"I will wear my best dress and look the part," Celine said, after a while, "Your future wife should look the part, after all."

"Is that so?" Lucian asked, "Then I will try my best to look the part of a future husband."

They began to play house together, talking about their future. Their imagination built a perfect home, an ideal marriage.

Their words became more daring, and more intimate.

Their hands began to explore, and their lips began to close the gap between them when thunder outside rumbled.

The lightning flashed through the window, startling them both.

They paused for a moment, staring at each other, and then burst out laughing.

It felt like they were caught doing something wrong, even though they were both consenting adults.

"I think we should call it a night," Celine said, standing up and smoothing her clothes out.

Lucian nodded, adjusting himself and trying not to feel too embarrassed. He got up and kissed her on the cheek, wishing her a good night, "You stay, I will go."

"lt's your room," Celine said, but Lucian was already out the door, "Hey! Come back here, you donkey."

Lucian grabbed his cane and suitcase, closing the door behind him, before she could argue with him.

He didn't have the willpower to resist her anymore and would rather sleep in a barn than stay with her in one room.

He didn't have to wait long to calm down, the rain outside didn't give him a choice.

Lucian was soaked to the bone within seconds, his clothes clinging to his skin, his hair plastered to his face. His attention, though, still remained on the woman inside the inn.

Celine curled up in the blankets and hugged his pillow. "I should wait here," she mumbled to Togo, who flew to her after being startled by the thunder, "So he has a warm bed to return to."

Lucian felt his chest getting tight at the sight, pulling him towards her like it was a piece of metal and she was a magnet.

'Where is he, Voice?'

Voice caught a sight of Edmund on the road, hiding inside a carriage and looking through the gap in the window, at the inn Lucian was staying at.

'Is he waiting for his sister?' Lucian wondered if he should go out and greet him. 'He or Celine must have ordered Lady Lily to drug me with an aphrodisiac.'

Edmund fiddled with his ring, twisting it on his finger. He must have sensed something, because he looked in Lucian's direction and their eyes met. He quickly opened the door, ushering Lucian inside.

Lucian got on, sitting down across him on the leather seat.

Edmund coughed, breaking the ice, "She suddenly wanted to become my carriage driver. I should have known it had something to do with you. Is everything okay? I hope you didn't get into another fight."

"Something like that, yes," Lucian answered, "Being caught in a red light district by my dearest is not the best way to end a night."

"You still call her your dearest, so I guess it didn't end badly," Edmund joked, trying to lighten the mood, "Celine is not the type to be jealous. She doesn't really have anything to envy in the red light district, does she?"

Lucian didn't comment, so Edmund continued, "I heard about your success, but I didn't expect you to reach the bronze rank so fast. My sister's words ring true. You are indeed more than you seem."

"You flatter me," Lucian said, not taking the compliment seriously.

Edmund probably sensed the slight hostility in Lucian's tone and laughed nervously. "Please, not you too, don't misunderstand my intentions. The last thing I want is another enemy to add to the list. Celine is not a jealous type, but she's very territorial about her belongings. From your reaction, I can see her badmouthing me to you, right?"

"She is honest with me," Lucian confirmed, not giving him any more details to work with.

Edmund's smile froze in place. He stopped fiddling with his ring, letting it rest on his finger, "I see."

His voice held a bit of a bitterness, but he didn't push for an explanation.

He grabbed an umbrella instead and opened the door, "Even the nicest people get spiteful and suspicious of others once they get isolated and have to face the world alone. I hope that's not the case with you."

He walked toward the brothel without looking back, his last words lingering in the air, "Where's your friend, who always seems to follow you around? He didn't get into trouble again, did he?"

'Friend?' Lucian tried to think of who Edmund was talking about, 'Jax?'

He closed the carriage door and leaned back, closing his eyes to follow Edmund's movements.

'Why would he mention Jax now?'

Edmund entered the brothel and went towards Lady Lily's private room, which was off Lucian's reach. He was left in the dark once again.

'Was Jax the target the whole time?'

Lucian looked for Jax's location, finding him tied up in the brothel's storage room. There was a blindfold and a gag around his mouth.

'Looking back at it, it does seem like Jax had some secret relationship with Lady Lily to begin with,' Lucian thought, 'He went against my orders to help her, and was very protective of her.'

Lucian covered his face with his hands.

'Does Edmund know Celine better than me? Or is this a trap? I'm feeling like a fool here.'

He tried to clear his thoughts and not jump to any conclusions. He didn't want to accuse Celine of trying to isolate him from the people close to him.

'Do I look like someone who gets attached to people easily, Voice?' he asked, his tone laced with sarcasm as he thought about why would someone go through such unnecessary lengths to make him keep his distance from others.

'You look like you would jump to save someone in need in a heartbeat,' Voice answered, making Lucian laugh out loud.

'Mm, I'm such a softie.' Lucian thought, his laughter changing from sarcastic to humored.

It was silenced by the rainy weather, but it still echoed in the empty carriage.

'It seems like I'm not the only one who is trying to stand up against Celine's way of doing things, which is only going to end in tragedy.'

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