Ex-wife?
"You do know you have been fucking a married man all along don't you?" Sarah smirked as she saw the horror written on my face from her words.
I could not breathe.
I thought I had received the greatest shock for the evening, but this shock hit me raw, at my most vulnerable moment. Suddenly it made sense what he was trying to close with Sarah. They had still been married all along. He never divorced her.
"Lucas is that true?" Martha spoke first, seeing as everyone else was too shocked to speak.
I turned to Lucas, hoping and praying I would not see the guilt that danced in his eyes, the proof that whatever she was saying was true.
But Sarah had not come here unprepared today. She had her facts right and as much as I wished it was not the case, she was right even now.
Lucas looked at me with pleading eyes like he was begging me to understand him, but I could not.
Not this time, not after he had lied to me, again.
Not after he had deceived his whole family for six years.
Even Mia was just as petrified as the rest of us.
Mouth hanging, eyes wide, and brows furrowed together.
"Bro tells me this is not fucking true," Robin said angrily. I could not tell if his anger was at his brother or the situation. I though felt an ire for both. Lucas for deceiving me and this awful situation which we found ourselves in a night that was supposed to end happily.
"It's not," Lucas said coldly, "at least not all of it is true."
She chuckled humorlessly, and stepped closer to him—why could this bitch not fucking keep her distance from Lucas?— "Baby, you don't have to lie about it. Tell them I'm still your wife..."
"Ex-wife!" Lucas barked, grabbing her hand and tossing her away. He turned to me and attempted to hold me, but I jerked back almost instinctively.
"Please do not touch me," I whispered. It was the only way I could hold back the tears. I could not trust myself to still keep a straight face after he touched me.
"Chris, please just let me speak," he said with pleading eyes and attempted to touch me again.
"You don't owe her an explanation, Lucas. I'm the one you owe an explanation I'm your wife."
"Would you shut the fuck up and let me fucking speak Sarah!
" Lucas yelled in frustration. His nose flared and his jaws were tense, his fingers raked through his perfectly cut hair and I had to hold back from melting into his arm as he reached for me again.
"I had not divorced Sarah all these years because I did not have the heart to.
Fuck I tried, so many fucking times to do it, I just could not.
In my heart, I truly hoped she would come to our senses one day and return to our family and make us whole again. "
"Well ta-da, you got your wish," I said sarcastically, waving my arm across Sarah. "I hope you're so happy now. Heavens finally granted your prayers."
"I am happy, but it's only because I did not get what I wished for. I got something way better," he said calmly.
"You lied to me." I said accusatorily, "you said you were done with her, and now I get to find out you're both still fucking married."
"We were married, not anymore." He shot Sarah a glare, "I signed and sent the divorce papers days ago, hoping Sarah would end it without a fuss."
She shook her head bitterly, "I am not fucking signing any divorce papers. I was dumb and ambitious and stupid years ago, and I walked out of our family, but I am not making the same mistake twice."
"Neither am I!" Lucas said with brutal coldness. "I made a horrible mistake of loving you and giving you everything because I was young and dumb. It's a blunder I had to pay dearly for with my heart Sarah and I will not pay for it twice."
"You still love me, Lucas," she sobbed, "you cannot see it because you are blinded by her, but we're meant to be together, why are you letting her stand in our way."
"If anyone is standing in the way tonight, it's you bitch." Matha spat.
Despite the obvious scorn dripping from Martha's tone, Sarah turned to her wearing the mask of the victim as she pleaded at Martha's feet, "Mom, I know I made a terrible mistake leaving, but you know I was under pressure.
I was blinded by all the change that was thrown my way and made terrible choices, but please ask him to forgive me.
He'll always listen to you. Please, mom. "
The fucking nerve of this woman.
"It took you more than five years to realize your mistake?
" Martha scoffed. "Not one, not two, not fucking three, more than five years to realize you made a mistake?
" Her question helped to shut Sarah up and I could tell she was cooking up an excuse in her brain.
"Also I feel disgusted when you call me Mom.
Stop acting like we are related. We are not.
I have had to watch my son rise very slowly from all you have put him through.
I am his mother and I will do anything to keep a witch like you away from my son and grandbabies. "
As if on cue, Lucas and I looked to where the kids were standing. Panic rose in my chest at the now empty spot. "Where's Aiden and Abigail?"
"Safe," Martha said simply. "I do not need her darkness leaving a dent on those poor things.
I am disappointed though, that it took Lucas so damn long to realize that you were a piece of shit not worth keeping, but I'm glad Chris came into our lives.
Whether anyone accepts it or not, she is the one good factor that helped to break my son from whatever ties you had on him.
" the iciness in her eyes was replaced by adoration and maybe love as she looked at me, but it quickly returned as her eyes found Sarah's tear-filled face again.
"Now I will forget that you just ruined my dear daughter's engagement party if you get your sorry ass out of here and send over those signed divorce papers first thing at dawn tomorrow."
"I will not do that," she said with surprising confidence. "I still love my husband and no matter what anyone says, I am not letting anyone force me to divorce him."
"I'm not your husband anymore." hearing Lucas's voice made me feel sick to my stomach. Maybe it was a mixture of Sarah's confidence and the helplessness written on his face, but I felt like I was losing him.
The thought made my heart ache because I loved him. God, I loved him so damn much, and I knew he loved me too.
But he lied to you.
I would have understood if he had told me before that he was still legally married to Sarah.
Sure it would have hurt, but not as much as hearing it from her hurt.
I could already foresee how tonight would end.
Ever since she decided to come back into our lives she had always had the upper hand, it was obvious tonight was just going to end that way.
She would win and I would lose, lose him and the kids.
God the kids. Losing them might just end up being the factor that completely broke me.
"Please let's just talk for five minutes outside, somewhere more private where you can think with a clear head." she grabbed his arm.
"You're the one that needs a clear head Sarah." he pulled his hands from her and tightened them around mine, "Maybe then you would understand that I am not the Lucas you turned your back on before. That man died the day Chris came into my life."
"I am not going to sign those papers," she chewed on her quivering lips. There was a hint of remorse in her eyes. She fucked up and maybe the fact was starting to dawn on her.
"It does not matter," he sighed, "I signed them and the process is almost complete. Whether or not you sign them, I could not care less, but I will leave no effort to keep you away from me and my twins"
"The twins?" she looked shocked, "you cannot keep my kids away from me!"
"Thankfully, you did that job for yourself when you abandoned them."
"I want to see my kids now!" she demanded, trying to look put together, but I sure as hell could see right through her. She was terrified.
His grip on me tightened and I knew he was working to keep calm.
I was too. "You don't get to come in here and make that demand.
I will not let you do so much as come close to them again.
Such a shame since they are the most adorable things I have ever achieved, sadly you would miss out on watching them grow. "
"Don't do that to me!" she yelled, more tears filled her eyes. "you cannot keep them from me. I am their mother."
"If you're so offended, take it up in court.
" Lucas's eyes darted around, possibly trying to make sure the kids were not around before he spoke.
When he confirmed their absence, he continued.
I'm sure the judge would like to hear how you despised them from the day they were conceived, attempted to sell them off, and finally left the innocent one-month-olds despite all my pleas.
" he scoffed and looked away, "you know I always wondered what did they ever do to you, Sarah.
If you were mad at me, all you had to do was take it out on me, why did you have to leave them like that? "
"I'm sorry Lucas," she whispered.
"Your apologies do not mean a thing now. Look around Sarah, Mom, Dad, Rob, Mia, Lilian, Chris, Zoey and me. They have all they would ever need in a family and I can assure you my kids do not need you."
"They are my kids too."
"Maybe when they're old enough they can choose to forgive you or not. Though I intend to make sure they never ever know who you are."
Her head snapped up as he spoke, "How can you be so cruel."
"I learned the art from the very best." he shrugged.
"This is all your fault," she wagged a finger at me.
"Blaming her is not going to make anyone look past your mistakes." Lucas held me closer.
"I deserve a chance to get my family back,"
"Everybody does, and I really would have considered giving you another chance if you were anyone but Sarah. Now I'm asking for the last time. Get out of here and for your own sake do not stop until you have returned to wherever you emerged from. The cops should be up here in a few seconds."
"You cannot call the cops in me, I'm not a criminal."
"I'll et the cops decide that. I'm sure you would love to have your name on every tabloid by mo ing, singing how you were kicked out of a grand hotel like a common criminal. Talk about the scandal."
She still stood her ground, her eyes were fixed on me in the iciest glare. If looks could kill, she'd be dead, because I had my glares of my own to shoot too.
"Or maybe I can have the guards start the job before the cops get here." Robin snapped a finger at the two guards who stood at the far end of the room. They were at our side in only a few jogs. "Please get her out of here, hand her over to the cops when they arrive."
"I will murder you if you lay a filthy finger in me, you disgusting swine!
" she screamed like a defeated with, before crouching down to pick up her purse that had clattered to the ground when Celine grabbed her hair.
She had a faltering smile when she got to her feet again.
"I'm leaving now, but I promise I will take what's mine back.
" She stormed out of the room, tossing over some of the tables as she made her way out in angry, frustrating steps.
A very big contrast to the confident way she strode in here.
"Are you okay?" Lucas placed a hand over my shoulder as the clicking sound of her heels faded.
I'm not okay! "I just want to go home."
Cool night air slapped my skin as we exited the building through the back door provided for staff.
Lucas was still sure those leaches called the press would be camped outside the front of the building waiting to get a statement or some tea on what went down inside, so he called the driver to have the car around the back of the building.
Everyone else stayed back to deal with the aftermath of the ruined engagement party.
I was too devastated to care about anything else, except the fact that I needed to be alone. I needed to think and cry on my own. At least for now.
"Can I go home alone right now?" I asked just as Lucas attempted to join me in the back of the car. "I just need to think."
He gave me a long, tired, thoughtful look, then reached his hand to my face, wiping the remaining tears that had lingered. "I'll be right behind you."
"Thank you."
He gave the driver some instruction and a few seconds later, the car was in motion, heading home. I looked behind to see him watching the car fade away, hands in his pocket until we were out of sight.
As the car steered further in the direction of Lucas's house, I realized that was the very last place I really wanted to be tonight. Right now I did not want to be around anyone, much less Lucas. I was not mad at him per se. Just hit, really really hurt.
"Please turn around," I said softly to the driver. He had not said a word since the drive started.
"What?" he watched me through his mirror.
"Turn the car around please." I forced a smile, and I was glad that he did so without further questions.
"Where are we headed, ma'am?"
Another big question. One I did not really have an answer to. "Just keep driving," he looked surprised but did not stop, "turn around the city a few if you wish, but please, just take me anywhere away from that house." And from him.