Lea woke to the soft caress of sunlight on her face, a delicate smile gracing her lips as she stretched out in bed.  The day was already promising a sense of tranquility, a break from the turmoil of the previous night.

After her morning routine, she went downstairs for breakfast. The dining hall was buzzing with activity as usual, a symphony of clattering dishes and hushed conversations. As she took her seat,  a familiar smirk flashed at her from across the table.  Lucian, his presence as commanding as ever, leaned back in his chair, a silent observer.

The tension between them was palpable, a silent battle waged between the breakfast buffet and a silent agreement between them.

"Lucian will take you to school every day. You do what he tells you, understand?" Her mother's voice, sharp and authoritative, shattered the silence.

Lea nodded, her voice barely a whisper.  "Yes, Mom."

Time seemed to fly, and soon she was walking alongside Lucian towards the school gate. She wondered why he hadn’t brought one of their cars,  but she followed him, her gaze lingering on his broad back.  He walked with an effortless grace, his shoulders wide and strong, radiating an air of confidence that she found both intimidating and intriguing.

As they walked, Lea bumped into Lucian’s back.  She looked up at him, his height towering over her.  The mischievous twinkle in his eyes was undeniable, and she felt a blush creep up her cheeks.

"Remember what your mother said?" he teased, his gaze meeting hers.

“Yes. Do as you’ve told,” she whispered, her mother’s stern warning echoing in her head.

“Okay. Listen here, we’re not using a car for transportation today,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact.

“What? But-,” Lea began, but his icy stare cut her off.

“Do as what I’ve told,” he repeated, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument.

“I’m sorry. I understand,” she said meekly.

“We’re going to commute.”

Lea gasped. Commuting?  She’d never experienced public transportation in her life.  Her mother had deemed it beneath her, a violation of their social status.

“But -  I mean… It’s not that I’m scared or anything,” she stammered, a mix of excitement and apprehension bubbling within her.  The thought of experiencing something she’d never known, with Lucian by her side, was both exhilarating and terrifying.

They walked through the school gates, the silence between them thick with unspoken tension.  Lea felt self-conscious,  unaccustomed to this new world of public transit, of navigating crowded streets and relying on a shared journey.

“Uhhh, where are we going to catch the bus?” Lea finally asked, breaking the silence.

“You’ll see,” he replied, his tone curt.

Lea tried again,  “You’re Tito Diego’s son, right?  I saw him last year at our grandparents’ anniversary, but I didn’t see you.  Where—”

“How ‘bout Tito Diego? Is he doing fine?  I don’t hear any news about him.  Where—”

Before she could finish her question, Lucian cut her off with a sharp look.  Lea swallowed, realizing she was treading on dangerous ground.

"Shut up your pretty mouth, will you?" he snapped, his eyes piercing her with a coldness that sent shivers down her spine.

Lea  nodded silently, avoiding his gaze.

He resumed walking, leaving her in his wake. Lea’s shoulders slumped.  She was accustomed to her mother's disapproval, but Lucian’s wrath was something else entirely. It held a raw intensity that made her tremble.

He stopped suddenly, his gaze falling upon a group of children being shooed away by a woman who had just finished eating at a street vendor.  Lea’s brow furrowed at the sight. The children were small and looked hungry.

Unable to ignore the scene, Lea found herself walking toward the group. She could hear Lucian calling her name, but she ignored him.

"Excuse me, ma'am? You don't need to push them away like that. They're just kids."

The woman turned on her, anger flaring in her eyes. "Don't get involved in this!" she barked.

Lea's bewilderment grew. "I'm getting involved because what you're doing is wrong! They're just hungry children, asking for food. You shouldn't be pushing them away."

“I said, stay out of it!" the woman yelled, pushing Lea back.

Lea lost her balance and staggered to fall backwards. Her heart hammered in her chest as strong arms caught her before she hit the ground. She didn’t need to look to know who it was.  Lucian, his presence as overwhelming as ever, held her steady, his gaze sweeping over her with a mixture of annoyance and concern.

"I told you to do as I said!" His voice was sharp, laced with a hint of frustration.

"That's why your mother has me watching over you. You’re so damn nosy! You're digging your own grave with this stubbornness." His words stung, a harsh reality check that made Lea bite her lip to hold back tears.

"I just wanted to help," she whispered, her voice small and defeated.

Lucian snorted at her before facing the woman.

"You might as well walk away before I lay my hands on you for disrespecting this woman and the children," Lucian warned, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

The woman, intimidated by his threat, quickly scurried away, leaving the children alone.

Lucian helped Lea to her feet, his touch a stark contrast to the coldness of his words.

"You're a hard-headed girl, Lea," he muttered, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

She met his gaze, her heart aching at the way her name rolled off his tongue.  "I'm sorry," she mumbled, her voice barely audible.

"Next time, stay out of it," he said, his voice firm yet laced with a hint of concern. "And if you're sincere about your apology, then don't do it again.  Let's go, you're late for school."

He started walking again, his hands deep in his pockets, his stride as confident and unwavering as ever.  He was right, though. She had been foolish to intervene, to get involved in something that wasn't her business.

Lea looked back at the children, her heart filled with a mixture of guilt and determination.  She pulled out a small amount of money from her wallet and handed it to them.

She could hear Lucian grumbling behind her. "What? Are you going to build an orphanage here?" he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Lea rolled her eyes. "Can't you see? I'm trying to help!" she retorted, her voice laced with a defiance she didn’t know she possessed.

She knew she had been reckless, impulsive. But she couldn't stand by and watch innocent children being mistreated.  And while Lucian's reprimands were harsh, a part of her saw a flicker of something else in his eyes—a grudging respect for her act of kindness, however misguided it might have been.

It was a small act, a small victory.  And as they walked on, Lea felt a glimmer of hope, a sense that even in a world where she felt trapped, she still had the power to make a difference, even if it meant challenging the authority figures in her life.