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39 (Lucian’s POV) Turmoil
39 (Lucian’s POV) Turmoil
Lucian
My phone dinged again. I glanced toward the bathroom door-Mara was still inside. I knew I couldn’t keep this from her forever. She deserved the truth. And it had to come from me, not anyone else.
I opened the message.
And froze.
“Lucian, if you do not meet me at James Cafeteria by one this afternoon, I’ll tell your wife everything.”
The rage hit fast and hot. If I wasn’t married, I might’ve handled this very differently-colder, harsher. But now… now I had something to lose. Someone.
Mara.
Tina wasn’t bluffing. I knew she had Mara’s number. And I couldn’t let her be blindsided.
Fine, I typed back. I’m on my way.
I checked the time. Thirty minutes. Just enough to get there if I moved fast.
I linked Mara.
“I need to meet someone at James Cafeteria. I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay,” she answered, casual, trusting. That made it worse.
I pulled on a clean t-shirt and shorts. No time to shower. I still smelled like Mara-s*x, skin, her scent all over me. And honestly, I didn’t care. If Tina had something to say, she could say it with the truth clinging to me.
I jumped in the car and sped through town, cutting corners just to make it in time. When I pulled into the VIP space at James’ Cafeteria, I spotted her immediately.
Tina.
She’d gained a little weight. Nothing drastic, just enough to notice. She was sitting near the glass window, tapping her nails on the table. When she saw me, she stood quickly, left the booth, and came toward me with a look I couldn’t read.
Before I could react, she wrapped her arms around me-and pressed her lips against mine.
I pulled back fast.
“What the hell are you doing?” I snapped.
She looked wounded. Her eyes welled up, her mouth twisted like she’d been betrayed. She shook her head and turned
back to the booth.
“I can’t believe you, Lucian,” she said, barely holding it together.
I followed but stayed standing a second longer before sitting across from her, leaving the table between us. A line she needed to see and respect.
I stared at her, trying to find a version of her I recognized. But everything about this was different-too emotional, too
unhinged.
“I don’t understand you,” I said. “We broke up. I told you to move on. I never promised you anything.”
“Did you even love me?” she whispered.
held her gaze. I’m not here to unpack our past, Tina. This isn’t about that. You messaged me, threatened me. So now I’m asking-why didn’t you tell me about the pregnancy sooner? Why now?”
She wiped at her tears, jaw tightening. Something behind her eyes flickered-guilt, maybe. Or calculation.
And I suddenly realized…
This wasn’t just about a child.
It was about control.
“I didn’t tell you, so your father won’t help you get rid of it,” she said flatly.
My chest tightened. She knew about Darian-because I’d told her. I looked away, choosing silence while I carefully measured my next words.
“I should be your wife, Lucian. Me, not her.”
I looked back at her, frowning. “Not really, Tina. I asked you to marry me. You said no. You made it clear you weren’t interested when you thought I wouldn’t be Alpha. You wanted an open relationship-”
She cut in, voice sharp. “You knew I wasn’t seeing anyone else.”
I nodded slowly. “Except that one time.”
Her eyes dropped, guilt clouding her face.
“I was drunk,” she whispered. “I told you I was sorry. I told you I’d be fine being your mistress-clearly, you don’t need one. Your brother’s w***e seems to be doing a good job.”
There it was.
The insult.
It was supposed to cut me, to throw me off balance. Maybe once, it would’ve. But not now. I knew the truth. Mara had
never been Darian’s. And nothing Tina could say would change that.
I smiled calmly, and it only seemed to anger her more.
“You told me you were safe, Tina,” I reminded her, watching her carefully.
She leaned in, her voice dropping to a cold whisper. “Well, I lied.”
My jaw tightened.
“I wasn’t going to give you up without a fight,” she continued. “I knew you didn’t love her. I figured if this happened, your father would pressure you into an annulment. Everyone knew you two were in separate beds. It wasn’t supposed to be
hard.”
I leaned back in my seat, disgusted. But composed.
“I love her, Tina. I have for a while.”
That silenced her.
Tears slipped down her cheeks. “How can you fall in love with your brother’s girl?”
“She was never his,” I said. “There were rumors. That’s it. Yes, Mara had a crush on Darian, but that’s where it ended.”
She stared at me, stunned. Realization washing over her slowly.
“So what happens to me now, Lucian? I’m pregnant. I’m carrying your child. What happens to me?”
I didn’t answer right away. Because I didn’t know.
2/3
(Luciaur’s POV) Turmoil
I wasn’t going to tell her to end it. That wasn’t who I was. If it was truly my child, I would support it. But letting Tina back into my life? That wasn’t happening.
“Give me time,” I said quietly. “Please.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “If you don’t fix this-if you don’t do the right thing-I’ll tell your wife. Everything.”
I swallowed hard but kept my expression neutral.
“This happened before Mara and I married,” I said. “It was breakup s*x-your idea, not mine. If you want to tell her, do it. It won’t change the truth. It won’t change my choice.”
I stood up, sliding a few bills onto the table and tipping the server.
“But let me make this clear,” I added, locking eyes with her. “You may be carrying my child, Tina. But you’re not part of my future. I’ll speak to Mara-personally-and then I’ll get back to you. Don’t contact her. Don’t push this.”
Then I turned and walked out, leaving her with her lies, her tears-and the mess we both had helped create.
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