CHAPTER 25

*First Person Perspective*

~Enise~

The door huge door stood in front of me, polished wood gleaming faintly in the low light of the hallway. I raised my hand and knocked twice, the sound echoing briefly before silence fell again. No response. A frown creased my forehead, and after a moment of hesitation, I turned the knob and pushed the door open.

“Alpha Lucas?” I called softly, stepping inside.

He was seated by the large window, the evening sun casting an amber glow over his figure. Papers were spread across the small coffee table in front of him, and he looked engrossed, almost distant, as though lost in thought.

“Lucas,” I repeated, a little louder this time.

His head jerked up, and when he saw me, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. It wasn’t the bright, charming grin he sometimes wore, but something quieter, softer. “DrDenise,” he greeted.

“Hi,” I said, taking a few cautious steps forward. “Mind if I sit?”

He gestured to the chair opposite his, and I took it, smoothing my skirt as I sat down. “Is everything alright?” I asked after a moment.

He blinked, his expression shifting to one of mild confusion. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Well…” I hesitated, glancing toward the door. “When I knocked, you didn’t answer. I thought you might be upset about something.”

A chuckle escaped him, warm and low, as he leaned back in his chair. “I didn’t hear you knock. I’ve been... preoccupied,” he admitted, motioning toward the papers in front of him. “This contract offer came in earlier, and I’ve been trying to make sense of it.”

My heart skipped a beat. I knew exactly what it was—Lucian’s handwork. But I maintained my expression into a mask of polite curiosity. “A contract offer? What is it about?" I asked and she heaved a sigh and shrugged

"I...I don't know, It's kind of confusing" he responded

"May I see it?”

He hesitated for a while, before sliding the papers across the table to me. I picked them up, pretending to skim the contents, even though I already knew what they said.

“Well?” he prompted. “What do you think?”

I placed the papers back on the table, careful not to betray any of the turmoil roiling inside me. “It seems fair,” I said carefully. “Of course, I’m not a lawyer, but from what I can tell, it looks like a solid offer.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow. “You think so?”

I nodded. “It wouldn’t hurt to at least explore it further. Why not call the number on the document and arrange a meeting with whoever sent it? That way, you can clarify anything you’re unsure about.”

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a habit I’d noticed whenever he was mulling over a decision. “You might be right,” he admitted. “That’s... actually good advice.”

A flicker of —gratitude?—crossed his face, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’re smart, you know that?”

I gave a small shrug, trying to appear modest, even as my pulse raced. “I just think it’s better to be thorough. That way, you don’t miss out on a good opportunity—or walk into something you shouldn’t.”

Lucas laughed softly, the sound filling the room “Maybe that’s why I’m falling for you.”

Huh?. My head snapped up, and for a moment, I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe.

He must have noticed the stunned look on my face because he quickly waved a hand as if brushing the statement away. “I’m kidding,” he said, though his voice carried a strange, unconvincing note. “Don’t look so alarmed.”

I forced a laugh, though it felt brittle in my throat. “You have a weird sense of humor, Lucas.”

He leaned back again, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “Maybe. But I do mean it when I say you’re smart. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you before, Denise.”

The way he said that name made my stomach twist uncomfortably. “Thank you,” I murmured, rising to my feet. “I should probably go now. You seem busy, and I wouldn’t want to distract you.”

Lucas stood as well, his towering frame making me feel small as he closed the distance between us. For a moment, I thought he might say something else, but instead, he simply nodded. “Alright. Thanks for stopping by.”

I nodded back, then turned and made my way to the door. As I stepped into the hallway, I could feel his eyes on me, a weight that lingered long after the door clicked shut behind me.

Back in my room, I sat on the edge of the bed, my mind racing. Lucas’s words replayed in my head, over and over again. “Maybe that’s why I’m falling for you.”

Was he really starting to feel something for me? Or was it just a fleeting comment, made in the heat of the moment? And if he did have feelings for me... That would mean everything is going according to plans...but....

*Sigh*

I thought I could handle this, I thought I was prepared for this? What is this feeling? Why does my heart feel heavy? Why does I feel butterflies in my belly? Why are my feelings conflicting? What's happening with me?

This and many more questions ran through my mind. Man! This is not going to be easy for me as I thought it would

I couldn’t afford to get distracted, not now. Not when I was so close. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the memory of the look in his eyes when he said those words.

I sighed again, rubbing my temples. This was getting too complicated.

The next morning, as I made my way downstairs, I found Lucas in the dining room, sipping coffee and scanning his phone. He glanced up when he saw me, a smile spreading across his face.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Morning,” I replied, sitting down across from him.

“Sleep well?”

“Not really.”

He frowned. “Something wrong?”

I shook my head. “Just... a lot on my mind.”

Lucas studied me for a moment, his gaze searching. “If there’s something bothering you, you can tell me, you know.”

I hesitated. For a brief moment, I considered opening up, telling him everything. But then I remembered who he was, what he had done. The walls I had built around myself hardened once more.

“I’m fine,” I said with a small smile. “Really.”

He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t press the issue either. “Alright. But if you ever need to talk...”

“I know,” I said quickly, cutting him off. “Thanks, Lucas.”

He nodded, his expression unreadable, and turned his attention back to his phone.

As I sipped my own coffee, I couldn't help but let my mind drift to a lot of things. He was acting all....sweet. He was showing me care and... should I call it affection? All of these things he never showed to me as Enise, all I saw was a dark, cold hearted man. Why then did he claim to have loved me so much?

Ugh! It's Lucas I'm talking about, of course he would say anything just to gain the trust and sympathy of his next victim. He just wanted to seem nice, so that Denise, would fall for him.

Tsk! Fucking bastard!

I couldn’t afford to lose focus now. Not when everything was beginning to fall accordingly. I needed to get this feeling, whatever it was, out of my mind. I needed to be emotionless towards him, that was the only way that I could win