Shadows of the Past

Chapter 2

The guest room was very big, dark, and cold. It looked like a room where nobody lived. Years ago, Elena was Lucien's wife. She always tried to make this house look beautiful. She bought bright curtains and put flowers on the tables. But after she left, Lucien took all the warmth away. Now, everything was just black and gray.

"Mommy?" Sofia’s soft voice broke the silence.

Elena stopped thinking and looked down. Sofia was sitting on the edge of the big bed. Her small legs shook a little. She looked so tiny in this giant room.

"Are you tired, sweetie?" Elena walked over. She knelt down to take off Sofia's wet shoes.

"A little," Sofia whispered. She looked around the room with big, nervous eyes. "Is that angry man in the wheelchair the boss of this house?"

Elena’s hands stopped for a second. Then, she forced herself to smile. "He owns the house, but you do not need to be scared of him, Sofia. Just stay here and rest. Mommy has to go downstairs to help the butler make dinner."

Sofia nodded her head. She hugged her old teddy bear tightly.

Elena kissed her daughter's forehead. Her chest felt very heavy. She had not told Sofia the truth. How could she? How could she tell an eight-year-old girl that the angry, broken man downstairs was her real father?

When Elena left Lucien eight years ago, she did not know she was pregnant. By the time she found out, she was already living far away. She was too scared to come back. Back then, Lucien was a dangerous mafia boss. She was afraid he would take her baby away and raise her in a world of violence.

But the Lucien she saw today was different. The powerful king was gone. He could not walk, his men had left him, and he was completely alone.

Life is hard for everyone, Elena thought sadly as she walked out into the dark hallway.

Downstairs, the kitchen was completely quiet. The old butler, Marco, looked very happy to see Elena.

"Miss Elena," Marco said, and his eyes got a little wet. "I never thought I would see you in this kitchen again."

"It is just Elena now, Marco," she said gently. She tied a simple apron around her waist. "I heard from the office that Lucien does not want to eat. What has he been eating?"

"Only whiskey and canned food," Marco sighed, shaking his head. "Since the bad guys attacked him, he does not want to do anything. He fires every helper who comes here. He hates it when people see him weak."

Elena looked around the clean, cold kitchen. Years ago, cooking was the only thing that made her happy when she was stressed.

"I will make some hot chicken soup and rice," Elena said. "It is soft and warm. It will be good for his stomach."

For the next hour, the kitchen finally smelled like a real home. The good smell of warm food filled the house. Elena poured the soup into a bowl, placed it on a tray, and took a deep breath. This was her job now. She needed the money to pay for her mother’s doctor bills. She had to stay strong.

Elena knocked softly on the door of Lucien’s office.

"Get out!" a loud, angry voice shouted from inside.

Elena did not run away. She pushed the door open and walked in with the food tray. The room was very dark. Lucien sat there, looking at old papers. His face looked very mean under the small lamp light.

Lucien did not look at the food. Instead, his dark eyes fixed straight on her face. "I told Marco I do not want a helper. Especially not you."

"Marco did not hire me. The agency did," Elena said back, keeping her voice entirely calm. "And right now, I am the only person left who isn't afraid of your shouting."

Lucien looked down at the warm bowl of soup. The rich scent hit him, instantly pulling him back to the past. He wanted to push her away to prove he still had power. He looked up at her with a cold smile.

"If you want me to eat this, you'll have to feed me," Lucien said, his voice dropping low. "Just like you used to."

Elena stared at him. She did not look flustered at all. Instead, a sad, distant look came into her eyes.

"Years ago, I used to beg to take care of you when you came home late or hurt," Elena said softly. "But you always pushed me away. You never wanted my help back then, Lucien. Now that you're actually stuck in that chair, you want to play games?"

Lucien’s face turned completely red with anger. Her words bit him deeply, shattering his pride. With a fast, angry sweep of his arm, Lucien hit the tray right off the desk.

The bowl smashed on the floor. The hot soup and rice went everywhere.

"I do not want your pity! I do not want your food!" Lucien shouted. His chest moved up and down fast. He stared at her, waiting for her to cry. He wanted her to run away like she used to do.

But Elena did not cry. She did not even move. She just stood there, looking at the broken bowl on the floor. Then she looked straight into his angry eyes.

"You have not changed at all," Elena said softly. Her voice sounded very disappointed. "You still think breaking things makes you look strong."

Before Lucien could say anything, the big door of the office slowly opened. A tiny girl stood there, shaking with fear. Sofia had heard the loud noise from upstairs. Her wide, scared eyes looked at the broken glass on the floor, and then up at the angry man in the wheelchair.

Lucien stopped breathing for a second as he looked at the little girl.

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