Elise didn't know how, but she knew she needed help. The ache had become unbearable, she couldn't take it anymore. Worst of all, she was terrified of it.
This was all new, but why did it only happen with Lucien? So many questions swirled in her mind. Then she remembered the words of her doctor:
"Do you have a boyfriend, Elise? You can tell him to help you out."
"Can't I help myself?" she had asked.
"There's only so much you can do. Your boyfriend will know what to do."
Her thoughts immediately turned to Lucien. If her doctor was right, he could help her.
"Master Lucien…" she whispered, voice soft and desperate.
"C… can you help me with something else?"
Lucien frowned at her request. Did she think he was being kind because he helped with the bandage? He had only done that to get her out of his study.
"No," Lucien said bluntly.
"Anything you want to ask—NO!" He said with finality, his golden eyes fixed on her. Yet there was something different about her face tonight: the parted lips, the teary eyes, the flushed cheeks… that look.
Lucien closed his eyes. Was this woman about to pass out before him?
"P… Please, Master Lucien. I… I already bragged to my best friend about us. I just need a little evidence," Elise said softly. The words stirred something deep within him, something he had buried for years.
Why did she look so innocent?
"Get out now," Lucien said dismissively. Elise rose to her feet and walked away.
She had been too scared to tell Lucien the real thing. Embarrassment held her back. There must be another way out.
As she stepped from the study, unlike other times, the ache didn't completely fade. Though reduced, it still lingered.
Elise pressed her palm to her warm cheeks and let out a slow sigh.
Watching her leave, John narrowed his eyes. She had no scratches, looked normal, still intact—strange, considering how much Lucien disliked being disturbed in his study.
🫧🫧🫧
In the study, Lucien sighed and returned to signing documents, when a cellphone beeped. That wasn't his phone. Where was the sound coming from?
It beeped again, and his eyes followed the sound to a small phone on the floor. Elise must have left it there.
He shouldn't intrude on her privacy—but the constant beeping demanded it. The messages were from a contact stored as "bestie Jig."
Don't you dare ignore my messages, Elise. You promised to send pictures.
Where did he take you? Was it fancy?
Elise, I want to know what he looks like. At least answer me.
I'm so happy for you! We need to plan double dates together.
Did he kiss you already? Please tell me you didn't tell him it'd be your first time.
Men cannot know, Elise. It's embarrassing.
Lucien narrowed his eyes as he read each text. Her first kiss?
Was she pretending the night he had tried to scare her? That explained her little drama at dinner—he had thought she was just an attention-seeker.
He clicked his tongue. Not only was he dealing with a maniac, but a virgin one as well.
The study door opened, and John stepped in immediately.
"Master…"
"Return this to the maid," Lucien said coldly, handing him the phone. John nodded and stepped out without a word.
🫧🫧🫧
Morning arrived, and Elise woke to John informing her that their master wanted her in his room immediately. For the first time, she didn't want to see Lucien so early.
She didn't have the strength for another ache, another overwhelming desire between her legs. Last night had been unbearable; she felt like she might have burst if she hadn't found some relief.
Though the cold shower helped, she doubted she could endure such torture again.
Still in thought, Elise hatched a plan—what she thought was brilliant. For a girl with only twenty-nine days left, she had no death wish list. She would take whatever life threw at her.
Dressed in Lucien's clothes, she stepped into his room and knocked gently.
"Come." That deep voice struck something deep in her stomach.
Elise inhaled sharply as she entered, only to gasp at the sight before her.
Lucien's back looked carved from marble, broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, muscles rippling slightly. As if sensing her gaze, he slowly turned toward her.
For the first time, a smile played on his lips.
The kind of smile that made her heart race uncontrollably.
"Good morning, Elise," Lucien said calmly. His eyes held no warmth, even as his lips curved.
Good morning? Lucien was never kind to her. And in her twenty-two years, no one had ever changed overnight. This must be another trick.
Warmth pooled low in her body, making it impossible to think clearly.
"M… Master Lucien…"
"Speak properly." His golden eyes locked on hers, sharp and steady. Elise's thoughts scattered.
"I… I…"
"Did you sleep well, Elise?" he asked evenly. She didn't know how to answer honestly.
"I called you here," Lucien said, turning away and reaching for a stack of clothes, "to set the rules of our arrangement again. Or, as you may call it, a relationship."
Her fingers clenched the fabric at her sides.
"You passed the first-day test and you're still here," he said, eyes scanning her. "The second test is lessons. I'll tell you how I expect my woman to be."
"First, you must not be a virgin. You must be an experienced kisser. You should know how to please me." He counted off each word with his fingers.
Elise turned red at his words. She was exactly what he didn't need.
"That's the second test you have to pass to be my girlfriend," Lucien added.
"T… Thank God I'm none of those," Elise laughed nervously. Golden eyes narrowed on her.
This sneaky liar… Lucien thought inwardly.
"I… If you're done now, Master Lucien, I'll leave," she said, turning toward the door.
"I'm not done," he said. She paused.
He moved closer. Elise swallowed, unable to let him know she had never been touched before.
"Breathe properly," Lucien said quietly, adjusting a strand of her hair with casual precision. The simple touch sent a rush of heat through her that she could not hide. His gaze dropped briefly… to her lips… before he stepped back.
"Come here."
She followed without thinking.
"I'm going to fuck you tonight, so get ready. For now, dress me."