Chapter 30%
The moment I stepped into the café, my heart pounded with anticipation.!!
I was supposed to meet Ethan–the man whose face, according to the footage, was identical to Ryan’s.
But instead of Ethan, the last person I wanted to see sat waiting for me, Leo.
The instant our eyes met, my body tensed. Without hesitation, 1 tumed on my heels, ready to walk out!
But before I could escape, Leo grabbed my wrist. His grip was not forceful, but it was firm enough to stop me.
“Lucy–Jocelyn,” he corrected himself, “wait. Ethan will be here any minute. You know better than anyone that he’s being hunted right now, so he has to be extra careful.
I scoffed, yanking my arm free. “And what about you, Leo? Aren’t you also a fugitive? Shouldn’t you be hiding instead of prancing around in public?
A wry smile tugged at his lips. “As long as Ethan is safe, I don’t care if I get caught. His voice held a sincerity that caught me off guard. “He’s the only reason I’m still standing, so I’ll do whatever it takes to protect him.“}
I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes. “So now you’re a loyal subordinate? Funny, I never pictured you taking orders.
Leo exhaled a quiet laugh. “Lucy, everything I’ve done–it’s always been for you.” He hesitated before adding, “I mean. Jocelyn”
I let out a tired sigh. “Just call me whatever you like, Lea. There’s no need to force yourself.”
Relief flashed in his eyes, and he nodded. “Right. It’s confusing me. I’m sorry.”
Then, without another word, he pulled a tablet from his bag and placed it in front of me.
“Watch this. It’s the proof of Ryan’s deception. See it for yourself
Skepticism gnawed at me, but my fingers still curled around the device. My breath hitched as the screen flickered to life, revealing grainy surveillance footage
It showed Ryan.
But what made my stomach twist was the man sitting across from him.!!
Leo’s father.
And the date stamped on the video?
The day after my graduation.
The day after I had waited for Leo, drowning in my pain and disappointment. The day I had walked into the US Embassy alone, desperate for a fresh start, changing my name to erase the past
I swallowed hard as the footage played on.
Ryan leaned in, his expression composed, his words measured. “Keep her away from Leo. Whatever it takes. I’ll make it worth your while.x
Leo’s father, a man I had barely interacted with, leaned back with an amused smirk. “And what exactly are you offering?”
Ryan slid a document across the table. “Shares in my company. A percentage large enough to keep you satisfied”
The smirk widened. “You would give away that much just to keep a woman away from my son? Interesting”
“She’s not meant for him,” Ryan said simply. “I’ll take care of her Just make sure Leo doesn’t come after her.
My stomach twisted into knots. So, that day Ryan had found me at my lowest.
But the fact that my departure was not just a desperate escape from heartbreak, make me crumbled.
And Ryan, the man I had trusted, who had promised to protect me, had been the one who orchestrated my exile.X
However, the one who made me more fungus was Leo’s father. He had known about my relationship with Leo all along, but he traded me like a commodity
I let out a cold sneer, my fingers tightening around the tablet as I looked at Leo with unhidden disdain.
“Your parents are just like you, Leo.”
A bitter chuckle escaped his lips. “Yes, they’re bastards. That’s why I left them. But Lucy,” his voice dropped, turning urgent, “your focus shouldn’t be on my parents. It should be on Ryan.“”
My nails dug into my palms as I forced myself to listen until the end of the footage.
Ryan’s voice was smooth, calculated. “Marry Sara off to Leo. That’s the only way he’ll let Lucy go.”
Across from him, Leo’s father leaned back with a satisfied smirk. They’ve been friends since childhood, so don’t worry. Everything will go smoothly, Mr. Donovan, I’ll make sure of it”
Ryan’s answer was swift, void of hesitation. “Good. I don’t tolerate failure. Do you understand?”
“Yes, yes.”
And then, the screen went!
went black.
A heavy silence settled between us.
Leo exhaled sharply, his gaze flickering toward me. “See? I told you from the start, Lucy. You were forced to marry him. Ryan orchestrated all of this.”2
Iscoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. “And yet, nowhere in that hallway deal did Ryan tell you to sleep with Sara. Twice. And even
12:22 PM ch
A heavy silence settled between us
Leo exhaled sharply, his gaze flickering toward me. “See? I told you from the start, Lucy. You were forced to marry him. Ryan orchestrated all of this.“It
I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. “And yet, nowhere in that hallway deal did Ryan tell you to sleep with Sara. Twice. And even get her pregnant%
Leo’s mouth clamped shut. Guilt flickered across his features, but he said nothing.!!
I took a deep breath, my chest rising and falling with the weight of my exhaustion
“Leo, if you think revealing this will make me come back to you, you’re wrong. If I could turn back time, I would choose to leave you sooner. I wouldn’t waste three years waiting for a man who only knew how to make empty promises and shatter them over and over again.
Leo clenched his fists, his expression crumbling into something unreadable.
“I know.” His voice was barely a whisper, but then he lifted his head, his eyes filled with something desperate. “But Lucy, I just want you to be happy. If you’re free from me now, at least make sure you’re living a better life.”
His gaze hardened. “So please, don’t marry Ryan“}
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as a chilling whisper came from behind me.ll
“Yes,” a voice murmured, laced with eerle certainty. “You were never meant to be with him.”
A shiver ran down my spine as I turned.
“But with me.”
Standing there, his presence suffocating and unfamiliar, was a man I had never met–yet whose face mirrored Ryan’s perfectly
Ethan
