Chapter 3

I sat across from him, nervously tapping my foot against the floor. The silence in the office was suffocating. I had never actually met Lucas before, so I had no idea whether he even knew who I was or if I was nothing more than another stranger asking for his time. “I’m Junia Larson,” I introduced myself. The moment I said my name, I noticed a flicker of recognition cross his face. He remembered it. That was a good sign… wasn’t it?

I took a deep breath before continuing. “Seven years ago, our parents arranged a marriage between us.” A faint scoff escaped his lips as he leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes never leaving mine. “And yet you’re only here now.” His tone was calm, but every word carried a sting. For some reason, I felt telling him the truth was the only option. “I recently divorced my husband.” To my surprise, he laughed. “Seven years, Ms. Larson.” He slowly shook his head. “You rejected me, married another man, spent seven years building a life with him, and now that your marriage has fallen apart, you’ve come looking for me. Tell me… do I look like someone’s second choice?” “It’s not like that…” I hurried to explain. He didn’t even give me the chance. “It may not have been like that then, but that’s exactly how it looks now.” His expression turned cold again as he picked up the document on his desk. “You made your decision seven years ago. You should live with it.”

My heart sank. He was my only chance to reconcile with my parents. Lucas calmly continued working as though our conversation had already ended. After a few moments, he looked up again and noticed I was still standing there. “Are you still here?” he asked without emotion. “If there’s nothing else, you may leave. Please close the door behind you.” I knew I had lost. Without another word, I stood up and quietly walked out of his office. The moment the door closed behind me, I let out a long breath. They hadn’t exaggerated. Lucas Sinclair was every bit as cold and intimidating as people claimed.

Just as I was wondering how I was going to explain everything to Maya, my phone suddenly rang. Damon. Seeing his name on the screen immediately soured my mood. I ignored the call. A few seconds later, he called again. And again. After the fifth call, I finally answered, only to be met with his furious voice. “Get to St. Joseph Hospital right now!” I frowned. “What are you talking about?” “Don’t act innocent!” he shouted. “How dare you hire thugs to attack Ann?” I almost laughed in disbelief. “Hire thugs? Damon, I have no idea what nonsense you’re talking about.” “You’d better get here immediately,” he snapped. “You’re the only suspect we have, and if you don’t come, I’ll call the police.” I closed my eyes in frustration. My life had already become a complete disaster, and somehow he was still finding new ways to make it worse. Not wanting to deal with the police over something I hadn’t done, I ended the call, booked another taxi, and headed to the hospital.

By the time I arrived, Damon and Ann were already walking out after her examination. The sight of them together immediately made my blood boil. What annoyed me even more was that Ann didn’t have a single visible injury on her body. The moment Damon saw me, he stormed over. “How dare you attack a pregnant woman?” he demanded angrily. I stared at him in disbelief. “Damon, are you really this heartless? Look at her carefully. She doesn’t even have a scratch.” Ann immediately clung to his arm, lowering her head as though she were frightened. “So what if there aren’t any injuries?” she said weakly. “Mental torture is real too. I’m pregnant.” Before I could respond, the doctor walked over carrying Ann’s test results. By coincidence, I was the first person to receive the file. I lowered my eyes to the report. A cold smile slowly spread across my lips. Ann didn’t have injuries. She had tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease. So this was the woman Damon had thrown away our marriage for.

Before Damon could ask what the report said, Ann noticed my expression. Panic flashed across her face as she quickly snatched the results from my hands. “It’s nothing, honey,” she said hurriedly, forcing a smile. “As long as the baby is fine, that’s all that matters. Besides, I forgive her.” Forgive me? For a brief second, I considered telling Damon everything. I could reveal that he was infertile. I could show him Ann’s medical report. I could expose every lie standing right in front of him. But before I opened my mouth, Damon stepped toward me and grabbed my wrist so tightly it hurt. “Stay out of our lives,” he warned coldly. “Neither of us needs you anymore. And if you ever come near Ann again, I’ll make sure you regret it.” I stared at the hand wrapped around my wrist. Was this really the man I had loved with all my heart? The man I had sacrificed my family, my future, and seven years of my life for? How had I been so blind? He shoved me away without another word before walking off with Ann, never once looking back.

I lost my balance as my heels slipped against the polished hospital floor. Just before I hit the ground, a pair of strong arms caught me. For a moment, I assumed it was one of the doctors. When I looked up, however, I froze. Lucas. He was looking in the direction Damon had disappeared before lowering his gaze to me. Still holding me steady, he asked calmly, “Was that your ex-husband?” I nodded, confused by the question and even more confused by the fact that he had suddenly appeared at the hospital. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “In that case,” he said, “I accept your proposal.”