Chapter12
679 Words
Chapter 12
“Drop the mask, Lucy.”
Austin’s voice was low and sharp, carrying an intimate edge. The grand hall had finally emptied, leaving only the echo of footsteps and the faint scent of his cologne. His eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her pulse stutter.
“It is just us now,” he said, stepping closer. “No dynasty. No show.”
Lucy’s lips parted, her breath slipping out like smoke. “And what are we without the mask, Austin?”
A daring silence stretched between them before Austin took another step forward, his jaw tense. “Two strangers tied by a piece of paper… nothing more.”
Her heart lurched, but she lifted her chin in defiance. “Then let us make one thing clear,” she said, her words like steel beneath velvet. “We play the perfect couple when the world is watching. But when the doors close, we are free. You do not question my life, and I will not question yours. No rules of loyalty. No jealousy. Agreed?”
Austin’s mouth twitched into a tiny smirk. “Agreed,” he murmured, his tone carrying a quiet warning. He pointed to the door across from his own. “That is your room. Stay there. From the outside, everyone will believe we are together, and that is exactly what I want.”
The agreement felt like a blade cutting through the air. Without another word, they turned away, retreating to separate rooms. Two locked doors. Two burning tempers. One dangerous pact.
Lucy slipped into her room, where the air was heavy with the scent of roses. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as her mind replayed the encounter. Seeking to move past the day’s stress, she began to change into her evening wear. The warm glow of the bedside lamp cast long shadows across the room as she prepared for rest.
Suddenly, without a knock, the door swung open.
Lucy froze as Austin stood in the doorway. He had returned for the leather folio he had left on the chair, but he stopped mid-stride the moment he saw her. Lucy was caught off guard, partially dressed, and vulnerable in the soft light.
Before a word could be spoken, Austin’s gaze locked onto her, his expression unreadable but intense. His chest rose sharply as the silence in the room became suffocating.
“Austin!” Lucy cried out, her cheeks blazing. She quickly snatched a silk sheet from the bed, wrapping it around herself. “What are you doing? You cannot simply barge in here!”
For a heartbeat, he did not answer. His jaw clenched, and his throat moved as if he were struggling to find words. He finally forced his gaze away, his expression darkening.
“I—” he began, his voice rough. He crossed the room with hurried, tense strides. “I forgot my documents.”
He grabbed the folder from the chair, his movements sharp and avoidant.
Lucy’s glare followed him. “Next time, you knock,” she snapped, her hands shaking as she held the sheet tight. “You have no right to enter this room without permission.”
“I am sorry,” Austin muttered. He clutched the folder and turned toward the hallway, his departure as abrupt as his arrival. He shut the door firmly behind him.
Lucy stood rooted in place, trembling with adrenaline. A fierce anger burned in her veins, but beneath it, she could still feel the weight of his gaze.
She stared at the closed door, her voice sharp. “This marriage is a cage… and I will not forget this.”
On the other side of the door, Austin leaned against the wall. His breathing was heavy and his jaw was set tight. He stared down at the folder in his hand, but the image of her defiance remained fixed in his mind.
Strangers tied by paper, he reminded himself. Nothing more.
But as he walked away, he knew the pact they had made was already beg
inning to crumble.
- Writer
