The yacht's engine purred softly as the vessel moved away from the coast, leaving behind the waves breaking on the beach. Lucian watched Eliza from a distance, her figure silhouetted against the horizon, motionless like a marble statue. The wind played with her golden hair and the beautiful dress he had just given her, and for a moment, he felt something he dared not name. Something that wasn't part of the plan and needed to be discarded.
"What are you doing, Lucian?" Luca's voice echoed in his mind, deep and mocking, a constant reminder of his purpose.
Lucian clenched his teeth and closed his eyes, trying to silence that part of himself that had been questioning his every move lately. But Luca wouldn't stop; he never did.
"Are you going soft? Don't tell me that look you're giving her is anything more than strategy," Luca continued, his tone drenched in sarcasm. "You can't fool me."
Lucian breathed deeply, letting the salt air fill his lungs before responding in his mind.
