Burning Desire of the Ruthless Ruler

The Murderer’s Proposal

Lucien stepped out of his car with unwavering confidence, his sharp eyes fixed on the modest house he had come to with his men.

Two burly men followed closely behind him, each carrying a large, heavy-looking suitcase. The night air seemed to grow colder and more ominous with their arrival.

Laura stood in front of the house beside her mother, Simone Marchand.

The moment Simone saw Lucien, her entire body stiffened. Her eyes widened with fear, and her hands began to tremble slightly.

“Get inside, Laura,” Simone whispered, never taking her eyes off Lucien, whose gaze was already fixed on her daughter.

“But why do I have to—”

“Get inside, Laura!” Simone ordered more firmly, turning toward her daughter.

But before Laura could turn around, Lucien was already standing in front of them, a faint smile curving across his lips.

“Good night, Madam Simone,” Lucien greeted politely, though his voice remained cold.

“It’s been a long time. I’m glad we finally meet again.”

Simone took a deep breath and straightened her back. She instinctively stepped in front of Laura, shielding her daughter with her body.

“How dare you come here, Lucien! After everything you’ve done!” Simone shouted, her voice echoing across the yard.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t come here to discuss the past, Madam,” Lucien replied calmly, occasionally stealing a glance at Laura.

“The–then why are you here?” Simone demanded.

“I came for the future.”

Lucien paused before looking directly at Laura.

“The future between me and . . . your daughter.”

Laura stared at him in disbelief.

Simone immediately grabbed her daughter’s wrist, holding on tightly as if afraid Lucien might take her away at any moment.

“The future? What are you talking about?” Laura asked, utterly confused.

Lucien gave a subtle signal to his men. The suitcases were opened simultaneously, revealing stacks of cash and glittering jewelry beneath the streetlights.

“I’m here to ask for your hand, Laura,” Lucien said without hesitation.

“I want you to become . . . my wife.”

Laura let out a mocking laugh. There was no way she was going to marry this man. They had only just met, and judging by her mother’s reaction, Simone was clearly hiding something about him.

“Did getting shot in the stomach damage your brain too?” Laura sneered.

“It wasn’t the bullet that damaged my brain, Laura.”

Lucien's lips curled into a faint smile. “It was you.”

Laura took several steps backward to put some distance between them.

Then she walked toward one of Lucien’s men, who was holding a suitcase full of money, and slapped the suitcase out of his hands.

The cash spilled across the ground.

“I will never marry you!”

“You’re mistaken, sweetheart,” Lucien replied, stepping toward her and forcing her to retreat.

“I always get what I want.”

His eyes locked onto hers. “And right now . . . I want you.”

“Get out of here, Lucien!” Simone immediately stepped in front of her daughter, her voice trembling with anger.

“Laura will never marry a murderer like you!”

Lucien gave a low chuckle at Simone’s defiance. His laughter was cold enough to send a chill through the night.

“A murderer?”

His expression remained completely calm.

“Apparently, you’re still holding a grudge over what happened.”

“Wasn’t that matter settled several years ago?”

“Nothing is ever truly settled, Lucien!” Simone screamed.

“You killed my husband! You destroyed our family!”

“Do you honestly think I would let my daughter marry a cold-blooded murderer like you?”

Laura stared at her mother, her pupils widening as she struggled to process everything she had just heard.

“Wh–what do you mean, Mom?”

Her gaze slowly shifted toward Lucien.

“This man... Lucien... He’s the one who killed my Dad?”

Lucien tilted his head slightly as Laura glared at him with burning hatred. The faint smile on his lips slowly disappeared.

“Your mother is telling the truth, Laura.”

He paused, his expression remaining disturbingly calm.

“But your father was part of a problem that needed to be dealt with.”

Lucien shrugged slightly. “Relax. It was only business.”

SMACK!

Laura’s palm struck Lucien hard across the face.

The sharp sound echoed through the yard.

Lucien’s head turned slightly from the impact. Several of his men immediately stepped forward, but Lucien stopped them with a single raised hand.

Despite this being yet another slap from Laura, he didn’t get angry.

Instead, that dangerous smile slowly returned to his face.

“You can hit me as much as you want,” he said quietly. “But it won’t change a thing.”

His cold eyes locked onto hers.

“You’ll be mine, whether you like it or not.”

“I’d rather die than marry the man who killed my first love!” Laura shouted.

Anger and tears shimmered in her eyes.

Lucien stepped closer, then shoved Simone aside so forcefully that she stumbled and fell to the ground.

“Don’t say things you don’t understand, sweetheart.”

“Don’t threaten my daughter!” Simone immediately pushed herself back to her feet and stood in front of Laura again, shielding her daughter with her aging body.

“I’m not afraid of you, Lucien! You will never have Laura!”

“And I would never accept a murderer like you as my son-in-law!” Her arms stretched protectively in front of Laura, who was already crying behind her.

Lucien looked at Simone with the cold, predatory gaze of an eagle.

“You’re making a grave mistake, Madam.” His voice was frighteningly calm.

“If you refuse me, I can guarantee that this house, your little business, everything you own . . . will be destroyed within one minute.”

“Go ahead!” Simone challenged him.

“I will never hand my daughter over to you, even if you destroy everything we have!”

Lucien’s lips curved into a satisfied smirk. He waved a hand toward his men. They immediately closed the suitcases and carried them back toward the cars.

“Very well, Madam.”

Lucien took a few steps backward.

“If that’s what you want ….”

He paused and looked directly at Laura. “But remember one thing, Laura.”

His voice carried across the yard, loud enough to wake several nearby neighbors.

“I swear I will make you mine!”

Before Lucien returned to his luxurious car, he approached Laura one last time. He firmly gripped her jaw, forcing her to look directly into his eyes.

“Let go of Laura, Lucien!” Simone pleaded, but one of Lucien’s men held her back.

“I’ll be back tomorrow.” Lucien slowly brushed his right thumb across Laura’s lower lip. “And there’s only one answer I want to hear from your lips.”

“You’d better give up, Your Excellency,” Laura replied coldly.

“If you want me to give up, then you’ll have to wait forever.”

Laura struggled against his grip, but she was no match for Lucien’s strength. Eventually, she stopped fighting and could only glare at him helplessly.

“I don’t care what you try to do. I will never agree to what you want!”

“Laura,” Lucien said calmly, “if you marry me, your life will be far more secure.”

“Unfortunately, I have no interest in marrying you.”

Laura lifted her chin defiantly. “Because I already have a fiancé.”