He was fast asleep.

The afternoon sunlight carved the sharp contours of his profile, bathing his sleeping form in an air of profound tranquility. Accustomed to a naturally high body temperature, Lucian radiated warmth like a small, comforting hearth.

Yet his

Lucian's response to Serena's directive was, without a shadow of a doubt, an affirmative one.

As far as Serena was concerned, with Lucian securely under control, the core problem was essentially solved.

Now, all that remained was to wait for the evening to u

Lucian?

Just hearing that name sent a dull, familiar ache rippling through Jade's bones. Lucian was the quintessential embodiment of the ultra-elite class. They sat high above the rest, looking down on the common folk with deep-seated arrogance and casual condescension,