Chapter 14 – Surreal Encounter

There was only one person in the entire world who had those eyes. It had been on the cover of the Hwangwisa’s main volume, which she had read countless times before the transmigration, and on the cover of another specially published paperback.

The man she had hoped to meet was finally right here.. How could she forget?

“Lucius..” she says softly as if his name is something sacred.

Lucius Eyal Rederick is a villain and the man she was destined to marry. Her heart swells with a feeling of fulfillment and she is sated. Her escape through the terrace had been a worthwhile idea. Luck was on her side and she was allowed to meet him before he had left.

A feeling of embarrassment warms her as she looks at him. She would have preferred if he hadn’t seen her like this; he should have seen her when she was perfect, not injured. He must have thought it was weird that someone is stretching their arm into the air though. Lucius opened his eyes wider and clicked his tongue when he saw her.

A look of surprise painted his face. His expression was familiar to her seeing that she had read both the main book and the special edition. Lucius, whose eyes were still open wide, was still startled.

Did I really shock him that much though? It was a bit difficult to make sense of his reaction.

“Do you.. Do you remember me?” he questions as he approaches her.

“Pardon?” Her face is screwed in confusion.

“I heard you lost your memory,” he says softly.

She makes a sound of recognition and softly bows her head.

I see, she thinks, he wasn’t surprised at what I did. He was just surprised because I called out his name.

They had been a couple once but they aren’t anymore. She should be suffering from amnesia. It must be weird for him. She called out without thinking. She hadn’t expected to meet him. She should have been more careful but there was nothing to be done. She smiles awkwardly while he stares.

“I heard we had a guest and I heard someone say it was you,” she explains. She berates herself in her mind because people still wouldn’t address him in such manner. He was mostly known as Duke Rederick or Grand Duke, her excuse was lacking.

Lucius regards her with a suspicious frown and panic seizes her heart. I need to put on a front, she thinks. I need to act like that poor girl with amnesia.

She tries to ignore his peering gaze as she moves her dress to curtsy. “Pardon my late introduction, Your Highness. My name is Tiana Quinn Celeste and I am pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Their eyes connect once more as she raises her head, and she feels as if her heart is ready to leap from her chest.

“Would you like to speak with me some time?”

He makes a weird expression as if to prevent himself from speaking and she mentally frowns at that. The face that she had only read about in books was now right there in front of her and it was as if she knew him.

Lucius was the exact replica of the picture on the book cover of the second volume that she had devoured. She swallows with difficulty because something so perfect was infront of her.

He stares at her with unblinking eyes and speaks with a curious tone. “Are you not going to ignore me?”

“What?” she feigns confusion, “What do you..”

An embarrassed look dominates his face and it seems so out of place. It was like he had never been in such a situation and he had no idea how to act.

She watches as he looks over her head and she breathes easily. She thinks back to the Tiana and Lucius she had seen on the cover of the special edition and she can’t help but wonder why she hated him. No, Tiana despised him.

It was Tiana’s own fault that she hated Lucius that much. She used him and then threw him away like he was nothing because he didn’t conform to her unreasonable expectations. Who would have thought that sweet Tiana could be someone so wicked? And then she turned Lucius into this. She turned him into the villain in the story. Why was his destiny so hideous?

“Do you mind if I stay with you?” he questions softly.

She stays silent and stares at him in contemplation. All she can think is that Tiana was a terrible woman. She treated poor Lucius so terribly and that broke him down until he was insecure.

It didn’t matter that she had lost her memory now, how much did she break him back when she could remember? What unkind words did she whisper in his ear? Were they really lovers?

She mentally shakes her head to clear her thoughts. No, they never had a good conversation until now. Her thoughts from a pit in her belly and guilt consumes her. The person that she is seeing doesn’t fit who Tiana described.

How can a man like this who can barely even look people in the eyes be a villain? The original story got many things wrong.

She watches from her peripheral vision as his finger twitches.

Maybe he couldn’t approach her easily because he was conflicted between wanting to talk and avoiding her. He just winced and shuffled his legs. Lucius had lost his composure and it was evident that he was confused about her behavior.

Relax, her mind whispers. Neither of them speak for a moment and it was as if time had frozen. Tiana watches as yellow petals dance in the wind as she waits for him to speak. She looks away from the petals and looks upon Lucius’ frozen figure. Embarrassment consumes her as she wonders if she has pushed him. “Lucis? Are you alright?”

His silence was the only response given.