Happy New Year Everyone! This chapter is a bit boring and short since it's a lot of plot set up. I'm trying my best to write Lucy's wealthy life style, but it's a bit of a struggle for poor old me lol. I'm just going off of stuff I've grabbed from the anime and random books/K-dramas. Also, this was the last prewritten chapter I had that didn't need anymore editing, the next few I still need to go through before posting. Anyways hope you enjoy the chapter! I'll write some more at the end.
CHAPTER 7
Woken by a knock at her door, Lucy's eyes fluttered open and adjusted to her bright room. "Lady Lucy will you be having breakfast this morning?" The voice behind the door asked.
Grumbling to herself she glanced at the time. She must have slept past her alarm considering her morning routine usually started at eight AM and it was now ten. "Yes. I'll be down in a minute." She hollered back.
Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Lucy could still feel the lingering taste of alcohol on her breath. She quickly chugged the glass of water that sat on her nightstand to ease the dryness in her throat. She had finally gotten into bed around four last night and had passed out as soon as her head hit the silk pillow. Sleeping like the dead.
Lucy instantly felt the lack of sleep as she got herself up and out of bed, her body screaming at her not to leave the warm sheets. Wincing at the ache in her feet she cursed to herself when she looked down at the blisters on her heels. 'I knew I shouldn't have worn those damn shoes.'
Not dwelling on her mistake for long, she took a deep breath and made her way to the bathroom. Glancing in the mirror she almost didn't recognize herself. Her smooth hair was now matted and tangled on top of her head. The makeup from last night smeared across her face, a half-assed job of removing it on her part. Sighing to herself she grabbed her comb and prepared for the battle with her hair.
After cleaning herself up a bit, Lucy grabbed her robe and phone and made her way down to the dining area. The shuffle of her slippers echoed in the long empty hallway with every step, an eerie sound that Lucy had grown used to. Looking at her phone she saw that the girls had texted in their group chat.
Levy: How are you girls feeling?
Erza: Like death, but still made it to work.
Lucy chuckled to herself and responded.
Lucy: Could be better, but alive.
Erza: Lucky.
Levy: I told you to not buy that last drink Erza!
Erza: It was their new strawberry drink! One does not simply pass that up!
Lucy smiled to herself as she remembered the sugary drink she had shared with the scarlet. It was pretty good, a little too sweet for her liking, but perfect for Erza.
The three friends continued their small conversation as Lucy arrived in the dining hall. Her coffee sat hot, ready, and alone at the sixteen person table. Placing herself in her usual spot at the end chair. The head maid, Spetto, walked over from where she stood by the wall and informed her what had been prepared for breakfast.
One by one as the maid announced each, a dish was brought from the kitchen and placed in front of Lucy. Lucy stared at the enormous amount of food, knowing she wouldn't be able to eat it all. She never knew why her father insisted on having them cook so much when it was just the two of them.
Glancing at the other end of the long table, Lucy noted the empty seat across from her. Placing her napkin on her lap, she looked up at Spetto as the last plate was set down.
"Will my father be joining?" She asked.
Spetto smiled. "I'm afraid not Lady Lucy. He is held up in his study."
Lucy nodded and sighed. It would have been more of a surprise if her father had made it to breakfast. The man spent more time in his office than he did in his own bed. Spetto spoke up again as Lucy began to grab some bread and jam for herself.
"After your classes Mr. Heartfilia does wish to speak with you." The maid stated.
"Do you know what about?" Lucy questioned as she shoved the food in her mouth.
Spetto shook her head. "Afraid not."
Lucy once again signed as she wiped some jam off the corners of her mouth. "Alright, thank you…"
Spetto bowed and asked if Lucy needed anything else.
"No, but please tell Aed thank you for the food."
Lucy was now left alone to replay last night's events. She hadn't told either of the girls about what had happened after they had gone home; her mini panic attack, the strange man that grabbed her, or even running into Natsu again. She decided that keeping her mouth shut would be easier than dealing with the worry it would bring to tell them.
Natsu's name danced in her head as she thought back to their departure. Heat rose to her cheeks when she remembered how she teared up in front of him, not once, but twice. Though the first time may have been justified, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He was so kind and understanding, when they talked it felt as if they'd known each other for a lifetime. It was comforting...He was comforting.
'I hope our paths cross again.'
Lucy flinched at the memory of his words. The tenderness. The hope. She knew that there was no way they could see each other again, and if for some reason they do, a normal relationship was out of the question. It just wasn't that simple with the title she held. That is why she had to end it there, to prevent any further hope.
Not quite accepting the reality of things, Lucy willed her mind to focus on her food instead. Shoving the savory cooking into her mouth, one bite after another, she let the memories slowly fade.
Once finished with her meal, Lucy got ready for the rest of the day and began her classes. Unfortunately for her, etiquette was first. With her overly stuffed stomach and her lack of sleep, it took all her energy to remain upright and conscious while she read, 'Ladies' Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness'.
After etiquette was some business management and then her piano lessons. The day went by rather quickly for her, and she didn't mind that. It kept her from wondering about Natsu or what her father wanted to speak about, but before she knew it, she was standing in front of the large wooden doors to his study.
Taking a deep breath, Lucy knocked on the door a few times and peeked her head into his office. There sat her father at the end of the room, head ducked into mounds of paperwork.
"Father, you wanted to speak with me?" Lucy asked before making her way in.
Without looking up from his work he responded. "Yes, please come in. This won't take long."
Obeying, Lucy stepped towards his desk and patiently waited for him to finish signing the few documents. She knew better than to interrupt him. He was a busy man and he was aware of her presence.
Not quite meeting her gaze, her father pulled his attention from his work to Lucy. "How were your classes today?" He inquired. Lucy told him that her classes went smoothly as usual and that all her teachers were very helpful.
"Good. Good." He mumbled. She noticed his eyes drift to a particular folder on his desk before continuing their chat. "Did you sleep well last night?"
Lucy flinched at the question. "I had a bit of trouble getting to sleep, but other than that I slept fine."
"What did you do last night?" He asked.
Lucy was starting to get worried by the sudden string of questions. Did he know? Had he figured out she's been sneaking out? Had someone recognized her last night? No, that can't be. Barely anyone knows what she looks like and she didn't see anything on social media.
"Nothing exciting. I just re-read a favorite book of mine." She lied.
Wringing her hands behind her back, she looked down at her feet and held her breath, waiting for her father's response. Checking up on her and asking how her night was, wasn't uncommon for a father, but not her father. As long as she acted natural, she was safe. She hoped.
Her father sighed heavily and Lucy forced herself to lift her head. Grabbing some papers off his desk, he began to speak again. "Alright. I originally called you in here to discuss your suitor. I know we have talked about an arranged marriage in the past and you were not very...enthused about it, but I hope you understand when I say this is what's best for the company, what's best for us."
Lucy's nervousness quickly turned to frustration as the unwanted topic was brought up. 'Not enthused' was an understatement. When they had first discussed this "arrangement" Lucy was thirteen and she threw a tantrum, basically destroying her entire room in the process. The second time was a little after she graduated high-school at eighteen. Just like now, she was called into her father's study to discuss the topic, but Lucy still held her ground. She refused to marry a man she did not know or love.
Now, five years later at the age of twenty-three, her motivation to fight had died. The realization of how important this arrangement was, was too strong for Lucy to ignore. She was the heir to the Heartfilia Konzern; one of the wealthiest and most recognizable companies in the country. Without her, there would be nobody to inherit the business and produce an heir. If the company fails, so do the smaller businesses within it. The people who had worked hard and put their trust into the Heartfilia Konzern would be affected, along with their families.
Magazines had written articles about who could be the potential suitor of the mysterious daughter of the Heartfilia family. Men had come to their door and asked for her hand in marriage, showering both her and her father in glorious gifts and business opportunities. The attention was suffocating to say the least, but she had been pampered and raised to deal with the pressure her title brought upon her, and with the pressure came defeat to her own ideals.
"I'm well aware." Lucy bit.
Her father cleared his throat. "Yes. Well, we are at the point where you must meet suitors. Though, I will choose who you will marry in the end, who will be the most beneficial for us, I do wish for your input. I would like for you to get to know these men. I have chosen a handful of suitors who seem to be very promising business men."
Lucy held back a laugh and stopped herself from storming out of his office. 'Promising business men.' Nothing about being a promising husband and lover.
"We will host events, parties so to speak, to help you meet everyone first." He continued, "After a few gatherings, we will narrow it down to those best suited." His eyes fell to the same folder as before, tapping on it with his fingers. He looked as if he was contemplating something. "I will be out of town for a little while, arranging and meeting with the potential suitors." He sighed as he grabbed the mysterious folder and placed it in his desk drawer. "I'm planning on leaving in a couple of weeks, but first I must prepare a few things."
His eyes then darted to Lucy and she tensed. She wasn't sure how to react. She suppressed the urge to express her mixture of emotions; frustration, bitterness, confusion. "Would you like me to help ready anything?" Lucy unwillingly asked.
"No need." Her father responded. "I will, however, need to speak with you again before I leave. I will need to gather some more information before we discuss. So until then, please enjoy yourself."
Without another word, he nodded his head towards the door, ending their conversation and dismissing her. Lucy chose not to press any further, the little voice in the back of her mind telling her it's for the best. With a small curtsey she thanked her father and left the office.
Welcome back loves! I know not much happened and you had to wait awhile for the update, sorry about that. Writing about her waking up from a night of clubbing was probably the easiest thing to write. I hate that morning after feeling from a late night of drinking LOL. I've been struggling lately to write or do anything productive, been feeling a bit down and it's been hard to pick myself back up. So this is just as a warning if I'm late on updating or seem a bit behind, it's probably because of that. I promise I won't randomly drop this, (Well at least not without warning) so please be patient with me if I don't update on time. You all are great and amazing! Enjoy the end of this crappy year and please stay happy healthy and safe!
Thank you!