Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter 23
Lucian only tore his gaze away from Estella once the teacher had gently picked her up and led her inside the kindergarten. He turned to Cayden, his expression unreadable. “Let’s go.”
Cayden nodded in acknowledgment, quickly driving toward the Farwell Group’s office. The ride was quiet, the weight of unspoken thoughts hanging in the air.
By the time Lucian arrived, the morning had already slipped into afternoon. He barely had time to catch his breath before he was swept into an executive meeting. The hours flew by, the minutes slipping through his fingers as he tackled one issue after another.
When the meeting finally ended, Lucian walked back to his office, his mind still spinning with business matters.
“Lucian, you’re back,” Aubree’s voice rang out as he entered.
Her words pulled him out of his thoughts, and he blinked, his brows knitting together slightly. She was standing in front of his desk, a smile plastered across her face, as if she had been waiting for quite some time.
“When did you come?” Lucian’s voice was flat, almost disinterested as he passed by her and moved toward his desk. He let his eyes quickly skim over the stack of documents before finally landing on her face.
Aubree took a seat as soon as he did, her smile not once faltering. “Not long ago. Cayden mentioned you were in a meeting.”
Lucian gave a noncommittal nod. Just as he was about to say something, Aubree’s gaze flickered to the corner of his lips. Her expression shifted into one of concern.
“Did you… hurt your lips?” she asked, her voice laced with a softness that didn’t quite match the coldness Lucian was used to.
A flash of annoyance rippled across his features, his eyes hardening. “I bit it. It’s nothing. You don’t need to make a fuss.”
Aubree hesitated for a moment, the words hanging in the air. But she quickly masked her discomfort, telling herself that there was no other woman in Lucian’s life, not for the past six years. Her suspicion was just paranoia, she reassured herself, as her smile returned—although it was slightly forced.
Lucian’s gaze remained unreadable as he addressed her once more, his tone cool. “So, why are you here?”
Aubree quickly composed herself. “I wanted to discuss a few things about the project our families have been working on. The only thing left is the signing of the contract. But I also wanted to ask if there are any additional terms. My parents were wondering if you’d join them for a meal tonight—your parents will be there as well. It’ll be a chance to discuss the details.”
Lucian didn’t respond immediately, his thoughts shifting to the unspoken purpose of the dinner: the long-anticipated marriage talk. It had always been about pushing forward the inevitable.
“They’ve invited my parents as well,” Aubree continued, her voice light but there was an underlying urgency in her words. “It would be a good opportunity to finalize things. After all, we’ve been engaged for years, and… I’ve been waiting a long time.”
Lucian’s eyes flickered as he listened, his jaw tightening. “Please tell your parents that I have other matters to attend to tonight. I won’t be free.”
The words hit her like a slap, the smile faltering on her lips. She blinked in surprise, not sure how to respond.
Of course, she knew why he’d declined. She knew the dinner was always about rushing them into marriage. It had been six years, and he had kept postponing the inevitable—first with work, then with Estella’s situation. Aubree had always been patient, but each year felt like another weight added to her chest, and now… now he was still putting it off.
Her voice dropped, a hint of bitterness creeping in as she looked at him, the corners of her lips tightening into a controlled frown. “Lucian… I’ve been waiting for six years. How many six years does a woman have? I don’t mind waiting, of course. But if it’s fated for us to be together, why won’t you just go through with the wedding already? At least then, the elders will feel reassured.”
Lucian’s gaze hardened as he stared at her, his expression cold. She carefully studied his face for any sign of warmth, any indication that he might relent. But there was none.
“We’ve been planning this wedding for years,” she continued, her voice now tinged with desperation. “So why—”
“I made a promise to marry you,” Lucian interrupted, his tone as cold as ice. “But you, of all people, should know why I made that promise.”
The words landed between them like a weight, and Aubree felt her heart drop. There was no affection in his voice, only detachment. She swallowed, her eyes wide as she tried to make sense of what he was saying.
Lucian didn’t give her a chance to respond. He continued, his voice neutral but firm. “I think the Farwell family has compensated the Pearson family more than enough over the years. Frankly, the compensation has far exceeded the worth of this engagement. Even if we didn’t go through with it, no one would say a word.”
Aubree’s breath caught in her throat. His words were a punch to the gut. She could feel the fear creeping into her chest, suffocating her. He was done. He wanted to break off the engagement.
“No,” she whispered, her voice cracking. She couldn’t believe it—couldn’t fathom that after all these years, he was willing to call it quits. The reality of his indifference hit her with the force of a crashing wave.
Lucian turned away from her, his attention already drifting to the stack of papers on his desk. There was nothing left to say.
Aubree stayed in her chair, her hands trembling slightly in her lap. She had no words left. She had hoped… but now, there was nothing left to hope for.
