Chapter 3 The Man I Slept With Before I Ran

I was still standing in the middle of the room when the door opened. I didn't hear footsteps. I didn't hear a knock. I only felt the air change. Lucien walked in like he owned not just the room, but the silence inside it. His suit jacket was gone now, his sleeves rolled up slightly, exposing his wristwatch that gleamed under the soft lighting. His eyes moved slowly, taking in the space, the bed, the mirror... and then me. His gaze lingered. Too long. His lips curved, just barely, as if a private thought had crossed his mind.

"So," he said quietly, closing the door behind him, "this is where you'll be staying." My shoulders stiffened. "You didn't even care to knock." "I don't need to," he replied. He stepped closer. Not rushed. Not aggressive. Controlled. Every step felt measured, like he was giving me time to react... or freeze. His eyes softened in a way that made my stomach turn. It wasn't kindness. It was recognition. A sound escaped him. Low. Almost a breath. "I can finally have you again." The words hit me like cold water. "Again?" I echoed, my voice thin. He didn't answer. He reached out instead. I flinched before his fingers even touched me. His hand brushed my arm, slow and deliberate, as if he was confirming something he already knew. My skin prickled under the contact. My heart began to race. "Relax," he murmured. "You're my wife now." "I...." My voice caught. "This isn't part of the agreement." Lucien's fingers stilled. He tilted his head slightly, studying my face. "If you expect an heir," he said calmly, "do you expect it to fall from the sky?" My breath hitched. As he stepped closer, his presence swallowed the space between us. His hand moved again, this time resting at my waist, possessive without being rough. Fear crept up my spine. "So this is how it starts?" I whispered. "Just like that?" He smiled faintly. "There's no point pretending otherwise." His touch lingered, and suddenly... My body remembered. The room tilted. The mansion faded. And the past came rushing back. ⭐️Flashback⭐️ The night smelled like alcohol and regret. I had walked into the club wearing a dress I shouldn't have bought, my engagement ring heavy on my finger like an accusation. Music thumped through my chest as I pushed my way to the bar and ordered tequila. One shot. Then another. I didn't want to think. I didn't want to feel. All I could see was Chase's wheelchair. His forced smile. The way guilt wrapped around my chest every time I imagined a future that felt more like a sentence than a promise. I loved him. But love didn't stop the fear. That was when I noticed him. Silver hair. Broad shoulders. Sitting alone at the table across from mine, untouched drink in front of him. He didn't smile. Didn't flirt. Didn't even look like he belonged there. He looked... broken. Our eyes met once. Then again. I shouldn't have stared. He stood. Then walked towards me. "Drink with me," he said, his voice low, tired. "Tonight is... difficult." I should have said no. Instead, I nodded. We drank in silence. Tequila burned. The music blurred. And the more I looked at him, the more my mind betrayed me. He looked like Chase. Not exactly....but close enough. Stronger. Richer. Whole. A version of the man I loved without the weight of sacrifice. When his hand brushed mine, I didn't pull away. When he leaned closer, I followed. When he whispered something I couldn't hear over the music, I let him lead me. The room after that was quiet. Dim. Private. His touch was familiar, confident, and overwhelming. And then.... Nothing. I woke up alone. My body ached. My head pounded. The bed beside me was empty. No face. No name. No goodbye. Just pain between my thighs... and shame in my chest. That was the night I decided to run. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Ophelia." The present snapped back into place. Lucien stood in front of me, his hand still at my waist, his eyes watching my face closely. I pushed him back. Hard. "You," I breathed. "It was you." He didn't stumble. Didn't look surprised. Understanding crossed his face slowly... then satisfaction. "So you remember." "You took my virginity," I said, my voice shaking. "And you left before I woke up. You didn't even apologize." Lucien stepped forward again, unfazed. "You walked into me," he replied calmly. "And you walked away just fine." "I was drunk." "So was I." "That doesn't make it right." "It makes it mutual." I shook my head, backing away until the bed hit the back of my knees. "You trapped me," I said. "You knew exactly who I was, the moment you saw me again." "Yes," he admitted. "And now we're legally bound." My chest tightened. "You can't just touch me whenever you want." Lucien leaned in, his voice dropping. "You signed a contract," he said. "For three years." "And after that?" His lips brushed my ear. My cheeks burned red. "If you give me an heir," he whispered, "you're mine forever." I pulled away sharply. "That wasn't what I agreed to." "You agreed to bear my child." "And if I don't?" His eyes hardened. "Then you breach the contract." The words settled heavily between us. "You can't push me away," he continued. "Not anymore. This arrangement protects you. Feeds you. Elevates you, that's quite fair you know." I felt sick. "You don't own me." Lucien straightened, adjusting his cuffs. "Not yet," he said coolly. "But you will understand your position soon enough." He turned toward the door, pausing once more. "Rest," he added. "Your new life begins tomorrow." The door closed behind him. I sank onto the bed, my hands shaking. The room felt too big. Too quiet. The past had found me. And it was wearing my husband's name. The room felt colder after he left, like the walls had shifted closer without moving an inch. I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly aware of how large the bed was, how unfamiliar everything smelled of polished wood, expensive cologne, and control. My reflection stared back at me from the mirror across the room. The woman in silk and diamonds looked untouched, composed. But inside, I was spiraling. This was not how I imagined survival. I had signed for safety, for stability, not to be claimed like a prize already won. Not to have my past circle back and trap me in its teeth. My phone buzzed softly on the bedside table. A message from Tessa lit up the screen. You okay? I stared at it for a long moment, then turned the phone face down. Because I didn't know how to explain that I had just realized something terrifying... I hadn't escaped my past. I had married it.