CHAPTER 54: FRAGILE ALIBIS

Lucian’s POV

​Warmth enveloped me before my eyes even opened.

​The heavy, suffocating paralysis had receded, leaving my body exhausted but functional once more. As my vision adjusted to the morning light filtering through the heavy drapes, I realized I was still on the hard floor, resting against someone.

​It was Eva. She was fast asleep, leaning against the side of the velvet armchair with her head tilted slightly toward mine.

​I stayed still for a long second, my gaze trailing over her features. Up close, without her sharp wit or guarded glares, she looked startlingly soft. Her dark lashes rested long against her cheeks, framing the fine, sculpted line of her jawline. I didn't mean to stare—I wasn't the kind of man to succumb to sentimentality—but I couldn't deny the striking composure of her face.

​Then reality hit me like a bucket of ice water.

​She saw everything.

​She had found me completely frozen, helpless, and hyperventilating on the floor. Anxiety spiked in my chest. Knowing Eva, she wasn't the type to let something like this slide. She would press, pry, and demand answers until she tore my quiet defenses apart. I needed an alibi—a way to manage her curiosity before she started digging too deep into my medical history.

​As I shifted, the slight movement stirred her. Her eyelids fluttered open, dark eyes blinking sleepily before sharpening as she remembered where she was.

​"Hey," she murmured, her voice thick with sleep. "Are you... are you feeling better now?"

​"Yes," I replied, keeping my tone clipped and level as I pushed myself off the floor.

​I stood, smoothing the creases out of my shirt, before extending a hand down to her. She looked at my palm for a fraction of a second before accepting it, letting me pull her up to her feet.

​"Do you need me to fetch the physician?" Eva asked immediately, her eyes scanning my face for any sign of relapse. "Should I call your mother? Is there a doctor who knows about this?"

​"No," I answered quickly, a cold edge entering my voice. "Did you call anyone last night?"

​"No, I didn't," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. She studied me, her gaze far too observant for my liking. "Has that... happened to you before?"

​I held her gaze for a long moment, calculating just how much truth I could afford to give her. "Once. When I was a boy."

​"Does your mother know?"

​"She was aware of the incident when I was little," I conceded quietly.

​Eva tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as the pieces clicked together in her head. "Is that why you take those white tablets? The ones in the small vial on your nightstand?"

​A flare of defensive frustration surged through me. "Ah. So you put two and two together? You must feel exceptionally smart."

​Eva rolled her eyes, throwing her hands up in utter disbelief. "I am simply showing that I care! If I hadn't walked in here last night, only God knows how long you would have been trapped on this floor!"

​She scoffed, turning on her heel toward the washroom doors.

​"Eva, wait," I called out, taking a swift step forward. "Hey... I am sorry."

​She stopped, looking back over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

​I let out a heavy breath, rubbing the back of my neck. "I am sorry. It is just... I do not want anyone to know about what you saw last night. No one can know."

​Eva let out a dry, bitter laugh. "What is it with the people in this house always keeping so many bloody secrets?"

​My eyes narrowed instantly. "What do you mean, others? Who else is keeping secrets?"

​Eva caught herself, her posture stiffening for a split second before she shook her head dismissively. "No, forget I said that. It doesn't matter. But listen to me, Lucian—I won't tell anyone what I saw. I'll keep your secret." She paused, her expression turning deadly serious. "However, if I ever see your life on the line like that again, I will be the absolute first person to tell your mother if you don't do it yourself."

​"Everything is entirely under control," I stated firmly, though the lie tasted like ash on my tongue.

​"Do you even know what is happening to you?" she pressed, taking a half-step back toward me. "Do you know what caused that?"

​"Yes," I said quickly, cutting her off before she could ask another question. "Yes, I do. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to use the washroom."

​Without waiting for her response, I walked past her and ducked into the washroom, shutting the heavy door behind me and leaning heavily against the wood—escaping her line of fire before she could tear down the rest of my walls.

Lady Eleanor’s POV

​The dining hall was bathed in morning sunlight, the long mahogany table laden with a lavish spread of fresh bread, fruits, and roasted meats. Arthur sat at the head, practically glowing with an unusual, boisterous warmth, laughing as he gestured for the servants to pile more food onto his plate.

​I sat beside him, forcing a soft, serene smile while every nerve in my body screamed.

​Footsteps echoed down the grand corridor as Arthur’s summons took effect. Lucian and Eva entered first, followed closely by Leo and Genevieve. They took their seats, exchange of uneasy glances fluttering across the table.

​"What is all this, Father?" Lucian asked, his voice clipped as he glanced at the extravagant feast. "What is going on?"

​Arthur stood up, lifting his crystal chalice high into the air. "I have summoned you all to share a magnificent blessing!" He beamed, his eyes sweeping over his family. "I am pleased to announce that my wife... is with child."

​The room plunged into a suffocating, absolute silence.

​The shock on every single face was palpable. Genevieve’s fork froze halfway to her mouth, and Eva’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

​Lucian frowned, his brow furrowing as he looked directly at me. "Mother... is that true? Are you not far too old for such a thing?"

​"I certainly thought I was," I replied lightly, forcing my voice to stay even despite the bitter panic in my throat. "But... well, nature works in mysterious ways."

​I reached for a crystal glass of sweet wine, raising it to my lips to drown out the nausea.

​"Whoa, Mother!" Leo interjected, quickly stepping around the table to gently snatch the glass from my hand. "You certainly shouldn't be drinking wine if there is a baby on the way!"

​He leaned down, pressing a warm, affectionate kiss to my temple. "Congratulations, Mother."

​"Thank you, Leo," I murmured, offering him a tight, fixed smile.

​I glanced past him to Eva, whose dark eyes were fixed on me. Her expression was screaming the question she couldn't ask out loud: What on earth is going on?

​"James!" Arthur bellowed, gesturing to my personal guard standing stoic and motionless near the tall arched doorway.

​James stepped forward, his posture rigid, his face a perfectly blank mask of duty. "My Lord?"

​"My wife is pregnant!" Arthur announced proudly, clapping his hands together. "We must host a grand gala to celebrate! Announce it to the entire estate immediately. Perhaps I shall finally be blessed with a daughter of my own!"

​James’s eyes flicked to mine for a fraction of a second. The silent, agonizing heartbreak burning beneath his disciplined expression shattered what little was left of my composure.

​"Congratulations, Your Grace," James said smoothly, bowing his head. "A true blessing for the House of De Witt."

​"A daughter..." Arthur mused happily, sitting back down and cutting into his meat. "Yes, we shall throw a celebration the kingdom won't soon forget."

​I stared down at my plate, my hands trembling beneath the tablecloth.

​Everything is going so terribly wrong.

​This was a nightmare. I was trapped—bound to a lie that would force the man I truly loved to watch his own child be raised as Arthur's heir. A dark, terrifying thought crept into the back of my mind, whispering in the quiet panic of my heart: I should have taken the risk. I should have just aborted this child while I had the chance.