Jimmy hummed softly, his gaze lingering on Avey’s face as if trying to read her thoughts. She seemed resolute, her words dripping with sincerity, but Jimmy couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
Can someone really change this much in just four days? he wondered. He couldn’t tell if she was lying or if her newfound determination was genuine, but he found it hard to believe her sudden transformation.
“Leave it,” Jimmy said finally, his voice heavy with frustration. He leaned forward, his eyes locking onto Avey’s with intensity. “Let me tell you something. At the very least, I think you deserve to know what Lucian’s feelings for you really were. Because, as far as I can see, you have no idea. No idea how much he loved you.”
His words were sharp and deliberate, cutting through the silence like a blade. Avey sat still, not daring to interrupt, though there was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. She wanted to hear what Jimmy had to say wanted to understand the depth of what Lucian had felt for her. Your journey continues with empire
Jimmy sighed, running a hand through his hair. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was even bothering to explain this. Maybe it was to help Avey grasp the enormity of what she had done. Maybe it was to make her realize just how deeply she had hurt someone who loved her unconditionally. Or maybe, deep down, he just wanted her to see what she had lost and what Lucian had endured because of her.
“Let’s start from the beginning,” Jimmy said, his tone softening slightly. “At least from how much I know. Maybe it’ll help you realize what kind of person Lucian really is, and how much he loved you. Because I don’t think you fully understand.”
Avey didn’t respond. She lowered her gaze slightly, unsure of what to expect. Honestly, she had no idea why Lucian loved her as much as he did. But she had always known one thing: if someone was willing to face rejection after rejection and still stand by your side, you must mean the world to them.
Jimmy leaned back in his chair, folding his arms as his mind wandered to the past. “You know, Lucian and I met when we were really young. He must’ve been about eight or nine, and I was probably ten or twelve. Somewhere around there.”
He paused, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he continued, “Our meeting wasn’t anything grand or dramatic. Just normal. I was on the roadside, giving some adults a piece of my mind teaching them how adults should behave.”
At that line, Garry, sitting nearby, glanced at Jimmy with a raised eyebrow. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he fought back a laugh. Twelve years old, lecturing adults on how to be adults? Sounds about right, Garry thought to himself, shaking his head in amusement.
Jimmy noticed Garry’s expression and gave him a quick, sharp glance before continuing, his tone growing more somber.
“Anyway… those were tough times for me and my mom,” Jimmy said, his voice quieter now, tinged with the weight of old memories. “My mother had been admitted to the hospital. Some… expensive illness.” He paused for a moment, his eyes unfocused as if replaying the scene in his mind.
“And my father?” Jimmy let out a bitter laugh. “He didn’t do a damn thing. Just left us behind with a mountain of debt and no way to climb out of it. So it was just me and my mom.”
“I had to take care of her,” Jimmy continued, his voice steady but detached, as if he’d told the story too many times to feel the sting anymore. “But let me tell you, honest work doesn’t pay much for people like us. Especially not when you’re a kid. So… I started working for the people my father owed money to.”
His words hung in the air, heavy and raw. Jimmy didn’t flinch as he spoke he wasn’t ashamed of his past. To him, it was just a series of facts, a life he had lived. Whether the people around him pitied him or judged him didn’t matter. It was what it was.
“Well,” Jimmy began, his voice steady but carrying a weight of bitterness, “I used to do some really deep shit back then. Nothing even close to legal, but it paid for my mom’s hospital bills. And at the time, that’s all that mattered to me. Keeping her alive was my only priority.”
He leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable as he continued, “When you’re in that kind of business when you’re stuck in a hole that deep it doesn’t matter how old you are. You grow up fast. Too fast. And let me tell you, once you’re in, there’s no clean way out. Conflicts just keep coming, one after another. You survive one, and the next is already waiting for you.”
“I saw things. At an age where most kids were playing games or going to school, I was dealing with… situations normal people couldn’t even imagine. Sometimes they were easy to handle just business as usual. Other times…” He paused, his jaw tightening slightly. “Other times, I barely escaped with my life. Just a few inches away from death.”
For a brief moment, the table fell silent, the gravity of his past settling in the air.
“Anyway,” Jimmy said, breaking the silence, “those were the days. I was out on the streets, doing whatever it took to survive. One of those days, I was having a friendly little ‘chat’ with some drug dealers.” He smirked slightly, though there was no humor in his expression. “Which, of course, I won. I always did.”
From the side, Garry’s lips twitched, resisting the urge to react. He’d heard Jimmy’s stories before, knew every detail of his rough upbringing. But no matter how often he heard them, it still amazed him how casually Jimmy could recount these moments. Garry stayed quiet, deciding not to interrupt.
“So,” Jimmy continued, leaning forward slightly, “that’s when I met Lucy. He was just a kid nine, maybe ten. I think he was exploring places without him parents knowing just outa curiosity or something idk
Jimmy chuckled lightly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I guess he was amazed. Maybe a little impressed at how I handled things, even at that age. He didn’t say much, just stood there wide-eyed, watching. I thought he’d run off, but instead, he stuck around.”
He paused for a moment, his gaze distant as if replaying the memory in his mind. “He didn’t just stick around, though. He… helped. I didn’t need it didn’t ask for it but the kid insisted. A small gesture, but he helped me get some medicines for me. He didn’t even know me. Just saw someone in trouble and decided to help.”
Jimmy’s voice softened slightly, a faint trace of something unspoken in his tone. “That’s just who Lucian was. Even back then. He was weak, fragile, gentle and Kind in a way most people aren’t.”
Jimmy shook his head, a dry laugh escaping his lips. “I didn’t like him much at first, though. I’ll be honest. To me, he was just some ignorant kid who didn’t know how the world worked. Soft, naïve, too good for his own good. I figured someone like him wouldn’t last long in a place like this.”
—–