Chapter 3
Lukas
“And why exactly are you so determined to be involved in this case? You’ve not even gotten a Mastery yet.”
Ed Hildonbrand was a brutal, blunt man. There was no charming him in the way I typically charmed those around me, and I found his personality a bit frustrating. Respectable, but it didn’t make my job easy.
“As a Mastery student, I want to learn under the best,” I said. “And what better case is there to work on than this one? I hope to work in the same capacity that you do.”
“Enough of that. Tell me why you care about this case. I’m sure you know that I have plenty of other cases.” Ed was certainly shorter than me, even when we were seated across from one another at his desk, but he was looking down his nose at me. Unimpressed.
Desperation scratched inside my veins. I needed to be on this case. I needed more than a front row seat to Aster’s prosecution. I needed to have a hand in it. A role, no matter how small.
Sitting up straighter, I let my expression fall blank. “Frankly, the love potion attacks ruined my life. They destroyed a six-month relationship. And I—”
“Perhaps you shouldn’t have had wandering eyes for another woman, then?” Ed crossed his arms, smirking at me.
“I didn’t have wandering eyes. I was playing football, and after the win, my girlfriend didn’t come down to the pitch.
Before she even made it to me, the potion settled in, and another girl walked in front of me.
I didn’t even know what was happening until I followed the girl out.
She grabbed my hand and continued to pull me, but I put a stop to it before anything even happened.
” I didn’t know why I felt the need to defend myself to this man.
It surely didn’t work when I tried to explain to Felicity.
“But you still were inclined to her because of the potion?” Ed’s tone bordered on taunting.
I openly rolled my eyes at the man, relaxing back in my seat.
I could find another way into that courtroom as more than just a spectator.
“Yeah, I suppose I was. Unwillingly. Just as every other person who did things unwillingly, even if it had been a secret or open desire. It manipulated everyone it affected, and you’re very fortunate that you didn’t have to experience it. ”
I stood to make my leave, done with the way he continued to smirk at me. The potion wrecked my life, and I didn’t need some old arse to make me feel like it was my fault.
“You’re right.” He said before I even took a step. “It was unwilling. I’ve been trying to get the potion outlawed altogether for years. Sit.”
I didn’t. I continued to stand, not sure if I cared to listen to anything else he would say.
“If you want to work for me, you’ll have to fill out some paperwork.”
I sat.
Never, truly never, had I seen a couple be so disgustingly in love—all the time. I sometimes wondered if Noah and Henri were even real people, because they never seemed to get in a fight.
Which was a massive contrast to the way they treated each other before the love potion fiasco.
Each day, I was forced to eat lunch with them, and they brought along Henri’s other friends who were also in love.
Noah consistently stared at Henri with an awe I didn’t think he was capable of.
Noah, my friend who used to always brood and glare at the girl of his dreams, now made googly eyes at the very same girl.
Did I mention it made me sick?
Surely, I had never been so in love with a girl that I behaved like that.
“Next week!” Ivy exclaimed, leaning over the table and nearly knocking over my drink.
I didn’t mind that Henri’s friends had joined my circle of mates in the past month, but I wouldn’t take kindly to her threatening my beverage.
Carefully, I grabbed my glass and took a sip as she grabbed the paper from Henri’s hands.
If I had been paying more attention to the conversation and less to the look that was still present on Noah’s face as he observed his girlfriend, maybe I would have had a clue what this was about.
“It’s really not a big deal.” Henri shrugged, earning an immediate scoff from Noah and Ivy.
“It is, Henri. You’re leaving the country on a whim, and with next to no preparation,” Noah grumbled, and my jaw dropped. Still not entirely understanding the context, I grinned as I watched the perfect couple have what I assumed to be their first tiff.
Henri straightened, turning to Noah. At that moment, it was as though no one else was in the room.
“Noah, I’m as prepared as I can be. This is a fantastic opportunity!
I don’t see why you’re so opposed.” Her tone was very matter-of-fact, and her face was set in hard lines of frustration.
Clearly, they’d already had this argument a time or two.
I needed popcorn.
“They could have at least given you more of a head’s up, or perhaps even come here to meet you.”
“You’re just angry that you’re not going.” Henri crossed her arms, anger seeping into her eyes as well. Were they about to brawl right here? I leaned in closer.
“I don’t trust them.” Noah leaned closer to Henri, staring into her eyes. She held her ground as well.
“Children, stop fighting,” Remy interjected, tossing a wadded-up napkin at Noah, which hit him square in the face.
Finally, I burst out laughing, and all the tension seemed to break.
“Henri, I agree they could have given you more notice that they were sending you to America next week, especially since it’s a week away from finals, but I also think it’s a fantastic opportunity.
” Ivy then gave Noah a pointed look. “Someone is just worried about the logistics of you going completely alone to meet with a bunch of men.”
Noah rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair, knowing he would not win this argument.
“Who is sending you to America, and for what exactly?” My curiosity got the best of me, and I needed the final piece of the puzzle that had caused the star couple’s first fight.
“A huge firm in New York City! They want me to tour their business and discuss future opportunities to be a policy specialist. I suppose they heard about everything that happened here.” The enthusiasm Henri spoke with made Noah’s eyes soften immensely, but I could still sense his apprehension.
“Do you plan to move to the States?” I asked, my eyes darting to Noah, who looked like he might combust waiting for the answer.
“I’ve never actually considered it. But I would still like to go on this visit and see if it’s even something I’m interested in.” Henri’s eyes trailed behind me, her words slowing to a stop. I turned, seeing the same girl from the banquet walking a few meters away. She was staring at me.
I immediately whipped back around, trying to shove the thought of her from my head. I’d already made the unfortunate mistake of allowing her to pique my interest, which resulted in me getting caught looking at her on the lawn.
“Who is she?” Remy asked, a smirk on his face.
“I’m not sure. I keep running into her.”
“You stared at her like a creep yesterday,” Noah muttered, lifting his brow at me.
“Oh, I actually have a class with her! I think her name is Elsie? Or Elsa?” Ivy kept her voice low as she shared the information, leaning over the table like we were discussing a crime.
I’d seen her too many times. Before the banquet, I had never seen her. But now? She was everywhere. I saw her at meals, walking between classes, at the library…I was starting to wonder if she would begin showing up in my dreams as well.
The way she acted at the banquet had stuck with me, and I was just a man with perfectly functioning eyes. I couldn’t deny how beautiful she was.
However, the dark, burned part of me that rested in my chest rarely let me dwell on anything beyond looks. And even that I tried not to think about too much.
I refused to look back at her again. Not when I was afraid I might meet her eyes.