~ Lucian’s POV

My eyes, usually sharp and determined, now held a softness, a trace of worry that I couldn’t quite hide. I stared at her, remembering how I killed her parent cruelly. She noticed the crease on my brow and the way my jaw tensed now and then, betraying the calm I tried so hard to maintain.

“Lucian, what’s going on?” she asked, her voice gentle but curious. She leaned forward slightly, trying to catch my eye. I met her gaze but quickly looked away, my expression unreadable.

“It’s nothing, Bella,” I said, my tone steady but distant. I took a deep breath and walked over to her, kneeling...