All Chapters of Triplet Heirs; The Romano daughters : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

~LUCAS~The box is the first thing I notice when I wake up.It's there…. right where I left it before going to bed last night.Like it knows I haven’t made peace with myself yet.It's pushed neatly against the wall like it hasn’t been silently haunting me all night. Like it hasn’t been the last thing I thought about before sleep finally dragged me under and the first thing my eyes land on when morning comes.I wake up earlier than usual, not because I want to, but because my mind refuses to rest.For a long moment, I just lie on my bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the faint sounds of the city waking up outside my window. Someone laughs somewhere down the street. A car horn blares. Life moves on, unbothered by the chaos in my head.My chest feels tight.The ceiling of my tiny room stares back at me, and all I can think about is one question that keeps circling like a stubborn fly.Am I going or not?The dinner party.Marcella.The suit.Everything f

~MARCELLA~The moment I see him clearly, my entire body goes rigid.Xavier.Not just Xavier.Xavier walking in like this is his event.Like he belongs here.Like he wasn’t the last person I expected to see tonight.My surprise isn’t soft. It’s violent. It slams into me so hard I actually take a step back.“He isn’t supposed to be here…” I whisper under my breath, and even to my own ears, I sound shaken.I have never been the one to be scared of Xavier, but for some unknown reason tonight, I'm suddenly shaken by his presence.This dinner is strictly for Arts and Law faculties. Invitations were controlled. Names were checked at the door. Xavier has absolutely nothing to do with either. He made that very clear throughout our relationship—always mocking how “dramatic” art students are and how “boring” law people look in their stiff outfits.So what is he doing here?My eyes slowly shift to the girl glued to his arm. She’s laughing at something he says, tilting he

~MARCELLA~I shouldn't have looked in Lucas’ direction again, but I made the mistake of looking.And now, Xavier has seen him.His jaw ticks.“Ah,” he says softly. “There he is.”I snap my eyes back to him. “Don’t.”The warning leaves my mouth before I can stop it.He laughs under his breath. Low. Amused.“So you did dress up for him.”“That’s none of your business.”“It used to be my business,” he replies.The audacity.The sheer audacity.I finally yank my arm harder this time.He loosens his grip….but only to slide his hand down to my waist.Possessive. Calculated.My heart drops.“Xavier, stop.”His eyes darken slightly at the sound of his name.“I told you I’d meet him if I ever got the chance,” he says quietly, leaning closer. Too close. I can feel his breath near my ear. “You thought I was joking?”I push against his chest.He doesn’t budge.“Why are you doing this?” I demand under my breath.His expression flickers.For half a second, something almost

~MARCELLA~“Lucas is my boyfriend, and I owe you no explanation because we're over, and there's nothing you can do about who I choose to date,” I say, my gaze locking with his.Xavier’s jaw ticks…..That hit.I can see it in the way his expression hardens and darkens dangerously.“You’re making a mistake,” he says quietly. “And I will deal with him for daring to make you his girlfriend.”The threat hangs heavily in the air.Then his gaze sharpens at me.“And if you don’t come back to me,” he adds coldly, “you’ll regret it too.”For a split second, the old fear tries to creep back.But I crush it instantly.A soft, mocking laugh escapes my lips.“If only you knew who my father is,” I say sweetly.He frowns.“And if my father gets hold of you after hearing you threatened me?” I continue, voice dripping with dramatic pity. “I’m actually sorry for you in advance.”His scoff is immediate.“Your father can do nothing to me.”My smile widens…..Slow, daring and provocat

~LUCAS~I'm driving Marcella out of the dinner party venue, in her own car, and I can't help but relieve the incidents that happened earlier.~~~I had gotten to the dinner venue feeling all nervous and anxious. I had never stood outside a door and needed a moment before walking in.Not for exams. Not for confrontations. Not even for serious interviews.But earlier tonight, standing outside the dinner hall, fingers adjusting the cuff of my sleeve for the fifth time, I felt something dangerously unfamiliar.Anticipation, and nerves.I didn’t know why I cared so much.It was just a dinner party.Just another crowded university hall with loud music, fake smiles, and people pretending they were more important than they actually were.And yet, as I stood outside the entrance adjusting the cuff of my sleeve for the fifth time, my pulse refused to behave.I looked down at myself again.I have never cared if anyone noticed what I was wearing.But tonight…Tonight