Reclaimed by the Ruthless Heir

Chapter 8 – The Rich Boy’s Interest.

Aria POV

By the next week, everyone knew.

Not just the staff at Rosewood Bistro.

Everyone.

Customers whispered the moment Lucien Devereux walked in. Girls openly stared at our table whenever I served him, while businessmen nearby watched me with curiosity like I had suddenly become some rare creature.

It was uncomfortable.

Very uncomfortable.

“You’re famous now,” Mia announced dramatically while wiping glasses.

I nearly choked on air. “Please stop saying that.”

“You should see social media.”

“I absolutely should not.”

Unfortunately, she showed me anyway.

A blurry picture of me serving Lucien had somehow spread online.

The comments were worse.

Who is she?

She’s pretty for a waitress.

Lucien Devereux finally interested in someone?

Probably another gold digger.

That last comment hurt more than it should have.

I quickly handed Mia back her phone.

“I don’t care,” I lied.

Mia’s expression softened slightly. “People are jealous, Aria. That’s all.”

Maybe.

But deep down, I understood the real issue.

Lucien and I belonged to completely different worlds.

His life was luxury, influence, private schools, powerful families, and billion-dollar companies.

Mine was overdue rent, extra shifts, and dreams people laughed at.

The gap between us was impossible to ignore.

“Aria.”

That deep voice instantly interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up too quickly.

Lucien stood near the counter wearing a charcoal-gray coat, looking painfully handsome as usual. His friends were already walking toward their regular booth behind him.

But he wasn’t moving.

He was looking directly at me.

“Hi,” I said softly.

His eyes lingered on my face for a moment.

“You look tired.”

My heart stumbled unexpectedly.

Nobody noticed things like that.

“I’m fine.”

“You worked all day?”

I nodded slowly.

Lucien’s jaw tightened slightly.

“Did you eat?”

I blinked in surprise.

“What?”

“Food, Aria,” he said calmly. “Did you eat today?”

The fact that he sounded genuinely concerned made my chest feel strangely warm.

“…Not yet.”

Without another word, Lucien reached into the pastry display beside me, grabbed a packaged croissant, and placed it in my hands.

“Eat.”

I stared at him.

“You can’t order me around.”

One corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

“I just did.”

Before I could respond, Damien appeared behind him laughing.

“She argues with you more than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

“That’s because he’s bossy,” I muttered.

Lucien looked entirely unbothered by the accusation.

“Eat first,” he repeated calmly before finally walking toward the booth.

I looked down at the croissant in my hands.

Warm.

Fresh.

Ridiculously expensive by my standards.

Something inside me softened dangerously.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur.

But near closing time, things became worse.

A group of wealthy college girls entered the bistro loudly, immediately spotting Lucien’s table.

One of them approached boldly.

“Lucien,” she greeted sweetly. “You came back and didn’t call anyone?”

Lucien barely glanced at her. “I was busy.”

Her smile stiffened.

Then her eyes shifted toward me carrying drinks nearby.

Disapproval flashed instantly across her face.

“Oh,” she said slowly. “So the rumors are true.”

I stopped walking.

The girl looked me over from head to toe before smirking slightly.

“I didn’t expect your type to be… this ordinary.”

Embarrassment burned through me immediately.

Around the restaurant, conversations quieted.

I hated this.

Absolutely hated this.

But before I could walk away, Lucien finally looked at the girl properly.

And the temperature around the table seemed to drop instantly.

“Leave.”

Her smile disappeared. “Lucien—”

“I said leave.”

Cold.

Sharp.

Final.

The girl looked shocked.

So did everyone else.

She grabbed her purse angrily before storming out with her friends following behind her.

Silence lingered afterward.

Then Lucien turned toward me.

“You okay?”

The concern in his voice nearly undid me.

I forced a small nod.

But something painful settled inside my chest anyway.

Because tonight proved exactly what I had feared from the beginning.

Being noticed by Lucien Devereux came with a price.