Holiday Charm: Craving Mr Robert

Lucian was three seconds away from rearranging my guts when the doorbell rang. “Ugh… I’ll get it.” I groaned, trying to wriggle out from under him. “No, babe.” he murmured against my neck, his voice low and teasing, with a subtle smirk gracing his lips“They can wait.” His breath was warm, his hands against my skin, tracing lazy circles that made it hard to think. My laughter followed with a sigh as his lips moved to that spot just below my ear, the one that made my mind go blank. The doorbell rang again. Louder this time. Persistent. “Lucian.” I whispered, trying to sound stern but failing miserably as he nipped lightly at my throat. “It could be important.” He chuckled, that deep, arrogant laugh that always made me melt. “Nothing’s more important than you right now.” I believed him. I always did. I trusted his words almost immediately because he had a way of making me see a good side of everything. Of making even the worst days seem like the brightest day as if they should never end. But whoever was on the other side of the door didn’t care about promises. The doorbell rang much louder and longer this time, as if whoever was on the other side had no patience for love or lust or anything in between. Lucian groaned and rolled off me, grabbing his shirt from the edge of the bed. “I swear, if it’s one of those delivery guys again-” I laughed softly, sitting up and pulling the sheet over my chest. “Then we’ll finally get our blender, which you forgot to pick up twice.” “Minor detail.” He muttered, running a hand through his dark hair as he stalked toward the door. I took that moment to breathe, really breathe. These past few months had been the happiest I’d ever known. After years of studying late, working two jobs, and constantly proving myself to parents who thought love was a distraction, I’d found someone who made me feel… seen. Accepted. Appreciated. Lucian wasn’t perfect, far from it, but he had a way of making ordinary moments feel cinematic. He’d been my safe place. Or so I thought. When the doorbell finally stopped ringing, I leaned back and reached for my phone. The missed call from Dr. Holland blinked on the screen. My heart jumped a little. The baby thing. I smiled to myself, biting my lip as excitement bloomed in my chest. Lucian and I had been talking about it for weeks, starting a family. My parents hated the idea of me being engaged at twenty three, but I thought a child would change everything. It would make us a real family. Cement us. I called the doctor back. “Olivia!” Dr. Holland’s cheerful voice came through the phone. “I have good news. Both you and Lucian’s test results came in clean. You’re both perfectly healthy, no fertility issues, no red flags. You can start trying anytime.” A feeling of relief filled me. “That’s… Oh my God, that’s amazing! Thank you, Doctor.” “Of course, dear. Congratulations in advance.” When I hung up, I was practically jumping with joy. I wanted to tell him immediately, to see that softness in his grey eyes when he smiled. He always pretended to be cold, but I knew much better than to fall for that. Underneath all the sarcasm and temper, Lucian had a heart, one that beats for me. Only for me. Or so I believed. By the time he came back, his jaw was tight, his eyes dark. “Who was it?” I asked. “Wrong address.” He said too quickly. “Don’t worry about it.” Something in his tone made me pause. But before I could question it, my phone buzzed again. Another call from Dr. Holland. I excused myself, stepping into the kitchen to answer. She only wanted to confirm a few details, but by the time I hung up, the atmosphere in the apartment had changed. A loud crash echoed from the living room. The sound of something shattering. “Lucian?” No answer. My pulse quickened with every step I took towards the door. I peeked from the doorway. Lucian’s voice was low, urgent, almost panicked, like he was trying to calm someone down. But the only thing more unsettling than his tone was the other voice that followed. A woman’s. I crept closer. There, sitting on our couch like she owned it. Hailey Monroe. My college rival. The queen bee who made every girl feel like an insect under her heel. She was still flawless, red lips, perfect curls, the kind of dress that screamed expensive and intentional. Beside her sat her father, his expression stone-hard. My stomach dropped. “Hailey?” Lucian froze. Hailey crossed her legs, giving me that irritating smile I’d learned to hate years ago. “Hey, Liv. Long time no see.” “What’s going on?” I demanded. Her father’s voice was ice. “Lucian has something to tell you.” Lucian ran a hand over his face. “This isn’t how I wanted you to find out-” “Find out what?” Hailey’s smirk widened. “That I’m the woman he’s supposed to marry.” For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. She kept talking, voice sugar coated with venom. “Our families arranged it years ago. It was supposed to be announced after graduation, but someone-” She tilted her head toward Lucian, “Got distracted.” “Hailey, don’t-” Lucian began, but she cut him off. “Don’t what? Tell her the truth? That you’ve been my boyfriend for five years, Luci?” Her laughter was sharp. “Oh, sorry. Were. I meant to say Husband now.” My heart lurched violently. “No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “That’s not true. We live together. We-” “Oh, please,” Hailey scoffed. “You were just… entertainment. A phase. A break before the real thing.” I looked at Lucian, desperate for denial, for anything that would make this nightmare make sense. But he just stood there, silent, guilt dripping from every pore. “Say something,” I choked out. “Olivia…” His voice cracked slightly. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I-” “You didn’t mean to lie? To sleep next to me every night while being promised to her?” “Things were complicated-” “Don’t you dare say that!” Tears blurred my vision. Her father just sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as if my pain were an inconvenience. “Enough.” he said coldly. “Lucian, you’ll do the right thing. Take responsibility.” “Responsibility for what?” I shouted. Hailey’s smile was all teeth. “For me. For the baby.” The room stopped. I stumbled back, gripping the counter for support. My throat burned, my chest tightened, and every sound seemed to blur into static. “You’re lying.” I whispered. Lucian’s silence was confirmation enough. Something inside me cracked. He tried to reach for me, words spilling from his lips , apologies, excuses, pathetic reasoning that sounded like nails dragging across my skin. “I didn’t plan this,” he pleaded. “She meant nothing. You’re the one I want-” “Shut up,” I spat, tears spilling freely now. “Just shut up!” My body shook, adrenaline roaring through my veins. My hand brushed against the kitchen counter, cold, hard steel catching my fingers. The knife. I didn’t even realize I’d picked it up until I saw the fear flash in his eyes. “Olivia, put it down.” He said softly, stepping forward. “Five years, Lucian.” I hissed. “You lied for five years. And I was stupid enough to think I was the love story.” My grip tightened. “Baby, please-” “Don’t call me that!” My scream ripped through the apartment, wild and raw. For a moment, I didn’t recognize the sound as mine. Everything inside me burned, rage, humiliation, heartbreak, all tangled into something sharp and uncontrollable. My phone buzzed in my hand. I almost didn’t hear it over the pounding in my ears. The screen lit up. One new message. From Mom. “Olivia, call me. It’s about your father. He’s gone.” The words blurred. My breath hitched. My knees buckled. The knife slipped from my grasp, clattering onto the tiles. Gone? I turned, but the world had already started to fade… voices becoming distant, air too thick to breathe. Somewhere between the shatter of my heart and the echo of that message, everything went dark.