Crumbling Decision

 “Busy day?” Declan asked casually, 

Lucas leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his dark hair. “You could say that.”

Declan crossed the room, dropping into the leather chair opposite Lucas’s desk. “You’ve been staring at that photo for a while now,” he noted, nodding toward the picture of Lucas and Ava that Lucas had just pushed aside.

“Just thinking,” Lucas replied, his voice clipped.

Declan studied him for a moment, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Thinking? That’s dangerous for you.”

Lucas managed a half-smile but didn’t take the bait. 

Declan’s usual attempts at humor were one of the few things that had kept him grounded over the years, but today, not even his friend’s lighthearted banter could pull him out of the dark cloud hanging over him.

“You want to talk about it?” Declan asked, his voice shifting to a more serious tone. “You’ve been distracted lately.”

Lucas exhaled slowly, staring at the contracts spread out on his desk, the words blurring together. “It’s nothing I haven’t already told you before,” he admitted, the frustration in his voice barely concealed. “Ava’s… distant. More distant than ever.”

Declan raised an eyebrow. “Still refusing to have that conversation about kids, huh?”

Lucas let out a humorless chuckle. “Refusing is putting it lightly. It’s like she doesn’t even want to acknowledge the possibility. Every time I bring it up, she brushes it off. She’s too focused on her career. And I get it—her career’s important to her—but…” His voice trailed off, his jaw clenching. “It’s been four years, Declan. Four years of waiting, hoping that she’ll be ready. But I don’t think she ever will be.”

Declan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You love her, right?”

“Of course I do,” Lucas said without hesitation, but the words felt hollow, weighed down by everything that had changed between them. “But it’s getting harder to ignore the fact that we’re on completely different paths. I want a family. I’ve always wanted a family. She knew that from the start, and I thought we were on the same page. But now…” He shook his head. 

Declan nodded thoughtfully, his expression serious. “I won’t pretend to know what’s going on inside her head, but maybe she just needs more time. You know how important her career is to her. She’s at the top of her game right now—every magazine cover, every runway. She’s made a name for herself.”

“I know,” Lucas muttered, bitterness creeping into his tone. “But how long am I supposed to wait? Until she’s done with her career? Until she decides that being a mother is convenient for her?”

His friend stayed silent for a moment, clearly choosing his next words carefully. 

“You’ve always been patient, Lucas. But there’s a difference between being patient and being complacent. You can’t let yourself get lost in her dreams, especially if it means sacrificing your own happiness.”

Lucas stared at Declan, his friend’s words hitting closer to home than he’d expected. Complacent. He had never considered it that way before, but Declan was right. 

He had been so wrapped up in supporting Ava’s career, in being the perfect husband, that he had lost sight of what he truly wanted. A family. A future. Something more than just empty public appearances and picture-perfect smiles for the cameras.

“I don’t know how much longer I can do this,” Lucas admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t keep pretending that everything’s okay when it’s not.”

Declan leaned back in his chair, nodding slowly. “Maybe it’s time to have a serious conversation with her. Lay everything out on the table. No more dodging the issue. Either she’s willing to meet you halfway, or…”

“Or what?” Lucas asked, his voice hardening. “Or we go our separate ways?”

Declan shrugged, though his expression was sympathetic. “I’m not saying that, but you have to decide what’s most important to you, man. A family or a marriage that’s hanging by a thread.”

Lucas stared out the window, the bustling city below feeling a million miles away. 

The weight of Declan’s words pressed heavily on his chest. 

He had always prided himself on being patient, on waiting for the right moment. But how much longer could he wait? And what would be left of his marriage by the time that moment arrived?

The conversation with Declan had only reinforced what Lucas already knew deep down… something had to change. 

He couldn’t keep living like this—trapped in a marriage that looked perfect on the outside but was crumbling behind closed doors. 

If Ava wasn’t willing to compromise, to meet him halfway, then he would have to make some hard decisions. Decisions he never thought he would make.

Declan stood, placing a hand on Lucas’s shoulder. “Whatever you decide, just know I’ve got your back,” he said quietly. “But you need to have that conversation with her, Lucas. Sooner rather than later.”

Lucas nodded, though his mind was already a thousand miles away. The function tonight would be the perfect opportunity to finally address the growing tension them. They couldn’t keep pretending forever.

“I’ll talk to her,” Lucas said, though the words felt heavy on his tongue. He wasn’t sure if he believed them himself.

_____

By the time Lucas arrived home that evening, the penthouse was buzzing with activity. 

Ava’s stylist and makeup artist were bustling around the spacious bedroom, putting the final touches on her look for the night. 

He paused in the doorway, watching as they worked, his eyes drawn to Ava’s reflection in the mirror.

She looked stunning, as always. Her long, golden hair falls down her shoulders in loose waves, and the floor-length silver gown she wore clung to her curves in a way that would undoubtedly turn heads at the function.

 She was every inch the picture-perfect model, flawless and radiant.

But to Lucas, she felt more like a stranger.

“Lucas!” Ava’s voice was bright, pulling him from his thoughts. She smiled at him through the mirror, her eyes lighting up in a way that hadn’t happened in private for months. “What do you think?” She did a little spin, showing off the dress. “Do you like it?”

“You look beautiful,” Lucas said automatically, though his tone lacked the enthusiasm he knew she was expecting.

Ava’s smile faltered for a brief second, but she quickly recovered. “I knew you’d love it. Chloe’s going to be so jealous when she sees this dress. It’s one of a kind.” 

She turned back to the mirror, her eyes focused on her reflection as the makeup artist dabbed at her cheekbones, perfecting the last of her makeup.

Lucas leaned against the doorframe, watching as Ava immersed herself in the final preparations. He could feel the distance between them like a physical wall, separating them in ways he couldn’t even begin to explain. 

And tonight, at yet another function, they would play the role of the perfect couple for the world to see, while the reality of their crumbling marriage remained hidden behind closed doors.

But tonight, Lucas knew, something had to change.