Chapter 4

We sat on the nearest chairs in the hospital corridor. I looked at him for a moment before asking the question that had been bothering me ever since he showed up. “Are you following me?”

Lucas let out a light scoff before looking at me. “This is a public hospital, Mrs. Junia. Am I not allowed to come here for a checkup?” Well… he had a point. I lowered my head for a second before looking back at him. “Then why did you agree to my proposal?”

Instead of answering immediately, he slowly stood up from his chair and adjusted the sleeve of his suit. “The important thing is that I agreed, isn’t it? That’s what you wanted.” I quickly stood up as well, afraid he would change his mind if I delayed any longer. “Thank you,” I said sincerely. “I’ll see you around.”

He simply gave me a slight nod before walking away, leaving me standing there with more questions than answers. I watched him disappear down the hallway before letting out a long sigh. I didn’t understand that man at all, but none of that mattered right now. He had agreed to marry me, and that was all I needed.

I immediately booked a cab before calling Maya. “Girl, guess what?” I asked excitedly the moment she answered. “What happened?” “He agreed!” “Really?” For some reason, she didn’t sound as excited as I expected, but I was far too happy to notice. “I’ll call you later,” I said before hanging up.

The taxi had already stopped outside my parents’ mansion. For seven long years, I had stayed away from this place. The day I chose Damon over Lucas was the same day I walked away from my family. I had changed my phone number, cut off all contact with them, and convinced myself that I was doing the right thing. Or at least… that was what I had believed.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the gate and walked inside. The first person I saw was my mother watering the flowers in the garden. The moment she looked up and saw me standing there, I froze. I thought she would be angry. I thought she would tell me to leave or remind me that I had chosen a stranger over my own family.

Instead, she dropped the watering can and rushed toward me. “My daughter…” she cried as she pulled me into a tight embrace. “You finally came back. God has answered my prayers. I knew one day you would come home.” The warmth of her hug instantly broke me. I hugged her just as tightly, unable to stop the tears running down my face. “I’m sorry, Mom,” I sobbed. “I shouldn’t have gone against you back then. I should have listened.”

She gently rubbed my back, trying to comfort me. “It’s okay. We forgave you a long time ago.” I slowly pulled away and looked at her with tear-filled eyes. “You… forgave me?” She smiled sadly. “Of course we did. Bring the man you chose if that’s what makes you happy. It’s okay. What hurt your father and me wasn’t your decision to marry him. It was the fact that you cut ties with us completely. You changed your number, disappeared without a word, and never gave us a chance to know whether you were alive or not. I searched for you everywhere until I finally gave up, hoping and praying that one day you would come back to us.”

Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks as I hugged her again. “I’m sorry, Mom. I was gone for so many years because I thought you would never want to see me again.” “At first, your father and I were angry,” she admitted softly. “But eventually we let it go. You’re our only daughter. This will always be your home.”

I looked around the garden before asking quietly, “Where’s Dad?” “He’s at the company,” she replied. I lowered my eyes. “Mom… the man I chose betrayed me.” Her smile immediately disappeared. “For years I endured everything because I loved him, but I couldn’t come back. I kept thinking you would never forgive me.”

“Oh, my poor girl,” she whispered as she held my hands. “You could have come home at any time. You’re the only daughter we have. Everything here has always belonged to you.” I wiped away my tears before forcing a small smile. “And, Mom… I agreed to marry that man.” She looked at me in confusion. “It’s okay, dear. It’s all in the past now.”

I shook my head. “No, Mom. Lucas agreed too.” Her eyes widened in surprise. “Really?” I nodded with a smile. “I finally realized that your decision was what was best for me.”

She smiled through her tears before pulling me into another hug. “Do you want me to do anything about that man?” I smiled. “No, Mum. I will definitely handle him at the right time.” She nodded.

I hadn’t returned because of the inheritance. I hadn’t come back because of the wealth either. I had returned because I finally understood that no matter how badly I had hurt my parents, they had never stopped loving me. Yet a man I left them for didn’t think twice before even betraying me.

The following morning, despite my mother’s insistence that I stay home and rest, I left early to meet Lucas again. We still needed to discuss the details of our arrangement before he had the chance to change his mind. When I arrived at Sinclair Group, I immediately noticed that Maya’s desk was empty. I frowned. Where had she gone?

Just as I was about to knock on Lucas’s office door, I heard voices coming from inside. “How could you choose her over me?” Maya demanded. I froze outside the door. “I stayed by your side after she refused to marry you. I thought maybe one day you would finally consider me.”

My heart skipped a beat. So Maya… She had been in love with Lucas all this time. Suddenly, all of her strange reactions over the past few days finally made sense. Before I could even process that revelation, she spoke again. “Does she even know that you’re Damon’s biological uncle?”

My eyes widened in complete shock. What? Lucas… was Damon’s uncle?