The Blood Contract
Chapter 36: Just a friendly advice

Chapter 36: Just a friendly advice

"And I’m done with page eight," Serena announced in a tired voice, dropping her pen for the umpteenth time that day. She leaned back in her chair, stretching her stiff shoulders as she lifted the piece of paper she had been writing on. Her eyes scanned the contents with a mixture of pride and disappointment. It wasn’t what she had been expecting, but it was progress nonetheless. The notes she had painstakingly transcribed were a testament to her dedication, even if they didn’t yield the breakthrough she had hoped for.

Beside her, Dr. Marlowe shook her head softly, concern etched on her features. Her eyes, usually sharp and analytical, now held a softness as she observed Serena’s exhaustion.

"You’ve been working on this for over seven hours already. I think you should take a rest. You still have an event to attend later," she said, her voice gentle but firm.

Serena handed the paper to her with a sigh, her fingers brushing against Marlowe’s as she did so. "You said we didn’t have time. That’s why I have to do this," she replied, her voice tinged with both determination and weariness.

"Don’t worry. You’ve already explained how it works to me and have written everything out so I don’t get anything wrong. I’ll continue where you stopped," Marlowe reassured her, her tone soothing. She glanced at her wristwatch, the silver band catching the light as she did so. She opened her mouth to say something more when a knock echoed around the lab.

"Come in," Marlowe called, her voice carrying a note of authority. The door creaked open to reveal Darrell, who flashed a small polite smile as soon as he set his eyes on the women.

"Sorry to bother you, ma’am, but the makeup artist is here already," he announced, his voice calm and respectful.

"Makeup artist?" Serena asked, her brow furrowing in confusion. She turned to Marlowe, her eyes searching for an explanation.

"Of course. You’re attending a gala. You need to look your best," Marlowe responded, her tone matter-of-fact. She stood up, smoothing the wrinkles from her lab coat as she did so. "I didn’t realize we’d spent so much time here. I wanted you to rest a little before the event. Come on, go get ready." Marlowe urged, standing up from her seat and gently pulling at Serena’s hand to encourage her to get up as well.

Knowing she had no choice, Serena cooperated, her movements slow and deliberate as she rose from her chair. She left the lab, her mind still preoccupied with the work she had been doing, and made her way to her room to get ready for an event she had absolutely no idea how to behave at or what to do.

Soon, she was seated in front of the dresser, the soft glow of the vanity lights illuminating her face. The makeup artist, a petite woman with deft hands and a quiet demeanor, worked on her face with precision, transforming her into a version of herself she never knew existed—or could ever exist. Serena watched in the mirror as her features were enhanced, her eyes becoming more striking, her lips more defined. It was surreal, like watching someone else emerge from her reflection.

---

Meanwhile, in Lucian’s room...

"Boss, we found the mole Ferris worked with. It’s Alek. We’ve locked him up, but we have yet to interrogate him," Adrian reported, his voice steady as he helped Lucian with his cufflinks. The room was bathed in the warm glow of the evening light filtering through the heavy curtains, casting long shadows across the polished floor.

Lucian gave no reaction, even after hearing what Adrian said. Although the news was important to him, he hadn’t been at peace since the morning incident. His mind was elsewhere, preoccupied with thoughts he couldn’t quite articulate.

He had been in the house throughout the day and had purposely stayed in the living room most of the time, but not even once did he catch sight of Serena. Not because he had anything to say to her or needed her to do anything for him. He simply wanted to see her.

He didn’t understand why. It felt as if she was destroying something within him without even doing anything. How that was possible was beyond his understanding.

"Do you think it’s just him? Are there others?" Lucian finally spoke, shifting his full attention to the mirror. His reflection stared back at him, his sharp features and piercing blue eyes betraying none of the turmoil he felt inside.

"I think there are others. They’re very good at hiding and covering their tracks, but we’ll fish them out soon," Adrian responded, stepping back after finishing with the cufflinks. His expression was calm, but his eyes were alert, always ready for Lucian’s next command.

Just then, a knock echoed around the room, and Darrell announced his presence before being asked to enter. When given permission, he pushed the door open and stepped inside, bearing a large envelope.

"This came for you, boss. It’s from Don Jon," Darrell announced, stretching the envelope toward Lucian.

Lucian accepted the envelope, his fingers brushing against the thick paper as he opened it and scanned through the contents. A look of satisfaction glinted in his eyes, accompanied by a small smile that he quickly wiped away.

He closed the envelope, his expression returning to its usual stoic mask as he looked at his reflection in the mirror once more. "Are the cars ready?"

"Yes, boss. Everything is ready. We’re just waiting for you and madam to come out," Darrell answered, a barely noticeable smile gracing his lips after he said the word "madam."

But Lucian caught the smile before it disappeared.

"Darrell, you took my wife shopping yesterday, am I right?" Lucian asked, picking up his wristwatch and still looking away from the man he was talking to.

Different wild thoughts ran through Darrell’s mind at the same time. He was sure Lucian was aware of the shopping, so why was he asking about it?

"Yes, boss," Darrell answered, lowering his eyes.

"You two shopped for a dress for more than twelve hours. I didn’t know shopping lasts that long. Is the dress you finally found crafted from pure diamonds?" Lucian asked, his tone devoid of any emotion as he continued adjusting his wristwatch.

"No, boss. The dress isn’t made from diamonds, and we didn’t shop for twelve hours," Darrell began the explanation with all the seriousness he could muster, already suspecting that Lucian thought Serena had gone to see a man and that he had aided it. "The reason we stayed out that long is because madam asked that I show her around the city since she doesn’t know anywhere here. I drove her around, and we came back to the house when she was satisfied."

Lucian didn’t believe it. So the reason she was so happy was because she was shown around the city? That couldn’t be. There had to be something else.

"Where and where did you take her? I want details," Lucian demanded, his voice sharp.

Darrell delivered a detailed report of everything they did the day before, leaving nothing out. By the time he was done, Lucian found nothing interesting enough to bring so much joy to a person. He was even shocked that the things she bought didn’t bring her as much happiness as the old people playing their games, according to Darrell. She truly wasn’t his type, but he was determined to keep her. How was that supposed to happen?

"Wait for me downstairs," Lucian dismissed them, and they walked away from his room.

"You better be careful," Darrell heard Adrian say, and he threw the guy a sidelong glance.

"What are you talking about?" Darrell probed, his brow furrowing.

"I’ve seen the way you look at her. Don’t make him misinterpret your intentions. And if your feelings are heading in that direction, you better kill it immediately," Adrian said, making Darrell frown.

"What nonsense are you talking about? She is my boss’s wife. Why would I have such thoughts toward her?" Darrell retorted, his voice firm.

"Just a friendly advice," Adrian uttered before walking away.

---

A beautiful smile graced Dr. Marlowe’s face as she observed a completely ready Serena. The transformation was nothing short of stunning. The elegant black dress hugged her figure perfectly, the intricate beadwork catching the light with every movement. Her hair was styled in soft waves, and her makeup accentuated her natural beauty, making her look like a vision.

"If I didn’t see you get ready, I wouldn’t recognize you," Marlowe uttered in awe, her eyes scanning Serena’s transformed appearance.

"Of course, you would," Serena replied with a smile, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness.

"That is one beautiful dress. You have good taste," Marlowe praised, her eyes lingering on the elegant gown.

Serena shook her head. "Darrell picked the dress, not me. He has good taste."

Marlowe nodded in agreement. "Come on, it’s time. I’m sure everyone is waiting already."