The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Lucian’s Back

The sound of footsteps crunching on the paved gravel pathway snapped Aeliana out of her melancholy. She looked up sharply to see Lucian striding towards her, his dark cloak billowing behind him. His piercing crimson eyes locked onto hers, and for a brief moment, she felt her heart stop with relief and panic.

“Aeliana,” he called, his voice as smooth and commanding as ever. But before she could respond, he froze, noticing Silvion standing a little too close for comfort.

But before she could act out, he froze, noticing Silvion standing a little too close for comfort. Silvion is unfazed gave a polite nod to Lucian, addressing his presence.

Silvion, unfazed, gave a polite nod to Lucian. “Ah, the Demon Lord graces us with his presence,” he said coolly, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

“What are you doing, cousin? Go!” Aeliana immediately stepped forward making herself known that his presence wasn’t needed.

“Lucian, I know it looks bad but it isn’t what you think it—,” But Lucian cut her off, his tone low and dangerous.

Lucian’s expression hardened as he flicked his gaze between the two. “What are you doing here, cousin?”

Aeliana immediately stepped forward, holding up her hands. “Lucian, this isn’t—”

But Lucian cut her off, his tone low and dangerous. “Shouldn’t you be elsewhere, silver tinkerbell? Somewhere far away, preferably.”

Silvion tilted his head, clearly enjoying the tension. “I was merely keeping Aeliana company. She seemed… upset.”

Lucian’s jaw clenched, and Aeliana could practically feel the heat radiating off him. She quickly moved between them, raising her voice slightly. “Lucian, I swear, it’s nothing. He was just… leaving. Weren’t you, Silvion?”

Silvion opened his mouth to retort, but the sharpness in Aeliana’s glare made him pause. He gave her a theatrical bow, his smile never faltering. “Of course. Anything for my dear cousin.”

Before leaving, Silvion cast Lucian a lingering glance, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Do take care of her, Demon Lord. She’s quite… precious.”

As Silvion disappeared down the path, Lucian’s hands balled into fists at his sides. The bubbling tension in his shoulders didn’t ease even after her cousin who was just another man to him was gone. Aeliana sighed with an itch to pinch the bridge of her nose to stress.

“Lucian, before you say anything—”

“I’m not in the mood for explanations, Princess,” Lucian growled, cutting her off as he stormed past her into the nearby guest chamber.

When she entered the room with him standing by the window, his back turned to her. His fingers gripped the windowsill tightly, his knuckles pale white. “Are you going to explain,” he said with a cold demeanor, “why is your cousin hovering over you like a predator to his precious prey?”

“What happened when I was gone,”

Aeliana followed him, her heart pounding. “Lucian, wait!” Aeliana was both perplexed and wanted Lucian more than ever, and she knew she might not get the chance to say anything if she didn’t say it right now.

Aeliana threw up her hands in exasperation. “He wasn’t doing anything! He’s just… ugh, he’s always been like that. It’s his way of getting under people’s skin!”

Lucian finally turned to face her, his crimson eyes blazing. “And you let him? You let him get that close to you?”

“I didn’t let him, Lucian!” he snapped, her voice practically shouting at him “Why do you think I was trying to do, huh?”

Lucian took a step closer, his expression dark. “If I hadn’t come back, what then? How far would he have pushed you?”

“Aeliana, answer ME!”

Aeliana’s breath hitched. The weight of everything—the kiss, the guilt, the System’s constant interference—threatened to crush her. “Lucian…”

He took another step, his gaze softening slightly.

“Aeliana, don’t hide anything from me. If there’s something I need to know, tell me now.” She tried to open her mouth but words came out as mindless babble. Instead, she shook her head and whispered, “I just…I don’t know how to fix ‘us’, Lucian,”

Lucian can only imagine what she was about to say wasn’t something he should need to know. Not only that, it wasn’t the time to break things off.

He reached out, gently gripping her shoulders. “Then let me help. But I need to know the truth.”

“Fine,” he said, his tone heavy. “You want me to go?

“No! D-don’t go. Please.”

Lucian studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he nodded. “Then start by trusting me, Aeliana. That’s all I ask.”

“It was something I couldn’t ignore.”

Aeliana blinked, processing his words. Despite the pain of his sudden departure, she could see the weight of responsibility behind his decision. “But… don’t leave me like that again. If something comes up, bring me along next time. Okay?”

Lucian’s lips curved into a faint smirk, and a rare warmth flickered in his crimson eyes. ”

You’re already a handful here.”

Aeliana swatted his hand away, though a soft laugh escaped her. “I’m serious, Lucian,” she said, though her cheeks flushed slightly at his touch. “If we’re supposed to face the future together, then that means together. No more sneaking off or leaving me behind.”

His smirk softened into a genuine smile, and he nodded. “Fair enough. You’ve got a point.”

“I never intended to hurt you,” Lucian admitted quietly. “I thought I was protecting you by keeping you out of certain… matters. But I see now that I was wrong.”

Aeliana gave him a small, reassuring smile. ”

Lucian leaned forward slightly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You’re right, Princess. I’ll bring you with me.”

She felt her heart flutter like butterflies in her stomach at his sincerity, and the corner of her lips tugged into a playful grin. “Good,” she replied. “Because if you try to leave me again, I might just hunt you down myself.”

Lucian chuckled, his deep voice reverberating in the room. “Noted. I wouldn’t dare test your resolve.”

The moment hung between them, filled with a new understanding and a shared determination to move forward as partners.