Since She Met Lucian

Lucian volunteered to wash the dishes after dinner. Amelia stared at Lucian with unblinking eyes as she wondered if her ears were playing tricks on her. She squinted slightly as she asked Lucian, "What did you say just now?" Her words came out slow and soft as if she herself was unsure if she should confirm what she thought she heard.

Her curious eyes were as clear as a child's as she stared straight at Lucian who slowly turned towards her with a playful smile.

Lucian then stared steadily into her eyes and said clearly and softly, "The food you cooked were absolutely delicious. As a reward and thanks, please allow me to wash the dishes for you."

Amelia was unfamiliar to the sudden courtesy that Lucian expressed. But she knew him very well. So she decided to say nothing and silently walked out of the kitchen but stood at the doorway as a mute observer.

Lucian felt uneasy as Amelia's stare burned a hole at his back while he prepared to wash the dishes. So he turned to her and said, "If you're thinking of what to do while I wash the dishes, you can clean the living room or make a pot of tea for me."

His voice was gentle, but had an unmistakable commanding tone to it.

Amelia nodded and immediately went to the living room. She intended to clean it as he suggested. But as soon as she touched a newspaper on the center table, she was startled by a loud crashing sound that came from the kitchen. A bowl broke into a thousand tiny pieces as it fell to the floor.

Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Lucian never had to wash the dishes.

She hurried to the kitchen and saw him squatting down as he picked up the broken pieces of the unfortunate bowl on the floor.

Lucian raised his head and turned towards the doorway of the kitchen and saw her approaching. He was about to stop her, but Amelia was immediately down with her hand on the porcelain shards scattered all around the kitchen floor and was about to start picking them up.

"What?" Their awkward movements caused them to bump into each other by accident that caused Amelia to cut her finger on the sharp edge of one of the porcelain pieces that she reached for when she went down to help.

The wound on her finger bled immediately. Lucian instantly pulled her hand towards him and quickly placed her wounded finger into his mouth and sucked on the bleeding wound.

This simple act of kindness made Amelia's heart beat faster. She stared at Lucian's face in a daze, unaware of the involuntary smile that had spread over her lovely lips.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it." He frowned and looked at her with a guilty look while he continued to suck at her wounded finger.

Amelia was fully aware that he never meant for it to happen. She reached out her hand herself rashly, shook her head and then said with a smile, "You have never washed dishes before in your entire life, have you?"

Lucian relaxed a little when he noticed that she was still in the mood for humor despite what happened. He explained reluctantly, "I used too much detergent. Thus, my hands became too slippery and one of the bowls slipped and fell to the floor."

Amelia nodded in agreement after she listened to his explanation. She then replied back to him with a smile, "I broke many bowls when I washed dishes for my mother in the past. I didn't know how many bowls I'd broken, so I secretly hid them in case my mother found out and scolded me."

Talking about these small details from her childhood made Amelia smile like a child. Her childish smile made her look even more beautiful.

She made light fun of him, and the embarrassment in his heart over what happened quickly melted away.

After cleaning the porcelain fragments in the kitchen, Lucian went to the medicine cabinet and took out some first aid supplies and then bandaged Amelia's wounded hand. He then turned the TV on and told her to watch for a while. He then went upstairs to deal with some documents as Amelia relaxed herself in front of the TV.

same time when she noticed the drastic change in Lucian's attitude

envelope in his hand. He handed the envelope to Amelia and asked her to open

look on him that confused Amelia. She wondered what game he was playing as she accepted the envelope from

and carefully undid the flap that kept the envelope closed. She found a piece of paper inside; neatly folded. She gently took out the paper as if it

paper read 'Honey, please forgive me for being irrational and

the piece of paper in her hand that her face blushed as she felt warm blood rushing into her cheeks. Her eyes then became misty

of the cold and domineering Lucian apologizing was something that never occurred to her even in

eyes that she wasn't able to stop from falling down. Lucian became anxious at the

apparently, could not bear the sight of her crying. He struggled to get a handkerchief out with a shaking hand

held forward a handkerchief to wipe away her

the unexpectedness of the message made the situation even

only means that you care about me." She was about to cry even

continued wiping her tears for her as he quietly listened to everything that she

of time. In this big house, where

safe wrapped in his strong arms that she eventually fell

deep silence that filled the room. Darkness filled her eyes. She moved slightly to one direction of the bed and someone reached out to protect

and it made her feel protected, but... She suddenly froze at the thought that Lucian was lying next to her on the

it brought her back to full wakefulness. She shivered at the thought that he was lying beside her and she was about to get up from the bed to get away as quickly as possible. But before she could move, powerful arms grabbed her and quickly pushed her down with the weight of a

you keep moving, you will regret it." Lucian's voice was low and sinister, like the whisper of a specter

open with shock and horror as she tried desperately to

Lucian's wife, she had never thought of sleeping

now. She wondered if she moved just a little would it get her into trouble with Lucian and how

beating fast as she struggled to breathe. The weight on top of her made her feel like

voice broke the silence in the room. The huskiness in the voice was particularly attractive against the darkness that filled the room and despite the terror that gripped Amelia's heart. Lucian finally decided to move his

time to get used to living her life

arms as her heart pounded non-stop. She wondered whether she should turn the

you," Lucian said

Lucian was like a mind reader. He was so intuitive that he could tell what she was so worried about without hearing her say

need some time to get used to it." She held the quilt tightly with both hands as she

to her in a pleasant and soothing voice as he caressed her smooth

regardless of the negative experience that she had mere moments before. It was like the melody of a low thunder mixed with the sound of rain in the middle of

she woke up, she found that Lucian was already up. The thought of being embarrassed at seeing each other because of what happened

downstairs, Lucian was reading a newspaper in his hand. He stood up as he saw her come down the stairs. He quietly walked towards her and moved his lips close to her ears. His fluid movement brought a slight shiver to her. "Did you sleep well last night?" he asked in a soft voice that warmed

She shyly

breakfast together," Lucian's enthusiastic voice declared to

as she heard him. She was stunned to see that breakfast was indeed prepared