Chapter 7: The First Night
745 Words
The article stayed on my screen long after my hands began to shake.
My address.
My university.
My mother’s name.
Even photographs from years ago.
It felt like someone had opened my life and invited the entire world inside.
A knock sounded at my bedroom door.
Three sharp knocks.
Exactly as the rules required.
I quickly locked my phone.
“Come in.”
The door opened.
Lucien stepped inside, his tie gone, the sleeves of his white shirt rolled neatly to his forearms.
For the first time…
He looked less like the billionaire every magazine feared.
And more like an exhausted man carrying far too much on his shoulders.
His eyes immediately found my face.
“You’ve seen it.”
It wasn’t a question.
I nodded.
“They know everything.”
He crossed the room and held out his hand.
“Give me your phone.”
I hesitated.
“I won’t keep it.”
Reluctantly, I handed it over.
He scanned the article in silence.
With each line he read, the muscles in his jaw tightened.
When he reached the bottom…
His expression hardened.
“Whoever leaked this knew exactly what they were doing.”
“You said I’d be protected.”
His eyes lifted to mine.
“I meant it.”
“Then why is this happening?”
“Because I underestimated how quickly they’d move.”
“They?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he took out his own phone.
“Marcus.”
His voice became colder than I’d heard before.
“I want every copy of this article removed within the hour.”
Silence.
“No excuses.”
Another pause.
“And double the security.”
He ended the call.
Just like that.
No explanation.
No reassurance.
Only action.
I folded my arms.
“You really hate answering questions.”
“I do.”
“Good.”
I walked toward him until only a step separated us.
“Because I’m done accepting silence.”
For the first time…
Lucien looked surprised.
“You married me.”
“I married a contract.”
“I know.”
“I didn’t marry your secrets.”
His gaze lingered on mine.
Long enough for my heartbeat to betray me.
Then he quietly said,
“Fair enough.”
It was the first concession he’d made since we’d met.
“I can’t tell you everything.”
“Why?”
“Because if I do…”
His voice lowered.
“…you become part of something you can never walk away from.”
“I already have.”
His eyes closed briefly.
As though my words hurt more than they should have.
When he opened them again…
Something had changed.
“You’ll have answers.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
“You keep saying that.”
“I know.”
His phone buzzed.
He ignored it.
It buzzed again.
Ignored.
A third time.
I sighed.
“You should answer it.”
“It can wait.”
“It might be important.”
He looked at me for a long moment before finally accepting the call.
“This had better matter.”
A voice shouted so loudly I could hear it from where I stood.
Lucien’s face lost all color.
“What?”
Silence.
“No one leaves.”
Another pause.
“I’m on my way.”
He ended the call.
“What happened?”
He slipped the phone into his pocket.
“My grandmother collapsed.”
“What?”
“We’re leaving.”
He reached for my coat hanging over the chair.
Without thinking, he draped it gently over my shoulders.
His fingers brushed my arm.
Warm.
Careful.
Almost instinctive.
“Can she hear visitors?” I asked.
“I don’t know.”
He looked at me.
For the first time…
The Ice King looked afraid.
Not for his company.
Not for his reputation.
For his grandmother.
“I’ve already lost my parents.”
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“I can’t lose her too.”
Something inside me softened.
Without thinking…
I reached for his hand.
“I’ll come with you.”
Lucien looked down at our joined hands.
Then back at me.
He didn’t pull away.
He simply gave my fingers the smallest squeeze.
“Thank you.”
Three minutes later, we were speeding through the sleeping city.
Neither of us noticed the black SUV that had pulled out behind us.
It stayed two cars back.
Every turn.
Every traffic light.
Every mile.
Watching.
Waiting.
- Writer
