CHAPTER 28: SHADOWS OF DEVOTION

Lucian’s POV

​The image of Eva collapsing onto the cold stone floor haunted me the entire walk down the hallway.

​When she dropped, my breath had hit a wall. A sickening knot of guilt tightened in my stomach—a dark, unwelcome weight. Had I pushed her over the edge? Had my threat last night in the study broken her? I wanted her to feel the weight of her deceit, but seeing her lying motionless, pale as snow, had sent a sharp jolt of raw panic straight through my chest.

​I stood outside the guest chamber near the servants' quarters, adjusting my cuffs before turning the brass handle.

​When I pushed the door open, the room was quiet save for the soft murmur of voices. The physician was packing his satchel by the washbasin, while my mother and Mrs. Gable stood near the window.

​Then my eyes landed on the bed.

​Leo was sitting on the very edge of the mattress, leaning in close to Eva's unconscious form. His shoulders were tense, his brow furrowed in a raw, unshielded worry I had never seen on his face before.

​"Do you think it was the heat?" Leo asked the doctor, his voice tight, brimming with frantic concern. "Or maybe she hasn't been eating properly? Why did she just pass out like that?"

​I stood frozen in the doorway, studying my younger brother. Leo was a charm-monger, a man who treated women like fleeting summer breezes—enjoying them, parting with them, and never looking back. He had never cared deeply for anyone. Yet here he was, hovering over a common maid, his eyes practically burning with protective panic.

​It struck a cold, uncomfortable chord inside me.

​"What happened?" I asked, stepping into the room and keeping my voice clipped and neutral.

​My mother turned, letting out a weary sigh. "The physician says she was merely lightheaded. High anxiety, most likely, coupled with exhaustion. She needs rest."

​"I see," I murmured, my gaze flickering back to Eva’s still face. A quiet relief washed through me, though I kept my expression an unreadable wall of ice. "I should get going then. Father is waiting for me at the estate office."

​I turned to leave, eager to escape the heavy, suffocating air of the room.

​"Lucian, wait," my mother called out.

​I stopped at the threshold, looking over my shoulder. "Yes, Mother?"

​"I need you to schedule an outing with Genevieve this weekend," she said smoothly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "A private dinner in the lower gardens. Consider it preparation for the upcoming wedding."

​My jaw tightened. "Mother, I have not fully agreed to this match."

​My mother stepped toward me, her eyes narrowing with sharp, unyielding authority. "That is not my concern, Lucian. You will marry this season. Either you find a woman of status you actually wish to bring home, or you marry Genevieve. There are no other options."

​I stared at her, suppressing the bitter scoff rising in my throat.

​If only she knew. If only she had any idea that finding my own bride was precisely what I intended to do—if only to tear her neat little arrangements to pieces.

​"I will see what I can do, Mother," I replied dryly.

​Without waiting for her reply, I cast one last, lingering glance at the bed—at Leo sitting faithfully beside her—and walked out into the corridor, the heavy silence of the house settling over me like lead.

Eva’s POV

​I opened my eyes to darkness and foreign surroundings.

​I wasn't in my cramped quarters. I sat up quickly, my heart hammering against my ribs as I looked around the spacious guest room. The heavy velvet curtains were drawn, but the faint silver glow of the night sky filtered through, telling me hours had vanished.

​I looked down at myself. I was still in my maid's uniform, though my apron had been removed and my collar loosened. Memories swept back in a sudden, icy wave—the suffocating heat of the drawing room, the ringing in my ears, and the terrifying moment the world went black.

​I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and made my way to the window. Pushing the curtain aside slightly, I stared out into the pitch-black night.

​A quiet click echoed from the door.

​I turned around, stepping back as the handle moved. The door swung open, and Leo stepped inside carrying a small wooden tray.

​"Leo," I breathed, relief and confusion tangling in my chest. "What... what happened? Is it night already?"

​"Hey, hey," Leo said softly, instantly setting the tray down on a side table and stepping into my space. He reached out, his hands gently catching my shoulders before I could take another step. "What are you doing out of bed? You shouldn't be standing."

​He guided me back to the mattress, his touch careful, as if he thought I might shatter.

​"You passed out cold right in the middle of the drawing room," he murmured, looking down at me with an unusual softness in his eyes. "The physician said it was sheer exhaustion and anxiety."

​I let out a slow breath, looking down at my lap. "I must thank your mother... and you. I am so sorry for causing a scene."

​"Don't be ridiculous," Leo scoffed gently, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside me. "I talked to my mother and Mrs. Gable. You have the next week off to rest and get back on your feet."

​My eyes snapped to his. "A whole week?"

​"A whole week," he confirmed, a faint, playful smirk returning to his lips. "It turns out your health actually matters around here, Eva."

​A genuine, quiet smile broke across my face. "Thank you, Leo."

​"Of course," he said smoothly. He turned to grab the tray, setting a small bowl of warm soup and a glass of water on my lap. "I brought you some food in case you were starving."

​"Thank you, but I can eat on my own," I said, reaching for the spoon. "I passed out, Leo. I'm not crippled."

​"Nonsense," he teased, gently taking the spoon right out of my hand before I could object. "You're dynamic, stubborn, and currently my patient. Now open up."

​I bit back a chuckle, rolling my eyes, but I didn't stop him as he lifted a spoonful of soup to my lips.

​As I swallowed the warm broth, Leo watched me with that effortless, charming smile, blowing lightly on the next spoonful before handing it over.

​Sitting there under the soft moonlight, watching the flicker of warmth in his eyes, a strange flutter stirred deep in my chest. I had spent my entire life building walls, keeping every man at a distance to protect my heart and my mission. But Leo was chipping away at those defenses without even trying.

​He was dangerously sweet, infuriatingly attentive, and for the first time in my life, I couldn't bring myself to pull away.