The morning sun rose high over the garden, casting long shadows through the windows of Mrs. Vivienne's home. Sophie found herself sitting by the same window where she'd spent much of the previous day. Her chin rested in her hand as her thoughts wandered, slipping away from her control.
Lucien's face surfaced in her mind, unbidden and unwelcome. She frowned, tapping her fingers on the windowsill as if the rhythmic motion would dispel the image of him. It didn't work.
---
A Question She Couldn't Escape
Why do I keep thinking about him? she wondered, frustrated. The sound of his voice still lingered in her ears, firm yet tinged with something almost protective. She recalled his warning before she left: "Don't try to escape because my eyes are on you."
She had wanted to brush it off, to dismiss him as controlling and cold. But instead, she felt… safe. It was an infuriating contradiction, and it made her stomach churn with confusion.
Sophie sighed, running her fingers through her hair. Was it possible that she missed him?
No, she told herself firmly. I couldn't possibly miss someone like him.
But even as she tried to deny it, a tiny voice in the back of her mind whispered otherwise.
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A Day of Distractions
She spent the rest of the morning trying to distract herself. She helped Mrs. Vivienne with small tasks around the house, chatted briefly with Mr. Vivienne, and even ventured into the garden to clear her head. But no matter what she did, her thoughts always returned to Lucien.
She remembered the way he had looked at her when he thought she wasn't paying attention—his eyes dark and unreadable, as if he was trying to solve a puzzle only he could see.
She shook her head, annoyed at herself. Why do I care what he thinks?
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The Truth in the Quiet Moments
As the day wore on, Sophie found herself retreating to her room, unable to face her own emotions. She sat on the bed, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
The truth was simple and unsettling: she did miss him. Not in a way she missed Adrien whose memory still tugged at her heart, but in a way she didn't entirely understand.
Lucien was harsh and enigmatic, but there was something about him that drew her in, despite her better judgment.
---
An Unwanted Realization
The afternoon passed slowly, each minute stretching into an eternity as Sophie wrestled with her thoughts. She tried to convince herself it was only because she had spent so much time around him recently. That must be it—she was simply used to his presence.
But deep down, she knew there was more to it than that. Lucien wasn't just someone she was forced to endure; he was someone who, against all odds, had left an impression on her.
Sophie sighed and leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Her heart felt heavy with confusion.
"Why does he have to be so… complicated?" she muttered to herself.
For the rest of the evening, Sophie found herself replaying their moments together—the intensity in his gaze, the way he spoke to her, even the times he seemed to care without saying it outright.
As night fell and the house grew quiet, Sophie lay in bed, unable to sleep. She closed her eyes, but instead of peace, she was met with the image of Lucien's face.
Her heart ached, and she hated herself for it. Was it possible? she wondered. Had I really started to miss him?