Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
Each time he and Clara met, it always ended up in fights and she has never looked at him softly for once – just the way she was staring at Luther right now.
Clara took Lukas as a monster. Sadly, monsters and humans have no relationship whatsoever. In one word, she loathed him.
“Hi,” Luther replied with a charming smile before handing the flower to her, “A beautiful flower for a beautiful lady,”
That quote was so cliché yet she loved it. Unlike her roguish fiancé, Luther was a gentleman and her type. He was handsome, kind, romantic, and caring. Luther was the type of man every woman out there wished for, Clara thought.
“Thank you,” She said, taking the flowers from him.
Clara handed it over to the staff from earlier and then commanded the rest of them, “You can leave us now,”
Immediately, they all left without further ado and Clara and Luther were able to relax and have their conversation without their annoying presence.
In this household, privacy was a luxury they couldn’t afford. Their lives were always in the open because of their status in society.
“You look beautiful today,” Luther added, “Not that you don’t always look beautiful anyway but you’re amazing, Clara,” He breathed.
Clara blushed once more, tugging her brown hair to the back of her ear. Her mission of making Luther notice her was fulfilled. It’s wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate her but Clara loved the attention.
“Stop it, you flatter me!” She became coy, beating him on the chest playfully.
Luther shifted to her side on the couch till their bodies were touching and faced her saying, “I missed you,”
“Me too,” Clara affirmed.
Luther had traveled abroad for a business trip a week ago so they haven’t had the opportunity to see each other.
The both of them didn’t say anything else after that but the attraction between them conveyed all unspoken words. Luther then took her hands and intertwined them with his own.
“We should get married,” He suddenly said and Clara’s face went blank.
“Luther -“
“We love each other, why can’t we be together?!” He was vexed by her response, “Why must I be your hidden lover? He’s not even worth it?! Lukas doesn’t even treat you -“
“Luther,” Clara called him immediately, cupping his cheeks with both of her hands as she tried to calm him.
“You know that I can’t,” she told him, her eyes pleading for him to understand.
“Why can’t you, huh?” Luther retorted, “If it’s about keeping you safe, I know that I’m not as powerful as Lukas but I promise to never let harm come to you,” He promised her, holding her smaller hand on his face tightly as if he was afraid that she would let go.
“It’s not that simple, Luther,” Clara said, “There’s a lot at stake here and it’s not a decision I made on my own. My mother, she would never agree to break off the engagement,”
“Then we run away together,” Luther suggested to Clara’s horror.
She couldn’t even imagine a life outside the one she’s living right now. Having grown up with a silver spoon, Clara had never experienced hardship even for one day and can’t live miserably; she’s allergic to poverty.
Luther must have suspected her line of thought because he said, “I can stash away enough cash and then we would build our lives far away from everyone in the way of our relationship,”
He thought his plan was brilliant, however, Clara’s backslash to his plan was quick and sharp.
“Then what about my life here?”
“Huh?”
“I have a future here, Luther, and I can’t just throw it away like that?!”
And he doesn’t have one?
“What about my mother? She’s has only me left and me running away would do nothing but break her heart. I can’t do that to her, Luther. Moreover, you don’t know the kind of Lukas is, no matter where we run to, he would always find us,”
“Then what do you suggest we do then?!” Luther raised his voice on her for the first time, pulling away from her, angry, “I can’t keep living like this!”
“Hey,” She stood up as well and turned him to her, placing her hands on his shoulder, “We would think of something, Luther. We would surely overcome this, okay?”
Luther looked at her and had no choice but to calm down. He loved her and would do everything to make her happy. The attraction between them pulsed and he leaned towards her, tilting his head in the process and was ready to kiss her when someone intruded on their privacy.
Clara turned around to see who had disturbed their peace only for her face to fall. It was Lukas’s people and she was sure this couldn’t be good.
She Wasn’t Prettier Than His Chihuahua
There wasn’t a smile on Clara’s face as she applied the last touch of lipstick to her already dark red lips. She had been having the best time of her life with Luther only for Lukas’s people to come and disrupt it.
Clara snorted, he even had the nerve to send her flowers. As if that would win her over to his side, she scoffed.
All they told her was for her to get prepared because she was escorting Lukas to a funeral. Clara didn’t know who died – although she wished it had been Lukas- she had a feeling that her father-in-law, Daniel, would be there. Lukas always comes looking for her because he needed her to deal with him. The man surprisingly likes her.
Truthfully speaking, after her last encounter at his place, Clara was now scared of that man. No, she was scared of all of them. If Daniel had treated his late wife badly, who knows how Lukas would treat her? He even promised to give her a living hell at their last meeting.
But then, Clara knew her case would be different. For sure, Lukas would never love them and they’ve already discussed their boundaries in their so-called marriage, but, Clara would never be maltreated.
Unlike Lukas’s mother who was a nobody and had no backbone to support and shield her against Daniel’s often violent outburst of anger, Clara was an Alberta and though her family wasn’t as powerful as the Luciano, they were influential and could pose enough damage while going head-on with them in a war.
In one word, Clara was secured as far as she doesn’t let Lukas be the patriarch of the family when they get married – and that would never be as far as she was alive. He would never inherit the family’s riches.
And for the flowers he sent, she already had the staff get rid of them. Who knows what he did to it? Even he didn’t do anything to it, just the mere thought of seeing those flowers that reminded her of him, did nothing but anger her the more. She didn’t need his mockery of an apology.
As someone who grew up with wealth, Clara’s beauty was unblemished. However, she put more attention into her dressing today, not because she was trying to show off to Lukas and get his attention, not that he would compliment her anyway.
…..
But she was a public figure and can’t look bad on camera. She didn’t know where the service would be held and if there would be the presence of the media – she highly doubted that – but it was worth it to prepare for the rainy days.
Moreover, her look and body language was the only weapon she had. Just a look at her and one could tell she’s a noblewoman and can’t be messed with. Also, those low lives – Lukas and his gang – had to know they were dealing with a member of the upper class.
So Clara threw more attention to her face and her blue eyes by teasing her roots and gathering her brown hair back into a sleek and straight ponytail. The style was the perfect combination of volume and sleekness.
She then wore a long-sleeved black body con dress with fur trims, complete with silver embellished leather heeled sandals. Clara left her throat bare showing off those attractive collarbones but wore matching stone studded danglers and completed it with her dark aviator glasses.