Chapter 80

Lucian’s POV

Aria’s presence stunned not just me, but seemingly all of the family. Everyone in the room was looking at her.

In the past, Aria had never cared much for being in the limelight. She’d shied away from my side at public events, preferring to always enter slightly behind me.

Yet here she was, basking in the glow of everyone’s attention, entirely unbothered by it.

She was radiant and composed, a vision in white. The gown synched in at the waist, showing off her perfect figure. Long white gloves covered her hands up to her bicep, which helped accentuate the tantalizingly bare skin of her neck and shoulders.

Our bond might have been broken, but I still couldn’t take my eyes off of her. I was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, so much so that my feet began moving without my mind’s consent.

My feet led me straight to Aria. When I came to stand beside her, she gave me only a passing glance.

“Lucian. Thank you for inviting me.”

My throat was so dry, it took a moment for me to be able to formulate words. “Of course, Aria. You are still a member of this family.”

Until the divorce was finalized, she would be welcome. Even afterwards, if she wanted to come, I would allow it. I was certain my parents would like seeing her too. But such invitations didn’t seem appropriate at the moment, with so much animosity still between us.

“Right,” Aria said. She was already looking away from me, her gaze drifting over the room. She shied away from no one’s curious glances, meeting every eye that was looking at her, one after the next. Then, seemingly, she found who she was looking for. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“Uh, yes… Certainly…” I stepped back, giving her room to walk around me.

Aria waltzed further into the house without a care in the world. If it bothered her at all to be returned here, to see how things had changed since Sheila had removed all photos of her and all traces of her presence, she did not outwardly show it.

Instead, she waved to Jasper, who waved in response. The pair walked toward and then met each other near one of the open doorways leading further into the house.

I pushed down on my rising agitation.

Aria had made her choice, and I needed to respect that. Though I still didn’t trust Jasper not to hurt Aria, I could no longer hold her back from pursuing the life she wanted.

She deserved the attempt at happiness she seemed to so dearly want. By inserting myself, I had only made her miserable.

So, even though I wanted to walk over there with every fiber of my being and woo my wife back to me, I kept my feet firmly planted where they were. For her sake, I couldn’t act anymore.

My chest panged with sudden pain. Clenching my fists, I did my best to ignore it.

“Did you see that?” whispered someone near me. “She totally blew off Lucian.”

“What did you expect? He’s publically chosen Sheila. You can’t blame her for finding someone else in turn.”

“Where is Sheila? She’s going to be furious seeing Aria here.”

“Be grateful she’s not here.”

“How embarrassing for Lucian.”

“Shh, he might hear you.”

Aria’s POV

I hated everything about this. Being in the spotlight. Having everyone look at me. Facing Lucian and forcing myself to pretend I didn’t feel anything.

I cared for him so deeply, as I had for a long time. Those feelings weren’t just going to disappear because he’d chosen someone else. Not even our broken bond made them easier to deal with.

Being near Lucian had given the cold ache inside of me a small measure of relief. With each step away from him, that hole within me opened up again, sore and festering.

Finding Jasper in this room had been a blessing. He was one of the few friendly faces who I knew would support me around here.

Most of Lucian’s family didn’t think much of me at all, believing I never deserved him. Did they still think that, I wondered? Some of the glances sent my way were more pitying now than hateful.

Regardless, it was odd being back in this house again. Worse, because I could clearly see the things that Sheila and Lucian had changed.

The missing pictures I understood. But did they really have to remove every decoration I had ever bought? It was as if a series of strangers had come through the house and dismantled every trace of me.

This wasn’t the home I remembered.

Maybe that was for the best. This wasn’t my home anymore, after all. It was now the love nest of Lucian and Sheila. My presence didn’t need to be here for that.

Jasper lightly touched my arm, bringing me back to the moment. “You okay?”

“Are they falling for it?” I asked, smiling so brightly, my cheeks hurt.

“Your false bravado?” Jasper glanced around. “Yeah, seems like. Most of them.”

“Lucian?”

“Does that matter?” Jasper lifted a brow at me.

Silly heart, still somehow hoping even with everything between Lucian and I shattered and in pieces on the ground.

“No,” I said.

Jasper smiled a little, with pity. “He’s still looking at you.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I forced myself to say, even as butterflies took flight in my heart.

Being around Lucian again had my inside all tied up in knots. My emotions were a hot mess, impossible to untangle. I had the feeling that for as long as I was within these walls I would be unable to fully relax.

I needed to keep up this calm façade.

I reminded myself, I am above all of this. I’m here for Harold and the diary. Nothing else that happens here tonight is of any consequence.

When I left, Lucian and I would still be broken, our divorce imminent. After this, we probably wouldn’t even need to see each other again.

I just had to survive tonight.

“You are doing well,” Jasper said. “Keep it up, and this will be over before you know it.”

For a moment, I found comfort in his words, but then his gaze traveled downward, leering at me.

“Great dress, by the way.”

“I will slap you if you keep staring at my breasts,” I told him.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, dragging his gaze back upwards. “But you have my compliments.”

I nearly slapped him anyway, when someone cleared their throat to my right. I stilled my hand and looked.

Julia gave me an honest smile. “Aria. It’s always a pleasure to see you.”

Relief wrapped around me, warming me. She was not my real mother, only an in-law, yet she had the same calming effect on me as I imagined a real mother would.

Losing her and Harold was going to affect me deeply.

For now, I hugged her as tightly as I could.

“You know I love seeing you,” I told her.

She returned my hug equally as tightly.

“Come. Jasper can spare you for a moment. Harold and I would love to talk to you.”

I didn’t bother excusing myself from Jasper as I continued on with Julia, though I heard him snickering behind me, clearly amused by my slight.

“Some women can’t handle compliments…”

Julia led me into one of the sitting rooms, where Harold was resting in an arm chair. He was pale, though some color had returned to his cheeks since leaving the hospital. That was a relief.

“Here, Aria, join us here.” She gestured to the nearby couch, where she and I both sat down, side by side.

Looking at me, her eyes were earnest but also filled with worry.

“Aria,” she said. “Tell us you aren’t serious about this divorce business.”