Hearing his words, Erin was stunned. Regaining her composure, she spat out angrily, "Have you truly lost your mind? Are you so desperate to ruin my engagent to Aaron that you’d say anything to stop it?"
Lucian remained calm. "No. I genuinely want to marry you. I’ve realized you’re the only woman I want as my wife."
Erin let out a mocking laugh. "After rejecting , now you want to marry ? Is this so kind of ga to you? Do you think we Ahrens are so easy just because you’re now the powerful Lord in this kingdom?"
Lucian looked at her steadily before saying, "What if I regret rejecting you and now realize it was the wrong decision?"
"I don’t care," she replied without hesitation. "I’ve made my decision, and I don’t make wrong decisions. I’ve chosen to marry Aaron, and I’ll see it through. I’ll live a happy life with him."
"You won’t. I’ll make you want to marry no one but ," Lucian replied, his tone his deanor calm as if nothing in this world could shake him, then let alone a angry words from the woman he loved.
His calm deanor only fueled her anger, making her think he was simply stubborn and oblivious.
"And what about the woman you supposedly liked?" Erin scoffed. "Now that you’ve suddenly realized you want as your wife, are you planning to throw her away? Or do you intend to marry both of us? Oh! It’s nothing new for a lord to have multiple won. When the lord is soone wealthy like you, hundreds of won would line to marry you. Even if you marry them all, no one would object."
Lucian held her gaze, unwavering, and replied, "The woman I said I liked, was you. I was talking about you. There won’t be hundreds of won, but you and you alone."
Erin was taken aback, montarily lost for words. She struggled to respond and finally managed, "Lie to soone else. I’m not naive enough to fall for that." With that, she turned to walk away, not wanting to reveal how his words had unsettled her, even if just for a mont.
As she moved to step past him, Lucian grabbed her hand and gently pulled her back.
"Lucian!" she exclaid, both startled and angry.
He pressed her lightly against the wall, trapping her between his arms that now rested on the wall behind her, though careful not to co too close. He could tell she was already at when he held her hand. He made sure to not touch her anywhere once he let go her hand.
"What do you think you’re doing?" she demanded, a mix of anger and unease flickering in her eyes.
"Don’t worry. I just want you to listen calmly," he said, his voice steady and gaze reassuring. His hands still remained trapping her.
Though she was angry, she knew he wouldn’t let her go until he said what he wanted. "Make it quick," she muttered, turning her face to look other side.
He was already close enough though he maintained a distance to not touch her anywhere. She found that closeness was affecting her.
"I ant what I said," he began. "I never thought I would feel this way about anyone or ever want to marry. It took ti to realize. I know my rejection must have hurt you, and I apologize for that. But know this: you are the only woman I will ever marry. If it isn’t you, then it will be no one."
Erin listened, feeling the edge of her anger soften. Yet, doubt lingered. How could she trust him after he’d rejected her so easily before? How could his feelings change so quickly?
She looked at him with a mocking expression. "And if it isn’t , do you really plan to stay unmarried forever?"
"No," he replied, eting her gaze directly, his expression unwavering.
Erin was taken aback. He had just sworn he’d marry no one else, yet now he claid he wouldn’t remain single.
"What a liar," she said, her anger flaring again.
"I never lie," he said firmly. "I know we would end up marrying each other, so why would I agree to remain unmarried? Won’t it be like cursing myself to never marry you?"
Erin was left speechless. What kind of logic is this?
"So, you’ve already decided on your own that I’m going to marry you? You don’t even care about my opinion?" she asked, incredulously.
"Your opinion will be the sa as mine. You’ll want to marry ," he replied confidently.
What kind of arrogance is this? she thought, frowning. "If you think I’m so easily swayed and quick to forgive, you’re delusional. I won’t marry you."
"You will," he said, calm and composed, as though her anger and frustration couldn’t reach him.
"Do you even feel what I’m feeling right now—my anger, my frustration, the annoyance you’re causing ?" she demanded. "You clearly don’t, considering you’re as calm as a stone. If you could feel any of it..."
"Why do you assu I don’t feel anything?" he asked, his gaze steady. "If I were to show you how I feel, I would cross boundaries with you and you might not like it. I am just being respectful towards a lady."
Though he spoke calmly, his words stirred a storm within her. Can any man affect soone this much without even showing any passion or aggression? she wondered. And her answer was clear: Yes, only this man.
What kind of man is he to remain so calm even in this situation? Any other man would have been passionate and aggressive, laying claim to the woman he desired. But this man wants to maintain the boundaries with a lady.
’Either he doesn’t like that much and in that way, or he is just one boring and unromantic person who doesn’t know what won truly like,’ Erin could not help but think.
Lucian watched her closely, noting the shifts in her expression. At least she no longer looked angry.
"If you’re done, let go," Erin said finally. "I’m starving."
Lucian stepped back, and she imdiately hurried away, anxious that he might try to stop her again.
"Don’t think for a second that I’m agreeing to marry you," she called over her shoulder as she left. "Never! Not even in my dreams."
Lucian watched her go, a faint smile playing on his lips as he followed her at a leisurely pace. She descended the stairs quickly, holding her long dress in both hands as if fleeing a demon.
He didn’t take his eyes off her for a mont, as though she might vanish if he looked away. To him, she was the most captivating sight—no matter what she did or said, he could go on watching her endlessly in silence.
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