TRAPPED BY THE SECOND MALE LEAD
CHAPTRE 26

Lucien laughed amusedly at the sight of Meridia who was already unsettled inside the bathhouse. Meridia hurriedly wanted to get out of there. "Sorry interfering. I'm going to go now."

Meridia hurriedly passed by while continuing to look down to keep her gaze. To make sure she didn't see Lucien's body, Meridia covered next to her face.

It was a pity that the young man's long hands were able to block him. Lucien instantly pulled Meridia's slender body, carried her bridal style, and led her on her way to the bathtub. "What are you doing? put me down right now! I took a shower!" the girl thrashed to be let down but Lucien had a deaf ear. It's free that he revolted because for Lucien the weight of Meridia as light as feathers did not make it difficult.

Lucien looked down on the beautiful face of the girl. Despite being that close to her, Meridia kept her eyes closed, refusing to see her athletic body. A sincere smile appeared on her thin lips, "You're so cute. I want to devour you." Lucien's god.

Meridia covered her ears. Hearing Lucien's words somehow made his body temperature rise. The thing that made Meridia even more nervous and uncomfortable was that part of their skin was touching, not to mention that the girl could feel Lucien's abdominal and arm muscles clearly.

Damn, my mind is dead!

The servant who had finished putting the fragrance in the bath pool immediately came out by continuously lowering his head.

"Let's take a shower."

The young man entered into the bath pool filled with warm water with the soothing scent of lavender still by holding Meridia. Seeing Meridia's face that was as red as a tomato to the ear made Lucien feel his own satisfaction.

"Well..." Lucien breathed a sigh of relief after feeling his fatigue gradually lessened. Lucien's hands were still coiled around Meridia's waist, holding the girl to her lap. Meridia had no chance of moving. "If you soak in this water, your fatigue will disappear. Enjoy it. It's really very comfortable," Lucien leaned his back on the concrete of the bathtub.

How could I possibly enjoy it!

Meridia's white nightgown now began to soak in water and began to reveal every inch of her body. That's really embarrassing. " I'll take a shower later. Now let go of me. I have business."

both of Meridia's hands tried to remove the winding of Lucien's arm from her waist but had not produced anything.

Lucien tilted his head, then asked one question. "What do you want? at most you will just lie down and daydream all day. Isn't that boring?"

At least I'm not soaking here with a crazy guy like you.

"Take me off first. I'll be here if you want to answer all the questions I ask."

Lucien then loosened his arm and let Meridia keep her distance from him. The young man greatly enjoyed every reaction Meridia gave him, it made his boredom all this time reduced. "What do you want to ask, hm?"

Meridia looked at Lucien timidly. "Who is Lady Veronica? he seems very close to you."

Lucien raised one eyebrow, followed by a mischievous grin "So you're jealous?"

"No. I'm just curious." Before Lucien misunderstood her further, Meridia continued. "Lady Veronica was at a maturity party and I heard she was the first to spread rumors."

After seeing Veronica again yesterday, Meridia recalled the woman's answer. His relationship with Lucien was quite close.

At once Meridia glared and looked at Lucien with a look of shock. "So—" he pointed at Lucien's face unexpectedly.

Lucien simply showed off a sinless smile, "What?" tanyanya plain sok.

Meridia frowned confused. "So you're the one who asked Lady Veronica to deliver the rumors about Marquess Ziel's second child?! so it's not from Lady Veronica herself?" Lucien just shrugged deliberately not giving an answer.

She.... actually how far does she know me?

Meridia grunted riled. He turned around to get out of the bathtub, but Lucien pulled him in again.

The handsome young man then squeezed the body of his lover until he had no wiggle room at all. "What exactly is your purpose?" meridia's beautiful dark blue netra stared intently at Lucien's crimson iris.

From Lucien's current point of view Meridia looks like an easy prey to him. Red-coloured cheeks and ears, anxious expressions, long hair that was half wet, and clothes that began to look up. Lucien tried hard to hold back. "Are you curious about that?"

The eighteen-year-old aligned his height with Meridia, his gaze growing more intense as if he had been ready to pounce on his prey. "I told you, it would be best if you keep quiet and keep your own cool."

"How can I be calm if I live with a mysterious person like you?!"

Lucien brought his face closer to Meridia's until her nose almost touched. Lucien's eyes did not escape Meridia's eyes. "You don't have to worry about that. I will try to remain the Lucien you know" he said half-whispered.

To be honest now that Meridia could not focus on listening to all Lucien's words, she kept thinking of ways to get out of there as the longer there Meridia felt like it was going to explode. "Excuse me. Can you let me go, can't you? there's no point keeping me here any longer."

Lucien tilted his head to stare at Meridia who was taking his eyes off her. "Hm? of course there is. It's all for practice, you know."

"Exercise?" parrot Meridia did not understand.

Lucien patted the top of Meridia's head while carving out a warm smile. "When we get married, we do this every day. It's just to get you used to not being surprised anymore."

Meridia hits Lucien's arm. "W-what are you bragging about, huh?! talk that makes little sense." he said ketus, but shy. Meridia was drowning her face.

"Well, does that sound like a fantasy? you know, we're getting married soon."

That's not what I mean, you fucking cunt!

Lucien did not tire of looking at Meridia who was like a boiled crab in a pot. "Hey, what is this? your face is so red. Are you so embarrassed? god, how about we get married? I think you'll pass out first before I get to open the hmph— pants!"

Meridia used her palms to cover Lucien's mouth. That young man if he spoke was truly life-threatening. "Shameful!" Meridia glared at Lucien.

Lucien licked Meridia's palm, tempting the girl further to enjoy what kind of reaction she would bring out next.

"Lucien!"

"It's nice to have a new hobby". Yes, from now on Lucien managed to add to his hobby of teasing the idol who was actually easily nervous. Lucien then wrapped his arm around Meridia's small waist again. "Let's help me take a shower. I'll be your son-in-law, too."

"L-Lucien, let me go!"

•

•

The next morning, at the inn that Arden was staying at, the young man started packing his clothes into his backpack.

Although he was used to sleeping only four hours, but this handsome young man looked very lethargic. Before he had to investigate the mysterious death of his citizens, Arden was not tired at all. Now he feels tired because he never found Meridia even though he was tenacious.

He only had two days left in Norfolk, but there was still not a single clue that led him to Meridia's whereabouts. "What am I supposed to do now? looks like Meridia's not in Norfolk anymore."

Arden began to despair, he already planned to tell Ziel that he would not be able to help her anymore because Arden himself had a personal affair.

“Why don't you rest for a while? Is the document so important that it cannot be delayed?” ask Marigold worriedly.

“Duke Helios from Avallone says that he will cut our business relationship if the documents are still not right,” replied Ziel while massaging his forehead that felt twitching.

Both Marigold's eyebrows dropped. “When you've worked so hard for it, don't you have any other way to solve this problem?”

“There is no other way than to work harder,” Ziel seems to still think about Meridia which until now has not been found. In addition to losing her one daughter, she also felt lately that some of her affairs were not going well and that made her keep remembering Meridia's curse last time when they were arguing.

Yeah, your estimates are correct. It was Lucien. Lucien has offered the business of mining the jewels and diamonds he won in the Black Celtic to Duke Helios, and he also guarantees that his cooperation with Lucien will not disappoint and it is proven. In just two weeks, Helios had doubled in profits.

For someone greedy on treasures, who would turn down such a tempting offer?

Marigold lowered his head, he also had something else to think about. To this day he feels there is an empty part in his memory that he believes does exist but cannot be remembered at all. He felt that something had been forgotten and that it had been very bumpy in his feelings up to this moment.

Marigold didn't want to drown so deep. He also noticed the work of his father who was drawing Norfolk floor plans. "What are you doing?"

"Oh this? Father planned to propose the creation of a steam railway to make travel more efficient. You know, only Avallone and Whitebridge have steam lines. I'm sure Goldenleaf would propose the same thing."

Marigold was stunned to hear his father's plan, "Well that's great! Dad, excited! I'm sure you'll make it to the project."

Ziel smiled as he nodded. "Yes, kid. Thank you." Thank you."

A waiter came to Ziel's study. “Your Highness, Prince Arden has arrived.”

“Yes, wait a minute,” Marigold kissed his father's forehead affectionately, he used his strength to slightly reduce the burden on the Emerald clan's leader's mind. “I go first, dad. See you.”

Ziel smiled warmly. “Have fun.”

After saying goodbye they both went near the fair market where this morning was already crowded with people who prepared their stalls before selling.

“Wah they are very excited yes,” Marigold amazed to see the atmosphere in the market, Arden smiled while looking at the people passing by. It slightly treated his grueling feeling. “Yes, you're right. Looks like later this afternoon the market will be full.”

“Haha it seems so,”

After a long tour, Arden invited the blonde girl to pull over for a short break. Arden's real goal was to have time to observe the people there just to look for Meridia. “You don't want to buy something mumpung we're still here?” ask Arden for a diversion.

Marigold was silent for a while to think “For now there is no,” he replied briefly, “oh yes, did you have breakfast?”

Arden nodded “Ya, of course. How about you?” Marigold smiled as he shook his head “Not yet, I woke up rather late today because last night I was too enthusiastic about thinking about today.” it was just a lie.

Marigold thought of many things at once. Meridia, her memory lost, the mystery behind her power that had disappeared, Lucien, and worried about whether she would choose Arden or Lucien as her future husband. There were a lot of unimportant thoughts lodged in his little brain.

Marigold purposely did not have breakfast because he wanted to spend breakfast time alone with Arden “Then let me accompany you to breakfast near here.”

“Really? Thank you very much, Arden.”

The two of them searched for a nearby restaurant and Arden waited until Marigold finished eating. The young man's mind became unsettled “Marigold, I just remembered leaving something at the hotel so I had to go back for a while. You want to wait here first?”

Marigold seemed unsure because he never left home alone and was left in the crowd “Don't take too long, I'm afraid.”

“Alright, I will be back soon.” The young man ran quickly out of the restaurant not to return to the hotel but to find out the whereabouts of Meridia. He didn't want to waste the opportunity.

Ten minutes passed very slowly for Marigold. He daydreamed looking out the window boredly, from earlier he only observed people passing to and fro to their respective destinations, not a few people who greeted him, he said, but it could not kill the unease in his heart that was waiting for Arden.

The girl saw seven girls of different ages passing by the window of the restaurant close to her seat. Suddenly one of the children pushed the other child to fall “Aduh!”

“Sister Diana! You okay?” only one of the youngest children moved to help the little girl named Diana to stand up. “Hey, what are you doing?! It was very dangerous, you know!” judging from the physical resemblance, the two of them were like siblings.

“Oh sorry. We just want to get rid of the annoying insects here,” replied one of the girls was cold.

A little discussion happened there. If Marigold see the root of their problem is based on the jealousy of other children against Diana who are more often noticed by the mother caregivers in their orphanage.

It is always Diana who is sought after, who is needed, who always receives anything the first time and it makes them envious of always getting left over. Of course the little youngest looked utterly envious of Diana, she bravely stood up to five children bigger than her.

“You guys are too childish! You can't jump to conclusions if you don't know why!”

After a few minutes of arguments, the five children left first, leaving them both. The little boy wiped away the tears of sadness Diana “So don't cry. I'll reply them later, you don't have to be sad.”

Diana rubbed her eyes “Mary, why are you protecting me? Just let them keep blaming me so.”

“Can't! brother is my brother! I can't see my brother suffering like this. They had no idea what kind of difficulties my sister had faced. They can only brag as if they really understand our lives,” said the brave little Mary trying to comfort her sister.

Diana looked at her sister “do you not feel jealous of me?”

Mary confidently shook her head while showing a wide grin at the sister “Not at all. Big brother's happiness is my happiness too. Whatever happens we must take care of each other and love, that is the last message of mother, yes ‘kan?”

Dian smiles happily at once relieved “Um yes, I remember.”

“Then let's try to fulfill our promise to mom. If you see sister Diana crying like this, you will also cry there,” the brothers laugh together, their sadness melted away and left hand in hand and walked together happily as if nothing had happened.

Marigold remained silent watching the two children until they were lost in the crowd. Seeing the short drama made Marigold wonder. “Is that what brotherhood is called? then why can't me and Meridia be like that?” ask her to yourself, “No way. He would have taken everything from me. He's very cunning than he looks.”

Marigold so remembered about the memory in his head “I'm sure I've forgotten something but what?” every time Marigold accidentally remembers Meridia, that feeling must have arisen “Did my memory have a problem?”

“Marigold, I'm sorry. I'm late for helping people lift things,” Arden is trying to catch his hunting breath. “You've been from anywhere? I'm so scared here.”

“Sorry, I'm really sorry,” Arden put both palms together in front of his face.

“It's okay, besides now you're here. Can we go now?”

“Ayo.”

Marigold spent his time with a happy heart even though he kept thinking about Meridia and her memory. Arden himself did not mind lingering at the fair because his goal was also not reached “Arden,” call Marigold resuscitated the son of William from his dream “Ya?”

The beautiful sky blue sliced girl raised her face staring at Arden “What until now you still help my father look for Meridia?” Arden flinched in shock “You know, actually I want to say something to you,” said Marigold quietly.

“Ya, just say it. I'll listen."