Chapter 74 74. Second Time Played
\--Lucien's POV--
The elevator ride down carried a silence that pressed on my ears. Rafael stood on one side, hands clasped behind his back, while I stared at the descending numbers above the door.
"Lucien, I-"
"It's fine." The doors opened to the lobby. "You were protecting Hayes Corp. I get it."
We walked across the lobby toward my car. Each step scraped at something between us. I stopped him outside.
"But, I need you to respect my choices moving forward. Camila isn't a threat to the company. She's not a liability. She's mine. And I need you to trust me on that."
I put my hand on his shoulder, gave it a firm squeeze. A quiet moment stretched between us before he nodded.
"I do. I trust you."
"Good." I released him and we continued walking. "Then you should know where things stand."
"How bad is it?"
"Ronan has Camila framed perfectly. Evidence, witnesses, judges in his pocket. He's demanding I sign over Elysium in exchange for making it all disappear."
"Wait-" He blinked hard. "Don already signed Elysium over to you?"
"Yup."
Rafael's hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. The veins in his neck stood out as he processed this. "And you're actually considering giving it to him?"
I smiled, though there was no humor in it. "We'll get it back eventually." I clapped him on the back. "Meet me at my office tomorrow morning. Nine sharp."
"Lucien!"
"Nine, Rafael."
He nodded, though reluctance was written all over his face.
The next morning hit like a fist on my ribs. I slid into the bathtub, sinking beneath the water until my lungs burned. The pressure in my chest should have eased, but It didn't. I stayed under until black spots danced at the edges of my vision, then broke the surface gasping.
Ten years later, and today I was signing it all away to the brother who'd spent those same ten years failing at everything he touched. The ache refused to die down.
I dressed in an emo-black-as my girl called it-suit. If I was going to surrender, I might as well do it looking like the king Ronan would never be.
Halfway to HQ, my phone buzzed. A photo from Camila, only her top half in frame. Hair styled, make-up done, looking beautiful enough to calm a heart's storm.
The caption read: Guess where I'm heading.
I smiled. She was definitely going to buy more books. Slowing the car, I replied immediately. It delivered but she didn't read it.
By the time I reached Hayes Corp and stepped into the elevator, she still hadn't responded. I called and she didn't pick up.
Maybe she was boarding a bus. Maybe her phone died. I told myself that twice. I stepped out on my floor, turned down the hallway toward my office, and stopped.
Ronan was already there, leaning against my door with a suited man beside him. His lawyer, presumably.
I sighed. Of course he couldn't wait. Of course he had to savor every second of this. The moment he saw me, his signature smirk crept in place.
"You're early," I said, scanning my fingerprint.
"Can you blame me?"
I walked to my desk and sat, crossing my legs on it as I leaned back. "My head lawyer isn't here yet."
Ronan settled into the settee, eyes travelling around the office.
"I should have asked for Hayes Corp too. Nice little empire you built."
"Don't push your luck."."
He scoffed. "By the way, your girlfriend looked good in that orange top yesterday," he commented without a fuss. "Very vibrant. I think she'd look even hotter in orange overall."
My hands clenched on the armrests. "Why the fuck did you send her those flowers?"
"Flowers? Why the hell would I send Camila flowers?" His nose wrinkled. "I'm trying to bury her, not date her."
"You-"
His phone rang. A quite annoying ringtone. He checked the screen and groaned.
"This bitch again."
Then he answered, his tone transforming into something smooth and sweet.
"Yes, darling... Everything is going well... Of course... It's ours now... I'll call you back."
He hung up with a grin meant to piss me off.
The door burst open.
Rafael walked in with Jonathan Weiss stumbling behind him, nearly spilling his entire briefcase, his shirt half-untucked, sweat beading on his forehead.
"Mr. Hayes," Weiss pushed his glasses up his nose with a shaking hand. "I'm so sorry I'm late. The traffic was-"
"It's fine, Jonathan." I understood the tension radiating off him. I had the same throb in my heart, dull but still aching. "If you have the papers ready, let's get started."
Weiss set his briefcase on my desk, fumbling with the clasps. "That's the problem, sir. I haven't drafted the papers yet."
I went very still. "Excuse me?"
"You haven't fulfilled one of the conditions." He separated one paper from the Elysium inheritance papers. "There's a clause about your ownership being legally yours only upon marriage."
I felt the air leave my lungs almost instantly. "What?"
"Yes, sir. And the bride must be from a pre-approved list made by your father."
"WHAT?!" I slammed both hands down on the mahogany desk.
Second time. Second time I'd been played.
I'd been so eager to finally have what my father had denied me that I hadn't read the fine print.
I underestimated them one more time.
"What are the names on the list?" Even though I already knew who wouldn't be on that list.
"Provided none has a criminal record or pending charges as of the time of marriage..." Jonathan adjusted his glasses again and continued reading, but I was waiting for the first name. Just call the damn name. "...Jessica Bloom... Catherine Moretti..."
I stopped hearing anything after Jessica's name.
Of course Don wouldn't include Camila. He'd known Ronan would use her against me. This had been planned from the moment he'd signed those papers.
Ronan's mocking laugh cut through my spiraling thoughts.
"The Lucien Hayes is not so smart after all, I guess?"
I grabbed a crystal paperweight from my desk and hurled it at him. He ducked, and it shattered against the wall behind him.
"Easy, brother," Ronan taunted, still laughing. "Don't damage this smart head of mine that outplayed you."
He stood, his lawyer scrambling to follow.
"Just so we're clear, you have twenty-four hours before I release the final piece of evidence against Camila. Which means you have one day to marry Jessica Bloom, then sign over my inheritance."
He paused at the door. "Good luck."
The speedometer climbed past ninety as I drove to Don's estate like a possessed man.
My father had played me.
Even from his sickbed, he was still manipulating my life. Still pulling strings. Still making me dance like a fucking puppet.
I was going to kill him. He was already dying, but I swear, I will kill him again. I barely parked before storming toward the house. The same female staff member from before tried to stop me at the grand stairs.
"Mr. Hayes, your father specifically requested no one disturb him for the next two hours-"
I pushed past her and took the stairs two at a time.
"Mr. Hayes, please!"
I reached his bedroom door and threw it open, words already forming on my tongue about manipulation and- I froze.
Don was sitting on the edge of his bed, pants around his ankles. A woman knelt between his legs, his hands tangled in her hair.
They both snapped toward me, Don's cock still in the woman's mouth.
My jaw dropped.
"Jessica..." The word came out strangled. "What the fuck?!"