Elara's POV,
Lucien walks in to silence.
Water drips from Celene's sleeve onto the marble floor. Seraphina stands frozen, soaked, and mascara carving black rivers down her cheeks. I'm still holding myself perfectly upright, and my pulse is steady like I didn't just redraw the power map of this house.
Lucien stops at the threshold. He takes it all in in one sweep, and his gaze lands on me first. Looking up like he knew I was there all along. He groans, and I smile.
"Mi rey!" I call out, now already used to it. Mi Rey is almost mocking. An inside joke. He's my king in name. He gives me a sweet smile, and I continue. "You didn't tell me your mother was visiting."
I pass Celene, bumping into her shoulder on purpose, and go downstairs, never breaking eye contact with him.
"A total slip on my part," I say, as I go to hold his arm. It hit me that that has also become a habit for me. Holding his arm. "But I may have given her the wrong welcome gift."
I whisper, and he bends to do the same. "Cara, did you pour water on my mother?"
I bite her bottom lip and moan quietly. It's all a show I put on for Seraphina and Celene. I may hate Lucien, but he's the father of my son and my husband by name already.
He's mine, whether they like it or not.
As if Lucien could read my mind, he pulls at my hair slightly, and I hiss slightly, then smirk. "What do you think, Mi rey?"
My eyes turn lazy as I stare into his blue orbs. "What do you think happens when I see two unknown women in my husband's house insulting my son and me?"
His gaze travels up to his mother first. Celene glares down at us, joined, and after trailing my fingers on his chest, I step away from him.
Then, I brush at my dress, and wink at Seraphina while Celene walks down the stairs. Before Celene can go to meet Lucien, he raises his hand.
"Explain," he says loudly to us.
Celene straightens, chin lifting despite the water clinging to her silk. "Your fiancée has forgotten herself."
Lucien's eyes flick to me, and I shrug.
Seraphina rushes in, voice trembling, perfectly rehearsed. "Lucien, she attacked us. Completely unprovoked. I only mentioned that perhaps she should be more mindful of the way—"
"Enough," he cuts in.
It's just one word, and she flinches like she's been struck.
So dramatic. He looks down at the puddle on the floor, then at each of us.
"Why, Cara?"
I meet his eyes. "Because she thought that I was something she got to speculate about."
There's a long pause. I fold my arms.
Lucien exhales slowly through his nose. I can almost see him rearranging the pieces in his head. It's a public scene with witnesses nearby, and two important women in his life expect him to choose.
He turns to Seraphina first.
"Go change," he says.
She blinks. "Lucien…"
"Now."
Her lips tremble. She looks to the elder woman for rescue, but Celene doesn't even look at her. Seraphina leaves, heels slipping slightly on the wet floor, and her dignity bleeding out behind her.
Lucien then turns back to his mother.
Celene's voice is icy, her eyes blazing. "You will not tolerate this disrespect."
My eyes flare. Of course, he's going to support her. I'm just the mother of his son; no one really important. I open my mouth to defend myself before he makes his verdict, but…
"You came into my house," Lucien's jaw tightens, "and antagonised the mother of…no, my wife."
In surprise, my eyes soften, and I slowly bring down my hands.
Her eyes flash angrily. "She humiliated me."
Lucien tilts his head and gestures to me. "She has every reason to if you insulted her."
Celene stiffens, and she doesn't argue. She only nods once, sharp and offended.
"I hope you know what you're doing," she says to him, and he folds his arms across his chest.
"Welcome home, mother." He replies sharply. "Things have changed."
Celene leaves without another word, heels clicking down the corridor. The servants around disperse.
Now it's just us.
I stare at his back, outweighing everything that just happened.
Lucien just chose me over his mother in front of witnesses. He just willingly handed over to me a throne, whether he knew it or not. He just officially made me the queen of this mansion.
But here's the thing, Lucien Kórvac…In fact, the entire Kórvac family is known for its familial bond. They love themselves more than anything.
So, in other words, Lucien just called me his family above others.
He turns to me slowly, and his voice drops. "You are something else, woman."
"Elara," I whisper subconsciously.
"What?"
I meet his eyes, unflicking. "My name is Elara, or Solis, like you usually call. Not 'woman.'"
'Woman' is a sour spot for me. Any label, in fact. In the Virelli mansion, I was called 'stupid girl', 'useless girl', or 'that girl'. I am a person, not any title one wants to give me.
A muscle jumps in his jaw. "Is that your concern right now? To call you Elara?"
"Yes," I say softly, looking up for a second before glancing back at him. "Calling me 'woman' is lazy. It's a word meant to flatten me into nothing, erase what I am. I answer to my name, or nothing at all."
Something unreadable flickers across his face.
"Elara," he murmurs. "You're something, Elara."
I smirk and tilt my head. "You think?"
He steps closer, just enough that only I can hear him.
"But next time, warn me before you declare war in my hallway."
I smile faintly.
"Why?" I whisper back. "So you'd try to stop me?"
He studies me for a long second. Then, unexpectedly, a low breath leaves him, almost a laugh. He turns away and starts to walk.
Before he leaves completely, I call after him. It's quiet but loud enough for him to hear. "Lucien…"
He stops, then turns. I exhale and look away. "Yesternight, I noticed the stars were off."
I look at him with lazy eyes and smirk lightly. "They were dimmer than usual."
"Why do you think so?" His feet shift, and I shrug, then turn my back to him.
"Ever noticed how the stars shine brighter…"
"...when you're with someone." He whispers, and I turn around.
Green eyes meet blue. And for a few seconds, we just stare at each other. A thought flashes through my mind before I can help it.
I miss Lucien.
"Mummy!" Asher's voice booms from upstairs, and we break eye contact. "Lulu and I caught a butterfly!"
In relief, I look to the ceiling, eager to stop looking at him finally. "I'm coming, baby!"
When I look back down, Lucien is already leaving… and I let him.