THE BILLIONAIRE'S SECRET OBSESSION

The First Crack

Chapter 9 :

I found Lucien in the study.

He stood beside the floor-to-ceiling windows, one hand resting against the edge of his desk, his back turned toward me.

The city stretched endlessly beyond the glass.

Beautiful.

Untouchable.

Just like him.

I closed the door behind me.

He didn't turn.

"I know you're there."

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

I walked toward him.

"Then you know why I'm here."

He finally turned.

His eyes met mine.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then I placed the note on his desk.

His gaze dropped to it.

Something flickered across his face.

Gone almost instantly.

But I'd seen it.

Fear.

"Where did you get that?"

"The locked room."

His jaw tightened.

"You shouldn't have gone in there."

"And you shouldn't have hidden it from me."

"Elara—"

"Don't."

I stepped closer.

"Don't use that voice with me. Not tonight."

His expression hardened.

"What do you want?"

"The truth."

"You don't know what you're asking for."

"Then explain it to me."

He remained silent.

I pointed at the note.

"My father wrote this."

"I know."

"And he told me to ask my mother about you."

Lucien's eyes darkened.

"My mother has been dead for fourteen years."

"I know."

"Then what am I supposed to ask her?"

He said nothing.

My frustration exploded.

"You knew my father."

"Yes."

"You knew my mother."

Lucien hesitated.

"Yes."

My heart pounded.

"How?"

He looked away.

"That isn't the question you should be asking."

"Then what should I ask?"

His gaze returned to mine.

"Why your father died."

I froze.

"My father disappeared."

"That's what you were told."

I stared at him.

"What are you saying?"

Lucien walked around the desk.

He stopped a few feet away.

"Your father didn't simply disappear."

"Then what happened?"

"I can't tell you yet."

I laughed bitterly.

"Of course."

"Elara."

"Every time I ask you something, you give me another secret."

His expression tightened.

"I'm trying to protect you."

"I don't need your protection."

"You do."

"No, Lucien."

I stepped closer.

"What I need is the truth."

He stared at me.

Something shifted in his eyes.

The cold billionaire façade I'd become accustomed to seeing seemed to crack for a moment.

"I've spent seven years trying to keep you alive."

My breath caught.

"Seven years?"

He immediately looked away.

I noticed.

"You said seven years."

Silence.

"You've been watching me for seven years?"

His jaw clenched.

"I've been protecting you."

"That's not what I asked."

He didn't answer.

I stepped closer.

"Why me?"

His eyes met mine.

And for the first time, I saw something I couldn't explain.

Not pity.

Not guilt.

Something much more dangerous.

Desire.

His gaze dropped briefly to my lips.

My heartbeat stumbled.

He noticed.

Of course he noticed.

Lucien always noticed everything.

I swallowed.

"You can't keep looking at me like that and expect me not to ask questions."

His voice became quieter.

"How am I looking at you?"

"Like..."

I stopped.

"Like what?"

I hated that he made me say it.

"Like you already know me."

His expression softened.

"I do."

My heart skipped.

"No."

"Yes."

"You don't."

"I know what you drink when you're nervous."

I stared at him.

"Black coffee."

I said nothing.

"I know you bite the inside of your cheek when you're trying not to cry."

My breath caught.

"I know you pretend you're not afraid when you are."

He stepped closer.

"And I know you haven't slept properly since you came here."

I couldn't breathe.

"How do you know all of that?"

His eyes held mine.

"Because I've been paying attention."

The distance between us disappeared.

I could feel his warmth.

His scent surrounded me.

Something clean.

Dark.

Addictive.

I hated how familiar it felt.

I took a step back.

He followed.

"Lucien."

He stopped.

"Tell me about my father."

His expression changed again.

"You really won't let this go."

"No."

"Even if the truth hurts?"

"Especially then."

He looked at me for a long moment.

Then he said quietly, "Your father was involved with the Nocturne Heart."

My heart pounded.

"How?"

"I don't know everything."

"You're lying."

His eyes narrowed.

"You think I don't know when someone is lying to me?"

"Then tell me what you do know."

He exhaled slowly.

"Your father was investigating a group of people who wanted the diamond."

"Who?"

"I can't tell you yet."

"Why?"

"Because some of them are still alive."

I went still.

"Are they looking for me?"

His silence answered.

My stomach twisted.

"How long have they been looking for me?"

Lucien's expression darkened.

"Longer than you realize."

I shook my head.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because knowing the truth would have put you in greater danger."

"That's not your decision."

"I know."

"Then stop deciding things for me."

He stared at me.

"I couldn't."

The words came out almost like a confession.

I frowned.

"What?"

"I couldn't watch you walk into danger."

His voice was rougher now.

"I couldn't lose you too."

The word too caught my attention.

"Too?"

His eyes closed briefly.

When they opened again, the walls were back.

"I've said enough."

"No."

I grabbed his arm.

He looked down at my hand.

Then at me.

"You don't get to do that."

"Do what?"

"Open the door and then slam it shut."

His voice dropped.

"Elara..."

"You've been hiding things from me for seven years."

"I had reasons."

"You watched me."

"Yes."

"You followed my life."

"Yes."

"You knew things about me that no stranger should know."

"Yes."

My voice trembled.

"Why?"

He stared at me.

His answer came almost as a whisper.

"Because I couldn't stop."

Silence.

Something in my chest tightened.

Lucien lifted his hand slowly.

His fingers brushed a loose strand of hair away from my face.

I should have stepped back.

I didn't.

His fingertips lingered against my cheek.

My breath caught.

His eyes dropped to my lips.

Mine followed.

The room suddenly felt too small.

Too warm.

Too quiet.

He leaned closer.

My heart raced.

Closer.

His breath touched my skin.

For one suspended second, neither of us moved.

Then his lips were only inches from mine.

And I realized

Lucien wasn't looking at me like a billionaire protecting an innocent woman.

He was looking at me like a man who had wanted something for far too long.

Something he had spent seven years denying himself.

His hand slid gently beneath my chin.

"Elara..."

My eyes fluttered shut.

And just before his lips touched mine—

he stopped.

His breathing was uneven.

His forehead rested against mine.

Neither of us spoke.

Then he whispered the words that sent a shiver through me.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."