The Inevitable Encounter

The first week of Lily's new job passed by in a blur. She spent most of her days in the mortuary, working on different bodies and keeping them in pristine condition for their final farewell. Despite her initial hesitation, she found that she enjoyed the work and the sense of peace it gave her.

However, her suspicions about Lucian continued to grow with every body she worked on. She couldn't help but notice how some of the corpses had unusual marks or wounds that didn't seem to fit with the cause of death. Her mind kept going back to Lucian's words about "unusual conditions" and she couldn't shake off the feeling that something strange was going on. It seemed like there was something more to this job than just being a mortician.

To her surprise, Lucian seemed to avoid all interactions with her during her first week at work. Whenever she asked his assistant about him, she would receive vague answers about his busy schedule or his preference for working alone. It was frustrating for Lily, but she understood that some people were simply more private than others. She just gave up on trying to have a talk with him.

As the weeks went by, Lily became more and more curious about Lucian and his mysterious life. She tried to do some research online but couldn't find anything concrete. It was as if he didn't exist outside of his work as a CEO and his occasional appearances at high-society events.

One day, as she was walking back to her apartment after a long day at work, Lily saw something that made her stop in her tracks. She saw Lucian, standing in the shadows of an alleyway, his eyes fixed on a group of men who were harassing a young woman.

Without thinking, Lily rushed over to the group, intending to intervene. But before she could reach them, Lucian stepped out of the shadows and confronted the men. His voice was low and threatening as he warned them to leave the woman alone.

To Lily's surprise, the men immediately backed off, fear evident in their eyes. Lucian turned to her then, his expression unreadable.

"What are you doing here, Lily?" he asked, his voice a mix of surprise and annoyance.

"I...I was just walking home," Lily stammered, her heart pounding in her chest. "I saw those men harassing that woman and I wanted to help."

Lucian's eyes softened slightly. "You should be more careful," he said, his voice taking on a protective edge. "This city is not always safe, especially at night."

Lily nodded, feeling a strange mix of fear and attraction toward him. She knew that she was crossing a line by getting involved in his world, but she couldn't help it. There was something about him that drew her in, something that made her want to know more.

As they stood there in the darkness, a few inches apart from each other, Lily couldn't help but wonder what secrets Lucian was hiding. And how deep her attraction to him truly ran.

Lucian's eyes seemed to bore into hers as if he was searching for something in her. She couldn't help but feel uneasy under his intense gaze.

"You should go home now," Lucian said, breaking the awkward silence that had settled between them. "It's not safe to be out here alone."

Lily nodded, her heart still racing. "Thank you for helping that woman," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucian simply nodded in response. "Let me walk you home", he offered, before turning to walk before her without waiting for her to respond.

Lily could hesitate only for a moment because he started walking like he knew where she lived. Even though she was unsure if it was a good idea to let Lucian walk her home, she found herself following after him.

As they walked through the dark streets, Lily stole glances at Lucian from the corner of her eye. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to him than met the eye, and she was determined to find out what it was.

They arrived at her apartment building all too soon, and Lily turned to face Lucian, unsure of what to say.

"Thank you for walking me home," she said finally, breaking the silence.

Lucian nodded, his eyes scanning her face. "You shouldn't get involved in things that don't concern you," he said, his voice low and warning.

Lily bristled at his words, feeling a surge of anger. "I'm not a child, Lucian," she said, her voice rising. "I can take care of myself."

Lucian's expression softened slightly. "I know you can," he said, his voice gentler now. "But you don't know what you're getting into. This city can be dangerous, especially for someone like you."

Lily frowned, confused. "What do you mean, someone like me?"

Lucian hesitated for a moment before speaking. "You're different, Lily," he said finally. "You have a light inside you that draws people in. But that same light can attract the wrong kind of attention."

Lily felt a shiver run down her spine at his words. "What kind of attention?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucian's eyes met hers then, and she saw something in them that made her heart skip a beat. "The kind that could get you hurt," he said simply, before turning and walking away into the darkness.

Lily stood there for a moment, watching as Lucian disappeared from sight. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to him than he was letting on.

As she turned to enter her apartment building, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Lucian's words had left her feeling vulnerable and exposed, and she had the feeling that she was in danger.

Over the next few days, Lily found herself thinking about Lucian often, wondering who he was and what he was involved in. She tried to push the thoughts from her mind, but they kept creeping back in, nagging at her like a persistent itch.

One evening, as she was walking home from work, she saw Lucian again. He was standing in the corner, watching her as she approached.

Lily felt her heart race as she approached him, unsure of what to say. "Hi," she said finally, breaking the silence.

Lucian's eyes met hers, and she felt a jolt of electricity run through her. "Hello, Lily," he said, his voice low and measured.

Lily felt a sense of unease wash over her, and she couldn't help but wonder what Lucian was doing there. "What are you doing here?" she asked, feeling like there was something wrong.

Lucian hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I need your help," he said finally. "There's something I need to show you."