just paranoid,I’m sorry,okay,please” I said putting on my most pitiful facial expression.

“It’s fine”he said.

“I mean it,I’m so sorry” I said again.

“Apology accepted,you know I can’t stay angry at you for so long” he said.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Now we have to go before your father starts looking for you”he said.

“Okay”I said hyperventilating.

“Calm down,he won’t do anything to you here,too many eyes are present,he probably wants to tell you to go talk to Lucas” Stephen said reassuring me.

“Okay,thank you”I said to him as we walk toward where my father was situated “for telling about what this is all about “ I thanked him.

“It’s nothing “he said.

“It’s not nothing,now I know exactly what I have to do” I told him.

“Anything for my girl”he said smiling “just be careful,okay,especially with Lucas” he said further.

“I will be” I assured him.

Immediately we got to my father,he dismissed Stephen and signaled me to follow behind him as he move towards the door,outside of preying eyes.

“What are you doing “he said angrily immediately we got to a side of the venue where no one could see or hear us.

I looked at him dumbfounded unsure of how to answer his question.

“Can you not speak?” he shouted at me looking around to make sure no one could hear us.

“Nothing sir”I answered his first question.

“I told you what you have to do on our way here,didn’t I?” He asked.

“I thought that was for when we got married” I said with a raspy voice.

He laughed loudly.

“All I expect from you after you’re married is for you to get pregnant and give him a heir” he said.

“What I need from you now is to get in there and start a conversation with him and introduce me to him” he continued.

I do not understand how he expects ME to introduce him to a man who doesn’t want to speak with him.

And if my father is unable to pin Lucas down for a conversation,how the hell am I supposed to do that.

But I do not have a choice than to try my luck so he would not give my mother,Penelope and I any more problem before I get married.

The hall was filled with murmurs,laughter and champagne glasses clinking but none of it reached me as I was thinking of how to begin a conversation with Lucas.

I stood near one of the pillars in the hall,actually I hid behind it nervously twisting the bracelet on my wrist.

Across the room,Lucas stood alone,looking fearful.

He looked like he wanted nothing to do with this (his own) engagement party. One hand remained in the pocket of his tailored suit and the other holding a glass of wine.

His expression neutral as people came to congratulate him and talk to him.

All he gave the people he was with as they were leaving was a nod.

I could not read him at all.

I took a deep breath and walked toward him.

With every step, my heartbeat grew louder.

By the time I finally stood in front of him, I had already forgotten half of what I wanted to say.

I forced a smile.

“Hi.”

No response.

I blinked.

If I hadn’t seen him looking at me earlier as I walked toward him, I might have assumed he hadn’t heard me.

I cleared my throat.

“Good evening.”

This time, I said it a little louder.

He slowly raised his head and glanced at me.

“Yeah?” He said.

The single word came from deep within his chest.

His voice was low, slow, and deep—a rich baritone that felt less like a voice and more like a physical weight.

A shiver ran through me despite the warmth of the room.

For a moment, everything seemed to go quiet.

The music, the laughter, the conversations around us…

Everything faded into the background.

I had expected him to at least return my greeting.

Instead, he simply stared at me, his expression unreadable.

“Do you have something to say?” He said.

His tone was indifferent, as though he couldn’t spare another second for my presence.

I swallowed.

“I… um…”

I hated how nervous I sounded.

Taking another breath, I forced a small smile.

“I wanted to introduce myself properly.” I told him.

One of his eyebrows lifted.

“I know who you are.”

His tone made it sound like I had just told him something painfully obvious.

My cheeks warmed.

“Oh.” I said embarrassingly,of course he knows me.

His eyes remained fixed on me.

Then, after a moment, he spoke again.

“Why don’t you tell me exactly why you’re here?”

My heart skipped.

There was something about the way he said it.

Almost smug.

Almost as if he already knew the answer.

As if he knew my father had sent me.

I stared at him, suddenly unable to find the right words.

And for the first time that evening, I wondered if approaching him had been a terrible idea.