Chapter 12

The Thorne Estate was a sprawling fortress of white marble and ancestral pride, but as Lucian’s tires screeched up the driveway, it felt like a mausoleum. He didn't wait for the butler to open the door. He slammed his way into the grand foyer, his footsteps echoing like thunder.

"Mother!"

Beatrice Thorne was sitting in the solarium, sipping tea from a delicate bone-china cup. She looked as she always did—perfectly poised, her silver hair styled into a crown, a string of pearls around her neck that cost more than a small hospital.

"Lucian, dear," she said, not looking up. "You’ve been making quite a spectacle of yourself lately. Buying law firms? Standing in the rain like a common beggar? It’s beneath a Thorne."

Lucian walked over and swiped the tea cup off the table. It shattered against the marble floor, dark liquid staining the white stone.

Beatrice finally looked up, her eyes narrowing. "That was a Ming dynasty antique."

"I don't care about the cup, Mother. I care about the twins."

The silence that followed was heavy and suffocating. Beatrice didn't flinch. She simply smoothed her silk skirt. "So, you found out. I expected you to be smarter, Lucian. I expected you to realize that a woman like Elara Vance was never meant to carry the Thorne legacy. She was a middle-class chemist with no pedigree."

"She was my wife!" Lucian roared, his voice shaking the glass walls of the solarium. "And those are your grandchildren! My son and my daughter! You knew she was pregnant, and you still gave Serena the PI to frame her?"

Beatrice stood up, her coldness matching his fury. "I did what was necessary for the brand. A Thorne heir should be born of a woman who understands power, not a girl who cries over anniversary dinners. I intended for you to marry Serena, have a proper heir, and move on."

"Move on?" Lucian let out a jagged, broken laugh. "I spent five years hollow because of you. I almost lost my children because of you. You didn't just frame Elara; you tried to erase my heart."

"You were a better CEO when you were hollow," Beatrice said flatly. "You were ruthless. Now? You're weak. You’re groveling at the feet of a woman who wants to destroy us."

Lucian stepped closer, his shadow falling over her. "You’re wrong, Mother. I’m not weak. I’m finally awake. And since you care so much about the 'Thorne Brand,' let me tell you what’s going to happen."

He pulled a document from his pocket. "I’ve already initiated the board’s morality clause. You are being removed from the foundation. Your allowance is cut. And as of this moment, you are barred from the Thorne penthouse and every company property."

Beatrice’s composure finally cracked. Her hand flew to her pearls. "You wouldn't. I am your mother!"

"A mother protects her children's happiness," Lucian hissed. "You destroyed mine. If I ever see you near Elara, Leo, or Mia—if you so much as send them a card—I will liquidate every asset with your name on it until you are as 'invisible' as you tried to make Elara."

He turned to leave, but stopped at the door. "By the way, Leo is four years old, and he’s already a better man than I ever was. He’s a genius. And he will never know your name."

---

ScentTech – Two Hours Later

Lucian didn't go home. He went to Elara’s office. He looked ragged, his spirit exhausted, but his eyes were clear.

He found her sitting at her desk, staring at a photo of the kids. She looked up as he entered. She saw the state of him—the trembling hands, the shattered expression—and she knew.

"You did it," she whispered.

"She’s gone, Elara. I’ve cut her out. Entirely." Lucian sat in the chair across from her, leaning his head back. "I’m sorry it took me five years to choose you over a lie."

Elara walked around the desk. She didn't hug him, but she placed a hand on his shoulder. It was the first time she had initiated contact since her return.

"I heard about the board meeting," she said quietly. "You’ve lost a lot today, Lucian. Your reputation, your mother..."

"I didn't lose anything I can't live without," Lucian said, looking up at her. "But I gained a second chance to be the man I was supposed to be."

Suddenly, his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, expecting Marcus. Instead, it was an alert from his home security system.

"What is it?" Elara asked, seeing his face turn pale.

"Someone is at the penthouse," Lucian said, his voice turning cold. "The front door just opened with Julian’s emergency code... but Julian is in surgery."

He looked at the live feed on his phone. His breath hitched. It wasn't Julian. It was Serena’s brother—a man known for his gambling debts and violent temper—carrying a gym bag.

"He’s not after the money," Lucian whispered, his heart stopping. "He’s at your apartment, Elara. The kids... he’s after the kids."