CHAPTER 34 - CONFETTI PLANS
The shrill buzz of Aurora's phone jerked her awake like an alarm designed by Satan. She blinked blearily at the offending screen, still tangled in her duvet like a warm, cozy burrito. The flat was quiet.., compared to the familiar hum of Lucian's mansion. No far-off kitchen sounds. No footsteps echoing through marble hallways. No stupidly handsome CEO pretending not to watch her sleep.
Just her own little flat. With a leaky tap in the kitchen and a plant she forgot to water again.
She rolled over, hair a frizzy mess and hoodie two sizes too big (Lucian's, obviously), and checked her phone.
37 unread messages.
From a chat she didn't recognize.
She sat up, squinting.
What the hell?
Group Chat: Lucian Free Zone
Created by: Matteo
She was already suspicious.
She opened it, and immediately burst out laughing.
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Lucian Free Zone
Matteo, Nico, Dante, Rafe, Rory
Matteo: The queen has risen
Nico: Finally, Sleeping Beauty lives
Dante: We thought we'd have to drag you out your house
Rory: Um??? What the hell is this??? 😭😭
Rafe: Don't even.
Matteo: This is the "Lucian Free Zone", for when we wanna talk about him behind his grumpy back
Rory: I'm obsessed. This is incredible. Continue.
Dante: You're one of us now. You can never leave.
Nico: We needed you in here because... Tomorrow is the Grump King's birthday.
Rafe: And we need some way to drag him out of work.
Rory: I may already have something planneddd
Matteo: Oh???
Nico: Tell us everything. Please.
Rory: But likeee are you guys actually free right now to talk?? Don't you all like, own half the city or something? 😭
Dante: Technically yes. Also technically in a meeting right now but like... this is more important.
Nico: Dante man, I've got a Zoom call open on mute and I'm just nodding along. It's fine.
Rafe: Pushed my security overview meeting by ten minutes. Priorities.
Matteo: Ha why are we the same. I canceled mine. Told them I had a 'important briefing.' But I wasn't lying.
Rory: You're all menaces. I love it. Okay thennnnn
Dante: Now spillll
Rory: Okay fine. But swear on your overpriced cars that Lucian never finds out.
Dante: Ugh fine. Sworn.
Rory: Okayyy so. Tomorrow morning...
Rory: Me, Rina, Marcus, and you three, Dante, Nico, Rafe, we're going in early.
Rory: Like super early. Before Lucian even leaves the house.
Rory: We're decorating his entire executive floor.
Rafe: With what exactly?
Rory: Balloons. Cake. Confetti cannons. You name it.
Matteo: ...oh my God. You're trying to give him a panic attack.
Nico: He's going to walk in and have war flashbacks
Rafe: Bro
Nico: Oops... My bad
Rory: Matteo..your job is crucial.
Matteo: Am I the distraction? Seriously?
Rory: Yes sorryyyy.
Rory: You have to go to his house early tomorrow morning.
Rory: Delay him. Keep him out of the building until I give you the signal.
Matteo: He's going to know something's up
Dante: Not if you act dumb. You're good at that.
Nico: Brutal.
Matteo: Blocked. All of you.
Rory: Anyway, I'll text when it's time for you to bring him in.
Rory: We're gonna flip all the lights off. Then boom..SURPRISE.
Rafe: You're insane. I love this.
Nico: Do you want me to man the confetti cannon?
Rory: YES PLEASE. You can be the chaos.
Dante: This might be the best plan I've ever heard
Matteo: Just so we're clear, when he murders us all tomorrow... I'm blaming her.
Rory: Fair. I'll take the blame
Rory: Butttt I think he'll actually like it.
Rafe: I think he'll like that you planned it
Dante: Facts. He's been softer since you showed up
Dante: Like, he still looks like he wants to bite people
Dante: But now it's more like a grumpy cat, not a demon.
Nico: He smiles. Sometimes. Like once a week.
Matteo: He was whistling in the elevator the other day. I almost called an exorcist.
Rory: STOP I'M SCREAMING 😭😭
Nico: We're just saying. You're good for him.
Rory: Okay stoppp now I'm soft. Let's make tomorrow perfect.
Matteo: We're in. Let's do this.
Dante: I'm bringing glitter. You can't stop me.
Rafe: If you glitter bomb Lucian Thorne, I will personally fake your death and relocate you.
Dante: Noted.
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Aurora tucked her phone under her chin and got up to make a coffee, heartbeat warm in her chest. She still had to survive her shift at the restaurant today, but now she was buzzing.
Her plan was set.
This was going to mean everything.
Because Lucian didn't do birthdays. He didn't like the attention, didn't celebrate himself, didn't even take the day off.
But this wasn't about confetti or cake.
It was about showing him that he mattered. That people showed up for him. That he was loved, even if he didn't ask for it.
Tomorrow was going to be unforgettable.
Whether he liked it or not.
YOU ARE READING
MR. SERIOUS | ✔️
RomanceA sunshine girl. A serious man. Multiple chanced meetings that changed everything. Aurora Blaire wasn't looking for anything serious-especially not while on a girls' holiday. But fate had other plans, for both her and Lucian Thorne: a brutally compo...
