Chapter 4

Half an hour later, the car pulled into the driveway.

As soon as I stepped out, Lucas's eyes lingered on my seat, his expression unreadable.

Maybe the bloodstains reminded him of our unfinished conversation.

He suddenly strode over and grabbed my wrist.

"Aria, you don't look well. Last night at the event… Are you really okay?"

I pulled my coat tighter, refusing to meet his eyes.

"I'm fine."

I tried to shake off his grip and head inside, but the next second, his voice exploded behind me,

"Aria Newman! Do you have any idea how infuriating you are? I'm your husband, and you're always so damn cold to me! If you're upset about something, just say it! But this attitude of yours, this silent, indifferent act, it's unbearable! Do you even feel anything at all?!"

His sudden outburst made me freeze.

I turned to face him, confused.

Where was this anger coming from?

What right did he have to lash out like this?

But I knew if I didn't give him something, he wouldn't let this go.

So I took a breath and spoke softly.

"Lucas, you can do whatever you want to me. But don't drag my family into this. Today, you fed me to the press. Tomorrow, my father will be the one trending. You know what that means. He gave up everything to help you, after all…"

I thought I'd chosen the safest, most neutral thing to say.

Lucas stared at me for a moment.

Then rage, pure, unfiltered fury, consumed his face.

"That was help?!" he spat. "That was extortion! That was you and your father taking advantage of my lowest moment and forcing me to throw away my future with Tessa! Do you even know how she's suffered these past eight years? We loved each other! And you, " his voice cracked, then sharpened into a snarl, ", you and your father ripped us apart! You deserve everything I'm doing to you!"

His breathing was ragged, but he wasn't done.

"You know when your birthday is, right?" Lucas sneered. "Seven days from now. I'm going to propose to Tessa that day. I love her. I'm not pretending. She's the only woman I want, my real wife, even if she can't have the title. And you? You can keep playing Mrs. Evans and live out the rest of your miserable life alone."

The world around me blurred.

But Lucas wasn't finished destroying me.

His lips curled cruelly.

"And that night when Tessa stepped on your stomach? I saw it. I let her do it." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Even if that thing in your belly is born, I'll never love it."

He shoved me aside and stormed off, his tires screeching as he sped away.

I barely had time to steady myself when my phone buzzed.

Lucas's name flashed across the screen.

I picked up, but his tone was calm now, disturbingly so.

That familiar, cold amusement dripped from his words.

"Aria Newman, you're going to plan my proposal. Every detail. You're good at that, aren't you? So do it properly."

My fingers tightened around the phone.

Lucas chuckled.

"Make sure Tessa is satisfied. If she's not…" His voice turned sharp. "I'll make sure your father is trending online every single day."

The call ended.

I stood there in the empty house, staring at the giant wedding portrait of Lucas and me hanging in the living room.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

Lucas looked stiff in the photo, his posture tense, as if he couldn't wait to get away from me.

Even then, he had kept his distance.

I had used all my strength just to rest my head on his shoulder.

A measly few inches.

Eight years, and I had never been able to close that gap.

I was sure that when Lucas took wedding photos with Tessa, he'd be smiling.

That thought alone made something snap inside me.

I walked over, took the wedding photos off the walls, and ripped them to shreds.

Then I burned them in the backyard.

I packed my clothes and had them sent to my family home.

I called our lawyer and had divorce papers drawn up, leaving them in Lucas's study.

And then, I planned his perfect proposal.

For an entire week, Lucas never came home.

I booked the venue, selected the outfits, arranged the program.

Every day, I sent him updates, like an assistant reporting to her boss.

No reply.

But since I didn't receive any furious calls either, I knew one thing,

Lucas, or rather, Tessa, was satisfied.

That was fine.

I just wanted to leave quietly.

Seven days later, under the glittering lights of the banquet hall, Lucas got down on one knee.

He held up the ring, ready to slip it onto Tessa's finger.

Then,

BANG!

The double doors were flung open.

A woman's trembling, furious voice rang through the hall.

"I won't allow this!"

Lucas whipped around.

His mother, hair streaked with silver, stood in the doorway.

Her eyes burned with rage as she pointed at Tessa.

"The only daughter-in-law of the Evans family can be Aria!"

Lucas shot to his feet, gripping Tessa's hand.

"Why?!" he shouted. "On what grounds?! Mom, I don't care what you say! Even if I die today, I'm marrying Tessa!"

Mrs. Evans clutched her chest, her entire body shaking.

Tears streamed down her face as she looked at her son,

Her foolish, blind son.

"Lucas," she choked out, "you want to know why?"

Her voice broke.

"It's because she and her father are the reason your father is dead!"

Silence.

Cold. Deafening.

Lucas staggered back.

His face drained of color.

His mother took a shaky breath, her voice barely above a whisper,

"It's because I begged Aria to marry you back then."

Tears slipped down her pale cheeks.

"My son… you can't be this foolish anymore."