The school was alive with excitement, the grand event of the semester bringing together almost every student. The grand ballroom shimmered with golden lights, laughter echoing through the air as students mingled in their best attire.
Lucien stood near the edge of the room, his usual composed demeanor in place. Dressed in a fitted black suit, he was the embodiment of quiet confidence, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd. He wasn't here for the event. He was here for her.
Evelyn, radiant in her dress, moved through the crowd with ease. But something about tonight felt different. She had been feeling it for days—Lucien's presence lingering closer, his gaze sharper, his words fewer yet heavier.
And then, there was Caius.
He was effortless, his charm intoxicating as he slid into Evelyn's space with practiced ease. His touch light, his words smooth, his confidence unwavering. Every move he made was calculated, designed to pull Evelyn closer to him.
Lucien watched. He never interfered—not when Caius pulled her into conversation, not when she laughed at his jokes, not even when Caius leaned in, whispering something into her ear that made her smile.
But inside, something simmered.
For the first time, Lucien felt something foreign—something raw, something unsettling.
Jealousy.
---
As the night went on, the tension grew. Caius took every opportunity to keep Evelyn engaged, his confidence unwavering.
Lucien, however, had seen enough.
He moved.
With quiet but deliberate steps, he walked straight into the center of the ballroom. The room naturally reacted—heads turned, conversations quieted.
Evelyn, still standing with Caius, noticed the shift.
Then, she saw him.
Lucien stood there, his posture as unshaken as ever, but there was something different in his expression. A weight behind his eyes, an intensity that made her breath catch.
And then, he spoke.
"Evelyn."
Just her name, but it commanded the entire room's attention.
"I don't care what anyone thinks," he continued, voice unwavering. "Or how things should be done."
His sharp, unreadable eyes locked onto hers.
"I just know that… I want you to be mine."
Silence.
The entire hall froze.
Caius raised an eyebrow, a smirk ghosting his lips, but his eyes flashed with something deeper. Lucien had just thrown down a challenge—not just to him, but to everyone in the room.
Evelyn's lips parted, her heart pounding in her chest. The Lucien she had always known—calculated, restrained, unreadable—was standing in front of her, completely and utterly exposed.
Her mind raced.
Was this real? Was this really happening?
She looked at him, then at Caius, who remained composed, though something in his expression had shifted.
And then, she felt every pair of eyes on her.
Waiting.
Expecting.
What was she supposed to say?
---
To Be Continued...
End of Chapter 43