Chapter 135 Patching things up

Jane's temper flared. The implication that he was unworthy, that their connection was somehow diminished by his birthright, was unbearable. In a rush of defiance, she grabbed his hand, the calloused skin warm beneath her touch. Lucian jerked back, his surprise momentarily breaking through the icy facade he wore. "Jane, what are you doing?" he hissed, his voice tight with a mixture of anger and something else, something deeper she couldn't quite decipher. But Jane wouldn't let go. Her grip tightened instead, her voice gaining a desperate edge. "Don't you dare push me away again, Lucian," she said, her eyes pleading with him to understand. "We may be playing a part, but the feelings… the feelings are real." A flicker of emotion crossed his face, a storm brewing behind his usually steady gaze. He seemed to struggle with something internal, his jaw clenching and unclenching. "Don't," he started, his voice rough with unspoken emotions, "don't say that." But Jane pressed on, the dam of