Chapter 84 Chapter 84

Chapter 84 Chapter 84
Lucien's POV

My mother was safe, Cynthia had been discharged from the hospital but my heart was still out there, in the hands of a psychopath.

My father watched me with calculating eyes. He was ready to hand over Aurora but he had already made his demand clear.

He was waiting for me just to accept it.

I inhaled a deep breath and announced.

"I’ll do it," I said, the words tasted like ash in my mouth. "I will marry Sophia. I will give you the alliance you want."

Alister’s eyes lit up with satisfaction. His hand lifts to hold my shoulder but I step back.

I don't want him to touch me anymore. I have already done enough to pay the debt of being a father.

He hesitated for a second before masking it with a fake smile

"I am proud of you son" he smiled wide "I knew you would do anything to protect this legacy."

"I am not done yet!" I said sternly, my voice was void of any emotion.

"I will marry Sophia, but only on one condition"

"What?" He asked almost instantly.

His eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"I want Aurora back, now!"

The room went deathly silent. Alister’s smile faltered and was replaced by a cold calculation.

"You don't trust your own father?" he mused.

"Trust is a luxury you never taught me," I snapped. "Give me my daughter, or there is no wedding."

He knew I was serious.

"I cannot hand her over yet because I don't trust you either."

"If you want me to marry, Sophia, you would have to hand over Aurora to me before the wedding"

"Okay, Call Cynthia"

My forehead frowned

"Tell her to be at the church."

My jaw tightened. "Why Cynthia?"

"I will have Aurora brought to the church at the exact moment you are taking your vows with Sophia and when the union is sealed, the girl will be handed directly to Cynthia."

My fists tightened, he wanted to ensure I didn't pull any stunts at the altar.

"Fine," I growled, "Bring her to the aisle. But if so much as a hair on her head is touched, I won't just walk away from this wedding I'll burn every single thing you have built to the ground."

Alister just chuckled, unfazed.

"And I will kill both of them right there and then, if you tried anything stupid" he said in a stern voice.

\~~~~~

Cynthia's POV

When Lucien informed me that Alister would hand over Aurora at the altar, I arrived at the wedding early and sat in the last row, at the corner.

I didn't care what I was wearing or how I was looking. I just wanted my daughter. That's all that mattered.

Every time the heavy oak doors at the back of the church creaked open, my head snapped around with the hope that I would get to see my daughter.

I never wanted her to be even near Alister's men but today I wanted time to carry her to me, to bring my heart to my chest.

Then suddenly the music started. It was a slow, haunting melody that made my skin crawl.

My heart gave a traitorous leap when I saw Lucien. He was looking devastating in a sharp black tuxedo with his hair pushed back and his jaw set in that hard, unforgiving line. For a split second, I forgot where we were. I saw the man I loved, the man who promised me a life.

A life with no pain and tears.

Today, he was the groom but he wasn't mine.

As he reached the altar, his head turned and his gaze scanned the room until it landed on me.

Our eyes locked, and for a moment, the world stopped. In that single look, I saw everything, the apology he couldn't say, the agony of seeing me in the pews instead of beside him, and the helplessness.

I looked away first. I couldn't handle the love in his eyes while he stood there waiting for another woman. I turned back to the door, waiting for my daughter to appear.

My attention once again shifted when Sophia appeared at the end of the aisle, smiling as if she were winning a prize.

Of course, he was a prize for her.

The priest's voice filled the church as Sophia stood beside Lucien. My heart clenched at the sight but I tried not to focus on it.

I can do this to get my daughter back into my arms.

Suddenly, the heavy doors creaked open and two men in dark suits stepped through, and between them was a small, trembling figure in a wrinkled white dress.

"Aurora!" The name died in my throat, as a hot thick tear dribbled down my cheeks.

I wanted to run to her and snatch her away from those goons but I didn't have energy. I couldn't even stand up.

She looked so small, her hair messy and her face red from hours of crying. The moment she saw me sitting in the front row, her eyes widened.

"Mumma!" she shrieked. She tried to lunge forward, but the man held her firmly by the shoulder.

My heart was leaping out of my chest. I felt paralyzed.

The priest cleared his throat, looking uncomfortably at the crying child before turning his attention back to the groom.

"Lucien Vaughn," the priest began, "Do you take Sophia to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

The church went silent. Everyone was waiting for the 'I do' but Lucien didn’t speak. He didn’t even look at Sophia. His gaze was fixed entirely on Alister, who was sitting in the front row.

He gave a subtle, sharp tilt of his head toward Aurora. His eyes were burning with a silent ultimatum.

Sophia’s smile flickered. She looked at Lucien, then at Alister, and then she asked his father to do as Lucien was saying.

With a stiff, reluctant motion, Alister signaled the guards at the back and the man released his grip on Aurora’s shoulder.

"Mumma!" she screamed again, and this time, she came running directly into my arms.

I opened my arms for her and she immediately came up on my lap. I hugged her tightly and kissed all over her face.

"I am sorry, baby. I am sorry" I cried, hugging her, kissing her, holding her.

"Mumma, AD is very bad. Never going to him"

"Never baby. Never"

I wiped her tears and hugged her tightly. I felt like my heartbeat had come back. I could breathe again.

"Mumma, Mr. Stranger marrying?" She asked innocently "Is he not my daddy?"

My heart sank in the pit of my stomach. I didn't have any answer to it.

Lucien was watching all the time. I could see in his eyes how badly he just wanted to run over and take us into a big hug but he was bound with invisible shackles.

"Proceed," Alister hissed from his seat.

The priest wiped sweat from his brow and repeated himself.

Lucien looked at us and then back to his father. His jaw was hardly clenched and his fists were tight.

And then he parted his lips to finally say the words that will change our lives forever...