Chapter 29 - "This is Logan, my fiancé."

"Lucius? What are you doing here?"

Bronsted was the first to notice him, and he instantly raced towards him, halting his movement towards the dining room.

Lucius was already irritated that he was in the company of that many people, and the fact that he was intercepted by Bronsted only angered him even more. His eyes stayed narrowed, not even meeting the gaze of his annoying younger brother as he tried to bypass him. However, Bronsted stepped in front of him again and raised his hands.

"You can't be here right now, Lucius."

"Stop fucking bothering me, Bronze," he snapped, pulling his hands from his pockets, to which Bronsted always flinched as it had acquired many more scars than he used to have.

Bronsted had no interest—neither was he in shape—to physically fight with Lucius, but he still kept his stance. "Head back outside and I'll—" Before he could even finish his sentence, Lucius gripped his shoulder and shoved him aside, continuing his way through the house towards the dining room.

As he passed a few guests, he was at the doorway towards the dining room when Dante stepped out of there. When he raised his gaze, he was surprised to see those red irises staring back at him. He hadn't seen Lucius in a few months, but they had chatted over the phone a couple times. At first, he was glad that Lucius showed up, assuming that it was for Charles' birthday.

Until he recalled which people were in the dining room, and instantly, his face drained of colours.

"Lucius," Dante cried through a strained voice, forcing a smile as sweat began to moisten the side of his face. "W-What...What brings you here?"

"I have to speak to you," Lucius growled, ignoring the fact that Dante was acting bizarre, trying his hardest to distance Lucius from the dining room.

Dante frantically nodded his head, grabbing Lucius' shoulder and attempting to turn him away. "Sure, we can head outside."

"The kids are outside."

"Then let's go upstairs where there's—"

Unfortunately, Dante hadn't been quick enough, and as the dining room guests decided to head to the living room, they began exiting the dining room.

And the moment Lucius glanced over Dante's shoulder, he was instantly paralyzed. He felt his throat clench, his breath got caught in his throat, and for a moment, the entire world froze.

"Snuggles..."

***

Jules was giggling as he was leaving the dining room, chatting with Jake, but when he realized what was happening right outside the doorway, he instantly halted his footsteps and spun around. He gripped Jake by the shoulder and pulled him back, to which Jake raised a confused eyebrow.

Until Jules shrieked, "Lucius is here!"

"No he's not." Jake wanted to believe that Jules was joking, but the stern stare that stayed locked through his gaze made Jake's heart instantly rise. "What? He's here?!"

"Who's here? And where's Sarah?" Sarah's fiancé, Logan, had an extra glass in his hand as he had been pouring himself another glass of wine when she suddenly disappeared from the dining room.

Cesar had been chatting with him most of the night, pointing towards the doorway as he said, "They left to the living room already, let's join them."

Both Jules and Jake felt as though their tongues had dried out and their vocal cords were in twists, unable to vocalize anything to prevent them from the disaster about to happen. All of it happened in slow motion, each of Logan's steps as though it took days for it to happen, and eventually, he reached the doorway and exited the dining room.

However, it was clear there was a blockage, since Cesar halted his steps at the front of the doorway. The moment Cesar realized what was in front of him, he instantly spun on his heels and re-entered the dining room, where he saw Jules and Jake both with raised eyebrows, the panic clear on their faces.

And all three of them heard, "Babe, I have your wine glass. Who's this?"

"Uh..." There was a short pause, then they heard Sarah clear her throat. "Logan, this is my ex-husband Lucius Hercules, and Lucius..." There was another pause, then they heard, "This is Logan, my fiancé."