Lucas Woke Up

Lucas Woke Up

Alina’s voice trembled, not from fear but from a fury that had been building for years. Her eyes burned as she looked at him.

“Would you really do that?” she asked, her tone low and dangerous.

Her father straightened his shoulders, forcing courage he didn’t truly possess. “Yes,” he said coldly. “If you fail to respect me as your father, I won’t hesitate to expose you.”

For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then Alina moved.

She stepped closer. One slow, deliberate step after another, until the air itself seemed to tighten. Her gaze never wavered, her voice dangerously calm as she whispered,

“Expose me, then. If you are a real man, I dare you.” She leaned in closer, her lips curving into a bitter smile. “But remember this… before you even think about opening your mouth, you won’t get the chance to take your next breath. I’m not afraid to stain my hands with blood.” Her eyes darkened, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper.

“After all… I already have.”

Her father’s bravado crumbled. His breath came shallow, uneven, as if his lungs refused to work. Terror seized him. Terror so sharp it made his knees weak. He didn’t dare meet her eyes again. Without another word, he turned and hurried away, not once looking back.

Alina stood there, watching his retreating figure, her gaze cold, sharp enough to slice through bone.

But what she didn’t realize was that she wasn’t alone.

A man lingered in the shadows, one of Aaron’s trusted men. He hadn’t caught every word, but he didn’t need to. He saw the tension, the threat, the deadly gleam in her eyes. He saw her father flee like a hunted animal. That was enough.

Pulling out his phone, he dialed quickly.

“Boss,” he murmured, “you’ll want to know what I just saw.”

•••

The next day.

“Mrs. Knight, your son has regained consciousness. You can meet him now,” the doctor announced softly.

Merlin clutched Alina’s hand with trembling fingers, tears of relief spilling down her cheeks. She pulled her daughter-in-law into an emotional hug before rushing inside with her husband and Emma close behind.

“Oh, my dearest…” Merlin’s voice broke the moment her eyes fell on Lucas. He lay bandaged from head to toe, his lips pale but his eyes half-open, alive. A faint smile curved on his cracked lips when he saw her.

Merlin kissed his forehead gently, whispering prayers. Mr. Knight leaned close, speaking in a calm, encouraging tone, while Emma held his hand tightly. For a brief while, the room softened with their tender words and Lucas’s faint replies.

Then Mr. Knight cleared his throat and looked at his wife. “Darling, I think we should give some privacy to the couple. After all… Alina must have much to say to him.”

Merlin hesitated, then nodded, brushing Lucas’s hair back before leaving. Emma lingered the longest, her sad eyes flickering between Lucas and Alina before she too slipped out.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Alina stayed still, her hands folded on her lap, watching him without a word. Lucas, weak yet deliberate, tugged at the oxygen mask and set it aside, grimacing at the strain. She didn’t move to help.

“Seems like… you knew Aaron caused my fall,” Lucas rasped, his voice gravelly, thin.

Alina exhaled slowly, her eyes finally lifting to meet him. She didn’t speak. She didn’t need to. Her silence was its own confession.

A twisted smirk curled on Lucas’s mouth. “You must be so happy to see me like this, hmm? I bet you prayed I’d never open my eyes again. But… unlucky you. I’m still here.”

Alina rolled her eyes, her expression cold, unimpressed. Her voice was soft, but every syllable cut like a blade. “If I wanted you dead, Lucas, you’d already be buried. I’ve been the one taking care of you since yesterday. One slip of my hand and you’d still be unconscious or worse. Don’t test me.”

His smirk widened, though the effort made him wince. “No, no… I know you’re not stupid enough to kill me. Not yet. Otherwise everything I hold against you would disappear with me. and you’d never get your hands on it.”

Her knuckles whitened where they rested on her lap. The anger boiling in her chest clawed for release, but she swallowed it back, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Lucas’s eyes glimmered with cruel amusement. “But tell me, Alina… do you really think my brother is doing all this, beating me, paying for your sister’s bills, shielding you, because he loves you?” He chuckled, the sound harsh and broken. “Don’t be foolish. Aaron always craves what he shouldn’t have. Forbidden fruit. He doesn’t like the ordinary, never did. You tempted him only because you were mine. My wife.”

Her chest tightened, but she didn’t move, didn’t flinch.

“The kink of bedding his sister-in-law is what excites him. Not love. Lust. He’s addicted to your body, and he’ll keep pushing until he burns himself out. And when he does?”

Lucas’s smirk turned venomous. “He’ll toss you aside like every other woman before you. Look at Jennifer. the supermodel? He devoured her until he was bored, and then? She was nothing. Just a cheap thrill.”

Every word dug into her like claws, tearing, bleeding. Her body trembled, but not from weakness. Rage was coursing through her veins, fierce and molten. Still, she kept her chin high, refusing to let him see her falter.

Her voice when it came was calm, razor-sharp. “That’s fine, Lucas. If Aaron only wants my body, then let him. Because my body is buying my sister’s life. If sleeping with him pays her hospital bills, then I’ll sleep with him as many times as it takes. If he discards me after, I’ll already have everything I need. So yes, it’s a win-win for me.”

Lucas’s face darkened, his jaw clenching, fury turning his pale cheeks red.

Alina leaned closer, her eyes gleaming with defiance. “And I know you’re boiling inside, wanting to kill him more than anyone for putting you in this state. But don’t forget. This is the fate you built for yourself. Once, you held the leash around my throat. Now he holds it. And believe me, Lucas… Aaron’s leash is far more ruthless than yours ever was. If you want to play games with him, plan carefully. Otherwise, you’ll choke before you even get to move.”

Lucas’s fist curled tight, the veins on his arm bulging, then a sharp jolt of pain made him hiss, his strength betraying him. His glare followed her, poisoned, but powerless.

Then, footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Without missing a beat, Alina smoothed her features into gentleness, leaning over to stroke his hair. Her touch was tender, her expression painted with devotion. Yet her eyes, hidden from him by her lowered lashes, glinted with a wicked smirk.

The door opened. Merlin entered quietly, pausing at the sight of Alina’s hand caressing Lucas’s head. Relief softened her face.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she whispered, her heart swelling at the tender picture.

Alina didn’t look up. She kept stroking Lucas’s hair, her lips curved just enough to hide the triumph flickering in her eyes.