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Chapter 19 - His Runaway Bride
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2024-12-06 21:56:25Lucian leaned back in his chair, the weight of the negotiation pressing uncomfortably against his temples.
Across him, Gregory Wendell, the eldest son of the Wendell family, sat with an - in his opinion - rather dumb smile etched into his face.
The meeting was a vital one - a... rare moment of diplomacy between two families whose history for the past few years had no end of spite and betrayal.
“The embargos benefits no one,” Gregory said, his tone calm and clipped. Lucian thought he was trying to appear serious.
He only came across as slightly comical. “Resuming trade would strengthen both our sides.”
Lucian’s fingers tapped a steady rhythm on the polished mahogany table.
He kept his expression flat, and his voice sharp as he replied, “Strength isn’t gained by mere convenience. The terms must benefit me enough that I would lift it. The situation of the Wendells won’t sway me.”
Truthfully, Lucian was annoyed at this. He was not meant to be here.
He had a wedding waiting, damnit, and Isa - no, Ayra, won't appreciate a stand-in for her wedding. He was scoring negative points already.
The two men locked eyes, the air thick with unspoken threats. Lucian had no illusions about the meeting’s fragility; one misstep could shatter weeks of careful planning on both ends.
Before Gregory could respond, the door creaked open, and Jensen, one of Lucian’s informants, stepped inside. His usually stoic demeanor was tinged with a hint of urgency.
“Apologies for the interruption,” Jensen said, his voice low, his eyes flicking between Lucian and Gregory.
Lucian’s jaw tightened. He was not in the best of moods, and he despised interruptions during meetings of this magnitude, but Jensen’s presence meant it was critical. “Step outside, Gregory. We’ll continue shortly.”
Gregory raised a brow but said nothing, standing and exiting with affected nonchalance. He was on the back foot in the negotiations and he knew it.
As the door shut behind him, Lucian turned his attention to Jensen, his eyes narrowing in displeasure.
“It better be important.”
“It’s Ayra,” Jensen said. “She’s gone.”
Lucian’s breath caught, the words slicing through his carefully maintained composure. He caught himself and breathed.
“Gone?” he echoed, his voice dangerously quiet.
Jensen nodded. “She escaped the venue. Ferdinand and Lisbeth’s people are searching, but she’s vanished.”
Lucian’s hand clenched into a fist on the table, his knuckles whitening. “How? Wasn't there supposed to be a wedding going on?”
“We don’t have all the details yet. Eleanor was involved, but Ayra outmaneuvered even her. She’s... clever.”
"Even our men?"
"Them too."
Lucian stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. “Get out,” he said, his voice cold and final.
Jensen hesitated for a moment but then exited, leaving Lucian alone in the room.
---
The moment the door closed, Lucian’s mask shattered.
He paced the length of the room, his movements agitated. His thoughts spiraled, tangled in a storm of emotions he rarely ever felt.
She was gone. Isa.
He grabbed the glass of water on the table and hurled it against the wall.
It shattered into a thousand pieces, and he watched it, fury coursed through his veins, but it wasn’t just anger - it was something deeper, something far more dangerous... Alongside an underscore of hurt.
Lucian’s mind raced, his mind churning and turning, his feelings all over the place. Had she always intended to leave? She was running away. Why? From him?
It tore at him.
He calmed quickly though as his mind sought to work more logically.
Standing by the shattered remnants of the glass, staring out the window at the city skyline, his mind churning with conflicting emotions.
Ayra’s escape was infuriating. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of admiration.
She had outsmarted Ferdinand, Lisbeth, and even Eleanor. She was quite like the Isa he knew. Strong and clever when she had to be.
Then his jaw tightened as another thought crept in: What if this wasn’t entirely her choice?
Ferdinand had his own way of breaking people. He was not known as Yellow Sam for no reason. Had he pushed her too far in some way?
Isa was... More fragile than most realized.
The memories of Isa - her laughter, her sharp wit, the way she had disappeared like smoke in the wind - crashed into him like a tidal wave.
He had spent years chasing shadows, and now, with Ayra, he had thought he’d finally found her.
And then there was the sting of betrayal. If she truly was Isa, then her actions felt like a knife to the gut.
Had he been wrong all along? He doubted Isa would flee from him.
Lucian grabbed his phone and called Viktor, the man leading the investigation into Isa. The line rang twice before the man picked up.
“Any updates?” Lucian demanded, his voice a razor’s edge.
Viktor’s response was calm, much like the man. “We’ve analyzed the connections and everything you gave us. The evidence is overwhelming, Lucian - we are ninety percent certain that Ayra is Isa.”
Ninety percent.
Lucian clenched the phone so tightly it felt as though it might snap in his hand. Ninety percent wasn’t a hundred. It wasn’t definitive.
“And the remaining ten percent?” Lucian asked, his voice carefully even. If it weren't, he feared he would flip his lid.
“It is... Extremely circumstantial,” Viktor admitted. “But the odds are strong in her favor.”
Lucian exhaled slowly, the weight of the revelation pressing down on him. Ninety percent certainty meant nothing when the person in question had already slipped through his grasp.
“Keep me updated,” Lucian said curtly, ending the call.
He dialed his assistant. “Book me a flight back to Scosch,” he said.
“Right away, sir. When do you want to depart?”
“Tonight,” Lucian replied. “The earliest flight available.”
He ended the call and sat down, his mind already shifting gears. Returning to Scosch meant taking control of the situation himself.
He simply couldn’t trust Ferdinand to handle it - he had already failed. He also had a vague idea that Ferdinand was up to something but it did not matter so long as he got Isa.
Bab terkait
The Devil's Game Chapter 20 - Ramping Up
The pale light of dawn crept into the study, weak and hesitant, brushing against the mess Lisbeth and Ferdinand had made of the room. Papers and maps were everywhere, with photos and frantic scrawls barely keeping track of their failed attempt to track Ayra.Ferdinand leaned back, rubbing at his temples like that would help him think any clearer. “She’s clever,” he muttered, his voice flat and tired. They had been awake all night, their frustration mounting as lead after lead fell apart and no other turned up. “Too clever,” Lisbeth shot back, pacing like a caged animal. Her hair was a mess, her face drawn and pale. It was quite unlike her. "This is insane. How does a kid with no backup, no cash, and no clue manage to stay ahead of us? How has she managed to just disappear?"At least she's not in Eleanor's hands. That would be a whole other problem were it so. Ferdinand sighed. “She’s clever. But we’re running out of time. If we don’t find her soon, Lucian -”A sharp knock interrup
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-08The Devil's Game Chapter 21 - Long Forgotten Memories
Lucian sat down on the sofa without another word, leaving Lisbeth and Ferdinand in tense silence. Lucian’s men came and went from the room, bringing news while he went over their actions so far. It was contrary to Ferdinand's plans - they had not expected that Lucian would actually care so much about Ayra. As the hours passed, Lucian’s suspicions only deepened. The more he reviewed their efforts, the more he noticed gaps and inconsistencies. Certain areas hadn’t been thoroughly searched, and some key resources hadn’t been utilized.“You’ve been holding back,” Lucian said coldly. “Admit it.”“We did everything we could,” Lisbeth retorted, her voice more measured now that more time had passed. Lucian countered; “If you’d treated this with the urgency it deserved, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, don't you think?”As Lucian delved deeper into the situation, he had begun to piece together the events leading up to Ayra’s escape. He realized how little agency she’d been given i
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-09The Devil's Game Chapter 22 - The Letter
One thing cinched the decision to head into the city for her - a letter from her mother. Late one afternoon, while rifling through an old storage box, Ayra stumbled on something that stopped her cold: her mother’s journal. Ayra had spent hours sorting through the contents of a rather obscure cupboard. There were boxes of old photographs, faded linens, and rusted tools her mother had stored away. It was amidst this clutter that she stumbled upon a plain wooden chest, tucked beneath a pile of moth-eaten blankets.The chest was unremarkable at first glance, but as Ayra opened it, a wave of memories flooded back. Inside lay a neatly folded scarf she recognized as her mother’s favorite, a collection of piddly trinkets, and a leather-bound journal.Ayra’s hands trembled as she pulled the dusty journal from its hiding place. The leather cover was worn but sturdy, its edges soft from years of handling. It smelled faintly of lavender despite the dust; her mother’s scent. As she opened it
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-10The Devil's Game Chapter 23 - Following the Letter
An hour later, Ayra held a license plate in her hands, turning it over as though its weight could reveal her mother’s intentions. It was wrapped in a protective plastic sleeve, its edges pristine despite its apparent age.The numbers and letters were unfamiliar, but the very sight of it had Ayra marveling at how meticulously her mother had planned for everything eventuality. Every nook and cranny of the quaint cabin had something potentially useful to her stashed away. They had been detailed in her mother's journal, and the least of which was a veritable sack of cash wrapped in plastic. Simon's card was useless now. There was also a fake ID of a blonde haired, blue eyed version of herself, a blonde wig, and blue contacts. She glanced out the window of the cabin at the car she’d rented, its current license plate reflecting the midday sun. Her lips pressed into a firm line as she considered her next move. She wasn’t naive - her mother’s precautions were useful as far as she coul
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-10The Devil's Game Chapter 24 - Visit to Mr. Landon
Ayra hesitated for a long moment before entering the office building. The air felt heavier, the weight of the last few days pressing down on her shoulders. Her nerves acting up while she did her damnedest to calm herself. She adjusted her blond wig, tugged her scarf tighter around her neck, and smoothed her borrowed coat. Her mother’s letter had led her here, but doubt gnawed at her. Would Mr. Landor even remember her mother? Would he even be willing to help her?“Hi,” Ayra greeted, keeping her voice carefully polite. “I need to speak with Mr. Landor. It is urgent.”The young woman behind the desk barely glanced up at her, engrossed as she was in a book as she asked; “Do you have an appointment?”“No, but it’s about a more... personal matter. Please, do tell him it’s from an old friend,” Ayra replied, leaning forward slightly.The receptionist frowned, but perhaps there was something in Ayra’s tone that convinced her to pick up the phone and phone the man's office. After a brief co
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-11The Devil's Game Chapter 25 - Lucian's Uncertainties
Ayra’s heart pounded in her chest as she walked briskly down the street, the cold wind biting at her face. The encounter with Mr. Landor had left her both frustrated and disappointed. She clutched her coat tighter around herself, her thoughts spiraling.Seeing the veritable lockdown the city was in just to find her, she felt Lucian's determination not to let her slip through his fingers.She had a sinking feeling that her original idea to first lay low and then slip away would not work. Her mother had led her here, but the man she had pinned her hopes on was unwilling to help. Her disguise itched against her scalp, yet she didn’t dare to remove it just yet. She kept her head down, blending into the crowd as best she could, each step toward her car feeling heavier than the last.Every passing figure seemed to glance her way. Every shadow stretched just a little too far for comfort; the hustle and bustle of the street should have been reassuring, but it felt suffocating instead. She
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-12The Devil's Game Chapter 26 - Sudden Danger
An uneasy sensation prickled at the back of her neck. An unsettling, creeping awareness that she was being watched. She glanced over her shoulder and her breath caught. A man in a dark jacket leaned casually against a lamppost, his face partially obscured by a baseball cap. He looked away when her eyes met his.Ayra’s stomach churned. She tried to tell herself it was paranoia. A side effect of the stress and the high stakes. It didn't work. As she turned another corner, she noticed someone else. Another man, this one in a hoodie, lingering by a newsstand. His gaze followed her for just a moment too long before he pretended to look at a newspaper.Her heart began to race. She quickened her pace, the heels of her boots clicking sharply against the pavement. Her legs carried her toward the parking lot almost on autopilot and as she neared her car, her instincts screamed at her to stop and look. Four men stood by the entrance to the lot, their postures too casual, their eyes too ale
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-14The Devil's Game Chapter 27 - Way Out
Grabbing the rungs, she hauled herself up, her palms stinging against the cold, rusty metal.The men reached the base just as she scrambled onto the roof. “Keep going!” she heard one shout, his boots thudding against the ladder as he climbed.Ayra rolled over the edge of the roof just as bullets whizzed past her face and thudded into the chimney beside her. They were shooting at her, and now fear was truly solidifying in her belly. The rooftop offered a temporary reprieve, but it wasn’t enough. Ayra scanned her surroundings, her chest heaving. Another building loomed nearby, its rooftop within jumping distance - if she was lucky.Needless to say, Ayra did not feel lucky. Without giving herself time to second-guess, she sprinted and leapt. For a heart-stopping moment, she was weightless, suspended in the air. Then her feet hit solid ground, the impact jarring her knees.The men weren’t far behind. She could hear their voices, their footsteps, the scrape of their boots on the gravel
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-15
Bab terbaru
The Devil's Game Chapter 62 - Playing with Fire
The message came just before dinner.Leon: Had a great time chatting today. Wouldn’t mind another round—this time, somewhere quieter?Ayra sat back on the plush sofa of her sitting room, twirling the phone in her fingers. She had been expecting him to reach out. Encouraging it, even. Yet, staring at the message, she hesitated. The line between playing a game and getting caught in it was dangerously thin.But Lucian had yet to react to anything she’d done. Not the staff replacement, not the disorder she’d caused in the estate, not even her blatant attempts to provoke him. He remained distant, untouchable, as though she didn’t even exist. It burned.Maybe this would be the thing to get under his skin.She typed her response carefully.Ayra: I wouldn’t mind that. Where do you suggest?His reply came within moments.Leon: I know a private lounge near the East District. Great wine, even better company.She smiled faintly. He was charming, smooth. Just enough to make this easier.Ayra: Send
The Devil's Game Chapter 61 - Another Phase
The afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the city as Ayra stepped out of the car, the sleek black vehicle blending seamlessly with the polished luxury of the district. The streets here were lined with designer boutiques, private lounges, and high-end cafés—places that oozed exclusivity, where only the elite could afford to linger. It was the kind of setting she had been raised in for the later part of her life, yet now, standing before one of the finest cafés in the city, she felt strangely like an outsider.The café, Bellaria, was known for its privacy and refinement. It wasn’t a place for loud conversation or rushed meetings; here, the rich came to drink imported coffee, discuss business, and subtly flaunt their power. It was exactly the kind of place Lucian would be seen in.That was part of the reason she had come.Ayra pushed open the glass door, a small bell chiming above her head. Inside, the space was decorated in dark wood and gold, the air rich with the scent of roasted co
The Devil's Game Chapter 60 - A Thorn in His Side
Nico stepped into Lucian’s office, the weight of his report pressing down on him. The room was dimly lit, the glow of the evening cityscape filtering through the large windows behind the man seated at the desk. Lucian didn’t look up immediately, his attention fixed on the documents before him, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wood.“Speak,” Lucian said, his voice low, controlled.Nico took a slow breath before delivering the news. “It’s about Ayra.”Lucian’s fingers stilled. He finally looked up, his expression unreadable. “What did she do now?”“She’s replaced the staff.”Silence.Lucian leaned back in his chair, studying Nico with an eerie calm. “Come again?”Nico’s jaw tightened. “She fired the entire estate staff. Threw them out and replaced them with her own people. None of the original staff are left. Worse, they refuse to return.”Lucian’s gaze snapped up. “Refuse?”Nico hesitated, then nodded. “They’re scared, boss.”Lucian scoffed, leaning back in his cha
The Devil's Game Chapter 59 - Come to Talk
By the time the dust settled, the house was eerily quiet.The last of the protesting staff had been escorted off the premises, their voices still ringing in Ayra’s ears.The replacement staff stood awkwardly near the foyer, waiting for orders. But Ayra had none to give.She should have felt victorious.She had made her statement. She had taken control.But all she felt was exhaustion.The butler was the only one who hadn’t been forcibly removed. He still stood by the staircase, arms clasped behind his back. Unlike the others, he hadn’t fought. He hadn’t shouted.And that made him all the more annoying.Ayra met his gaze, a strange tension hanging between them.“You’re still here,” she observed.“I am,” he replied.“I told you to leave.”“You told them to leave,” he said with an insipid little look on his eye. “But you did not fire me.”Ayra exhaled through her nose. “Do you really think Lucian would let me? Would he be happy if I did so?”The butler smiled slightly, but it was devoid o
The Devil's Game Chapter 58 - Use of Force
To be fair, Ayra hated this.Hated how cruel and bothersome she had to be.But if Lucian refused to acknowledge her, then she had to force his attention. No matter how ugly it got.....When Ayra stepped into the grand foyer, the staff had already gathered. There were more of them than she had realized—over a dozen pairs of wary eyes turned toward her as she entered.She could feel their resentment like a thick fog in the air.She took her place on the marble staircase, gripping the banister tightly before speaking. “You all had a day to leave,” she began, her voice cold. “And yet, you’re still here.”The butler took a step forward, his face unreadable. “As we have stated, madam, we serve the master of the house. Not you.”Ayra let out a quiet breath. She had expected this.“Fine,” she said smoothly. “If you won’t leave willingly, then I’ll make you.”At her cue, the front doors swung open.A group of people stepped inside, dressed in crisp serving uniforms, their expressions neutral.
The Devil's Game Chapter 57 - What it Means to Escalate
Ayra sat at the breakfast table, untouched tea growing cold before her. The silence in the house had become suffocating. No matter what she did, no matter how much she tried to stir the waters, Lucian remained utterly indifferent. He ignored her tantrums, her disruptions, her passive-aggressive antics. He had locked her in this gilded cage and simply left her to rot, acting as if she didn’t exist.Fine.She set her cup down with deliberate care and rose to her feet. Without hesitation, she strode out of the dining room, her silk robe flowing behind her. The butler was walking past.“Stop,” she commanded.The butler paused, turning to her with polite detachment. “Madam?”Ayra folded her arms across her chest, lifting her chin slightly. “I want you to inform the staff that they are all fired.”The butler’s expression didn’t shift, but his silence stretched for a moment too long.“They have until the end of the day to pack their things and leave,” she continued. “I don’t want to see a si
The Devil's Game Chapter 55 - Call to Chaos
Two days later Ayra lay sprawled on the plush velvet chaise lounge in her room, her fingers drumming impatiently on the armrest. The air in the house had grown heavier over the past two weeks. The polished floors gleamed, the scent of fresh flowers filled the halls, and every detail of the house was maintained to perfection—yet it felt like a lifeless shell. The staff worked diligently, moving about as if on eggshells around her, but no matter what Ayra did, they remained unwavering. Frustrated and angry, yes, but unwavering. Perhaps Lucian paid them more to put up with her antics. She wasn’t going to be ignored. If Lucian refused to engage, if the staff refused to react, then she would create a situation that could not be brushed aside.There came in Pedro.He was one of the few people from her mother’s past that Ayra had ever met. He was an old acquaintance, someone who she'd known since she was little. He wasn’t exactly a friend, but he had been there, lingering in the backgroun
The Devil's Game Chapter 54 - A Plan in motion
This became a pattern for a brief while.Lunch? Too cold.Dinner? Not what she wanted anymore.Snacks? She changed her mind after they were made.She sent dishes back multiple times a day, forcing the kitchen staff to remake meals repeatedly before she would eat just enough to keep them from outright rebelling.Within days, the tension in the household thickened. The butler was visibly on edge, the chef was snapping at the assistants, and the maids were whispering amongst themselves in frustration.By the fifth day, the head butler had had enough.Ayra was lounging in the parlor, flipping through a book she had no intention of reading, when he approached. His posture was stiff, his jaw tight—yet he remained respectful.“Madam, forgive my boldness, but may I ask if something is troubling you?”Ayra looked up, feigning innocence. “Troubling me? Not at all.”The butler’s eyes twitched ever so slightly. “Then may I ask why the staff has had to remake your breakfast four times this morning?
The Devil's Game Chapter 53 - The Art of Inconvenience
It started with breakfast.The chef prepared the usual—a beautifully plated meal of toast, eggs, and fruit, presented with meticulous care. But as soon as the plate was placed in front of her, Ayra wrinkled her nose.“This isn’t what I wanted,” she said casually, pushing the plate away.The maid hesitated. “Madam, this is what you requested yesterday.”“Did I?” Ayra tilted her head, frowning. “I don’t remember. But I’m not in the mood for this today. Make me something else.”The staff exchanged glances, but after a slight hesitation, the maid nodded. “Of course.”Twenty minutes later, a fresh plate of food was brought to her. She picked at it, took a single bite, and sighed. “This is too salty. Can you make it again?”The chef’s patience visibly thinned, but they couldn’t refuse her. She was Lucian’s wife, after all, and despite the slight disregard they had for her, their orders had been to serve her and make her comfortable.But Ayra was just getting started. Breakfast the next day
