Chapter 284: To remember your father
Lucius woke before dawn, but instead of rising immediately, he remained in bed, staring at the ceiling with a gloomy face. With a sigh, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and trudged toward the bathroom.
The cold splash of water against his face jolted him momentarily. Bracing himself against the washbasin counter, he leaned forward, his tired eyes locking onto his reflection in the mirror.
Reaching for the towel hanging nearby, Lucius dried his face before tossing it back onto the rack. Without a glance backward, he stepped out of the bathroom, noticing Layla had woken up and was tying her hair into a bun with her back toward him.
"I’ll bring coffee for us," Layla said.
"I’ll be going for a run. You should have a coffee without me," Lucius opined. He kissed her cheek from behind and left the room.
Layla finally turned around and felt the gloominess that had surrounded Lucius. It was Antoine’s birthday today– a day on which Lucius would usually stay on edge.
She went to freshen up first and dressed in a modest attire while taking out a black outfit with white shirt for Lucius.
As she laid them on bed, she heard footsteps and tilted her head.
Lucius returned, his sweatshirt clinging to his skin, damp with sweat. Layla glanced up from where she was arranging his clothes on the bed.
"Don’t wash up immediately," she advised gently. "Give yourself a moment to rest and take a hot shower when you do."
"Yes, I will," Lucius replied, his voice subdued as he dropped into a chair. He grabbed a towel and began wiping the sweat from his neck and forehead. "There’s a charity event today. After visiting the grave, we’ll head there and then stop by the orphanage," he added.