Love In Disguise: Rebirth of the Heiress
Chapter 80

Chapter 80: Chapter 80

"You know that’s what the bad guy always says in every horror movie before he beheads someone," Jason quipped, his smile sharp as we approached the doorway.

Lucian chuckled, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. "You’d know all about bad guys, wouldn’t you, Jason?"

I glanced between them, the tension palpable but oddly playful.

Lucian turned his attention to me, his expression softening as he extended his hand. "Kiara," he said warmly.

I hesitated for a second before placing my hand in his. His grip was firm but surprisingly gentle as he helped me up the steps.

Jason scoffed behind me, muttering, "How poignant."

I barely resisted rolling my eyes. "Jealous much?"

"Of course not," Jason replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he climbed the steps two at a time, standing beside me as if staking a claim.

Lucian ignored him entirely, gesturing for us to step inside.

The interior of Lucian’s home wasn’t what I expected. I’d braced myself for dark, gothic opulence, but the space was eerily modern. Sleek black marble floors gleamed under soft, golden lights. Intricate designs covered the walls, depicting strange symbols and scenes that seemed to shift if you looked too closely.

"Wow," I murmured, taking it all in.

Jason gave a low whistle. "You cleaned up. Nice."

"What did you expect?" Lucian asked, his voice laced with amusement.

Jason smirked. "The last time I was here, I met a talking wall. And it moved. To swallow me."

"A necessary precaution," Lucian said smoothly.

I frowned, glancing at Jason. "A talking wall? Seriously?"

"Oh, yeah," Jason said, nodding. "This place is all fun and games until it’s not. Only people with special abilities can actually see this version of his home. To everyone else, it’s just some ridiculously overpriced mansion owned by a mafia billionaire."

Lucian’s lips twitched in a faint smile. "Ridiculously overpriced? Coming from you? The one who has ten multiple buildings in one estates for no reason."

"Touché," Jason muttered, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeve.

"Wait," I interrupted, ignoring their rich men talk. "So regular people can’t see... this?" I gestured around the strange but beautiful room.

"Exactly," Jason replied. "The real magic stays hidden unless you’re part of the other world. Think of it as a VIP pass for the damned. Because we are meant to be dead. We can see it."

"Well, that’s comforting," I deadpanned.

Lucian stepped closer, his dark eyes locking onto mine. "Kiara," he said softly, "did you like my flowers?"

I froze, my mind racing. The flowers. Those damned flowers that had caused me more confusion than anything else.

"You..." My voice faltered as I stared at him. "It was you?"

Lucian’s smile widened, but he didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a silver pocket watch and flicking it open. The soft ticking filled the silence.

"Well?" Jason said, his voice sharp. "Are you going to explain, or are we just here for theatrics?"

Lucian snapped the watch shut, his gaze never leaving mine. "I wanted to make an impression."

"Well, clearly you did. I threw it away," Jason said, his face serious, his eyes squinted.

Lucian smiled, like a predator watching his prey. "Did you see me as a threat?"

"You know what those flowers mean," Jason shot back.

Lucian’s dark eyes glittered. "And yet, you’re here standing beside her. Meaning you are making something out of nothing"

"Hello? Right here," I interrupted, waving my hand between the two of them.

Neither of them moved. Their eyes locked, the tension between them thick enough to cut.

I let out a frustrated sigh. "Oh my God, if you guys want to have a cock-comparing contest, please let me know in advance so I can book front-row seats. In the meantime, what are you even talking about?"

Both men turned their attention to me, as if they’d only just remembered I was there.

Jason smirked. "Lucian here is my old high school buddy. Back before I found out about his heritage."

"Ohh. High school drama? Pfft men are such kids."

Jason tsked. "The point is, he used to be a player. And I mean player. Guy would walk into a room, and every girl—and some guys—would fall for him."

Lucian leaned casually against the wall, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. "Charming, aren’t I?"

"Shut up," Jason snapped. "Anyway, back then, he suggested this betting game."

"What kind of game?" I asked, crossing my arms.

Jason hesitated, glancing at Lucian.

Lucian sighed. "A childish one. It involved flowers as a starting gesture. The goal was to see who could..."

Jason interrupted. "Get Joselle to fall for them first."

My stomach twisted at the mention of her name.

"It wasn’t serious," Jason added quickly. "Just stupid high school stuff. I didn’t notice them, but now if my memory serves me right, there were things about Joselle—cruel things. She wasn’t just playing the game; she was winning in ways that..." He trailed off, his jaw tightening.

Lucian’s gaze softened, his voice dropping. "It stopped being a game when she started showing her true colors. She was manipulative and I wanted out. I hated manipulative girls. Unfortunately big guy here didn’t see it."

That was a lot of words coming from Lucian.

"I have my flaws, mister. Maybe not everyone is as perfect as you." Jason said.

"And the flowers?" I asked.

Jason shrugged. "It’s stupid. The flowers were part of the game, like a calling card. When I saw him sending you flowers..." He trailed off, his glare returning to Lucian. "I thought he was dragging you into something similar."

"So he decided to send me twice? One at the hospital and then another at work?" I asked.

"I didn’t send the hospital flowers. I sent the ones for your office because she reminded me of the garden I used to have. That’s all. Jason is the one reading too much into it."

I frowned, my attention snapping to Lucian. "Wait, so you weren’t the one who sent the hospital flowers?"

"No," Lucian said firmly, his expression darkening. "Why would I?"

"Great," I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Another mystery to solve. Perfect."

Jason smirked. "So you’re not flattered by his garden-inspired flowers?"

I glared at him. "I’m flattered you’re both wasting my time with petty drama."

Jason raised his hands in mock surrender, while Lucian’s lips quirked in amusement.

"Well, now that we’ve cleared that up," I said, "can we focus on the real issues here?"

Lucian’s gaze turned serious. "Of course. But I have to say, Kiara, you’re handling all of this remarkably well."

"Yeah, sure," I said, forcing a smile. "Because who wouldn’t be calm when they’re stuck between a demon and an ex-Playboy CEO who apparently can’t get over flowers?"

Jason chuckled, shaking his head. "You’ve got a point there."

I let out a breath, turning my focus back to Lucian. "So, what now? Are we done with the flower drama, or do we have more unresolved high school trauma to unpack?"

Lucian smirked. "I think we’re done. For now."

Jason sighed. "For now," he echoed, but his gaze lingered on Lucian, wary and untrusting.

I rolled my eyes. "Great. Let’s move on then."