Lucien and Evelyn made their way to the northern district, the city lights flickering against the night sky. The air was cooler here, the streets quieter. They walked side by side, their footsteps echoing in the silence.
"Are you sure about this place?" Evelyn asked, glancing at Lucien.
"It's the only lead we have," he replied, his silver eyes scanning their surroundings.
They arrived at an old lodging house, the kind that carried history in its walls. As they approached the counter, an elderly man—the owner—looked up and smiled warmly.
"Well, well, you two seem like a perfect pair," he said, his voice filled with a teasing tone.
Evelyn opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, the owner continued, "You're lucky. I like your energy, so I'll give you my best room—free of charge."
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
The owner simply chuckled. "Young love should be cherished."
Evelyn's cheeks burned. "W-We're not—"
But before she could finish, the key was already placed in her hand.
Lucien took it without a word and led the way.
---
The moment they stepped inside, they both froze.
The room was beautiful, spacious, and elegantly decorated—but that wasn't the problem.
The problem was the king-sized bed in the middle, covered with white silk sheets and surrounded by rose petals… arranged in the shape of a heart.
There was a long silence.
Lucien exhaled. "...This is not what I expected."
Evelyn blinked a few times. "Me neither."
The awkwardness settled between them, thick and unshakable. For the first time in a long time, Lucien felt genuinely out of his element.
Evelyn stole a glance at him and—surprisingly—found a faint hint of color on his usually composed face.
She smirked. "Lucien… are you blushing?"
He shot her a sharp look. "No."
But his ears told another story.
Evelyn bit her lip to keep from laughing. "So… what do we do?"
Lucien sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's just one night. We sleep. Nothing else."
She raised an eyebrow playfully. "Oh? And you're confident you won't cross any lines?"
Lucien met her gaze, his voice calm but firm. "I would never do anything to make you uncomfortable."
Evelyn's smirk softened into a genuine smile. "I know."
She took a deep breath, then flopped onto the bed dramatically. "Alright then. But if you hog the blanket, I will fight you."
Lucien shook his head, took off his coat, and lay beside her—keeping a respectable distance.
The room was quiet. Too quiet.
Evelyn shifted slightly.
Lucien turned his head. "What?"
"…Nothing. Just… I'm not used to this."
Lucien closed his eyes. "Me neither."
There was another pause. Then, ever so softly—
"…Good night, Lucien."
Lucien opened his eyes for a moment, watching her before replying, "Good night, Evelyn."
And for the first time in a long while, he slept peacefully.
---
The next morning, they set out early, determined to follow any remaining leads. They combed through archives, questioned more locals, and even visited the outskirts of the city.
But no matter how hard they searched, the name Falkner was still a ghost.
By evening, they found themselves back at the same rooftop restaurant.
Evelyn sighed, resting her chin on her palm. "I really thought we'd find something today."
Lucien, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke.
"We didn't find anything about my past." He turned to look at her. "But… I found something else."
Evelyn blinked. "What do you mean?"
Lucien took a slow breath, choosing his words carefully.
"For a long time… I never thought I needed anyone. Never thought I'd have someone I could trust. But you… you changed that."
Evelyn's eyes widened slightly.
Lucien continued, his voice quieter now. "You mean more to me than you realize."
Before she could react, he leaned in and wrapped his arms around her.
Evelyn's heart skipped a beat as he held her close, his warmth enveloping her in a way that felt safe, real, and undeniably intimate.
"…Lucien?" she whispered, barely able to process what was happening.
He pulled back just enough to meet her gaze. And then—softly, deliberately—he kissed her.
It wasn't rushed. It wasn't uncertain. It was a quiet confession, a realization that no matter what he found about his past, Evelyn was part of his future.
When he pulled away, his silver eyes held an emotion she had never seen in them before.
Evelyn, breathless, managed a shaky smile. "…Well. That was unexpected."
Lucien smirked faintly. "Yeah?"
She let out a small laugh, pressing her forehead against his. "Took you long enough."
Lucien chuckled. "I guess I was slow to figure it out."
Evelyn closed her eyes, savoring the moment. "Lucien Falkner… you are full of surprises."
Lucien held her hand gently. "And I don't plan on stopping anytime soon."
As the city lights shimmered around them, the search for his past could wait—because right now, he had everything he needed right in front of him.
---
[To be continued…]
End of Chapter 54.