His intentions


    “That can’t be!” I screamed as I got up from my seat.


    “Unfortunately, it’s true…I had the same reaction when I found out,” Lucien responded softly as he


    heaved a heavy sigh.


    “I studied so many news articles covering my mother’s death. It was very big news at the time…nothing


    about a murder was mentioned at all. It can’t be,” I said.


    I remember cutting up newspapers to collect all articles about my mother’s ident so that I would


    learn more details about her death since no one would tell me anything. None of those articles


    mentioned anything about suspected foul y. Everyone was sure that it was an ident.


    Just as when Lucien and my mother got married, her unfortunate death in an ident less than one


    year after the wedding caused a huge uproar. Everyone seemed to have something to say about their


    wedding and those people had a lot to say about my mother’s death as well. People who expressed


    genuine sympathy and grief were rarer than diamonds. Most people faked it while they honestly were


    thankful or even d that my mother was gone from the Rosenhall family.


    But…an unfortunate ident is just that…an ident.


    “It’s actuallymon knowledge for senior family members of the family and the Elders that she was


    killed. The Elders invested a lot of money in keeping the truth under wraps. Of course, paying off the


    media was one of the many things that they did. We also decided to keep the truth from you, until you


    were older…or forever, in the case of the Elders. They didn’t want you to find out…at all,” Lucien stated


    as he frowned.


    What he had just done was clearly in vition of the Elder’s wishes and verdict.


    “Who killed my mother? And why?! My mother didn’t do anything…why did she have to die?!” I cried


    out in frustration and pain.


    “We honestly don’t know…” Lucien replied truthfully.


    “Then…how did you guys know that it wasn’t just an honest ident?” I asked, refusing to back down


    now that the truth was so close.


    “The car was shot…that much was evident at the scene,” Lucien stated simply.


    If we were in a drama, which I truly wished we were, this would be the moment that I would feel dizzy


    and faint from shock. Fainting right now to escape the pain and shock would be the solution that I most


    preferred. However, I knew I was no where close to fainting.


    Why was my mother killed? Was it because she married Lucien and made numerous enemies as a


    result?


    “I’m sorry, Natalia. I couldn’t protect your mother,” Lucien stated clearly.


    It was clear that Lucien felt responsible for my mother’s death. Had he been living with this pain and


    regret all this time? I knew my mother’s death weighed heavily on his mind and heart, but I had always


    assumed that was because he loved her so much. Apparently, that was not the reason why.


    “Natalia, I will keep you safe. Just like I’ve done for the past ten years. Even if I must be tied to this


    family forever, I will do it to keep you safe,” Lucien said passionately as he squeezed my hands in his.


    “I don’t want things to be like this!” I cried out without thinking. Life is so unfair. I didn’t want things to be


    like this. Not for me…and not for Lucien.


    “I’ve always done exactly as the family and the Elders wanted. In exchange, they will keep you safe.


    One day, I will be an Elder myself and I will be able to protect you myself. No matter what other


    people may say, your safety is my top priority. I love you…and I will not lose you like I lost your mother,”


    Lucien said very seriously. I have never seen Lucien so determined and serious.


    I didn’t know how to respond. The reason Lucien had been acting overly protective and possessive


    must have something to do with his fear of losing me. He believed that I could get hurt…or worst. He’s


    made so many sacrifices for my mother and I, hasn’t he? But why…


    ‘I’ll never regret it. I have things worth protecting you see…we both have something we want to protect


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    and a promise that we have sworn to keep’ Lucien’s words came back to me.


    What promise did he make and with who?


    “Lucien…I…” I started to speak; however, I wasn’t sure what I could say to him in this situation.


    “You are going to stay with me forever. If I cannot trust that you will be happy and safe; I will not allow


    you to leave my side. That is final,” Lucien dered, and it was extremely clear that there was no room


    left for discussions or negotiations.


    --To be continued...