Chapter 7
“H–hi.”
I stammered, phone still pressed to my ear.]]
Mom’s voice rang out on the other end.[]
“Hello? Sweetheart? You there?”
Lucian stepped forward and calmly hit the speakerphone button.[]
“Ma’am, I’ve picked up Sloane.“]
The clean scent of lime from his shirt filled the air-[]
I instinctively stepped back.]
“Careful.”
He caught me gently, smiling as he steadied me.[]
For a moment, I just… froze.[]
Then I looked at my phone.
The call had already ended.[]
“You must be exhausted.“]]
Lucian took my suitcase, so polite it threw me off.]
I nodded and followed along quietly.]]
We’d just met, and neither of us really knew what to say.]
San Francisco isn’t a big city, but every square inch costs a fortune.]]
By rush hour, even luxury cars crawl like turtles.[]
“Cold?”
He finally broke the silence.
I blinked.
“No. Not at all ”
Compared to the frozen hell I lived in with Jace up north,
This place was practically summer.[]
Nine years of cold basements, leaky roofs,
No heat in winter, no AC in summer.[]
I never dared to suggest moving-
Didn’t want to bruise Jace’s fragile ego.
So I just grinned and bore it.]
But some men?
They’re fine with struggle]
As long as they’re not sharing the success.
“What’re you thinking about?“]
Lucian’s warm voice pulled me back.]
$.0
Suddenly, thinking about Jace in my fiancé’s car felt wrong.
But I figured he deserved to know a bit of the truth.]
“1. uh. actually”
“I know.”
Lucian turned the wheel, and we pulled into Pacific Heights.]
“Jace.”
He said the name like he knew it too well.]
My face burned.
It was like he’d peeked into my messy past.[]
Then he added, calm and firm.
“His company’s mediocre.“]
“He’s mediocre. You deserve better.“[]
I blinked, then gave an awkward smile.]]
“Yeah… I was young and dumb.“[]
He glanced at me. []
“Shame I didn’t know you back then.“[]
The car rolled to a stop in front of a massive house.
I followed his voice, looked up-
and met those gentle eyes of his.
I’d only ever dated Jace.[]
He was always intense, loud, driven by ego and impulse.
Lucian… was the opposite.[]
But i couldn’t get carried away.[]
This wasn’t love.
It was an arrangement.
Sve a polite smile and followed him inside.
My mom and Lucian’s parents were already waiting.[]
Mom rushed over, hugging me tight.
She whispered,
“The lawyers are already negotiating to pull out the funding from Jace’s startup.“]
Of course they were.
That’s my mom–efficient and ruthless.
I gave her a thumbs up and smiled.[]
The wedding was set for the next day.
It wasn’t nerves that kept me up that night.[]
It was the schedule-
The fittings, the rehearsals, the makeup trials.[]
By morning, my stylist arrived to get me ready.[]
Funny.
I’d begged for a wedding for nine years.
Now, suddenly, I had one.[]
Turns out, getting married is easy-[]
If the guy actually wants it.]
I didn’t know Lucian well,]
But I could already tell–he wasn’t a bad man.
n.]
He was calm, thoughtful, and respectful.]
After getting into my dress,
I stepped outside, and there he was.
In a tailored tux, looking even better than before.]
I couldn’t help myself-
“Why are you marrying me?“]]
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