Chapter 24 Forgiven
Lucas’s entire body went rigid.
On the other end of the line came hurried, muffled words. He grabbed Taylor’s arm, his grip almost bruising. “What did he say? Where is she? Tell me!”
Taylor sighed, his face hardening as he lowered the phone. “She’s at a café with Jeremy.”
The words detonated inside Lucas’s skull. His vision blurred for a second, rage and disbelief warring in his chest.
Before Taylor could even finish, Lucas was already moving—storming toward the door in long, forceful strides. His movements were sharp, desperate, like a man chasing the last breath he had left. “Send me the address,” he barked.
Taylor surged to his feet, shouting after him. “Are you serious right now? You’re really going to follow her again?”
But Lucas didn’t turn back. Didn’t pause. Didn’t even seem to hear him. His mind was already miles away, his body moving with a single-minded obsession.
On the other side of town, Emily sat across from Jeremy at a quiet outdoor café. It was a bright, sunny evening. Behind them, the bridge arched gracefully over a river where ducks glided lazily across the surface.
Emily sipped from her glass of juice while Jeremy held a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.
“Have you thought about it carefully?” Jeremy asked, watching her with concern. “If you go through with this marriage, it’ll be official. With all the ceremonies, in front of the world. There’s no turning back. Are you sure you want to marry Sebastian?”
Emily’s lips curved into a smile. “I am. He’s been so good to me ever since we got together. He’s never left my side. He’s taken care of me, supported me in ways I didn’t expect. At first, our marriage was just because his family was pressuring him. But now… we’ve become so much more than that.”
Jeremy studied her for a moment, then gave a small approving smile. “I’ve heard people say he really values family. If you marry him then you will be his family too.”
Emily’s eyes drifted toward the glittering water behind him.
She took another sip of her juice, her voice carrying a trace of wonder.
“When I first married him because he said he is marrying me just because of his family rules, I thought our marriage would mean nothing. That there’d be no future between us. But now…”
“Say that again.”
The sudden voice behind her made Emily freeze. She turned sharply—and her breath caught.
Lucas stood there, holding a bouquet of flowers, his eyes locked on her. He strode forward and stopped right in front of her table.
Emily frowned, startled. “What are you doing here?”
Lucas strode forward, dropping to his knees before her in the middle of the café. He seized her hand eagerly, his voice breaking with excitement. “Emily…”
She instantly pulled her hand back, her expression hardening.
He didn’t falter. His excitement remained, his voice trembling with emotion. “So it’s true? You were forced to marry him, right? I knew it. I knew you’d never willingly love anyone else. I knew you wouldn’t marry anyone else unless you had no choice.”
His hand shot out again, clasping hers tightly.
Emily straightened in her seat, her voice cold. “What does it have to do with you? Who I love, who I marry—it has nothing to do with you.”
He still didn’t let go, even when she tried to pull her hand back. His grip only tightened as if he feared she would vanish the moment he released her.
Lucas took a deep breath, his smile oddly unwavering. “I get it. You’re still angry with me. That’s why you married Sebastian—because you wanted to punish me for what happened.”
Annoyance flickered across Emily’s face. “Lucas, I didn’t come here to deal with you. Let me go.”
She tried to pull her hand away, but he tightened his grip.
Her eyes hardened. “If you don’t let go, I’m going to call security.”
He still didn’t let go, even when Emily tried to pull her hand back. His grip only tightened, his voice cracking.
“Don’t do this, Emily,” he pleaded, his voice trembling, raw. “I know you’re punishing me, but please… stop. I really can’t take it anymore.”
His face crumpled, the usual confidence gone, replaced by something fragile. He lifted the bouquet in his hands, holding it out to her almost like an offering of his soul. “See? I brought you flowers. You love orchids, right? I brought these for you.”
Emily’s eyes fell on the bouquet. For a moment, her chest twisted so painfully it felt like her ribs were splintering inward.
Orchids. The word tore through her like glass.
Five years together. Five years of him sending orchids on her birthday, on their anniversary, on every occasion that was supposed to be theirs. And countless times, she had told him that she didn’t like orchids.
She liked roses.
It was Amelia who adored orchids.
Eventually, Emily stopped repeating herself. She had learned to smile through the sting and accept the orchids, burying her disappointment with every bouquet he pushed into her hands.
Now, as she looked at them in his trembling grip, the irony cut her deeper than any blade.
“Lucas,” she said softly, her lips curling into a bitter scoff. “Do you know how long I waited for you to bring me flowers… yourself? To hand them to me, like this, with your own hands, humbly, with affection in your voice?”
Lucas’s heart pounded. His lips curved into a hopeful smile as he stared at her, clinging to her words with desperate hope.
But her voice hardened. “And now, all I feel when I look at these flowers is sickness.”
Emily snatched the bouquet from his hands. With one sharp motion, she hurled it aside. The orchids scattered across the floor in a messy spray of petals and stems.
She stood, her face cold, and stormed off. The flowers crumpled and crushed beneath her heels with every step until they were nothing but a mess on the floor.
“Emily—” Lucas scrambled to his feet and rushed after her, panic tightening every muscle in his body.
But a voice stopped him.
“Lucas?”
Lucas froze mid-step and turned. Jeremy had risen from his seat, hands sliding casually into his pockets, his expression cold. “Why are you chasing after her now?” Jeremy asked, eyes narrowing.
Lucas spun toward him, rage flaring. “What’s it got to do with you?”
Jeremy tilted his head toward the empty chair across from him. “Sit down.”
Lucas narrowed his eyes. “What the hell do you and I have to talk about?” His voice snapped with hostility.
Jeremy remained calm. “I know what you used to be, Lucas. A jerk who hurt Emily over and over again. Honestly, so many times, I thought you were a monster—eating away at her spirit until there was nothing left.”
Lucas dragged in a rough breath, his shoulders heaving. He turned his head away, dismissing his words with a low growl. “I don’t have time for this bullshit.” He spun on his heel to leave.
Jeremy’s next words stopped him cold. “I can help you get Emily back.”
Lucas froze mid-step. His entire body went rigid. Slowly, almost mechanically, he turned.
His jaw then he turned sharply, storming back toward Jeremy. Dragging a chair out with a scrape, he dropped into it heavily, his glare fixed on Jeremy. “Talk,” he ordered.
Jeremy studied him for a long moment, then leaned back, chillingly calm. He studied Lucas for a long moment before speaking.
“You’ve done a lot, Lucas. Big, grand gestures. But they’re not enough. Emily deserves more than apologies and scraps of your guilt.”
Lucas’s jaw flexed, his hands resting stiffly on the table. His voice came out rough, serious. “So what do you think I can do to have Emily back?”
Jeremy’s smirk deepened. He lifted his coffee cup, sipping leisurely before answering.
“In a few days, she’ll be launching a jewelry line Sebastian entrusted to her. That day, you give her the one thing that she always wanted from you.” His eyes gleamed, calculating. “A grand wedding. Lavish. Extravagant. Unforgettable.”
He set his cup down with a soft clink, leaning forward slightly.
“Women are simple, Lucas. They get angry easily… but they also forgive easily—if the effort is grand enough. Pacify her properly. Drown her anger in luxury. Make her feel like your world starts and ends with her, and she’ll forgive you.”
Lucas remained silent, his chest rising and falling with measured breaths. His eyes sharpened, suspicion flashing beneath the surface. He leaned in, his voice edged with distrust. “And why,” he asked coldly, “are you helping me?”
Jeremy chuckled softly, the sound laced with mockery.
“Mr. Cantrell, do you think I’m one of your business partners?
” He set his cup down with exaggerated care, eyes fixed on Lucas.
“Do you think I’m talking to you right now for some deal, some benefit?
” His smirk widened, cold and satisfied.
“And you don’t have much of a choice, do you?
Either take my advice… or lose her forever. ”
Lucas’s jaw clenched. His gaze wavered, troubled, haunted by doubt. Silence stretched. Finally, he pushed back from the chair and stormed off without another word.
Jeremy watched him disappear, then casually lifted his coffee cup. A slow, dark smile curved his lips.
‘You’ve tortured Emily enough, Lucas Cantrell. Now… it’s your turn. I’ll make sure you know what it feels like to be betrayed and hurt.’
***
Two days later, Lucas sat in his office, documents untouched, his mind restless. His phone buzzed with a new message.
Jeremy: ‘Today, I’m going with Emily to look at a venue for the event. If you want to see if she likes it for your wedding plan, you can come and see for yourself.’
Lucas’s lips curved into a smile that he hadn’t worn in months. His chest tightened with hope, and in the next second, he shot out of his chair and strode out of his office, his heart racing faster than his steps.
At the Grand Palace Hall, the manager approached Jeremy, who was lounging casually on one of the velvet couches.
“Mr. Nox,” the manager said, bowing slightly. “Mr. Cantrell is here. He’s standing right outside the venue doors.”