Chapter 207: You are not made for this world.

Words : 1341 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

Chapter 207: You are not made for this world. Anne’s throat tightened. Her hands clutched Augustine’s sleeve. "I won’t pretend," she said, her voice quiet but unwavering. "Yes, I’m scared. This place is brutal, bloody. Every bone in my body tells me to run." Lucien chuckled, cold and knowing. "Then listen to it. Weak hearts don’t last here. You are not made for this world. And you are certainly not made for him. Walk away while you still can." "Lucien," Augustine grunted. "That’s enough. You are scaring her." "I’m giving her the truth," Lucien replied without flinching. "This life eats people alive. You know it. If she can’t accept the beast, then she has no business with you. Better she walks now than breaks later. I’m doing you a favor." Lucien’s presence was like a coiled storm—dangerous, unpredictable, the kind that made her skin prickle with instinctual dread. Yet even with fear curling around her spine, Anne couldn’t stay silent. Her fingers trembled, but her voice, when it broke the charged silence, held a defiant clarity. "Who are you to tell me to leave him?" she snapped, her eyes locking with Lucien’s head on. The air stilled. Lucien paused mid-sip, the glass frozen inches from his lips. His silver-pierced brow lifted slowly, a flicker of surprise flashing in his razor-sharp gaze. Anne swallowed but pressed on, her grip on Augustine’s arm tightening with every word. "I may not know every secret of this place, or the weight Augustine has carried through the years. But I know this—he is a man who has built a world from nothing. And even in the darkness around him, he found a way to love me." Lucien smirked as he leaned back into the sofa, watching her now with a deeper interest as if she were something unexpected, an ember that refused to be stamped out. "Yes, I’m afraid. I’d be a fool if I weren’t. But fear doesn’t mean I’ll run. It means I understand the stakes. And I’m still choosing him. It doesn’t matter where he belongs. I don’t care if the world calls him a devil. What matters to me is that he loves me, and I love him." She turned to Augustine, her fingers sliding between his with conviction, grounding herself in the warmth of his touch. "I love the man who holds me when I cry, who listens when I speak, who sees me even when I can’t see myself. I’m not just his wife. I’m a part of him. His better half, his strength. And no one can pull us apart." A hush fell in the room. Lucien stared at her for a long beat. His smirk didn’t return, but there was a subtle shift in his expression. Across from him, Augustine’s chest swelled with pride and affection. Every time Anne declared her loyalty, her love, it fortified him. With her, he felt unstoppable. "This fire..." Lucien finally murmured, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her. "It reminds me of someone—just as bold, just as fearless." A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he downed his drink. "Enough, Lucien," Augustine cut in. "You have tested her spirit enough for one night. We are leaving." He rose from the sofa with a purposeful grace, then extended his hand to Anne. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet. "Leaving me for a woman?" Lucien sneered. "Man, this is why I don’t do the love thing. It pulls brothers apart." Augustine paused, turning slightly. "You are wrong. You say that because you haven’t met the one who sets your world on fire. Love doesn’t divide—it grounds you, humbles you, and still gives you the strength to fight mountains. One day, when it finds you, you’ll understand." With that, he slid his arm around Anne’s waist, holding her close as they exited the private lounge. The heavy door closed behind them. Lucien sat still in the silence, a frown slowly forming as he stared into his empty glass, but something unfamiliar was creeping into his chest. He reached for the bottle and poured himself another drink. "Love?" he muttered bitterly. "That’s not meant for me. Women are nothing but trouble. They make men weak." With a scoff, he brought the glass to his lips and knocked it back in a single gulp. Inside Augustine’s car... Anne sat in silence. Her thoughts spun wildly, trying to process the brutal world hidden beneath that underground fight club—the raw violence, the eerie energy, and most of all, Lucien. His cold, commanding presence lingered in her mind like a shadow she couldn’t shake. There was something about his sharp gaze and quiet power that unsettled her deeply, especially his clear connection to Augustine. As the silence grew thicker, Augustine couldn’t take it any longer. He reached over and gently took her hand. The sudden contact made Anne jump slightly, her eyes snapping to his in alarm. "You okay?" he asked, concern darkening his usually calm expression. She gave a small shake of her head. "I... I don’t know." Augustine pulled her into his arms, holding her close. "Just breathe," he murmured. "I’m here. No one is going to touch you. I won’t let anything happen to you." Anne closed her eyes for a moment, letting the comfort of his arms ground her. "I know. I believe you." Then her tone shifted. Her gaze drifted away, thoughtful. "I’ve been thinking about Lucien." Augustine pulled back slightly to look at her, one brow arching. "Really? Thinking about another man while you are in my arms!" She rolled her eyes and gave him a light pinch on the waist. "Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not flirting. I’m trying to understand." "Mm," he muttered, still not entirely pleased. "Curious, huh?" Anne nodded slowly. "Is he... the boss? The person who helped you in the past?" "Hmm," Augustine hummed softly, followed by a long, heavy sigh. His eyes drifted toward the window, lost in memory. "Back then," he began quietly, "I was barely scraping by. Working multiple part-time jobs just to afford tuition. Rent kept piling up, and one night, the landlord finally threw me out." Anne listened in silence, her heart aching for the man beside her. "I had nowhere to go," he continued. "I spent nights sleeping on benches, in alleys... just trying to make it through each day. Luxury?" He scoffed bitterly. "That was a distant dream. Survival was my only goal." He paused, a flicker of something darker passing through his expression. "And then things got worse. A group of local thugs cornered me one night. They wanted the little money I’d saved. I couldn’t fight them. I was alone, weak, and helpless. They would’ve left me for dead." The memory of that night was still raw, vivid in his mind. "But Lucien showed up." Anne gently reached out, her hand resting over his chest as if trying to comfort him. Augustine turned to her, eyes softening as he placed his hand over hers.fɾeewebnovel.co๓ "I was just a stranger to him. He could have walked away, but something about me must have reminded him of himself. He grew up alone, an orphan with nothing but fists and fire. Maybe that’s why he helped me. He taught me how to fight, how to defend myself. How to survive with pride." A shadow passed over Augustine’s face as he continued. "He lives in a world of blood and power. He kills without flinching, breaks laws like they are nothing. But to me, he is my savior." For the first time, she saw the depth of loyalty that bound Augustine to a man the world feared. "People fear him. They call him the Demon. But I’m not afraid of him. He is dangerous, the king of the underworld. But he is also the only friend I’ve ever had. And I’d risk everything for him, just like I know he would for me. Lucien would tear the world apart if I asked him to."

Chapter 207: You are not made for this world.

Comments (0)