MasukHello, everyone. It's been seven whole days since I updated a single chapter. I've been sick and trying to recover at the hospital. I really thought about you guys but what can I do but to wish I recovered quickly? Well, I'm back and I'll be dropping three long chapters today. Two would drop simultaneously, while the third would drop before 9pm today. I added a new chat dialogue style. Hope you'll like it. I left at 1.3k viewers. Thank you to the 100 extra viewers. Also, loves, remember to like, comment, share, unlock chapters, gift and support me. (It's been slowing down a bit) Xoxo, Aveline K.
EZRAN’S POVI woke up to sunlight, the dull ache radiating from my lower back, and the distinct, horrifying realization that I could not move my legs without wincing.“Oh my God,” I groaned into the pillow. “Oh my actual God.”A low chuckle sounded from somewhere beside me, and I turned my head just enough to glare at Lucian, who was propped up on one elbow, looking undoubtedly well-rested and pleased with himself.“Good morning, little sweetheart” he said.“Hmm.” I stifled an answer.“Are you… okay?” He asked as his gaze moved from my face, downwards to the sheets.“No idea,” I shrugged. “I might actually need a wheelchair.”“I did warn you.”“You didn’t warn me it would feel like this.”He laughed properly then, reaching over to brush my sticky and messy curls away from my face, his expression softening into something far gentler than the smugness from a moment ago. “How are you feeling? Actually feeling, not the exaggerated version.”I considered the question honestly, shifting sl
EZRAN’S POV The air seemed to tense as I locked gazes with Lucian.“Ezran, I can’t…” his voice trailed off.My eyes dimmed slightly and I raised my voice a bit louder. “You can’t or you don’t want to.”“I want to, but—”“Then no buts.”His eyes fixed on mine deeper as if he were trying to search for answers in my eyes.“Are you sure you want this?” he asked, taking slow strides toward me.“Mhm,” I nodded.“Are you scared?”“No.” I mumbled, my eyes dancing on the marble floor.God, I was scared but I didn’t want to show it. What if he was too large? What if I couldn’t walk after tomorrow? What if mom found out I was screwing her stepson?“Little sweetheart,” Lucian called as he stood right in front of me, stroking my head. “I can smell the fear in you.”Damn. He caught me—like always.“Are you that nervous?”I nodded and bit my bottom lip. He smiled softly and lifted my chin up, kissing me hard.Gawwwwd! I could feel butterflies dancing in my belly. Lucian Banks was kissing me—no, he
LUCIAN’S POVThe truth was, I hadn’t needed a minute that night. I’d need considerably longer than that.I stood in the cold shower for nearly twenty minutes after leaving Ezran downstairs, my breath ragged, as I tried to will my body back into some semblance of control. It had been a single kiss. A single, unhurried and achingly soft kiss, and somehow it had undone the composure I’d spent years perfecting.Ezran had that effect on me. He always had, since the very first time he snapped at me in that hallway, chin raised, eyes blazing with a defiance that shouldn’t have been attractive and yet completely was.I wasn’t proud of fleeing up the stairs like some inexperienced teenager, but I also wasn’t entirely ashamed of it either. Ezran wasn’t ready, at least, not yet, and the last thing I intended to do was rush him toward something he needed to arrive at on his own terms, at his own pace.Even if my own restraint was rapidly becoming a genuine inconvenience.….The flight to Russia
EZRAN’S POVI woke up on the bed, a blanket tucked snugly around me that I definitely hadn’t put there myself.Sunlight spilled softly through the curtains, and for a moment, I just lay there, replaying the night before in my head—the kiss, Lucian’s hand on my waist and the way his voice had gone rough and strained right before he all but sprinted up the stairs like the building was on fire.Did I really do that to him?The thought sent a ridiculous, giddy warmth curling through my chest, and I had to bury my face into the pillow to muffle the sound I made.A soft knock tapped on the door and I quickly composed myself, sitting up just as Lucian stepped into the room, two mugs in hand, looking dashingly handsome in a white t-shirt.“Morning coffee,” he said, setting a mug down in front of me.“Thank you.” I answered perfunctorily as I studied him carefully, searching for any trace of last night’s reaction. There was none. Just his usual calm, composed expression, hair neatly combed, n
LUCIAN’S POVA huge smile spread on my face and I answered without hesitation, ignoring the way Janine stared at me.“Hey, baby,” I said, my voice dropping into something warmer, gentler and entirely unrecognizable compared to the tone I’d used thirty seconds earlier.The entire boardroom had gone dead silent, a dozen pairs of eyes locked onto me with a mixture of confusion and barely contained curiosity.Ezran’s voice came through, hushed and a little rushed. “Are you busy? Erik said you’ll probably still be at work, so I shouldn’t call.”“That’s not a problem.” I glanced briefly at the frozen boardroom, unbothered by the audience. “What is it?”“I…” his voice paused slightly. “I wanted to see you.”“See me?” I smiled again.“Hmm. I wanted to sleep over, so I told mom I would be staying at Erik’s.”Ezran wanted to sleep over? At my place? My shy little sweetheart was gradually becoming bolder than ever.“You want to sleep over? That’s not a problem. I’ll be waiting for you when you
EZRAN’S POVSunday service ended a little past noon, and the walk back to the car was filled with Jeanne’s running commentary on how the pastor’s sermon had been boring and too long.“Mom,” I said, cutting into her rant as we climbed into the car. “I’m sleeping over at Erik’s tomorrow night.”Mom raised a brow from the front seat. “Again? Didn’t you just see him on Friday?”“We are rounding up with exams soon. It’s easier if we do some midnight reading together from his place.”It wasn’t entirely a lie. Erik and I did agree to read together for our last papers, but I just wasn’t planning on spending the night doing it with him.“Alright,” Mom said, though her eyes lingered on me a second too long in the rearview mirror. “Tell Auntie Lexi I said hello and I’ll stop by very soon.”Stop by very soon? As if.I forced a small smile on my face. “I will.”….Immediately we got home, Jeanne pulled me out of the car and into the house, through the hallway with a mischievous smirk.“Where were y
@lucian.banks_paragon followed you back.My eyes widened and I covered my mouth to prevent myself from screaming out.Another notification popped in and I almost passed out.@lucian.banks_paragon sent you a message.Lucian: Go to bed, kiddo. It's way past your bedtime.I blinked repeatedly as I sta
Days moved faster than I thought and soon, it was weekend. I sat on my reading table, my fingers resting on the cursor of my laptop.I can't believe I've spent one week in a strange house. I was already bored to death.A thought nudged at the back of my mind and I shook it off frantically.Slowly,
The table fell into silence. Mom's eyes were pleading with me, Jenna was staring at her brother and Charlyn and Robert seemed unfazed by whatever we were doing.“What the fuck did you just call me?” I asked again, rage seeping slowly through me.“A selective brat. You have any issues with that?”G
The wedding dragged to an end and I heaved out in relief. Dragging my already tired limbs out of the hall, I dialed my best friend’s digits via video call.“Yo, Ez.” Erik’s caramel skin glowed as his face appeared on the screen. “Happy married life to you.”The heck?“My mom got married, not me.” I







