Lucian stopped by one of his shops to get a few things. It was a three storey wooden building, with a small sign hanging from a hook in front.

  It was a less lucrative business compared to others, but it was the one that started it all. From fresh flowers to their byproducts, such as perfumes, teas, honey, candies, and even herbal medicine...he squeezed out every use of them.

  His love for pnts was a well known fact and sometimes it was even the topic of jokes and mockery. The more they viewed it as a weakness, the more determined he grew to turn it into strength.

  Celine bringing shame to his image? No, she was still too high up for that. She still had a roof over her head, clothes on her back, and food on her pte. He would make her fall further before she could even start thinking about discarding him like a dirty rag.

  He connected the time when she had a sudden change of personality, went through everything that happened five years ago, and tried to recreate it, just to understand what he missed.

  If she didn't care about his reputation or how others saw him, she could have forced him into a corner already. But she didn't. Why?

  She wanted him to rise to the top, to prove to the world that he could.

  Her actions were cruel and merciless, yet also highly efficient and effective. She figured out his goals, his aspirations and ambitions, and went straight for those.

  She threatened to ruin him, but she never stopped him from becoming someone.

  It was a fact he couldn't refute no matter how hard he tried. It was the truth, and it was the only thing he couldn't take away from her.

  'You are just looking for an excuse to forgive her.' A small voice whispered in the back of his mind. He wanted to throw it out, but it kept creeping back in like an itch he couldn't reach, 'Is it really revenge if you want her to win in the end?'

  She was crushing his life rules, making him doubt his right and wrong, twisting his beliefs and values, and making him question his sanity.

  And just like that, he found another excuse to not hate her completely. One less thing to fuel his vengeance. And one step closer to his own defeat.

  'She almost raped you.'

  'Who sits on a bleeding man's wounds and orders him to bark like a dog?'

  Lucian covered his mouth with his palm, a cough escaping him, and the people in the store turned their heads.

  'In the end, she still sold you to some prince like a piece of meat. Do you really think you are in any position to forgive her?'

  The voice kept pushing and pushing, and pushing some more, as if trying to squeeze out something that was not supposed to exist. A second chance.

  'Get a hold of yourself before you lose your way. Falling for her was a mistake. She might have been your first, but she's definitely not the st. Let her go, and move on.'

  He squeezed his eyes shut. Something that always brought him comfort and crity was now making him feel sick to his stomach. The feeling of disgust and hatred toward his own self grew, and he was losing the fight.

  He accidentally pumped against a customer's shoulder and the man almost fell down.

  Lucian grabbed him by the arm, helping him stay upright. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "Are you hurt, Sir?"

  The man stared at him with wide eyes, his mouth hanging open as he tried to flee like his life depended on it, but Lucian's grip on him was firm.

  "Let go of me!" the man screamed, startling everyone in the shop.

  Lucian gnced at the flower stalls and the man, who would have crashed into his merchandise. His grip tightened, moving the man to the side. "That was close, wasn't it?" he said and the man paled even more.

  "So it's true," a few whispers came from the side.

  Lucian turned his head and couldn't help but notice a few strange looks. They all avoided his gaze, lowered their heads, and kept their distance.

  "What happened?" Lucian asked the manager of the shop.

  "My Lord, there's a rumor going on that you prefer to be with men," the man answered in a low voice. "Nobody has ever seen you with a woman before, so people are talking..."

  "...Is that so?" Lucian's lips tightened, dusting the manager's shoulder, causing him to flinch, "What would happen if it was true? Would you quit? Or would you stay?"

  The manager gulped loudly, "M-my Lord...there's no need to ask such things. My loyalty is unwavering, no matter what."

  "It's funny how a few words can change the way people perceive things, don't you agree?" Lucian smiled and let go, "Well, I do prefer the company of men, especially hard working men. We are short on employees, so keep the rumors alive."

  "Yes, My Lord." The manager ughed, his body quickly rexing. "We will be sure to spread the word! You can count on us!"

  Lucian grabbed a vial of strawberry extract and left the store.

  Only Celine would spread such a petty lie. It didn't affect his products or his businesses in general like a compint about a rash from a perfume would. His competitors were much more ruthless than this. If she was trying to make him desperate, she was failing terribly.

  'You are making excuses again.'

  'It's cute, I can't deny it,' he thought. 'She's trying to chase away my female admirers again, isn’t she?'

  Celine had spread rumors about him liking men, and then proceeded to bme him for being ashamed to be seen with her? Don't bme him for going along with it. She shouldn't have spread the lie in the first pce. It's her own doing. He just didn't want to crush her hard work.

  'I'll consider it as payment for her emotional bor,' Lucian thought, and then stopped in his tracks. He suddenly had a realization and rushed back to the store. 'Strawberry extract? Why the hell did I pick this?'

  "Did you forget something, My Lord?" the manager asked, approaching him.

  ‘A few humans I guess.’ Lucian grabbed the flyer on the counter and walked to the back of the store, opening the door to the courtyard. There was a small hut and a greenhouse in the back.

  A girl in a simple dress was climbing a tree. She was trying to reach the apple at the top. Her dark brown hair was tied into a ponytail, and her face was smeared with dirt.

  She finally managed to get her hand on the apple, and her eyes sparkled in triumph, "Yes!" she excimed.

  Nearby, a knight was polishing his sword while keeping an eye on her. He looked at her as if she was his entire world, and Lucian wondered if he also looked this obvious to others when he was around her.

  "Lord Arclight?" The girl looked down at him and waved excitedly, almost losing her bance.

  “Be careful, My Lady!” the knight warned.

  "I'm alright!" she called out and began climbing down the tree, "Would you like some apples? They are very sweet!"

  "The worms in them or the apples themselves?" Lucian asked, causing her face to turn green and drop the apple she was carrying. He caught it mid-air, turning it around, "This type of sweetness is not for me. I think I'll pass."

  The knight snatched it from him and began inspecting it closely, "There's nothing! Lord Arclight was lying!”

  Lucian ughed, "I never said there's a worm in it."

  "Hey, it's not funny!" She climbed down and went up to him, "You scared me half to death! How can I eat apples from now on?"

  "Are you going to waste a perfectly good apple because of a silly joke?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrow.

  The girl gred at him with a pout, and the knight reassured her that if she didn't want to, he would eat it in her pce.

  "You are the best, Cud!" she excimed and turned toward Lucian, not noticing the blush on her knight’s cheeks. "If you are going to tease me again, I'm not going to help you."

  "Help me?" Lucian asked, smiling at her, "With what?"

  She tried to point at her knight and then at him secretly with her eyes, "You know, the thing," she whispered, not knowing how to put it into words, "I can give you two some alone time to talk if you want."

  Lucian gnced at the clueless knight then at the matchmaker who was proud of her pn.

  She was petite.

  The top of her head barely reached Lucian's chest, so it was difficult to notice anything else beside the contrast in their sizes. She was tiny and he was huge. Like an elephant standing next to an ant. It was a bit comical.

  "Did you shrink, Lady Bianca?" Lucian asked and Bianca puffed her cheeks. "Have you not been eating well?"

  "I did not," she said, looking up at him, her voice sounding a bit offended, "I am wearing fts," she said and lifted the hem of her skirt, showing the bottom of her feet.

  "Ah, yes. That would expin it. My mistake," Lucian nodded, smiling, "Do you like the greenhouse? Is everything to your liking?"

  She nodded, looking around, "It's beautiful, thank you so much for letting us stay here," she said with a sad smile, "Though, it became very difficult to go outside without receiving odd looks."

  Lucian lifted a wanted poster with Lady Bianca's portrait on it and a huge bounty, comparing it to the real thing, "I'm afraid you won't be able to stay here for long either. I can't guarantee your safety anymore,” he sighed apologetically, “Someone will sell you out eventually."

  "Did the Crown Prince do this?" The Knight asked, his tone heavy, his eyes filled with anger and disbelief.

  Lucian stared at the copy of the wanted poster. Lady Bianca didn't have any portraits done from what she said.

  There weren't that many people with such artistic talent, and even fever with a memory that could recreate her face in such detail without a reference, which reduced the list of suspects to one person only.

  Celine Rochefort.

  ╔═══ Author's note ════╗

  In case anyone is wondering, there's no voice in Lucian's mind. It's a combination of subconscious emotions that are being transted into words. ??

  Bianca is much more beautiful, okay? Lucian is clearly doing her dirty with his tragic tastes. ??

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