As Olivia pushed the sleeve higher, Lucian’s arm was revealed-pale, but marred by scars. The marks weren’t fresh, but they weren’t old either. Faintly pink, they seemed only a week or two healed, their jagged edges a haunting reminder of his inner turmoil.
Olivia’s breath hitched, her chest tightening painfully as her gaze fell on the evidence of his suffering. Her fingers trembled as they hovered over the scars, her lips parting as though to say something, but no words came.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered finally, her voice breaking. Tears filled her eyes, threatening to spill over. “I… I’m so sorry, Lucian. Really… So, so sorry.” She repeated the words over and over, as if they could somehow erase the pain he had endured, the wounds he had inflicted upon himself.
Her instinct was to look away, to close her eyes, to pretend this wasn’t real. But she forced herself to look, to acknowledge the depth of his suffering. Her trembling fingers brushed over the scars, tracing them gently as though trying to memorize the pain they represented.
“Don’t ever…” she began, her voice shaking. “Don’t ever do something like this again. Please. Your life is precious, Lucian. You’re precious. I… I’m so sorry for being the kind of mother who made you feel like this was your only option.”
Her words broke, and her tears finally spilled, falling onto his arm as she gently held it.
“No, please don’t!”
A trembling voice interrupted her.
Both Olivia and Lucian turned toward the sound, their eyes widening as they saw Rose.
Without hesitation, Rose moved forward, her composed exterior completely shattered. She threw herself onto Lucian, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
“Please don’t,” she sobbed, her voice raw and full of anguish. “Why… why did you do this?”
The proud and stoic Rose Kane was crying. Tears streamed down her face, falling freely, and for the first time, she didn’t try to hide them. Her strong, unshakable facade was gone, replaced by an overwhelming flood of emotions.
Lucian stared at her, stunned. He had never seen Rose like this before-so vulnerable, so emotional. The sister he had always known to be as cold as ice, unyielding and proud, was breaking down in front of him.
“Why are you doing this?” she demanded, her voice trembling as her tears fell harder. “Why, Lucian? Why are you trying to leave
us?”
Her grip on him tightened as she buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing openly. “Don’t leave me, Lucian. Please, don’t. I can’t… I can’t live without you.”
Lucian sat frozen, his mind reeling. Rose’s raw emotion felt like a foreign thing- something he had never thought possible.
“I have so much to pay back,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “Please… please don’t do this. Don’t leave me. Don’t do this to yourself.”
She suddenly pulled back, her tear-streaked face full of desperation as she grabbed Lucian’s collar with trembling hands. Her fingers tightened, and she stared into his eyes, her voice rising. “Why are you trying to kill yourself? Why, Lucian? Why would you do this?”
Lucian’s lips parted to respond, but no sound came.
“I won’t let you,” Rose continued, her voice breaking as she clutched his collar tighter. “I won’t let you hurt yourself like this. Don’t you dare-don’t you dare leave me!”
Her tears fell harder now, big, glistening drops streaming down her cheeks as her sobs racked her body.
“Mother!” Rose cried, her voice hoarse. She turned toward Olivia, desperation evident in her every word. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell me this was happening? Is this because of that-because of her? Is it that bitch again? Tell me, and I’ll”
Her voice broke entirely, and she dissolved into tears again, her sobs filling the room.
Lucian stared blankly at her, his mind unable to process what was happening. Rose-the unshakable, composed Rose-was crying for him.
“Hey,” Lucian said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “Hey, Rose… don’t cry.” He forced a faint, trembling smile onto his face. “You don’t look good when you cry.”
Before he could say anything more, a sharp sound pierced the air.
Paak!
Lucian’s head turned slightly from the impact. His cheek burned hot, the sting spreading across his face.
Rose had slapped him.
Tears still streaming down her face, she glared at him with a mixture of pain, anger, and heartbreak.
“Why the hell are you doing this?” she demanded, her voice shaking. “You don’t like your life? Fine. But why are you so eager to throw it away?”
Lucian blinked, his mind blank.
“Tell me!” Rose shouted, her voice cracking. “Give me an answer! What the hell were you thinking, Lucian?!” Her fingers curled into fists, her shoulders shaking as she stared at him, her tears falling faster now. “Do you have any idea how much you matter to me? To us? How could you-“
“Rose, calm down!” Olivia interjected, placing a hand over Rose’s mouth gently, but firmly. She was shocked-not just by the slap, but by Rose’s outburst, her language, and the sheer intensity of her emotions.
Rose tried to speak again, but her words were muffled by Olivia’s hand. Her tears wouldn’t stop, and neither would her trembling.
Lucian sat motionless, his cheek still stinging from the slap. But the pain wasn’t physical. The real impact came from seeing Rose break like this-seeing the walls she had carefully built crumble so completely.
He swallowed hard, his throat tight. Rose… cares? She really… cares about me?
In that moment, the weight of their emotions hung heavy in the air. It wasn’t just pain it was love. A love buried beneath years of silence, pride, and misunderstanding, now bursting free in its raw, messy, and heartbreaking glory.
Lucian’s gaze shifted to Olivia, his expression softening as he reached out and gently took her hand from Rose’s mouth. He didn’t say a word, but his eyes told her all she needed to know. Let her speak.
—-
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