Episode 6
The ballroom glittered like a dream, but Aria felt like she was walking through a nightmare wrapped in velvet and gold.
Lucien led her to the center of the marble dance floor, where the orchestra shifted to a waltz. All eyes turned. Conversations halted. Even the air seemed to pause as the Devil CEO placed one hand on his wife's waist and the other in her gloved palm.
"Smile," he murmured into her ear. "Make them think this is a fairy tale."
She obeyed, curving her lips into a soft smile as the music began.
They moved together flawlessly, as if they'd danced a thousand times — but in reality, Aria's heart was pounding, her palms clammy despite the satin gloves. Lucien's grip was firm, commanding, as though he owned the very rhythm of her steps.
"You're trembling," he said quietly, eyes locked on hers.
"Isn't that what happens when one dances with the Devil?" she replied, trying to sound braver than she felt.
A shadow of a smirk played on his lips.
But the moment was shattered by a voice.
"Well, well. What a captivating couple."
It was her again — the red-lipped woman from earlier. Only this time, she wasn't alone. A small group had gathered near the edge of the floor, watching them with predatory smiles.
"Lucien, darling," she purred. "Won't you introduce us again? Your wife's beauty deserves a second look."
Lucien didn't stop dancing, but his jaw tensed. "Aria, meet Seraphina Crowley. She's—"
"His ex-fiancée," Seraphina interrupted with a smirk. "Before he disappeared for months and returned… married."
Aria faltered for just a beat. Lucien tightened his hold, steadying her.
"Seraphina," he said coldly, "is someone I regret wasting time on."
Aria's smile never faded, but her spine stiffened.
Seraphina tilted her head, eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. "So, Aria, how does it feel being the new mistress of the Blackwood fortune? Or is it the man you're more interested in?"
"Both," Aria said smoothly. "The man and the fortune. Convenient, isn't it?"
Lucien let out a quiet laugh — low and dangerous.
Seraphina's smile faltered.
Lucien twirled Aria gracefully, then pulled her back into his arms.
"I underestimated you," he murmured in her ear.
"No," Aria replied softly. "You just don't know me yet."
The song ended, and polite applause echoed.
Lucien kissed her knuckles — a display, a performance — but his eyes burned into hers like a warning and a promise all at once.
They returned to their table as waiters began serving the next course. Crystal glasses clinked. The scent of lavender and wine filled the air.
Aria sat in silence, her body tense, the smile still painted on her face.
Until a familiar voice whispered behind her.
"Still breathing?"
It was Adrian Vale again — casually leaning against the edge of the table, sipping from a flute of champagne. This time, his eyes were fixed entirely on her.
Lucien's shoulders stiffened.
Aria nodded calmly. "Barely."
"Then allow me to be your oxygen for the evening."
Lucien rose from his chair.
"Adrian," he said darkly. "Find someone else to irritate."
Adrian grinned. "I can't help it. She's far more charming than you deserve."
"Walk away," Lucien warned.
Aria put a hand gently on Lucien's arm. "He's just teasing."
Adrian raised an eyebrow, amused. "She speaks. And she defends me. How adorable."
Lucien's hand closed into a fist at his side.
Without another word, he took Aria by the hand and led her away — past the dance floor, down the corridor, and into a quiet, dimly lit lounge.
The moment they were alone, the facade shattered.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he snapped.
Aria's eyes widened. "I didn't do anything—"
"You smiled at him. You defended him. You let him speak to you like—like you're available!"
She stared at him in disbelief. "You're jealous."
He paused. "I'm possessive."
"There's a difference?"
"Yes," he said. "Jealousy is petty. Possession is power. You're mine, Aria. You belong to me."
"I'm not a thing!" she snapped. "I'm not some diamond in your vault to lock away when other men look at me."
"You are my wife," he growled. "And that means you don't entertain snakes like Adrian Vale."
She stepped back, eyes flashing. "Then stop leaving me alone. If I'm so precious, maybe act like it."
Silence fell like a thunderclap.
Lucien's gaze was unreadable, his breath heavy.
Then, he closed the distance between them.
In one swift motion, he pinned her against the wall, his hands on either side of her head.
"I don't like being challenged," he said in a low voice.
"And I don't like being controlled."
They stared at each other, breath mingling, hearts pounding.
Then—
He kissed her.
It wasn't gentle.
It was fire and ice, fury and hunger. She gasped against his lips, but he didn't stop — and neither did she. Her hands gripped the front of his suit, grounding herself in the chaos of it all.
When he finally pulled away, their foreheads touched.
"That," he whispered, "was a warning."
Aria's eyes fluttered open. "Against what?"
"Falling for me."
She stared into his eyes — the eyes of a man who ruled empires, who destroyed enemies without flinching — and for the first time, she saw something raw.
Something almost… vulnerable.
"I won't fall for you, Lucien," she said.
"Good," he said, stepping back. "Because I don't catch."
He walked away, leaving her breathless, shaken, and confused.
But somewhere deep inside her chest… something had shifted.
Something she couldn't name yet.
But it was dangerous.
Very dangerous.
💔 To be continued…
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