Chapter 10 – Falling Slowly
718 Words
Aria POV
I spent an embarrassing amount of time deciding what to wear.
Not because I thought dinner with Lucien Devereux meant anything serious.
Absolutely not.
But because every outfit I owned suddenly looked painfully cheap the moment I laid them on my bed.
“This is stupid,” I muttered while staring at my closet.
In the end, I chose the simplest option—a soft black dress that reached my knees and the silver necklace my mother once owned.
Elegant enough.
Hopefully.
My nerves only worsened when I heard a car stop outside my apartment building.
I peeked through the window.
And nearly stopped breathing.
A black luxury car waited below like something out of a movie.
Of course Lucien wouldn’t drive something normal.
My stomach twisted.
Maybe this was a mistake.
Maybe girls like me weren’t supposed to step into worlds like his.
Before fear could fully take over, my phone buzzed.
Lucien: I’m outside.
No unnecessary words.
Just direct and calm.
Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs.
The moment I stepped outside, the car door opened automatically.
Then Lucien emerged.
And suddenly my carefully controlled breathing disappeared completely.
Tonight, he looked less like a university student and more like the future CEO everyone feared he would become someday.
Sharp black suit.
Dark eyes.
Effortless power.
His gaze slowly moved over me before stopping completely.
For a second, neither of us spoke.
Then quietly—
“You look beautiful.”
My heartbeat stumbled so hard it hurt.
Nobody had ever looked at me the way Lucien did.
Like I was something rare.
Something worth noticing.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Lucien opened the passenger door for me himself.
The drive through the city felt strangely peaceful. Soft music played quietly while glowing lights reflected against the car windows.
“You’re nervous,” he observed suddenly.
I looked at him. “Am I that obvious?”
“Yes.”
Embarrassing.
I looked away toward the window. “This isn’t exactly normal for me.”
Lucien’s voice softened slightly. “And what part feels abnormal?”
Everything.
The car.
The attention.
Him.
But instead of saying that, I answered honestly.
“People like you don’t usually notice people like me.”
Silence filled the car briefly.
Then Lucien spoke quietly.
“I hate when you say things like that.”
I frowned slightly. “Like what?”
“People like you. People like me.” His jaw tightened faintly. “You keep drawing lines between us.”
A small laugh escaped me before I could stop it.
“Lucien, those lines already exist.”
His grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly.
“Not to me.”
The sincerity in his voice scared me.
Because for the first time, a small part of me wanted to believe him.
The restaurant he brought me to overlooked the entire city skyline.
Everything glittered beneath us.
Elegant chandeliers reflected against crystal glasses while people dressed in luxury whispered around the room.
I suddenly felt very aware of my old shoes.
Lucien noticed instantly.
Without warning, he reached across the table and touched my hand gently.
“Stop thinking.”
My breath caught.
“You keep doing that,” I murmured.
“Doing what?”
“Reading my mind.”
One corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “You’re expressive.”
I rolled my eyes softly. “That’s unfortunate.”
“No,” he said quietly. “I like it.”
Dangerous.
Every word from him felt dangerous.
Dinner passed easier than I expected afterward.
We talked.
Really talked.
About childhood memories.
About dreams.
About traveling.
For once, Lucien didn’t feel like the untouchable heir everyone feared. He felt… normal.
Lonely, even.
“What about you?” I asked eventually. “What do you actually want?”
Lucien looked genuinely surprised by the question.
Nobody probably asked him things like that.
After a moment, he answered quietly.
“Peace.”
Something about that answer made my chest ache unexpectedly.
Because beneath the expensive suits and powerful name, Lucien looked tired.
Like someone carrying expectations too heavy to escape.
And in that moment, I stopped seeing him as just a rich heir.
I started seeing the man underneath.
Which was far more dangerous for my heart.
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