Chapter 73

"I am your wife."

I was shocked by my own words as if I didn't say them myself but got possessed by someone else. Even though the man in front of me looked nothing like Lucian, every nerve in my body told me it was him. His voice, his scent, the way he had kissed me and how he made my heart race and my body tingle. It had to be Lucian, but the way he was looking at me now as if I was a complete stranger broke my heart. Maybe it wasn't him after all, but why was my gut telling me otherwise.

No, Lucian would never pretend like he didn't know me which means that I had just kissed another man. that

Good lord, what had I done? I took a step back, angry that he had kissed me and that I had kissed him back. Angry that he made me feel the way Lucian did. I could not feel this way about anyone else. I shouldn't!

"Excuse me?" He said with a frown.

More tears fell down my cheek. I wanted to beg him again. Beg him to tell me that he was Lucian, beg him to hold me again so that I would feel safe. But he wasn't Lucian. Lucian would never hurt me like this, he would never just watch me cry.

I really must be desperate to kiss another man, to even let myself believe that he was my husband. Embarrassed I ran out of the room. I knew I would be in big trouble later but right now I didn't care. I went to the storeroom where I sleep at night and just cried and cried while hoping for Lothaire to appear out of nowhere. All I wanted right now was to leave this place.

The day went by with me working to death and crying in between and dreading Jades arrival. I had escaped my punishment after all, but Jade never came and now it was almost midnight and I was preparing to get some sleep. My eyes had become so swollen from all the crying that I could barely keep them open. Closing my eyes I somehow wished for the sun to never rise again.

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Lucian turned back and forth in bed unable to sleep. He was still thinking about her, the woman who made him feel… he wasn't sure what it was he felt. He closed his eyes once again and tried to take her out of his mind but he couldn't. Whether his eyes were open or closed, her face was the only thing he saw. The image of her pained expression and her teary eyes made his heart tighten in an uncomfortable way. And her voice kept repeating in his head.

'I am your wife'.

Did Alexander have a hidden wife? A mistress? But then why didn't she say anything the first time they met?

Lucian sighed in frustration. What was he doing? He should stop pondering about her and go have some fun. Making himself invisible he went to his brother's room. Pierre was going back and forth, waiting for someone it seemed. As he heard the creaking sound of the door opening he stopped in his tracks and waited for the person to come in. Lucian felt suddenly uneasy when he realized it was her brother had been waiting for.

Why was his brother anxiously waiting for a maid?

"Come here!" he ordered when she hesitated at the door.

Lucian didn't like the way his brother was talking to her.

"I said come here, Hazel!"

Hazel? Suddenly Lucian felt some pain in his chest and his head began to throb.

"You have been crying." Pierre pointed.

Hazel shook her head. "I haven't." she lied.

"Why don't you come to me? I'll not let you cry." He said softening his voice.

Lucian got confused. Was Pierre interested in this maid? Sure his brother loved women but he never fooled around with maids. He found them dirty and ugly.

Maybe this woman was not merely a woman. She had made him feel things and maybe she did the same with his brother.

Hazel shook her head denying him. Too brave for her own good Lucian thought.

"I am done waiting". Pierre said pulling her to his chest. He grabbed her hair and tried to kiss her but Hazel turned her head and pushed him away.

"Stop!"

"No, you stop!" He yelled grabbing her again before she could run and then throwing her on the bed. Placing himself on top of her he pinned her hands down and tried to kiss her again.

Lucian clenched his fists as anger build inside of him. He got so furious he could feel his demon taking control over his body. This was not good, he was going to get himself exposed but he couldn't stop himself from doing something. Using his prenatural power he put the lights out then pushed his brother off Hazel with such force that he fell off the bed.

Pierre groaned in pain and Hazel took the chance to run away.

"Catch her!" Pierre screamed to the guards who stood outside the door.

One of the guards came in to help Pierre while the other chased after Hazel Lucian cursed under his breath. Before the guard could catch her he exterminated every light source in the castle.

The guard stopped halfways startled by the sudden darkness.

Lucian who could see clearly in the dark grabbed Hazel's arm. "Come with me." He said as if she would trust him. At first, she got afraid and tried to pull her arm away then as if realizing something she followed him quietly. Lucian led her to his hideout spot, a place only he knew about. It was an underground place located in his personal garden.

As they arrived at the place Lucian used his powers again to light the candles.

Looking around Lucian noticed that everything was just as he had left it which meant that the place was still undiscovered. This was where he used to hide when he wanted to be alone, or when he was hurting, or healing, or when he was afraid that his demon would take control over him. He had never brought anyone here before. Why did he bring her?

Lucian turned to Hazel, "Are you alri…"

He stopped when he found her staring at him frightfully. "How did you know about this place?" she asked.

Surprised by the question Lucian didn't know how to answer it. He hadn't thought about it before he brought her here.

"This place…" She began confused. " it's under our garden…" Her voice was low as if she was speaking to herself.

Slowly she looked up with eyes wide as if she realized something then she frowned. "Why do you look like this?"

Lucian was confused about what she meant by that. She moved even closer to him then lift her hand slowly to touch his face. As her fingertips caressed his cheek warmth spread through him and he forgot for a moment what she had asked.

"I wasn't wrong." She breathed. "I knew it was you."

She cupped his face with both her hand as tears filled her eyes. "I have been waiting for so long...I thought...I thought you were...you would never come back." She wrapped her arms around him tightly and began crying.

Why was this woman crying all the time? Lucian pulled away from her hold.

"Listen…" He began to warn her but the rest of the words died in his throat when he saw the hurt in her eyes. She looked tormented.

"You don't have…" Her voice cracked. "to pretend anymore."

Lucian felt uneasy and his head began to throb in pain again. He could barely think anymore.

"You can stay here if you want…" He said trying to leave with unsteady feet.

This woman was making him nervous, uncomfortable, and...and scared.

She grabbed his arm before he could leave. "Lucian!"