The man turned around, his face expressionless. He wasn't extraordinarily handsome; though his features were deep and well-defined, he was not as striking as Capone. He lacked the wildness and nobility, but had an air of composure and sophistication.
As time flowed and the glamour faded, she couldn't discern what kind of life the man before her had led to achieve such maturity at a young age.
He waved Penny out, isolating Sophia in the large, intimidating room, leaving only her, him, and a piano.
"Play the piece from earlier again, as an apology."
Lucas spoke as if he were making a suggestion, but his tone left no room for refusal.
Sophia clenched her fists and retreated to the door, her throat feeling as if it were stuffed with cotton, unable to speak.
No matter how much she mentally prepared herself or how determined she was, facing this sudden, dominant, and dangerous man made her instinctively want to flee.
At this moment, she understood why Cronus had said that Lucas was not as simple as he seemed.
Sophia controlled her emotions and steadied her voice. "You're Lucas, so there's no need for riddles. You must know who I am, right?"
"It doesn't matter who you are," he said with a barely noticeable smile. "Sit down and play the piece again. Don't stop unless I say so. Otherwise… I wouldn't mind doing something else. A woman trained by Capone should be quite interesting!"
Sophia was startled. If he knew she was Capone's woman, then he should also know she was the Sophia Diaz who was almost taken by his men that day. Yet, he didn't seem eager to discuss terms. Was he uninterested in what the Diaz family could offer, or did he have other plans?
Capone closed his laptop and rubbed his temples. The winter cold had not yet arrived, but the room felt indescribably bleak.
He opened the first drawer on his left and took out a PPK handgun, gently wiping it. The white cloth against the black gun body made him think of Sophia Diaz, and his thoughts became hazy, causing his actions to slow.
He cleaned the gun for a long time, loading each of the seven bullets into the chamber. The deadly weapon felt cold in his hand, but it failed to evoke the intended sense of menace.
His phone rang; it was Zoey calling. His eyes sharpened, and he quickly answered, "Hello?"
"Capone, Lucas arrived earlier than scheduled. He's booked a room upstairs at the hotel and is now with Sophia…"
Capone didn't wait for her to finish. He sprang to his feet, "What did you say?"
"I'm sorry, I just received the news myself. Lucas arrived during breakfast, and it seems that Sophia got into some trouble and is now with him. Penny took her there!"
Capone pressed his lips tightly together, ended the call, and rushed out the door. Joey and Cronus were downstairs and watched him dash down from the upper floors.
"What are you standing around for? Come with me to ROYAL. Lucas is already there!"
Joey was also startled and quickly followed, "Wasn't it scheduled for noon? Why did this guy show up so early? Is he looking for trouble?"
Indeed, it seemed Lucas had arrived deliberately early. Capone felt frustrated that he had been careless and allowed Lucas to gain the upper hand on his own turf. He was deeply annoyed.
He had focused so much on that girl that he had overlooked the real enemy.
Cronus sat silently in the backseat, arms crossed and expression somber.
"Damn it, there's traffic at this hour!" Joey, sitting in the front passenger seat, pounded the window in frustration. "If you ask me, that Diaz girl is nothing but trouble!"
"Shut up!" Capone's face was dark with anger. "If anything happens to Sophia Diaz today, I won't spare Zoey. If she can't keep track of a single person, why is she even here? Take a shortcut!"
Mentioning Zoey made Joey nervous. Seeing the driver hesitate, he impatiently slammed on the brakes with his foot, shoved the driver out of the car, took the wheel himself, and maneuvered skillfully through the congested traffic, heading towards ROYAL.
The wall clock, with its vintage pendulum, ticked away the passage of time.
Lucas glanced at the time and gave a slight smirk.
He walked to the piano and pressed down heavily on the keys. The piano emitted a chaotic clamor, interrupting Sophia's performance and startling her.
She had lost count of how many times she had played the piece. Lucas had not stopped or spoken, merely sitting on the sofa from a distance, drinking tea as if he were purely enjoying the music.
She tried to stop and speak with him, but his gaze immediately turned stern and imposing, forcing her to continue.
After nearly an hour of playing, her hands were becoming increasingly unresponsive. She couldn't decipher his thoughts, only feeling more and more uneasy.
"There's no need to continue," he said with a hint of mockery. "Your wrong notes could drive any piano teacher to madness!"
"I'm not a pianist," Sophia replied, rubbing her finger joints, a bit indignant. "I haven't played the piano in years!"
This man was meticulous, cautious, and sly. He must have received a good education and been exposed to the arts, capable of appreciating high culture. His maturity was not accidental.
Yet, like Capone, he had an obstinate and forceful attitude towards those he cared about, denying even the chance for explanations.
Moreover, they rarely smiled, and when they did, their eyes revealed no real joy.
"Then let's do something else!" He moved closer with an ambiguous intent, wrapping his arm around her waist. "After all, you're about to become my woman. Why not let me test the goods first?"
Sophia panicked, placing her hands between their chests and saying, "Don't do this. Capone doesn't have the right to give me to anyone. If you take me away from here, I will reward you handsomely once I'm back home!"
"Oh? And how will you reward me?"
Sophia hesitated, unsure of what to say. Lucas probably wasn't in need of money, and she wasn't well-versed in business matters, making her bargaining position weak.
"Well… my brother and the others will be very grateful to you. If you have any needs or cooperation plans, you can propose them to them. You've saved me, and the Diaz family will surely repay you."
Lucas looked at her for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. Once he was done, he leaned in, his teeth gritted as he said slowly, "Do you know what I want the most? I want to see Capone unhappy, to see him abandoned by everyone and forever lose the ones he loves!"
Sophia could see the bitterness in his eyes, though she couldn't grasp the full extent of the grudges between him, Capone, Cronus, and the others.
That was their world, their grievances—she didn't understand and didn't want to understand.
She tightened her grip on her collar and said, "You're engaged. Don't you feel ashamed doing this to another woman? What would she think of you? This is betrayal!"
Lucas's expression darkened further, his demeanor becoming even more menacing. "Who taught you to say such things?"
Sophia fell silent. Everything she knew about him was from what she had overheard or what Cronus had told her. Using the fact that he was engaged to a Donkin family heiress to pressure him was driven by her emotions as a woman; after all, no bride-to-be doesn't yearn for her fiancé's loyalty.
Lucas quickly composed himself and said with a hint of indifference, "My fiancée should have a certain level of tolerance. She never inquires about my affairs outside. Today, it's just you and me here. Even if something happens, no one will tell her. She'll remain blissfully unaware, happily waiting to become my wife. Isn't that better?"
Sophia internally cursed him for his shamelessness and understood why Cronus had said she didn't understand men and human nature.
"Light a cigarette for me," he ordered, gripping her arm. His gaze flicked to the clock as he silently timed.
Sophia's palms were sweaty and trembling. The lighter failed to ignite the cigarette several times. Lucas's hand steadied hers, allowing her to finally light it.
He took a deep drag and blew the smoke right in her face. The scent wasn't overly pungent; it had a strange, unfamiliar fragrance that seeped into her, making her feel oddly light-headed.
Before she could react, Lucas pressed the cigarette into her mouth, forcing her to inhale. "Try it. You'll like it."
Sophia was caught off guard and inhaled deeply, coughing. Lucas persisted, coaxing, "Good girl, finish this cigarette and I won't force you anymore!"
Amidst the swirling smoke, Sophia felt somewhat out of control. The smoke's taste was like something from a wuxia novel, making her bones feel soft and her body light.
She felt both hot and restless, aware but finding everything before her strangely unreal.