Forbidden Heat novel Chapter 146

I smiled sweetly and my princess-like reflection in the mirror smiled back. This smile truly matches this magnificent dress and a joyful bride; however, it probably doesn’t go so well with the real me. I turned away from the mirror before my thoughts would get any darker to face the very-handsome Lucien.

“Shall we?” Lucien gestured towards the door. I was confused about what he wanted to do but I decided to exit the bedroom just as he wanted.

Out in the spacious living room of this penthouse hotel suite, my eyes were captivated once again by the vast night city landscape visible through the glass. The view just gets more and more amazing as it gets darker.

“You haven’t eaten since the event started, right? Let’s eat,” Lucien said casually as he took my hand and led me to the dining table.

Pulling out the chair for me, he led me to sit down. We’re having Japanese fusion food. An interesting choice. I like Japanese food and fusion cuisine and obviously, Lucien knows. I smiled a little as I looked at the food. Sadly, I don’t remember having a delicious meal lately except for the occasional cakes that Reiner baked for me. He would scold me if he knew that I counted them as a proper meal.

I should start eating this before we start with the serious talk because that would mean that all these delicious dishes would start to taste like sand. Without waiting for any further invitation, I took the chopsticks and began feeding myself with sushi.

“You like this, don’t you? Japanese and fusion food,” Lucien said with a knowing smile as I stuffed myself with sushi and rolls.

“You know me,” I replied. Of course, he does, we’ve been living together for over ten years.

“Yes…I do…” Lucien said with a small laugh as if he was recalling some fond memories.

After stuffing myself with food and probably forgetting to look lady-like while I was at it, my thoughts began to wonder what Lucien wanted to tell me. Sitting here in a wedding dress like this was our wedding night made the setting feel weirdly romantic. Technically, this was Lucien’s wedding night…but it wasn’t mine.

“Lucien…what…did you want to talk to me about?” I said softly as I put down my chopstick and stared straight at him. Eating time is now over. Thank you, Chefs!

“You’re right…we should get right to it…” Lucien replied with a small sigh. I guess this isn’t an easy conversation for him either.

I didn’t press him as a frown creased his beautiful face. Lucien was deep in thought, and it was clear that he was picking his words very carefully. I waited patiently as the silence between us stretched on. Suddenly, the room was silent, and tension ran wildly in the air.

“Edward probably told you…and shown you a few things. To be fair, I’ll also tell you…and show you…a few things…” Lucien said slowly and clearly without breaking eye contact with me. His green eyes felt several shades darker than they usually were…

Unknowingly, I bit my lower lip tight as I continued to hold his gaze. Suddenly, Lucien got up from his seat and walked towards the wooden worktable located on one side of the room. Opening the drawer, he produced a small box that I soon realized was a safe. With the safe in both his hands, Lucien slowly returned to his seat at the dining table, opposite me.

I didn’t know what was inside the safe but the fact that it was in a safe and that Lucien was handling it with such care and focus, meant that it must be either very valuable or extremely important. My eyes were glued to that small safe which is now sitting on the dining table between us.

“Open it…Natalia…” Lucien whispered as he gestured to the small safe with one hand.

“…I don’t know the passcode,” I replied in a small voice.

“It’s your birthday. Boring, right?” Lucien said with a smile as he continued to watch me.

“Boring indeed…” I agreed with him.

I grabbed the safe with both hands and pulled it towards me. The safe was much heavier than I thought as it slowly slid across the table to stop in front of me. My eyes narrowed as I stared at the safe. What could be inside? My fingers were already busy inputting the numbers of my birthdate into the keypads.

After completing the number input, I paused as I readied my mind for whatever it was that I was about to discover…

“Are you ready?” Lucien asked with a slight grin as he added even more tension and anxiety.

“I have to be…” I replied flatly.

I pressed the enter button on the number pad with my forefinger and we heard a digital beeping sound indicating success followed by the distinct sound of the safe unlocking. I sucked in a deep breath before moving my hand to open the safe’s door.

This is it…whatever it is…

I didn’t know what I was expecting but what I now held in my two hands in between my fingertips was definitely not it. Something very valuable…was not right. Then, this has to be something extremely important?

Lucien’s loud laughter broke the tension in the still and silent room as he suddenly burst out laughing. If this is some stupid prank of his…I’m seriously going to kill him! I looked at Lucien with menacing eyes. Seeing that Lucien waved his hand in an attempt to calm me down while he tried his best to control his laughter.

“What’s the joke?” I asked in a clearly pissed voice.

“No joke…but you just had the same reaction I had when I saw that thing for the first time. It was just so funny how clearly disappointed you were…” Lucien tried to explain while still laughing amid his sentences.

“I see…” I replied curtly. I’m not finding this very funny.

“Open it…I bet one of the things you’ve been looking for…is inside…” Lucien said as he reached out to touch one of my wrists. His tone has returned to being serious yet there was a gentleness in his voice.

I nodded. I stared at the item I had retrieved from the safe in my hand. A black envelop.

--To be continued…