What I dreaded

LUCIAN'S POV

I had always expected this moment would come. I had even prepared for it, played it in my mind a hundred times, but nothing could have braced me for the way Elena looked at me.

Like I was a stranger.

"You're Lucian Blackwood." "You lied to me."

Her voice had been calm, too calm, no accusations—just cold, sharp certainty that sliced through me deeper than any anger could. If she had yelled at me, maybe I could have found a way to fight back, defend myself. But she didn't. She just stood there, staring at me like I was a puzzle she finally figured with deep sadness.

And then she walked away because I couldn't give answers to her question.

I remained in the office long after she left, my body still, but my mind racing. The weight of her discovery pressed down on him, suffocating, inescapable.

She knew.

That changed everything.

The look on her face when she told me, "Would you have ever told me?"

The question had been a quiet knife to the gut. And I hadn't answered. Because I didn't know.

At first, it had been a game. A strategy. I'd played the role I was meant to play, worming my way into her world, guiding her toward exactly where the Blackwoods wanted her. But then something had shifted. I started seeing Elena—not as an obstacle, not as an enemy, but as a person who didn't deserve to be tangled in my family's darkness.

And now, because of my silence, I had lost the one thing I never meant to care about.

My hands curled into fists. I needed to act fast. Elena was already digging deeper, and if she kept going, she'd find out more than just my last name. She'd uncover every secret, every lie, and when that happened, there would be no turning back.

A sharp knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

I exhaled slowly, pushing down the storm inside me. "Come in."

The door opened, and Gabriel Harper stepped inside, closing it with deliberate ease. His smirk was sharp, almost amused, but I wasn't in the mood for his games.

"Rough day?" Gabriel drawled, glancing around the office like he had all the time in the world. "I heard Elena found out who you are. Didn't take long, did it?"

My jaws tightened. I should have known Gabriel would find out. "What do you want?"

Gabriel clicked his tongue. "You already know what I want." He stepped closer, his gaze darkening. "You either finish what you started, or you lose everything."

I leaned back in my chair, keeping my expression unreadable. "Is that a threat?"

Gabriel smirked. "It's reality."

Silence stretched between us. I could feel the weight of it, pressing down, daring me to react. But I wouldn't. Not yet.

Gabriel sighed, shaking his head. "You're too deep, aren't you? I told Damon this would happen. Your father would be so disappointed."

I didn't move.

I mean it's obvious," Gabriel continued, almost lazily. "The way you look at her. The way you hesitate." He leaned in slightly. "You actually care about her, don't you?"

I said nothing.

Gabriel laughed. "Oh that's rich. I wonder how your father would react to this."

He straightened, his amusement fading into something sharper. "But caring about her isn't going to change anything. You think you can protect her? From us?" He scoffed. "You're not powerful enough to do that Lucian. Not even close."

I exhaled slowly, my hands resting on the desk. "You're wrong."

Gabriel's smirk wavered slightly. "Am I?"

"You think I'm hesitating because I care? My voice was calm, calculated. "That's where you're wrong." I tilted my head, meeting Gabriel's gaze without flinching.

"You think you're walking away from this?" Gabriel asked, tilting his head. "That's not how this works."

My patience thinned. "I don't take orders from you."

Gabriel chuckled. "See, that's where you're wrong." His smirk faded slightly. "You made a deal with your father, Lucian. A deal you don't get to walk away from just because your feelings got involved."

My eyes darkened. "I don't have feelings."

Gabriel scoffed. "Right. And Elena didn't just find out who you are and tell you to get lost." His voice dripping with sarcasm.

My fists clenched.

Gabriel leaned in slightly. "That little fairytale you were playing at? It's over. Elena knows the truth, and the walls are closing in. The only question left is… which side are you on?"

My voice was razor sharp. "I'm on my own side."

Gabriel studied me for a minute, then shook his head. "You just keep telling yourself that." He stepped back, adjusting his cufflinks. "But don't think for a second that this is over. I'm not done with you Lucian Blackwood."

My gaze narrowed as a chill went down my spine. "What do you mean?"

Gabriel smiled, but there was no humor in it. "You'll find out soon enough."

My stomach twisted. I could feel it—something bigger was at play. Something I hadn't seen coming.

Gabriel turned to leave but hesitated at the door. "One last thing," he said glancing over his shoulder. "You're not done, Lucian. Not by a long shot."

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Lucian standing in the empty office, his mind racing.

This wasn't just about Elena knowing my name.

This was about something bigger.

Something I hadn't prepared for.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Jason.

I picked it up, answering immediately.

"Tell me you have something."

Jason's voice was steady. "I do. And you're not going to like it."

I frowned. "Go on."

Jason hesitated. "It's about Edward's will."

I went still.

"There's a hidden clause. One that was meant to be given to Elena at a particular time. And if she finds it—"

My grip on the phone tightened.

"She would find out about the investment, and she'll know why the Blackwoods wanted him dead."

My pulse hammered in my ears.

If Elena found out, there would be no stopping her. No turning back.

And the Blackwoods would destroy her.

I closed my eyed briefly. I had spent my entire life playing this game, following the rules my family set for me. But now, for the first time, I was thinking about breaking them.

I had a choice

Betray my family. Or lose Elena forever.

My phone buzzed again. Another message.

This time, from Elena.

We need to talk.

I was surprised because I never thought I'd hear from her again.

I exhaled, shoving my phone into my pocket.

I already knew what I had to do.