Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Lucas
The evening sky faded into warm pastels, casting shadows across the condo’s parking lot. The distant hum of traffic blended with the soft rustle of palm trees, a peace I couldn’t feel as I stared at the stack of boxes in my trunk.
I hefted the last one inside, careful not to crush the canvas bag containing my favorite pieces of art. Two suitcases, a few boxes of clothes, and a handful of things I couldn’t leave behind—that was all I had now.
The condo upstairs was nearly empty, stripped of anything that had made it feel like home. My lease, or rather, the lease my trust had covered, was no longer mine. I slammed the trunk shut and leaned against the car, staring at the darkening horizon.
My father’s words still rang in my head.
You’ve made your choice, Lucas. You think playing house with a woman like her will give you stability? It won’t. You’ve been reckless, and this is the price you pay.
Reckless. That’s what he’d called me as if cutting me off was some kind of lesson. And Ella—he’d just dismissed her as an inconvenience to his plans for me.
The memory churned in my gut, a mix of anger and regret. But beneath it all was something sharper.
Shame.
Not because I’d stood up to him—but because I hadn’t done it sooner. For too long, I’d let his money dictate my life. Maybe this was my chance to prove I didn’t need him.
Still, the loss stung. The condo, the security, the safety net—it was all gone. Now, all I had were the things packed into my car and a vague plan to start over in New York with my mom.
I glanced at my phone on the driver’s seat. Ella’s name hovered in my thoughts like a persistent whisper.
I should tell her. But then what? It’s not like she has any reason to care now.
We hadn’t spoken much in the last few days. The distance between us had grown, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of my family’s mess or something else entirely. The uncertainty gnawed at me.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and exhaled slowly. This wasn’t the time to spiral. The plan was simple: get out of here, go to New York, and start over. Maybe, eventually, Bess and Ella would follow.
The thought startled me, but I didn’t push it away. I wanted that future. But first, I had to deal with the present. Just as I was about to close the trunk, a car pulled into the lot and stopped a few spaces away.
Ella.
I leaned against the car, masking the turmoil in my mind as she approached. She looked stunning in jeans and a fitted blazer, but her cautious steps and the way her gaze flickered between me and the packed boxes set me on edge.
She stopped a few feet away, arms crossed. “Lucas,” she said softly. “What’s all this?”
I glanced at the trunk. “Packing up my life.”
Her brow furrowed. “Why?”
“My father cut me off,” I said bluntly. “Trust fund, condo—everything. It’s all gone.”
Her eyes widened. “Why?” she whispered.
I let out a humorless laugh. “Because I won’t live by his rules. Because… of you.”
“Me?”
“The idea of you,” I corrected. “Of me being with someone who doesn’t fit his perfect world.”
She didn’t look angry—just sad. That was worse.
“So, what happens now?” she asked.
I forced a smile. “My mom’s gallery in New York needs help. It’s a fresh start. I think she is having second thoughts about the responsibility it brings.”
She hesitated, her gaze flicking toward the car. “I actually came here to talk about something else.”
I frowned. “What is it?”
She bit her lip. “I wanted to thank you. For everything you did with The Circus Rider .”
“Ella,” I interrupted gently, “you don’t have to thank me.”
“I do,” she insisted. “It meant a lot. And I wanted to tell you before—” She stopped herself.
“Before what?” I pressed.
Her shoulders lifted in a deep sigh. When she looked at me again, her eyes were guarded, tinged with regret. “Before I say goodbye.”
The words hit like a punch to the gut, knocking the air from my lungs. “Goodbye?” I mumbled.
She glanced away, her hands fidgeting at her sides. “Lucas, your life… it’s complicated. And I don’t want to be the reason it gets harder.”
My heart raced as I searched her face for any sign she didn’t mean it, that she wasn’t really walking away. “Ella, don’t do this,” I said, stepping closer. “If this is about my father?—”
“It’s not just about your father,” she cut in, her voice steady but kind. “It’s about everything. Your family, your father’s reputation—everything that comes with it.”
I swallowed hard, panic rising in my chest. “Ella, I can handle this. I can handle all of it. I just need to know that you’re with me.”
Her eyes softened briefly before she looked toward the car again, shaking her head slowly. “Lucas,” she said quietly, “what are you really doing here? Where are you going?”
I couldn’t answer for a moment—not because I didn’t know, but because the truth felt like it wouldn’t be enough. Like I wasn’t enough. Then I thought about what my mom had said:
Starting over doesn’t mean giving up.
I forced a smile. “Like I said before. I’m going to New York. To help with my mom’s gallery. To build something for myself. For us—for you and Bess, if you’ll let me,” I explained.
Her head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise. I held my breath, waiting for her to respond, but she just stared at me, her lips slightly parted.
“Ella,” I said softly, stepping close enough to touch her. “I don’t want to lose you.”
Her gaze locked on mine, and I thought she might say something to ease the ache in my chest. Instead, she stepped back, folding her arms like a shield. “I don’t know if it’s that simple, Lucas.”
“It doesn’t have to be simple,” I replied, closing the distance again. “I’m not asking for easy, Ella. I’m asking for real. For you.”
Her expression wavered, her eyes softening for a second before she shook her head and let out a sign. “This isn’t about what you want. It’s about what’s best for Bess—for both of us.”
The mention of Bess sent a pang through me. I’d thought about her almost as much as I’d thought about Ella these past few days. I wasn’t na?ve—I knew Ella’s life revolved around her niece’s well-being. But hearing it aloud, hearing that I might not be part of what’s “best” for them—it stung.
“Do you really think I’d let anything happen to either of you?” I asked, keeping my voice calm despite the turmoil inside. “I’m not my father, Ella. I’m not dragging you into his mess.”
“It’s not just your father,” she said, her voice rising slightly. “It’s everything tied to him—it’s too much.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but she raised a hand, stopping me cold. “And it’s not just about you protecting us, Lucas. It’s about what I’m willing to risk.”
Her words hung heavily in the air. I swallowed hard, searching for something to say. She wasn’t wrong—my life was messy, my family’s shadows impossible to escape. But that didn’t mean I was giving up.
“I can’t change what my father’s done,” I said quietly. “But I can change what I do next. And I want you to be part of that.”
Her gaze dropped to the pavement, her brow furrowing as if searching for answers. When she finally looked up, her expression held hesitation—maybe hope. I couldn’t tell.
“Lucas,” she said, her voice gentler, “I don’t know if this can work. But I don’t want to walk away without trying.”
It wasn’t a promise, but it was enough. Enough to keep me grounded, to hold onto the faintest hope.
“Then don’t quit on us,” I urged. My hand brushed hers. “Let me prove it to you. Whatever it takes, Ella. Just don’t give up on us.”
She curled her fingers around mine, her breath shaky. “Bess is at my mom’s tonight,” she said softly, glancing at me. “I need to check on them, but… maybe after that, we could talk. I’ll ask if she can spend the night there with Mom and Dad.”
Her words caught me off guard, and her suggestion offered a glimmer of hope. “At your place?” I asked, my voice cautious.
She nodded, her fingers slipping away from mine. “I’ll text you when I’m ready for you to come over.”
“I’ll wait,” I said, steady despite the storm inside.
She nodded faintly, turned, and walked to her car. I watched her go, the weight of the conversation settling over me. This wasn’t over—not by a long shot. But for the first time in days, I felt like we might be moving toward something real.
As her car disappeared, stars began to dot the darkening sky. Peace still eluded me, but the hope she’d left behind was enough for now.