Chapter 5
The monitor beside my bed beeped a steady rhythm,
grounding me as the room seemed to spin.
Lucian Blackwood,
the most feared billionaire in the country,
was the man from Venice.
"I left before morning,"
I whispered,
remembering the panic I felt waking up in that opulent hotel.
"You disappeared without a trace,"
Lucian agreed,
his voice tinged with old sorrow.
"I hired investigators,
scoured guest lists,
but you used a fake name."
I looked down at my hands,
feeling a flush of shame.
"I was a struggling student,
I crashed the party just to see the art."
Lucian smiled,
a rare,
genuine expression that transformed his harsh features.
"You were the most beautiful piece of art there, Ava."
A pregnant silence stretched between us,
heavy with unspoken emotions and lost time.
"When I finally found you,"
he continued,
his tone hardening again,
"you were already married to that parasite."
I closed my eyes,
wishing I could erase the last five years of my life.
"I thought Nathan loved me,"
I admitted,
a bitter tear escaping my lashes.
"He used you,"
Lucian corrected fiercely,
"he used your brilliance to build his company,
then threw you away."
It was the harsh truth,
spoken without any sugarcoating.
I had designed all the software that made Nathan rich,
signing away the rights because I trusted my husband.
"And now he wants the babies,"
I sobbed,
clutching my stomach protectively.
"He only wants them to secure his trust fund,"
Lucian stated,
revealing a secret I never knew.
"His grandfather's will stipulates he must produce an heir by his thirtieth birthday,
which is next month."
I gasped,
the final puzzle piece falling into place.
That was why Nathan forced the divorce papers today,
he wanted to steal the babies and marry Chloe immediately.
"He is a monster,"
I breathed,
feeling sick to my stomach.
"He is a dead man walking,"
Lucian promised,
his eyes cold and deadly.
"You are going to come live with me, Ava,
at my estate in the mountains."
I hesitated,
feeling completely overwhelmed by the rapid changes.
"Lucian,
I have nothing,
I cannot pay you back for this."
He reached out,
taking my hand and kissing my knuckles gently.
"You owe me nothing,
you only have to let me protect you,
and the children."
I looked deep into his eyes,
seeing a fierce,
unyielding loyalty that I desperately needed.
"Okay,"
I whispered,
surrendering to the safety he offered.
He smiled again,
a triumphant,
predatory smile.
May you like
"Good,
we leave at dawn."
