CRUEL INTENTIONS

Chapter 17

Sorrow, pain and guilt. So many emotions swirled in Lucius'blue eyes. Her heart ached at the sight in front of her. Maybe she should not have asked that question.

"My mom is dead... And my dad... I killed him" He replied with a stoic expression yet the pain in his eyes was clearly visible. He killed his own dad... He had no parents.. He had no one left.. She knew the feeling of loneliness. She felt it her whole life despite having parents.

"When did you lose your mom?" She asked with a soft voice hoping the answer would not make her heart cry.

Lucius closed his eyes instantly and inhaled softly. "My Mom died... Just after I graduated" He replied with a bitter chuckle. "My past is painful little flower. It's a past that haunted me for years until I found you" He added with a soft voice finally opening his eyes to look at her.

"It's okay... If you don't want to talk about it.. I understand" She replied staring at him with a gentle gaze. She felt like his past was something terrible and she did not know if she was really ready to hear it or if he was ready to open up about it. Her heart was already slowly breaking apart with the pain in his voice.

"No.. I'll tell you" Lucius said exhaling deeply.

"My parents were in an arranged marriage and they seemed to be happy together especially after I was born but then at the age of 13, my father started gambling and soon the debts increased and he had no more money to gamble... So.. He...He sold my mom and me" Lucius said making her heart drop. Oh my god.. That was a horrible act to do. How could a father do that to his own family?

"He sold us to a mafia and my mom and I became slaves but then one day the mafia raised his hand on my mom... I was scared and I wanted to save her... So I grabbed his gun and shot him again and again" Lucius said with a heavy sigh. He had definitely suffered a lot. Going through all this at a young age must have destroyed him. He did not want to be a criminal..He was forced to because of the circumstances. She felt her eyes burn with unshed tears at the thought of his misery.

"My mom and I then ran from there. And she did her best to raise me, she worked multiple jobs and paid for my studies. I worked hard my whole life, took part time jobs to help her and gave my best at school because I wanted to give her a better home where she could be happy" Lucius said his eyes turning teary.

"But then when I graduated, she died the next day and I learnt she had cancer and hid it from me. Even if she had cancer, she never once stopped working and always did everything she could so that I lacked nothing. She paid for my studies instead of her treatment.. " Lucius said in a croak voice. Her tears finally fell with his words. It must have hurt him so much. Imagine working so hard for your mom and just when you finally succeeded, she dies and leaves you alone here. Your world would crumble apart for sure.

"I felt guilty since then... I felt sad and broken and I wondered that maybe if I knew or if I graduated earlier I could have paid for her treatments and save her"Lucius whispered softly and she could not take it anymore. She stood up, went towards him and hugged him tightly.

He immediately hugged her back and pulled her on his lap holding her close to him. She heard him exhale shakily before continuing "I then worked harder and I reached to the top. I did illegal things and killed people to reach there but as soon as I became filthy rich. I invested my money in hospitals and paid for cancer treatments of poor people"

She hugged him tighter than ever in response. He was not a bad person. He was just someone who went through terrible sufferings at a young age and had his mom taken away from him just when he was ready to give her everything.

"Then my bastard of a father came to me. He pretended to care for me all of a sudden but all he wanted was my money. And I killed him. I tortured him and killed him because maybe if he did not sold us. Maybe if my mom did not overwork for me, she would still be alive to this day"Lucius said, his voice filled with pain, regret and anger.

She pulled slightly away from him to look in his eyes. Her heart throb painfully at the sight in front of her. His blue eyes were teary and red." I was lonely, lost and broken. All the light in my life was gone the moment I lost my mom. I was lost in my sorrow that day... On my mom's birthday... but then I saw you and I felt my heartbeat after so long. I knew you were meant for me. You became my beacon of hope, light and peace" Lucius whispered looking up into her eyes fondly before wiping her tears that was still flowing freely.

Everything fit in now. That's why he was so caring, loving and protective towards her. She had brought light into his dark heart. She had brought him back to life. He was just a cold shell after his mom's death. He helped others and saved people from cancer yes but his heart remained like a hole, dark and empty. And she was the one who filled it once again.

"You.. You are not a bad person and none of it is your fault" She whispered softy and held his face in her hands. "I see the kindness, love and sweet soul deep inside you. It's just buried under the darkness" She said caressing his cheek gently. Good lord, she could never hate that man especially not after knowing his past. If he needed the dark in his heart to protect him... If he needed to be cold to not feel pain then she would be there to be his light and guide him through this world. She would provide warmth to his soul.