The Predator’s Contract Partner
chapter-242

If he believed in her. If trust develops between the two of them.

If, maybe, Lucerne starts to like her.

She didn’t want much.

It was okay for him to like her just a little bit. She was okay with just a little bit of love.

Then, just like in the past life,

She could give him all her heart.

That train of thought could not be stopped like a galloping horse. In Elisha’s mind, she formed arbitrary thoughts at will and ran. But it was something that could not be said out loud.

So, Elisha couldn’t say anything. She lowered her eyes and bowed her head. She felt like her eyes were getting wet.

‘I see. I want to be on an equal footing with this man. Have a free, true relationship with this person.’

Because she had never been loved, she had never dared to dream of a relationship like that. Because she never imagined a bright future.

It took so long to acknowledge this natural and obvious desire.

‘I feel stupid. So what if we get divorced? Will that ever overcome our difference in status?

Beyond Elisha’s fluttering blue eyes, her emotions flooded, and her pink lips trembled.

She was in chains in both of her lives. Even with hopes for free will, she couldn’t do anything. Even now, she is ultimately powerless and in a situation almost as if she is being held captive by Lucerne.

But at this moment, she was holding out her hand to him, and it was truly her first time showing such courage.

‘But I have to be confident that this person will accept me.’

Even if he knew her whole past, she needed assurances that he would forgive her. In the end, what they needed from each other was trust.

***

Lucerne felt anxiety wash over him.

‘I feel like you’ll slip through my hands.’

He touched Elisha’s cheek.

Her blue eyes twinkled. Numerous emotions were shaking in her wet eyes that looked bigger than usual.

He didn’t know what those emotions were. He didn’t try to read them. But he was full of anxiety. He felt like something in his grasp that was about to melt away. He felt he was holding on to something vanishing and attached to something disappearing.

“Then what do you want us to be?”

Lucerne asked sweetly, with affection.

“Tell me. What should our relationship be like?”

“I … … .”

Elisha bit her lip. She swallowed once as if to steady her breathing.

“When my heart is ready. If you decide to stay with me, you can interrogate me then. Using the truth telling serum is fine—no, you can even use shadows. Just like you did to Merha. Then I will be the proof. And you can believe everything I say.”

Lucerne’s hand was placed on her cheek. She cupped her hands over his face.

“If you still want me.”

“… … .”

“When that time comes. I will give you my all,”

Elisha whispered.

***

Madness was familiar to Lucerne’s life. But, he had never harbored any expectations or hopes.

There were many temptations in his life. Lucerne’s birth itself was an insult to some. He lived such a life that if he took even one wrong step, he would soon fall off a cliff. So, even sweetness was just a wrapper for despair.

But what Elisha said now… … . was the sweetest and most powerful of all the contradictions he had ever experienced. He simply could not resist.

“Alright,”

Lucerne looked at Elisha and answered silently.

***

It was a strange night for him as well.

Lucerne faced the greatest test of his life: to trust someone, harbor affection, and do illogical things for it. To give up something. Never had he done such a foolish thing.

But why.

Lucerne felt like he could do anything to gain Elisha’s trust, and he felt like he could give up anything.

Even though he recalled her clearly suspicious actions and numerous dubious behavior were threatening to suffocate him.

He wanted to try that trust thing.

But since he had never been appropriately loved, he’d never held on to anything unless he grasped it tightly in his fist. Because no one had ever embraced him.

At that time, Lucerne didn’t know what that feeling was. But she stirred something in his heart. Like a stone being thrown into calm water. Very slowly, it began to ripple.

“I’ll think about it,”

replied Lucerne.

“… … trusting you.”

“… … .”

“In a positive light.”

A small smile appeared on Elisha’s lips; she lowered her eyes so calmly.

And that night was enough to change everything in his life. The direction and entire trajectory of Lucerne’s life.

It began to move slightly.

This little woman shook his heart for the first time.

“I don’t know what will happen if you let me down. But.”

“… … .”

“Still, I’ll give it a try,”

Lucerne whispered.

“You stir me up.”

Anxiety appeared in Elisha’s eyes for a moment, but she nodded calmly.

“I won’t do anything to harm you. I can swear.”

Lucerne felt a truly strange feeling.

It was a fatal temptation to want to join in on that oath; such a sweet poison that might end his life.