TERESA’S P.O.V.
As soon as the taxi dropped off, I felt like I was moving through a haze. My heart felt like it was splintering with every step, and by the ti I got inside my apartnt, I couldn’t hold it together anymore. The second I shut the door, I collapsed onto the floor, letting the sobs break out of .
Eventually, I managed to pull myself up and stumble into my bedroom, curling up on the bed. My face was buried in my hands as I struggled to breathe through the heartache. My mind kept circling back to him, to Lucian—the way he’d smiled, the way he’d looked at , the way I had let myself believe in him. A fresh wave of tears blurred my vision as I fumbled for my phone, desperate for soone to anchor . My fingers shook as I dialed Luke’s number, my brother, my best friend, my rock.
"Teresa?" His voice was warm and calm, but the mont he heard my trembling breaths, I could hear his concern sharpen. "Teresa, what’s wrong?"
"Can you... can you co over? Am back at my apartnt." I managed to choke out, my voice splintering with emotion.
He didn’t hesitate. "I’m on my way."
******
The mont he arrived, I broke down, letting the flood of emotions I’d been holding back rush out. I told him everything, every excruciating detail. How I’d let myself fall for Lucian’s warmth, his rare smiles, the way he seed to care about my well-being... how I’d thought he wanted . I could barely look at Luke, clutching his sleeve as I whispered through my tears, "He made believe he cared, Luke. He was so kind... so warm, so protective. I thought..." My voice cracked, and I struggled to hold back another wave of tears. "I thought he actually wanted . But all he wanted was... my body. And once he had it, he just... threw away. Like I was yesterday’s trash."
Luke’s expression darkened anger and hurt flashed across his face as he tightened his grip on my hand. He listened in silence, his jaw clenched, and I could feel his heart breaking with mine. I kept going, even as sha crept into my words, my voice barely more than a whisper. "And it wasn’t just Lucian. It was Dad. Everything began with him and the deal he made with Lucian. All the problems with your in-laws, the business... it was all Dad. He orchestrated everything."
Luke’s eyes widened, his face etched with shock. "What are you talking about?" he whispered, disbelief mingling with a sense of betrayal.
I took a shaky breath, forcing myself to et his gaze. "Dad threatened to ruin you... to tear your life apart if I didn’t go to Lucian in Jennifer’s place as a maid for five months. He didn’t care about what it would do to , he only cared about what he could gain. I... I did it to protect you, Luke. You have done so much for . I thought I could repay your kindness even a little bit. I thought I could keep you and your family safe."
For a mont, he was silent, just staring at like he was seeing a stranger. Then he shook his head, his voice raw. "All this ti... I had no idea." His voice broke as he gripped my hand tighter. "Why did you do that Teresa? You could have confided in . I thought we promised to tell each other everything? And you...you went through all that alone?"
"I’m sorry for being so foolish Luke, I’m sorry for not telling you the truth." I cried ashad but too weary to hide anymore. "I thought I could handle it. I thought... Lucian would be different. He was everything I thought I wanted. But I guess he wanted Jennifer, and not—" My voice cracked, and I barely managed to whisper, "Plain, ordinary ."
Luke’s arms wrapped around , pulling close. "Teresa, don’t say that. You’re not ordinary, and you’re certainly not plain. You’re brave—braver than anyone I know."
His words offered comfort, but they couldn’t erase the hurt. We sat in silence for a while, our quiet sobs filling the room. I could feel his anger simring, his hand trembling slightly as he held onto mine. Finally, he spoke, his voice heavy with emotion. "Teresa... you have to put Lucian behind you. He’s only brought you pain. You deserve more than this... more than him."
I wiped my tears, staring down at my hands as I admitted, "I don’t know how Luke. He’s... he’s there, in every thought, every mory. And it hurts. More than I ever thought possible."
Luke looked at , his gaze filled with sadness and determination. "Then we’ll have to wipe out any mory of him and we’ll do it together, okay? I’ll be here, every step of the way. You won’t have to face this alone anymore."
A fresh wave of tears spilled over , and Luke’s arms tightened around as if he could shield from the agony tearing apart. His voice trembled as he held close, whispering, "I’m here for you. I’ll always be here. Just promise , Teresa... promise , you won’t go through anything like this alone again." I nodded against his chest, my voice a weak, broken promise.
He held until the sobs eased, his hand gently stroking my hair. Then he pulled back, looking at with determination in his eyes. "I’ll repay every single cent Lucian spent on , on us. No matter how long it takes to save the money, I’ll make it right." He wiped my tears away, his voice soft but fierce. "One day, you’ll find soone who’ll love you for exactly who you are, soone who won’t make you feel like you’re not enough. And even if you don’t want to let anyone else in, I’ll be there. I’ll love you and protect you forever."
I managed a small smile, leaning into his touch, feeling a warmth I hadn’t felt in what seed like forever. "I just wish... I wish I could go back. Before Lucian, before any of this," I whispered. "I wish I could pretend he never existed."
Luke kissed the top of my head, his voice soft. "That’s what we’ll do. From now on, Lucian Blackwood is just a mory, a lesson. Nothing more." I nodded crawling into his arms as held tightly.
"And, I know this may be hard to do but you have to give him back everything he gave to you, and by that, I an your job at his company. Co tomorrow, we’ll go early and you will resign with dignity. We can’t owe him anything." Luke added, his arms still wrapped tightly around .
The thought of resigning and losing all I accomplished for four months and the little respect and happiness I gained in that company made my heart twist painfully but I knew Luke was right, I had to resign.
Oh if Mark saw now and how low I had sunken, he did have a great day laughing at my pain. I nodded in Luke’s arms and let him hold as I cried so more.
******
The next morning, a soft knock ca from the other side of my bedroom door. I stirred, groggy and disoriented, barely opening my eyes as I buried my face deeper into the pillow, hoping whoever it was would just go away. But the knock ca again, gentle but firm.
"Teresa," Luke’s voice filtered through the door, quiet, as though he didn’t want to disturb the stillness of the early morning. "It’s ti. Rember what we talked about?"
I sighed, clutching the blanket tightly, and pulling it up over my head. I felt like if I stayed hidden in that cocoon, the reality of what I had to do might just disappear. I didn’t want to face the day. It felt like a weight I wasn’t strong enough to carry.
The door creaked open a bit, and I heard his footsteps approaching my bed. I sensed him sitting on the edge, his steady presence comforting even if he couldn’t erase the dread bubbling inside .
"Teresa, we need to do this." His voice was softer now, coaxing, almost pleading, yet layered with a trace of that quiet frustration. I could tell he was doing his best to hold it back for my sake. "Cutting ties with Lucian is the only way you’ll be free. The only way you’ll be able to move on."
I peeked out from under the blanket, my gaze eting his concerned eyes. "I know, Luke, but... I don’t think I’m ready. It feels like I’m... giving up everything."
"It’s not giving up. It’s taking back control. Think about what he’s put you through, Teresa," he said gently but firmly, a slight edge in his tone. "You deserve so much better than being wrapped up in Lucian’s world." He held out a simple, clean-cut outfit he’d pulled from my closet. "Let’s make today different. You’re not walking in there defeated. Today, you’re walking in with dignity. You’re not broken, Teresa."
I looked down at the outfit, swallowing hard, and nodded, even though every fiber of felt the opposite. Still, Luke’s encouragent made sothing stir within —a fragile seed of strength, maybe. I got up, took the clothes from him, and slipped into the bathroom. My reflection in the mirror was hollow-eyed, my cheeks splotchy from the endless tears I’d shed yesterday.
Luke’s voice floated through the door. "Put on a bit of makeup. Just enough to remind yourself you’re more than this, Teresa. You’re stronger than you think."
I managed a shaky sigh, picking up a makeup brush. My hands were trembling as I dabbed concealer over the shadows beneath my eyes, smoothing it out with hesitant fingers. Luke knocked softly again.
"How’s it going in there?" he asked.
I tried to sound steady. "Almost done."
"Good. I’ll be here."
When I finally erged, Luke’s gaze softened, and he gave a small nod of approval. I wasn’t sure if I looked the way he’d hoped, but I could tell he was trying to see as I wanted to be seen—confident, put-together, even if I felt like a brittle shell on the inside. He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Ready?"
"As ready as I’ll ever be," I whispered.
The morning was foggy as we made our way to his car—a familiar, slightly rusted Honda Odyssey. The car slled faintly of crayons and snacks his kids had forgotten under the seats. The familiarity of it grounded sohow, a reminder that life existed beyond the polished walls of Lucian’s world. As we drove, Luke occasionally glanced over, his face determined yet compassionate. He didn’t say much, letting have my silence, but his presence was like a quiet shield against the storm brewing in my chest.
By the ti we pulled up in front of the company, my heart was racing, every nerve was on edge. Luke cut the engine, and we sat there for a mont in silence. He looked over at , his eyes steady. "You’ve got this," he murmured, squeezing my hand briefly before letting go.
With a deep, shaky breath, I climbed out of the car, and he followed inside. Every step felt heavier than the last. The building lood in front of , cold and indifferent, as though it knew I was leaving sothing behind I’d never get back.
The HR office felt clinical, almost sterile, as I held out my resignation letter. The woman behind the desk took it with a nod, her face neutral, polite as if this were just another transaction. I felt sothing crack inside as I watched her file the letter away. I wanted to cry, to reach across and take it back, but Luke’s steady presence beside held together. I could feel him watching , silently willing to be strong.
"You’re doing great," he whispered as we left HR and headed down the hallway to my office. His voice was soft as if he knew I was barely holding on.
I forced a nod, but my heart was aching. Every step brought closer to the life I was leaving behind, to Lucian, with his mysterious allure and dark, captivating presence that had consud for so long.
We reached my office, and Linda, my assistant, looked up with a bright smile. "Morning, Teresa! Want to go over your schedule?"
My throat tightened, and I gave her a sad, strained smile. "Actually... I won’t be needing it today. I just handed in my resignation."
Her eyes widened. "Oh! I... I didn’t know you were leaving. Why?"
"It’s personal," I murmured, the words thick on my tongue. "I just... need a change." My voice was shaking slightly, and I could see the sympathy in her gaze.
"If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out. I an that Teresa," Linda said gently.
I nodded, blinking back the tears. Luke gave a small, approving smile as he stepped into my office and began packing my things. I stayed with Linda for a mont, talking quietly as he thodically loaded my belongings into a cardboard box. It was strange, watching my life fit so easily into a single box as if the last few months hadn’t been real. When he ca out, he looked at , his expression a mix of understanding and encouragent.
"I’ve got everything," he said softly, holding the box out in front of him as though he wanted to shield from its weight.
"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
With one last nod to Linda, I turned and walked down the hallway, each step pulling further from a world I had once felt bound to, yet could no longer remain part of. Luke stayed close, his arm brushing against mine as we headed toward the exit. I didn’t dare look back.
Outside, the air felt fresh, sharp against my face, almost shocking as it filled my lungs. I could feel so of the tension begin to dissolve like I was finally able to breathe freely again. Luke’s quiet presence was steady beside as he loaded the box into the car.
The ride back to my apartnt was silent, the weight of what I’d done settling heavily. When we pulled up outside my building, I felt an odd sense of relief and numbness, knowing I wouldn’t have to face Lucian again, yet feeling his absence like a dull ache.
Luke got out, lifting the box from the back seat as I followed, my footsteps heavy. But then I noticed a familiar car pulling up behind us, and my heart froze. My father’s car.
"I’m here," Luke muttered, his voice tense as he dropped the box. He clenched his fists, his jaw set like he was bracing himself.
My heart pounded painfully. The last thing I needed was my father here, especially with Luke already holding together. This was supposed to be a clean break, a step toward freedom... but now, with my father’s car parked ominously in front of us, I could feel that fragile resolve start to crumble.
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