LUCIA

Chapter 83 Realization

Hugo felt uncomfortable as he watched Lucia wipe her tears. Looking at her crying made his stomach churn. He wondered if motion sickness felt like this; he had never experienced it in his life.

"Will you be able to go to the party?" (Hugo)

"I'm fine. Don't worry. I won't make a mistake." (Lucia)

"I'm not worried about you making a mistake. You don't have to struggle if it's difficult. You don't have to do it if you don't want to. I will take care of the rest."

"Don't indulge me so much. Do you want to make me a child that can't do anything without you?"

That's a really good idea. Hugo thought to himself.

"Please." (Lucia)

Lucia took a deep breath because she felt like she was suffocating. Her lips moved slightly then she swallowed, taking back the words that were about to leave her mouth. I love you. Those words almost came out.

Hugo who was looking at her felt like he had just missed something important.

"Vivian."

"Yes?"

The knocking on the door dispersed the ambiguous air of something that hovered around them. Seeing her eyes move towards the door with a start, Hugo was very annoyed.

"What is it!"

He raised his voice at the door. The servant that came before hesitantly entered and looked on warily. The servant's body shrunk under the Duke of Taran's fierce gaze.

"His Majesty asked this one to find out when the two of you will be coming out."

"Now!" Hugo suddenly snapped then he took a breath and spoke through clenched teeth.

"...Go and tell them that we are coming."

Lucia fixed her makeup that was ruined from crying then they left the break room. She carefully checked the corridor on the way back to the party venue but she didn't see anyone who looked like an elderly nobleman.

To the people around, Lucia was smiling with them but her mind was entirely elsewhere. Sometimes, she lost focus and spaced-out, and several times, he gently hugged her waist or placed his hand on her back to wake her up.

She felt sorry and looked at him with an embarrassed smile. He didn't criticize her. Rather he asked with a concerned expression, "Are you okay? Do you want to go back?" and Lucia firmly replied, "I'm okay."

Lucia went to rest in the break room for a while again and on her way back, she met eyes with a certain old man. The old man quickly turned away and disappeared among the crowd. For some reason, the strange old man felt familiar to her.

'That's him, isn't it?'

It was strange. She thought that her grandfather wouldn't have any special meaning to her, just like her father whom even when she heard he was dead, she felt nothing. But she felt stifled to pit of her stomach and her heart crashed against her chest. She felt choked up and her throat felt dry. Lucia took a deep breath and straightened her back. If not for her experience in the dream, she probably wouldn't be able to stop herself from crying.

Lucia smiled at the noblewoman approaching her. She had to portray her image as the Duchess. She pressed down her agitated and complex heart.

***

His manhood broke through her tender flesh and pushed its way in. It filled her to the extent it took her breath away, then it roughly left her body. He repeatedly moved his waist back and forth; the sound of flesh slapping together echoing with every movement.