Aisha couldn't be mistaken. It was the small bakery she always goes when they visited here in Country F for a Christmas vacation.
She remembers that it was filled with delicious smelling pastries, and the owner, which was named Luce, was a sweet and gentle woman who treated her as a daughter of her own.
This place was once her fairy tale-like place filled with gentle and bright atmostphere that their manor back in Country N lacks of.
However, looking at the run down bakery, which looked like was about to fall any moment now, and the once colorful, bright, and beautiful lettering of the bakery's name, now with some missing letters. The gloomy atmosphere seems so far away from the ones in her memory.
But what happened? She clearly made sure that the famiglia dominating this place will take care of the bakery and Luce. Why did it become like this?
And her childhood friend... her first friend... was Lucian all along.
"This place," Lucian broken the silence that was lingering between them. His expression was blank as he stares at the bakery in front of him. "It contains happy memories from my childhood, when everything was going well despite not having all these luxurious things and wealth. This place is also where I met the most special person in my life... coincidentally, her name is Ciana. Same as your name... do you happen to know her?" As Lucian asked the last sentence, he turns to Aisha and flash her a dashing smile.
Aisha choke a sob as she jumps towards Lucian, both of her hands are enveloped around his neck, her head is resting in his chest with her ear pressed against where his heart is beating rapidly while Lucian easily catched her and wrapped his arms around her small waist, pulling her even closer to him as he inhaled his intoxicating scent.
"It's you..." Aisha whispered, her voice soft as a drop of tear escaped from her right eye. "It's you... my friend... my childhood friend..." She pulls away to look at him in the eyes and smiles happily.
"Dàmn it! I can't believe it's you all along!" She felt utterly stupid for not knowing it earlier despite all the clues that's been laid out right before her eyes.
She blame it all in his stupidly handsome face! It was all because of this devil-like charm of her that she's unable to think clearly and reduce her high IQ into negative!
With this thought, Aisha pushed all the blame in Lucian's face and even think of skinning his face so that he will turn ugly.
Meanwhile, Lucian resisted the urge to laugh at her curse, not even the slightest clue of what Aisha might do in his sleep. "Yes," he whispers rather seductively in her ear. "I'm Lucian, your childhood friend... your light, my dear Ciana."
Aisha heard his words and her eyes blurred with unshed tears, however, she blinked away her tears and bit her lips. "I'm sorry... I forgot about you."
She really not forgot about that one week moment she had with Luce and Lucian. Not entirely though. It was during that time that Aisha experience the most traumatic and grievance. When Aisha has suffered PTSD, she always had constant flashbacks of what happened that painful night, and she... forced herself to buried her memory in Country F in the deepest part of her brain.
Of course, she didn't entirely forget about it. There was time she will have a dream about her moment with Lucian and Luce, but it was all vague. She only remembers only little details such as the bakery, their names, and the mother and son's distinguished blue eyes.
Moreover, she really wouldn't expect for that limp kid to grew up into a man like Lucian. And by this she meant; domineering, powerful, arrogant and proud, flirty and has a dàmn sweet mouth. From her memories, she remembers him as someone who easily blushed, and made it his hobby to tease the hell out of her, and sometimes playful.
Err... scratched that. He was still playful.
Lucian frowned when he hears her apologize. He lifted his arm off of her waist and carress her cheek. "No need to apoligize. I mean, if we were to go back from the past me, even I will not believe that I will grew up into a one handsome man with a body of a God, right?" Then he send a wink at her.
Aisha rolled her eyes at his remark and playfully slapped his chest. "So cocky."
Lucian grinned mischievously, then his hands went down to her firm butt, lifted her a bit and pressed her pelvis right into his not-so-little little brother.
Aisha naturally felt his hardness and a blush instantly crept into her face. "Lucian!" She almost shouted then raised her fist and aim it at his face.
Lucian blocked her punch with his palm as he laughs inwardly at her adorable expression. "Alright, I'll stop now. No need to be so brutal."
Aisha pursed her lips and rested her head against his chest again, her hands went down around his waist while Lucian was resting his head on top of her head, a small smile was etched on their faces.
They stayed like this for awhile, before Aisha decided to break the silence. "Lucian... what happened back then?"
Immediately, Lucian's body went stiff and the smile on his face disappear. His mood instantly went gloom as his hug tightens.
Aisha notice the changes in his mood and quickly said, "If you don't want to, that's okay with me. You don't have to force yourself to---"
"I want to," Lucian cut her off, his voice are hoarse as he whispers, "I want to tell you everything."
I was about to release this chapter earlier this day but I had a problem with the internet connection (T_T) Because of this I miss the daily updates of my favorite novel. Hmph! (>.<)
Hope you all like this chapter! ♡♡♡
Question: What is/are your most awaited moment for our two MLs?