100 (Lucian’s POV) Memories 2
Lucian
(FLASHBACK)
Seven Months Ago
“What?” I asked, stunned. “Isn’t she Darian’s girlfriend?”
My father didn’t answer. He just kept eating like he hadn’t flipped my world upside down.
Martha scoffed, standing to leave. “My boy is too good for that gold-digging piece of trash.”
And just like that, she exited the room-smug and satisfied.
I turned to my father, confused, angry, and more than a little heartbroken.
“Father, Mara is Darian’s girlfriend.”
“I like her for you,” he said flatly. “I don’t want you involved with that Livingston girl anymore. Mara is smart, sharp. Second in her academy class. She’s Luna material.”
I stared at him. “Then marry her off to her boyfriend. He’s going to be Alpha.”
“She’s wasted on Darian,” he said without hesitation.
“No,” I snapped. “She’s not good enough for Martha’s son, right?”
He didn’t answer that one.
“We both know you’re not in love with Tina,” he said instead. “If you marry Mara, I’ll reward you greatly.”
There it was-bribery dressed as logic. I shook my head.
“And if I refuse?”
His eyes narrowed. “Then I’ll cut you off.”
He said it like it cost him nothing.
“You and I both know Tina will drop you the second the money’s gone. And you won’t survive out there, Lucian-not as an Alpha with an Alpha mark and no pack. You’ll be an outcast. Unclaimed. Alone.”
It hit like a punch to the chest.
In that moment, I realized my father didn’t see me as a son. I was a pawn. A way to clean up a situation, reposition power,
and fix his legacy.
Three days later, I bumped into Martha in the east corridor. She looked me over with disdain.
“So, I see you accepted the match,” she said with a smirk. “Thank you for your service, Lucian.”
I stayed quiet. She wasn’t finished.
“The Thornridges were aiming for Darian. But once your father threw money on the table, they settled for you. You’re lucky. Bought wives are the only kind you’ll ever get. Everyone knows Tina turned you down. Maybe send your father a thank-you card.”
I walked away.
Fast.
1/3
100 (Lucian’s POV) Memories 2
But her words burned.
I didn’t know then that Mara would become the best thing that ever happened to me.
But at that moment, I felt like I was being handed someone else’s leftovers-and I hated every second of it.
(END OF FLASHBACK.)
After that conversation with Martha, I remember storming over to Mara’s house, full of pride and anger, and saying the worst things I could think of. I told her I’d never touch her. That I’d never love her. That she meant nothing to me.
And she just stood there. Took it.
I thought I was punishing her for something she didn’t even want. Turns out, she was just as trapped in all this as I was. The Thornridges didn’t have a choice. Their options were fimited, and I was the only way out.
If I could go back, I’d tell that version of myself to shut up and listen-to see her, really see her.
But maybe it had to happen the way it did. Maybe we both needed to be bruised and cornered to actually try. Not just exist in a marriage, but build something real.
And we did.
Instead of being miserable like Martha wanted, we chose to try-and now we have something beautiful. My father knew. He saw it long before I did. I hated the way he went about it, but he was right: she is good for me.
And the truth? Mara would’ve fallen in love with me even if I never inherited Steel Corp. Even if I wasn’t the Alpha heir.
Tina? She started talking about being my mistress the moment she found out I’d inherited the company. That’s why she got pregnant. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. She saw a future-a lifestyle-and tried to trap me in it.
When I accepted the marriage with Mara, I let Tina go. I thought ending it would be clean. One last time. Closure. I didn’t
know she had other plans. I didn’t see it coming.
But if Mara wasn’t who she is-resilient, forgiving, honest-I would’ve lost her. And I can’t imagine that now.
So I sat there on the porch of our quiet, borrowed home, watching the late sun fall behind the trees, and thought about everything. Everything that brought us here.
The lies. The pressure. The pain. The love.
I wouldn’t change a thing.
I hope Darian moves on. That he sees Tiffany for who she is and learns to love her like I’ve learned to love Mara. My brother has a good heart, but he was too late. He hesitated, and life moved on.
Martha was the real gold-digger all along. I see it now. All her scheming wasn’t about family or pride-it was survival. Her
blackmailer turned her into what she is. I hope she confesses. I hope she frees herself.
But me? I’m already free.
Mara made sure of that.
I took out my phone and stared at Denis Stormborn’s number.
It had been over a year since we last spoke.
We met when I was twenty-fast friends, tight like brothers. He was one of the few people who saw me, not just the name
I carried. But then Tina claimed he made a move on her. I didn’t ask questions. I ended the friendship.
Back then, everything Tina said was gospel. I didn’t think twice.
Now, I regretted it.
100 Lucian’s POV) Memories 2
I wasn’t with Tina anymore. And looking back… yeah, I should’ve known better. Denis never once gave me a reason to doubt him. I figured maybe it was time to reach out-to fix something I’d broken that didn’t deserve to be thrown away.
I tapped his name.
He picked up on the second ring.
“Lucian?” he said, surprised.
I went quiet. I hadn’t expected him to answer.
“Yeah. How are you, Denis?”
He exhaled. “I’m great. By the way, congratulations.”
“Thanks,” I said, meaning it.
There was a pause, not awkward-just history stretching out between us.
“Do you want to grab a beer at Blues?”
A beat.
“Yeah. Sure.”
I smiled, silently relieved. He sounded like himself. No tension. No grudge. Maybe this wouldn’t be awkward after all.
I got dressed, casual but sharp, and before heading out, I called Mara on the phone.
“Hey, love,” she said, her voice soft and breathy like always-made even sweeter by distance. Even when she was mad, her
voice never lost its gentleness. Just thinking about her made my chest unclench.
“I’m meeting an old friend at Blues,” I said. “You should come join us when you’re done… and maybe wear something
accessible.”
She giggled-music to me.
“I’ll be there, love.”
“I love you,” I said.
“Love you too.”
She hung up sounding excited-and I had no doubt her mother was grilling her for every detail about me. Probably dissecting our s*x life with that knowing Thornridge smirk. I didn’t mind.
Whatever she was saying, I hoped she knew the truth: I’d walk through fire for her now.
And tonight, maybe I’d start by cleaning up the mess I made with an old friend.
