All Chapters of Triplet Heirs; The Romano daughters : Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

~MARCELLA~The silence in the room feels strange after the call ends.Heavy.Uncomfortable.Like the air itself is judging me.I stare down at my phone, still resting in my palm, the blank screen reflecting my confused face back at me. My brain keeps replaying Lucas’s voice over and over again, searching for something I might have missed.A hidden meaning. A tone.Anything.But the more I replay it, the worse it sounds.Cold.Distant.Like he was talking to someone he barely knows.Not the same guy who had his hand wrapped around my waist last night.Not the same guy who looked like he might murder Xavier with his bare hands.Not the same guy who kissed me like—I groan softly and bury my face in my hands.“Why did he end the call like that?” I mumble.Stephanie flops dramatically beside me on the bed, staring at the ceiling like she’s witnessing a national tragedy.“Because he has clearly lost his mind,” she declares.I barely hear her.My thumb hovers over Lucas

~LUCAS~Albert continues to laugh while I keep staring at home like someone that is losing it.My eyebrows slowly pull together as I watch him double over, clutching his stomach like the funniest joke in the world was just told.At the same time, I'm curious to know why he's laughing this much and if I said something bad.He wipes tears from his eyes.“Oh my God,” he laughs.His shoulders shake again and he bends forward, slapping his hand against his knee like he might actually pass out from laughing too hard.“What?!” I repeat. “Why the fuck are you laughing bro?”The room is quiet except for his uncontrollable laughter and the faint hum of the ceiling fan spinning lazily above us.He points at me.“You,” he says, still laughing.I frown.“What about me?” I ask.I gesture to myself in confusion.Albert leans back on the bed dramatically, forcing himself to stop laughing now.He inhales deeply, trying to calm himself, but another small chuckle escapes him anyw

~MARCELLA~I come out of the bathroom after bathing to begin dressing for school.Getting ready becomes something else entirely.Not just routine.Not just dressing up.It feels like I’m putting myself back together piece by piece.Layer by layer.I stand in front of my wardrobe, scanning through rows of clothes I have barely worn before, trying to pick the perfect clothes.I really need to dress well today, because I’m not just dressing for myself.I’m dressing for the entire school.For every whisper.Every stare.Every judgment.My fingers glide over fabrics until I finally stop.I pull out a fitted black high-waisted skirt that hugs every curve like it was made for me, the material thick enough to feel powerful, structured enough to feel controlled.Then a silky cream blouse, slightly unbuttoned at the top—just enough to be suggestive without trying too hard.A sleek blazer with sharp shoulders and clean lines follows…one that gives authority.I slip into

~MARCELLA~The moment I say it, “Shall we?”I expect him to move.To play along.To follow the script.To keep everything neat, controlled, believable.But Lucas doesn’t move…not immediately.Instead… his grip on my hand tightens.Not subtly or gently, but tight enough to make my breath hitch.My eyes flicker to his, and that’s when I see it.Something has changed.Gone is that calm, controlled look.Gone is the composure.His jaw is tight.His eyes… darker and sharper.Like something inside him just snapped.My heart skips.“What?” I murmur under my breath, my smile still perfectly in place for the audience.But he doesn’t answer.Not with words.Instead, his hand suddenly slides from mine to my waist…Firm and possessive.And before I can even react, he pulls me into him…hard.A collective gasp erupts around us. But this time… it’s not soft.It’s shocked.Because this?This isn’t gentle affection.This isn’t performance.This is something else entirely.My b

~LUCAS~I never expected to see Marcella out in the public as I walked into school this morning.Yeah, we have a joint class and I knew that I must definitely see her, but I was hoping it would be in the class with the lecturers already lecturing so the full attention wouldn't be on us, and we wouldn't have enough time to speak with each other.In other words, I was trying to avoid her.I almost didn't want to come to school this morning because I wasn't ready to face Marcella, not after the cold way I spoke to her about forgetting everything.Because knowing Marcella, she might likely approach me, most especially if the students are watching.I just had to come to school because I'm not the type of person that misses lectures.I had barely slept since friday's night.Every time I closed my eyes, I pictured her face—confused, hurt, trying to hide it but failing.And the worst part?I was the reason for that confusion.I kept replaying my own voice in my head,