<h4>Chapter 37: We meet again</h4>


    Lucian stepped out of his room and headed down the stairs, his phone pressed to his left ear as he delivered instructions upon instructions to the person on the other end of the call. His voice was calm but authoritative, his tone leaving no room for misunderstanding.


    Wearing a stylish ck embroidered suit with a matching long coat, a sleek ck button-up shirt, and a refined watch, he looked more than ready to conquer his world. Every detail of his outfit was meticulously chosen, exuding power and sophistication. His polished shoes clicked softly against the marble floor as he descended, his presencemanding attention even in the grandeur of the mansion.


    But he had barely made it to the ground floor when his ears caught the sound of soft voices and lightughtering from above. He knew instantly that it was Marlowe and Serena, and they had not made it down yet.


    So, unlike himself, when he arrived at the foot of the stairs, he didn’t move further. Although he still had the phone to his ear, listening to what the other person was saying, his full attention was on the stairs as he anticipated Serena’s arrival.


    He would be with her the entire night, but he wanted to relish the moment when he would see her walking down the stairs, looking all dolled up. Something told him he would not be disappointed.


    Nothing, however, prepared him for the fact that he would be rendered speechless, mindless, thoughtless, andpletely stunned when he saw her. Hepletely forgot about the phone conversation he was having, as even though the words were filtering into his ear, they weren’t making any sense to him at that point.


    When he told Marlowe he wanted her to dazzle, this one beat his expectations. She ate the look and left no crumbs.


    The dress perfectly entuated her figure, with a cinched corset bodice highlighting her waist and elegant off-the-shoulder sleeves framing her corbones. The intricate beadwork subtly caught the light, while the satin skirt draped smoothly over her hips, its high slit elongating her legs. The flowing train added a regal touch, enhancing her poised and captivating presence. With her confident posture, she had made the dress even more striking,manding attention effortlessly—especially his.


    But having mastered the art of hiding his emotions perfectly behind the mask of a stoic face, none of the things he felt on the inside could be detected on his face.


    Serena, who had beenughing and smiling with Dr. Marlowe while they wereing down, also switched her expression to a small frown when she set her eyes on Lucian.


    He had always been impably dressed since the first day she met him, but that night, he took it several levels higher. He looked extremely good—and hot.


    However, she was never going to give him the satisfaction of hearing apliment from her mouth. He could go get hispliments from his women—Mitchell, especially.


    "Oh my heavens!" Darrell, who had just walked into the house and toward the stairs to deliver a message to Lucian, eximed when he set eyes on Serena. "You look absolutely stunning, ma’am," heplimented, his face delivering the message even better than his words.


    Like a flipped switch, Serena shifted her expression instantly toward Darrell, shing him a gorgeous smile. "It’s all thanks to you. You’ve got wonderful taste, and you don’t look bad yourself," she said, her tone warm and appreciative.


    "Thank you, ma’am," Darrell gave a bow, grinning from ear to ear.


    "Let’s go already. We’re runningte," Lucian spoke, his voice cutting through the moment. He turned away from them and walked out, his long coat billowing slightly behind him.


    Darrell gestured with his hand, and Serena followed him out into one of the three waiting cars. Lucian climbed into the car right after she did, settling himself beside her. The doors were shut, giving them absolute privacy.


    The ride proceeded in silence, with Serena shutting her eyes and taking deep breaths to calm her errant nerves. The soft hum of the car’s engine and the faint scent of Lucian’s cologne filled the space, making it feel both intimate and tense.


    While that was going on, Lucian poured himself a ss of wine and then poured another for her, which was less than a quarter of the quantity of his.


    "Here, drink this," he said, extending the ss to her.


    Serena’s eyes snapped open when she heard his voice. She fixed her gaze on the ss, then shifted it to his face. "What’s this for?"


    "It’s for you to lighten up. You’re too stiff. We’re supposed to be married, so we need to act the part. Take it," he responded, extending the drink further.


    Serena finally collected the ss from him, eyeing him unpleasantly. "Who are we trying to deceive when they all know we don’t like each other?" she rolled her eyes, her toneced with sarcasm.


    "Sometimes, to win in a dirty game, you’ve got to confuse your opponents," Lucian answered, chugging down his drink. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ck box, opening it to reveal aplete set of diamond wedding bands.


    Serena’s eyes widened when she saw the contents of the box. "What the hell?"


    Lucian paid her no attention as he slid his ring onto his finger, admiring it for a few seconds before picking hers out of the box. "Give me your hand," he demanded, his tone leaving no room for refusal.


    Serena let out a sigh. Her stubborn self would have instantly said no, but she had no energy to argue with him. If confusing their enemies would get them results, then she had no problems with it. But...


    "Isn’t a wedding ring too much for ying the part and confusing your opponents?" she asked, extending her left hand to him.


    He held her hand with a kind of softness that threw her off guard—she had been expecting a rough grab or a tough grip.


    "Too much? Aren’t we married already? How is it too much?" Lucian asked as he slid the ring onto her finger, a smirk curving on his lips.


    He let her hand go, rxing back in his seat and letting out a sigh that screamed satisfaction.


    Serena gazed at the ring and marveled at how well it sat on her finger. It was a beautiful ring, and even though she wasn’t a jewelry person, she needed no one to tell her it must have cost a fortune.


    The urge to look at the person who had put it there washed over her, but she fought it with all the willpower she could summon, turning her face instead to the tinted ss beside her.


    In a few minutes, the car pulled to a stop, and the doors on both sides were opened from the outside.


    Serena stepped out, shing a small smile at Darrell, who held the door open for her. She then shifted her attention to the red carpet set up, the shes from cameras blinding in the distance.


    Lucian soon appeared by her side, extending his hand for her to take, and she did without hesitation.


    "Smile," he whispered into her ear as theymenced the short walk into the hall.


    A beautiful smile appeared on Serena’s face when she heard him. Although it was forced, it came on effortlessly, her practiced poise masking the tension she felt inside.


    As soon as they entered the hall, Serena was shocked by the number of people already inside.


    The hall was beautifully decorated, the atmosphere perfect for guaranteeing a wonderful evening. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a soft, golden glow over the room. The walls were adorned with elegant drapery, and the floor was a polished expanse of marble that reflected the light. But the most striking were the guests—powerful people, some of whom she never believed she would see face-to-face one day, and dangerous people as well.


    "Stay close," Lucian whispered to her, his voice low andmanding. His hand still held onto hers without any intention of letting go.


    But as soon as he extended a hand to an old acquaintance for a shake, his ears caught onto an unpleasant voice calling out Serena’s name. He hoped it was another Serena, but how wrong he was.


    "Vincent," Serena called, bringing the smile back to her face when she saw him approaching her after calling her name. "You’re here?" she asked, epting the hug he offered, albeit not fully since Lucian didn’t let go of her hand.


    "My God! I almost didn’t recognize you," Vincent said after he pulled away, looking her over. He then shifted his attention to Lucian, who was shooting him a subtle re as he wondered how the two knew each other.


    "Lucian, we meet again," Vincent said, his expression still cheerful but his voice carrying an edge.


    Instead of responding, Lucian shifted his gaze to Serena. "You know him?"


    Serena nodded. "Vincent is a very good friend of mine. We’ve been friends since we were children."


    "I see," Lucian uttered before fixing his attention on Vincent. "We meet again, Vincent. It’s good to see you, but don’t go hugging my wife like that again—whether I’m there or not."