RED EYES

Chapter 33

Lucian POV:

Bella dashed to her room without saying another word, her thoughts clearly consumed by her father. "You should go with her," I urged her friend, who nodded understandingly and hurried after Bella. Left alone, I continued to eat, my mind occupied with discussions of Kingdom matters.

From what I had observed, Luths was a good king, and his subjects' attendance at his funeral was proof of their respect and admiration. These people are content, not greedy for power, simply happy with their lives. Am I on the wrong path?

Once I finished my meal, I ascended the stairs to Bella's room. Entering, I found her transformed, a smile gracing her lips as she stood before the dresser in a pink dress, admiring her reflection.

"How is it?" her friend asked, Bella's eyes sparkling. Glancing at her, I couldn't deny she looked stunning in that dress.

"Jessica, it's so beautiful, I loved it, thank you so much," Bella said as she hugged the girl.

"I accidentally made the neckline a bit too deep, but you can use it to seduce King Lucian," Jessica said with a mischievous grin. I turned to look more closely. It was indeed deeper than expected, revealing her cleavage. My heart skipped a beat, and I found myself unable to tear my gaze away.

The girl's comment made my pulse quicken. Bella's blush was evident as she threw something playfully at Jessica, who quickly fled, Bella in hot pursuit.

"Shut up! What are you saying?" Bella's face flushed as she chased after her friend, who ran off laughing.

Mate looks shy, I thought.

"Well, you're right. You don't even need this dress. Just a smile from you is enough to drive him crazy," Jessica said.

I nodded, agreeing with her observation. Indeed, Bella's mere presence had a mesmerizing effect on me.

"When I catch you, I'll smack you in the head to bring some sense into it," she declared, her voice laced with frustration and fury.

Meanwhile, a young girl, caught in the crossfire of Bella's wrath, was fleeing for safety. "I know, that's why I'm running," she gasped, her breath ragged as she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening in panic.

Unbeknownst to her, her escape route led straight towards me. With a sudden collision, she crashed into my chest, tumbling to the ground with a yelp of pain.

"Ow," she cried, rubbing her head where it had struck mine, her expression a mix of surprise and embarrassment. As she looked up, her eyes met mine, and she stammered, "I... I am sorry, kin..king. I was... not seeing p..pro..perly."

Despite her nervousness, I found myself starting to like this girl, at least she was inadvertently bringing Bella closer to me.

"It's okay, leave," I said gently, motioning for her to go. She scurried away, head down, leaving me to turn my attention to Bella.

Approaching her, I couldn't help but admire her beauty. "You looked so adorable in this dress, love," I remarked, appreciating the sight of her.

"Is it?" she asked, twirling to show off the garment, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

"Yes," I replied, closing the distance between us and cupping her cheek, feeling the softness of her skin beneath my touch. "You are truly a beautiful thing that has happened to me."

With tenderness, I leaned in to kiss her, savoring the sweetness of her lips. But she remained still, not returning the kiss, so I settled for a gentle peck on her forehead.