Chapter Five

Lucian's hands were slowly but surely riding up to dangerous places. His right hand had somehow slipped in between the bathrobe and was roaming my bare thigh, teasingly going up.

While his left hand was on my neck, a wild thought of him snapping my neck gave me chills, but the lust of evidence in his eyes assured me.

"What are you trying to do?"

"What does it look like? You sure love to ask obvious questions" His face leaned down, coming a few inches away from mine.

His breath... He drank? I could perceive the rich scent of fruity wine in his breath.

"Y…you are drunk" I tried to push him away, but those hard muscles beat against my skinny arms.

"No, it is a fruity wine. I have some more if you want". He leaned in further, his lips hovering over mine as his eyes bored into mine.

'Kiss me before I think of pushing you away' I wanted to yell, but I could only close my eyes and anticipate his like on mine.

"You were pushing me away just now. Why are you closing your eyes, expecting a kiss?" His voice was filled with obvious mockery.

I wanted to report a good comeback, but I couldn't think of any...wait!

"Your breath stinks and I don't want to see your face" I felt stupid as soon as I said that, is this my best? Kill me now!

I was in for a little surprise because Lucian's face twitched. I mean he's not offended, right?

"Really? Why don't you want to see my face?" He wheezed out as if trying to restrain his rage.

"That... That is... Uhm... You are "

Stop stuttering! I want to pull my hair so badly now. Why can't I be outspoken? Why can't I say mean things and not care about how he feels afterward?

"You can't say?"

"I don't want to see you or be around you, whether in school or at home" I blurted out.

The bottled emotion from that morning is pouring out. He can't do whatever he wants with me because I'm not a complete push over.

"Just like you don't want to be seen with me. " I needed to get away from him. I suddenly felt sheer hatred for him.

Within a day of becoming family with him, he made me feel a series of emotions. I should stay away from him. I should be the invisible one as usual.

For some reason I deemed it stupid, seeing him with narrowed eyes full of rage looked hot to me, as in sexy hot! I must be mad, right? The arousal pooling between my thighs is evidence that something is wrong with me!!!

I was surprised when he moved back, his expression turning blank, he gave me one last unreadable glance and walked out of the kitchen.

"What was that?" I asked myself, confused.

He... did he just leave me hanging?

That is what I wanted, but why does it hurt when he left, just as much as his words this morning did?

And why am I affected?

We are siblings!

I can't have such an attraction to him. I reaffirmed and completed my cleaning before leaving the kitchen.

***

My day at school was a lonely one because Brenda decided not to show up today. I moved around trying to be the wallflower I have always been.

Brenda is a social media influencer. She had a gig to shoot this morning, an important one that she had to forfeit for today's classes. So I was all by myself trying to avoid the Queen Bees in school.

I caught sight of Lucian twice, but I made sure he didn't see me. I didn't want to know if he would ignore me as I told him to. I had avoided him this morning too, ignoring my Mum's asking me about why I refused to ride with him.

Archer let me have a chauffeur for myself. He doted on me and reprimanded Lucian, much to my Mum's dismay.

"You are being unfair. She came home drunk and Lucian took her home. Why is she being difficult now?"

"Lucian was probably rude to her", Archer reasoned, while sipping his coffee. He gave me a wink.

I guess my stepfather likes me.

"Violet, right?" I was pulled out of my thoughts by a sharp and tiny voice behind me as I made my way to the school gate.

"Yeah. And you are...?". The face was unfamiliar, big eyes, a small nose and mouth. She was cute. She was shorter than I am too.

"I'm Layla. I have something for you" She smiled innocently.

"Something for me?" I was confused.

I used to see her around, but we never spoke to each other unless necessary, like group work or something of that sort.

" We should go somewhere quiet" She suggested and pulled me before I could reply.

We sat at the popular café across from the school and ordered Boba tea as Layla insisted.

" I'm an artist. I painted a realistic picture of you without your permission, but I drew it for you though" She hesitated, looking down at her entwined fingers.

"I... I wanted to be your friend but didn't know how to approach you and... The painting is not a bribe. I just... You are so pretty that I couldn't resist painting" She continued anxiously, stuttering in the process.

"Thank you. Can I see the painting? And you are welcome to be my friend". I was surprised that there was someone who wanted to be my friend. At school.

She was even hesitant about it. Am I unapproachable?

"Now? You want to see the drawing now? And you... I can be your friend?" Layla asked excitedly.

"Yes, yes"

"Oh my god! Thank you so much! " She hurried out of her seat to my side and gave me a bone-crushing hug, her flowery scent invading my nostrils.

"The drawing is at home. We can go see it together if you don't mind coming". She batted her eyelashes at me as if to convince me with her cuteness.

Fine, I needed a distraction anyway. I didn't want to go home early, and I couldn't concentrate on reading in the library as usual. I pulled out my phone and texted my chauffeur.

He arrived at the café in three minutes. He was already waiting for me at school when I texted him.

Layla stared at me wide-eyed when the middle-aged man came out and opened the back door of the car for us.

"He's here for you? I mean he works for you?" She pulled me closer to her and whispered.

"Yes" I know she is surprised that I have a chauffeur driving such an expensive car to pick me up from school.

We got in, and she told Mr Liam her address. The car started just as Layla snatched my phone out of my hand.

She typed her number and texted herself before handing me back the device.

' You are from a Conglomerate family?'

Her message came a few seconds later. She motioned me to reply to her.

'You can say that'

' I knew it! Those bitches in school think you wear knockoffs. Just because you are a scholarship student, they don't believe you can afford the bags and shoes you wear.'

Layla typed furiously, her cute face morphing into an adorable frown as she typed.

' Don't bother about what they say'

'They are jealous of you. Don't worry, I will chew off anybody that insults you from now on. '

' Thank you, Ayla '

"Ayla? You gave me a nickname too? I should have approached you earlier."

***

We arrived at Layla's house. It was a cozy home. Just how I picture my dream home. Not big buildings with empty rooms.

"Welcome to my humble abode" Layla cheered as we stepped on the porch. She retrieved the keys from underneath the third flower pot on the porch and unlocked the door.