Elara's POV,
"I did! I did!" He exclaims, raising his hand. "Mummy, remember? That day you took me to Wonderland!"
My mind flashes suddenly to one of those escape heists that failed, when I used the guise of taking him to Wonderland. I remember him rambling all about school, but I guess I was too focused on avoiding Lucien's goons to listen to a word. So I had just kept saying 'mm hm.'
At least, he told me, I guess?
I smile down on Asher. "Of course, baby. I remember."
Then I glare at Noemi, who is shaking her head in disapproval. I mouth, 'Fuck you.' She mouths back, 'Bad mum.'
I ignore her, then place a hand on Lucien's arm.
"Anyways," I start, gently pushing Lucien forward. "This is Lucien Kórvac, my husband. Lucien, these are my friends. Noemi and Camille."
They both smile. Noemi waves. "It's so nice to finally meet you."
"I know, right?" Camille scoffs. "I thought the stars would fall before Elara would find someone who could take her to ecstasy." She smirks, and my face turns red, then I reach down to cover Asher's ears.
"Camille!" I exclaim. "There's a child here."
"Oh, please." Noemi rolls her eyes. "You've said worse things."
I give her my middle finger, to which she sticks her tongue out, while Camille shows an ugly face. "So childish."
"Mummy, I'm hungry." Asher nudges me and I smiled down at him.
"We're going home now, honey." I say, then give Lucien the side eye. But before I could open my mouth and tell my friends we need to leave. Camille speaks up.
"Why don't we just eat now?" She says, and my eyes twitch. "We just met your husband, Elara. Let's assess him at least. What do you think, Noemi?"
Noemi grins. "Of course. Asher, wouldn't you like to have lunch with Aunt Noemi and Camille?"
~ ~
Lunch was awkward as hell.
I sit beside Lucien, who sits opposite a calculating Camille, who sits beside a grinning Noemi, and Asher was taken home because he'd become tired. I try my best to plaster on the perfect fake smile till our food is delivered.
I repeatedly think to myself, 'How would Seraphina smile?'
"Relax." Lucien whispers in my ear, "You look like you're a first-time gladiator."
I scowl, and Noemi coos, "You guys actually look so cute. I'd have never imagined!"
"Yes, yes." I laugh my fakest laugh. "You've said that over a hundred times now."
"So, when's the engagement party?" Camille asks, blowing at her nails, and I subtly look at Lucien, who smiles at them. He looks so calm and collected, one would hardly guess he's such a tyrant.
"I wanted to have it as soon as possible after proposing to her." He says so lovingly, I'm almost convinced. "But she wanted to take her time, mostly because of Asher."
"Typical Elara." Noemi snorts, "So when did you decide, after all?" She looks at me, and I give her a tight-lipped smile.
"I'm not still…"
"Two weeks."
My head whips to him, wide-eyed for a second, then returns to normal. Two weeks?! I can't escape in two weeks!
"Honey." I grit out, and he looks down at me. His eyes gleam wickedly, as if he knows he's just ruined my life. "When did we agree on two weeks? I still have that…"
I pause, trying to think of something, and he gently places a hand on mine. Except that's what he wants them to believe. He's pressing down hard on my hand and giving me an oh-so-sweet smile.
"You said so recently, when you were about to sleep." He says, his eyes glazing over as if he's remembering how cute I looked or something, "You must've been so tired, but I took it seriously and already told my mother."
My eyes screamed, 'I haven't even met your mother!' but my mouth curved into a smile.
"Ah, yes. I remember now. Indeed, I must've been so tired and feeling suffocated."
I pulled my hand out from under his and rubbed it. Ouch.
"So how was the proposal? Elara never told us." Camille suddenly asks, looking at us suspiciously, and my heart skips a beat. Camille's a sharp one, so I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't find our act convincing.
"Yes. Where did you propose, Lucien?" Noemi adds, leaning forward and placing her chin on her hands. "This is finally getting interesting."
"In his office."
"In her apartment."
We both said it at the same time. Noemi's mouth slowly dropped open, and Camille's face turned ugly.
"I knew it." Her words come out through her teeth, and then she suddenly brings out a taser from her bag. "Elara, is this man threatening you? Is he somehow forcing you into a relationship with you?"
Noemi looks at her, totally confused, and I catch Lucien smirking at the device in Camille's hand. I don't blame him, though, because there was nothing a taser could do to him. I reach forward and stretch a hand across Lucien's chest.
"Camille, relax," I say. "There's absolutely no way this sweet thing could force me."
As I speak, I try not to gag. "We're both right. He first proposed to me in his office, and I refused because I came with a lot of baggage. You know, a child and all?"
Camille drops the taser slowly, narrowing her eyes at Lucien, and I continue. "He followed me back to my apartment, and when he saw how messy my life was, he proposed again. Promising…"
I stopped because of two things. One, I had no other lie to spare, and two… Lucien's hand was trailing up my thigh! My breath hitches, and my face turns red. I slowly bring down my hand and slam it on his to stop him from going further.
"Promising…" I drawl, and Noemi slams her hand on the table.
"Okay, okay. I know how we make Camille believe." She says, giving Camille a look. "We both know what Elara can do and what she can't."
My body slowly deflates. I do not like where this is going. "And we both know Elara wouldn't just kiss anyone, except the one she loves."
No…
Camille's eyes sparkle, and she nods. "Yes. You're right."
"Kiss him, Elara."