Cercei’s POV


    He brought me to a small seaside restaurant, affording us an enchanting sight of the boundless ocean. The locals, captivated by his presence, simply couldn’t avert their gaze. One can hardly me them.


    Despite my enduring hostility towards him,  I must admit that he is undeniably attractive. In fact, he represents aplete opposite in terms of appearance. His brown hair perfectly matches his fair skin. He is tall and slender, attracting attention wherever he goes. Moreover, his mysterious andmanding presence radiates a strong sense of power and authority.


    As our food arrived, we began a silent meal. I couldn’t muster the courage to look at him, but he kept stealing quick nces at me.


    A surge of profound difort courses through me. Here I am, partaking in a seaside lunch with my arch-nemesis on anguid Sunday.


    “How are you?” he interjects suddenly.


    Really, you have the audacity to inquire? My inner demon shrieks within, but I suppress it with silent restraint.


    “Terrible!” I retorted. He takes an awkward sip from his drink.


    As if the ambiance weren’t awkward enough, I managed to deepen it further. Bravo.


    “I apologise for what happened,” he blurts out unexpectedly, his toneced with remorse.


    “Yes, well, it’s already happened,” I mutter without casting a nce in his direction.


    “How is your mother?” I finally turn my gaze towards him upon hearing his inquiry. What’s with this line of questioning? Are we on a date? This is obviously not a date.


    “She’s fine,” I responded curtly. I only consented to apany him because, either way, he wouldn’t leave me in peace.


    “Do you prefer this city?”


    “Yes.”


    My curt replies caught his attention, prompting him to refrain from further questioning. Now, I can’t help but feel a pang of guilt. Being rude is not my usual demeanour.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    “Why are you here?” I mustered the courage to break the oppressive silence. It seemed fitting that I asked instead of being interrogated. Besides, my inquiries held greater relevance.


    “I have a project here,” he replied softly. My eyes narrowed in suspicion. This city may be sizable, but not to the extent where he would have a project. He is the alpha of one of the world’s strongest and most influential packs. Not to mention his billion-dorpany. What could he possibly gain from being here?


    “That’s a lie!” I dere frankly, challenging his deception.


    He remained silent and continued to eat.


    “It’s not. I’m here to lend a hand,” he responded calmly.


    “Help with what?” I arched an eyebrow.


    “The orphanage.”


    “Since when?” My curiosity was piqued, seeking the truth behind his im.


    “Since you asked,” he retorted, taking another sip of his drink. All these inquiries seemed to lead us nowhere.


    “I hate liars,” I firmly stated. He gazed at me, gauging my emotions.


    Eventually, he let out a sigh.


    “Very well, I’ll show you,” he finally conceded, sensing my doubt.


    I had my doubts about his ims, and it became increasingly apparent that he was indeed lying. The orphanage? Yeah, right. I may not know him well, but I could sense that he couldn’t care less about societal issues. Besides, he had enough problems of his own to deal with.


    After we finished our lunch, we made our way to the supposed orphanage he had mentioned. I struggled to contain myughter, knowing full well that he waspletely clueless. I watched as he discreetly Googled the nearest orphanage to our location. I shook my head in disbelief.


    Upon our arrival, my amusement faded when I witnessed the sight of the little children ying. Their joy and innocence tugged at my heart, and I couldn’t help but smile. I only wished that life wouldn’t strip them of their happiness.


    As we entered, we were warmly greeted by an elderly woman who guided us to a nun called Sister Flora. She appeared kind and amiable in her fifties.


    “What can we do for you?” she asked, her gentle voice filling the room.


    Lucian looked at me, clearly uncertain about how to respond to the nun before him. I met his gaze, silently urging him to stand by his earlier im.


    “I’m here to, uh, help?” he stuttered, clearly fumbling. I struggled to suppress myughter, desperately trying to maintain aposed expression. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as witnessing liars get their retribution.


    “I’m sorry?” the nun responded, perplexed by his vague answer.


    “I’m here to help the, uh, children,” he gestured towards the kids ying outside, their forms visible through the office window.


    “Oh, that’s a truly kind offer. Thank you so much for your generosity,” Sister Flora expressed her gratitude, her eyes lighting up with joy.


    “How much?” he asked bluntly. The nun chuckled awkwardly, taken aback by his seemingly transactional approach.


    “That usually depends on the donor. However, we host events here, selling paintings and projects created by the children to raise funds. If you’d like, you’re more than wee to attend. It would bring immense happiness to the children,” the nun informed us, her voice carrying a hopeful tone.


    “Yeah, Lucian, I know how much you adore children,” I decided to torment him, enjoying the opportunity. Sister Flora looked at him with hopeful eyes, awaiting his response. I could see him struggling to decline.


    “Sure, we’ll be there. My wife has been searching for some artwork to adorn our home,” he said cheerfully, casting a nce in my direction. My yful smugness quickly transformed into a resentful re. Now, it was Lucian who was grinning like a fool. He wrapped his arm around my waist, disying a false sense of affection. I forced a fake smile towards the nun, who regarded us with adoring eyes.


    “We look forward to seeing you both. It will be fun!” she eximed, brimming with excitement. I could only nod and force another smile, concealing my bubbling resentment.


    After Sister Flora provided us with the event details, I felt an overwhelming urge to hurl a table at Lucian’s smug face. Only he had the power to incite such violent tendencies within me.


    “You jerk!” I jabbed his chest with a forceful punch as soon as we left Sister Flora’s office.


    “What?” he feigned innocence, wearing a mask of obliviousness.


    “Why would you lie to a nun like that?” I confronted him without hesitation. I knew he was deliberately trying to push my buttons, but deceiving a nun was deeply disturbing.


    “It’s not a lie, more like a prediction,” he smirked mischievously.


    “More like a delusion!” I retorted with a smirk of my own, striding towards the exit.


    “Wait and see,” he teased.


    “You’re so full of yourself,” I scoffed, increasing my pace and leaving him behind. I longed to spend a bit more time interacting with the children, but it was their prayer time, and disturbing them would be inappropriate.


    Children have always held a special ce in my heart. I’m not sure why, as most people aren’t particrly fond of them. Perhaps it’s their innocence, their naivety, and their boundless enthusiasm. They have yet to experience the world’s harsh realities, and their hearts and minds remain pure. Their thoughts and emotions are genuine, not to mention their tiny fingers and adorable faces.


    In the bounds of the mansion, I only had the opportunity to interact with children if there were guests with little ones.


    I’m genuinely d that Lucian has chosen to extend a helping hand to these kids, regardless of his ulterior motives. I understand why these children find themselves in an orphanage; it’s because theyck a family to care for and love them.


    It’s undeniably heartbreaking, especially since they are the ones who deserve love and care the most.