LUCIA

Chapter 48 Truth & Lies

"Then, what do you mean by you've never seen her? Can a woman you've never seen give birth to your child?" (Lucia)

She felt her indignation rise as she spoke and sat up. Hugo then sat up too.

"Vivian, I think you're a little heated..."

"I'm sorry. I dare to get heated up when it's not my place."

Hugo felt his head ache. He had seen her like this before, not too long ago. She was usually mild and gentle but once she became upset, her words became sarcastic and prickly. It was like taking someone off guard and suddenly biting their hand. The surprise was bigger than the agony so rather than feeling upset, he felt absurd.

"Vivian."

For the time being, he held her shoulders to calm her down. She spun, shaking of his hands off and turning her back to him. The moment she turned her back to him, sparks flew in his eyes. Lucia suddenly felt a strong grip on her shoulder and scowled at the pressure. The strong force pulled her back and in one swift motion pressed her down on the bed. It happened so quickly and when she came to her senses, he was above her and holding her down.

She flinched at the sight of him looking at her with a piercing gaze.

"Don't...turn around that way."

"...Huh?"

"Don't turn your back to me."

His voice was level and he spoke in a rather low tone but Lucia could somehow grasp his emotional state.

'He...he's angry.'

When she thought about it, she had never seen him get angry. When he got angry, he seemed to become calm and rather chilly. Why did he get angry?

'Because I shook him off and turned away? Could he have been betrayed by someone in the past?'

"I won't do it again."

Lucia replied calmly so as to not stimulate his anger even more.

"Let me go. You surprised me." (Lucia)

"...Sorry."

His rising anger was quickly subsided in a moment. His grip on her shoulders also lessened and as he withdrew, Lucia sat up slowly. The atmosphere had suddenly come to a lull. In this odd atmosphere, the two of them sat facing each other, not saying anything.

Lucia composed her mind and thought about herself acting up on him out of nowhere.

'I should apologize for being impolite...and go to sleep already. I don't need to put him on edge with pointless psychological warfare.'

"The boy...he's not my biological son."

"...What?"

Hearing his colossal and blunt words, Lucia suddenly felt dizzy.

"Do you mean...Damian? That child...is not your son?"

She couldn't help but try to confirm if the words she heard were correct. Hugo let out a deep sigh and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't want her feelings to be hurt over this issue. He didn't want her to greatly misunderstand him over Damian's issue and picture him even worse in her head.

"I heard you asked Jerome about the west tower incident. Did you hear that I had a brother?"

"...Yes."

"Damian is my brother's son. In more accurate terms, he's my nephew."

In front of the tremendous truth, Lucia's heart was pounding loudly and her mouth went dry. Suddenly, dozens of questions came to her mind but she couldn't organize any to formulate a question.