Real Heiress: Flash Marriage With Boyfriend's Uncle - Chapter 326

Chapter 326: Four years, huh?
Due to severe weather conditions, Lucius and his companions were unable to return to Italy that night. A dense fog had settled in, making it impossible for the pilot to safely navigate the plane. Left with no other choice, they decided to stay the night in Russia at Varya Sokolov’s residence.

Outside, beneath the dark expanse of the sky, Luca retrieved a cigarette from his pocket, placing it between his lips.

He patted his coat in search of a lighter, but before he could find it, a flicker of light illuminated the space between them. A steady hand had already ignited a flame for him.

“Thanks,” Luca murmured as he inhaled deeply, watching Lucius lower his hand.

“Do you want one?” he asked, offering a cigarette in return.

Lucius shook his head. “No, thanks. I quit a long time ago.”

Luca nodded, exhaling a stream of smoke into the night. His eyes followed the curling tendrils as they disappeared into the cold air. Above them, the sky was darkening even further as thick clouds gathered ominously.

“You think it’ll rain?” he asked.

Lucius glanced up but gave a noncommittal shrug. “No idea.”

Luca took another drag, the tip of his cigarette glowing faintly in the dimness. “Feels like it,” he mused. After a brief silence, his voice took on a more thoughtful tone. “You’ve had a rough life. It’s good to see you didn’t end up like the rest of them.”

Lucius let out a short, humorless chuckle. “But I killed them, didn’t I? You saw it yourself.”

“Yeah,” Luca acknowledged, tilting his head slightly. “But I wouldn’t count that as a crime. They had it coming.”

Lucius turned to him, curiosity flickering in his gaze. “Why did you leave your job?”

Luca exhaled slowly before answering. “I knew it was time. I took that job to take down Tsar and Vladimir Romanov. But the way things were handled—the lack of real effort in interrogating Tsar—pissed me off. It felt like they weren’t truly after justice, just putting on a show. So, I resigned,” he explained.

Bringing the cigarette back to his lips, he took another slow drag before adding with a small smirk, “Besides, I think I’ve earned the right to enjoy life. I spent years chasing shadows. Now, I should do something for myself, living for myself.”

Lucius hummed in response, tucking his hands into his pockets. After a moment, he spoke again. “What about your family? How did they die? If you don’t mind telling me… I’d like to know.”

Luca fell silent, staring into the distance. The orange glow of his cigarette flared briefly as he took a deep pull.

“My family…” he murmured. “They died in a fire.” His fingers tightened around the cigarette as he continued. “I wasn’t home that night. I was away at boarding school. When I found out what happened, I knew it wasn’t just an accident. My grandfather had a history—he was involved in things, dangerous mafia things. And somehow, that past caught up with us.”

He paused, inhaling sharply. “At first, I thought it was just another enemy settling old scores. But I never expected the ones responsible to be the Russian Mafia. So, I joined the special forces and became a secret agent. While living in Russia, I found out Vladimir Romanov was the one behind that attack, but I was unable to track his place. I am glad you burned them alive and give justice to hundreds of the others who suffered because of them.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Layla and your help,” Lucius admitted, a small smile forming on his lips.

“Honestly, I had already given up on ending them like this. I was ready to walk away—to leave Layla forever—just to keep her safe. But in the end, she fought. She laid out a plan with you to take down Tsar, and because of that, we succeeded.”

Luca leaned back slightly, inhaling deeply before exhaling a slow puff of smoke. “That side of Layla truly surprised me,” he admitted.

“She wasn’t like this when I first met her. Even in the times we used to see each other, she was always quiet, withdrawn. The way her family treated her shaped her into someone who kept to herself. But now…” His lips curled into a slow smile. “Seeing her so strong after all these years—it made me proud of her.”

He paused for a moment before turning to Lucius, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “How did you meet her?” he asked. “Layla doesn’t seem like the type to be drawn to violence. So how did she end up marrying a mafia boss?”

Lucius let out a quiet chuckle, the memory surfacing in his mind. “The day I buried Matteo, on my way back from the graveyard, I ran into Layla,” he began.

His voice softened slightly as he recalled the encounter. “She saw me unknowingly hurt a kid and wasted no time lecturing me about it. At first, I was taken aback. No one had ever spoken to me like that before. But then…” He exhaled, his smile growing faintly. “She saw the bruises on my face, and just like that, her tone changed. The anger melted away, replaced by something gentler and it was concern.”

Lucius glanced at Luca. “I fell for her at first sight. And after that day, I waited four years—until she graduated from university—before making my move.”

Luca listened, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. “Four years, huh?” he mused. “That’s a long time to wait for someone.”

“It was worth it,” Lucius responded without hesitation.

“Hmm. You have provided her a life which she always yearned for,” Luca remarked.

“I was into mafia work because I wanted to find out who killed my brother and my friend. I will now withdraw myself from it,” Lucius stated with a smile. “I don’t want anyone around me to get hurt, especially Layla. I promised this to myself a long time ago,” he asserted.