NOVEL NEXT Chapter 95: Success
"We saw each other yesterday… my name is Ira—"
Lucius raised his hand, cutting the young man off immediately.
His face was calm, but there was no mistaking the annoyance in his eyes.
He leaned back in his chair, one hand still resting on the table beside his empty plate of chicken.
"Let me rephrase that," Lucius said flatly. "I don't know you. So how do we have business?"
The words hit harder than Irael expected.
He froze for a moment, his prepared introduction falling apart.
He had expected to control the conversation, maybe even intimidate Lucius, but now the ground already felt wobbly a bit, but still all this he could handle.
He forced himself to breathe, forcing his anger back down.
"I noticed you've been hanging around with her," Irael said finally, his voice low and serious.
His eyes moved to Esmeralda, who was still eating as if he didn't exist. He didn't know why but he was really annoyed by it.
"I'm warning you for your own good. Stay as far away from her as possible. She's a monster just like what social media says."
Lucius blinked once.
Then, inside, he almost laughed.
'Eh? He came here just to tell me that?' He thought.
Interrupting another man mid-meal because he saw them together?
'Wow. I have to respect the dedication, I guess. That's pure hate.'
"Why?" Lucius asked out loud, his tone careless.
He honestly didn't want to continue the conversation.
He bit into his chicken again, crunching loudly, the sound filling the silence.
"I… I just…" Irael stumbled for a moment.
He clenched his fists, then forced his voice to rise. "Just stay away from her."
Lucius chewed slowly, staring at him.
He didn't need to hear more.
He already understood what this was about.
Normally, he wouldn't waste his time on drama like this.
He wasn't the type to fight another man over a woman, especially in public.
But he could see the desperation in Irael's eyes, and that told him everything.
'Is this a political ploy?'
It was pretty common in the novel, there was no mention of Irael in the novel so did something happen with Esmeralda?
Irael, meanwhile, was fighting to keep calm.
His grandfather's orders had been clear and they were still fresh in his mind.
The mission was simple: get close to Esmeralda which he already was and make her completely dependent on him, earn her trust, tie her down with marriage, and eventually, children.
It wasn't about love.
It was about her power rather.
Her affinity was rare and very unique just like space.
If they couldn't control her directly, they would control her bloodline through a child.
That had been Irael's role his entire life.
To shadow her.
To keep others away.
To make sure she had no one else to turn to. In the party he would have comforted her instead of sparring with her and she would be even closer to him.
It was a plan that had been working until this stranger showed up.
In just a short time, Lucius had undone years of careful isolation.
They even looked like they were coming from a date… All that wasted effort… It made Irael's blood boil.
Lucius leaned back in his chair, his tone was still casual. "You know… just because you told me not to, I think I'll keep talking to her."
The smile that followed wasn't friendly.
Irael's face darkened.
He glared at Lucius for one more second, then turned sharply and walked away, his boots striking the floor harder than necessary.
His fists were still clenched.
'Fine,' he thought bitterly. 'I'll just tell Grandfather. He's in the council so he'll deal with him.'
…
"Sorry about that," Esmeralda said after they left the restaurant.
The sun was warm, spilling across the street.
Her hands were tucked behind her back as she walked.
She didn't look like the confident girl from last night at all.
"Irael just acts like that sometimes," she added. Her voice was soft, as if she was embarrassed by the whole scene.
Lucius stretched and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't look angry. If anything, he looked bored.
"I wonder why you let him hang around," Lucius said.
Esmeralda opened her mouth, hesitated, then said, "He's my childhoo—"
Lucius cut her off. "I don't know if you've noticed, but he's planning something. People don't just watch you like a stalker for fun. He doesn't want to protect you. He looks like he wants to keep you in a box."
His words were blunt, maybe even harsh, but he meant them.
Esmeralda bit her lip.
Tinny had said almost the same thing before… it was like hearing Tinny nag her all over again.
She hadn't wanted to believe it then after all they played during childhood but was there much to not believe? He didn't approach her but he stood up to Lucius like this because they were eating together?
"I—" she started, but her voice faltered.
Before she could say more, Lucius's phone rang. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and sighed.
"Well," he said, slipping the phone back into his pocket, "thanks for today. Watching a movie with you was fun, Esme."
He reached out and, without thinking too much about it, patted her head gently.
The gesture left her frozen in place, her eyes blank.
"Later."
And just like that, he was gone.
He didn't wait for her reply.
Within seconds, the crowd swallowed him up, and she was left standing on the street by herself.
Esmeralda stared at the spot where he'd disappeared, her lips parted as if she still wanted to say something.
Slowly, her hands clenched into fists behind her back. Then, just as slowly, a smile spread across her face.
'At least he didn't say he didn't want to hang out again,' she thought. Relief rushed through her chest, pushing the earlier tension away.
She felt a sudden urge to pump her fist in the air, to shout in victory and to celebrate like a child.
Today was a success.