جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 60

Anna POVThe morning I told myself I was just imagining things.After everything that happened in the study, I thought things would be weird between Lucian and me. We had asked each other a lot of questions. There was that kiss that we did not plan.. When I woke up I did not feel weird. I just felt like he was not there.Lucian had already left for the day before breakfast. He never misses breakfast unless he has a meeting with Luke or his doctor. When I went to the dining room his coffee cup was already gone. The only thing that showed he was there was the newspaper folded up neatly by his empty chair.Maddie came in with a smile and put a plate of food in front of me."Morning Mrs. Sterling," she said.I tried to smile"Morning. Did Mr. Sterling leave early for work?""Yes, ma'am " she replied.I looked at the chair where Lucian should have been. Something small felt tight inside me.. It was not a big deal. Not yet.The day lunch was canceled.I spent the morning helping Maddie fix

Anna POVThe words fell softly.“No pressure."Belle kept talking before I could respond.“He said he knows you’ve been through a lot these few years and he wasn’t going to just show up at your door."That sounded exactly like Collins.Always giving people space to decide.Never forcing.Never pushing.“He asked me to ask you."I smiled a little.“That sounds like him."“I told him I’d ask."I pulled one leg under me on the bed.“I don’t even know what I’d say after all this time."Belle laughed.“You’d say hello. It’s been years."“People change."“They do." She got softer.“Sometimes seeing someone, from before everything went wrong reminds you that not every part of your life has to stay broken."Her words stayed with me.Not because they promised love.Because they promised somethingA friend.Someone whose presence didn’t come with questions that never got answered.Someone who didn’t look at me like I was valuable one day…And impossible the next.“So?"Belle asked.“Should I gi

Lucian POVThe idea that I was in control of my emotions lasted for thirty-six hours.It ended when Luke came into my study without waiting for me to say it was okay. He had a look on his face the kind he used when we had to talk about things we did not want to discuss."The driver is back " he said.I looked up from the doctor's report on my desk. To be honest, the numbers and words all blurred together after the few lines. Every number was worse than the one before it.". " I asked him.Luke waited for a moment before answering. This made all my muscles tense up."Mrs. Sterling asked to be dropped off downtown this afternoon " he said.My pen stopped moving."Again?" I asked, surprised.He nodded." Time this week " he added.We just sat there in silence for a moment.I put my pen down on the desk slowly because I was not sure I could move my hands naturally."Business?" I asked him."We do not know " he replied."You usually know " I said.His mouth moved slightly like he was tryin

Anna POVI smiled a little."Yes."For a moment I thought Lucian would be nice to me.Maybe he would ask if I had time.Maybe he would say he was happy to see me smiling.Maybe he would show me that things were okay between us.Instead, his eyes got a little smaller."What's funny?" he asked.I looked at him."What?" I said."You've been smiling since you got here " he said.I did not like the way he asked me that.It made me feel like I was in trouble.I touched my mouth. Realized I was still smiling."Nothing " I said.Lucian did not look any different."Nothing?" he asked again."Yes Lucian, nothing " I said.I moved my bag on my shoulder. Started walking to the stairs.I did not want to talk to him now.Not after spending time with someone who made me feel like I could be myself.Lucian stopped me."Where were you?" he asked.I stopped walking. Turned around.The way he asked me made me feel like I had to explain myself.Like I was in trouble.I looked at him."When did I start ne

Lucian POVThe library doors were a little open when I got there. I stopped for a moment before going in.I just stood there. Watched Anna for a bit.She was sitting by the window with a book in front of her. I could tell she had not turned the page in a while. Her mind was elsewhere. I knew that because I had seen that look on her face before.It was the look she got when she was trying to convince herself that she was not bothered.I had seen that look many times.It made me sad to know that I was the reason for it."Anna " I said.My voice made her look up at me.When our eyes met something changed.It was not fear or anger though.It was somethingThere was a distance between us. I knew I had caused it."Lucian," she said. Her voice was polite but a little too polite.It sounded like the way she talked to people she did not know well. That made me feel uncomfortable because I realized I had become like a stranger to her.I took a step into the room."We need to talk " I said.She