Chapter 295

Lucy's POV

"I need to use the restroom," I said casually, moving away from the counter to buy myself time to think.

Once inside, I immediately pulled out my phone and texted Ethan: "At Time Treasures watch shop on Fifth. Weird situation, owner won't let me leave. Might need backup."

Taking a deep breath, I composed myself and walked back to the front of the store. The proprietor was urgently speaking in hushed tones in what sounded like French, hanging up the moment I appeared.

Just then, the bell above the door jingled, and we both turned.

A man rushed into the shop, breathing heavily as if he'd just run a short distance. He wore a tailored navy suit, his tie slightly askew, betraying his haste. Two burly men and a driver followed behind him, but his attention was entirely focused inside the shop—specifically, on me.

The atmosphere shifted instantly. The shopkeeper practically cowered, backing away as if in the presence of royalty.

The man's gaze locked onto me, his deep brown eyes widening with disbelief. He strode forward, movements urgent yet restrained, as if afraid I might vanish. He had dark hair streaked with silver, a strong jawline, and those brown eyes that strangely felt familiar.

Who was he? Why was he looking at me like that?

"That pocket watch," he said urgently, his words carrying a slight French accent, tension in every syllable. "May I see it?"

I tensed. "How do you know about my watch?"

He stepped closer, his eyes never leaving my face, searching for something. "That timepiece—it's very special. Laurent craftsmanship, circa 1890. Can you tell me how you came to possess it?"

"It was my grandmother's," I answered cautiously, feeling my heart rate accelerate. "She left it to me when she died."

"Your grandmother," he repeated, his voice suddenly hoarse. His gaze frantically scanned every feature of my face, his fingers trembling slightly. "Forgive my impertinence, but how old are you?"

"Twenty-three," I replied, not understanding why he needed to know, but sensing the question held immense importance to him.

I watched his emotional defenses crumble. His eyes instantly filled with tears, his breathing becoming labored. He reached out as if to touch me, then pulled back, as though afraid to believe what was before him.

"My God. I've finally found you." He swallowed hard, the intensity in his eyes almost burning. "Child, I... I am your father."

I felt the world tilt sideways, the floor swaying beneath my feet. A buzzing filled my ears as my vision darkened around the edges. Father? My father? Impossible...

I opened my mouth to speak but found I couldn't form a single word.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I stepped back, my voice rising with anger. "My parents are dead. You don't know me at all!"

The man stared at me intensely, his tear-filled eyes causing an inexplicable ache in my chest.

"Lucy, I know this is difficult to accept, but I'm your biological father." He reached out toward me, his voice trembling. "You have my eyes, and my wife's smile."

This is fucking insane. I felt nauseous, my stomach churning.

"I'm leaving." I turned to go, but he suddenly rushed forward and grabbed my wrist.

"Please!" He gripped me tightly, hard enough to hurt. "I've been looking for you for twenty-three years! Just give me five minutes!"

"Let go of me!" I struggled, panic spreading through me. Looking around, I realized the shop owner had vanished, leaving me alone with this madman and the bodyguard-looking men he'd brought. Shit, where's Ethan?

Just then, the door was flung open as Ethan burst in. Seeing the man gripping my wrist and my struggle, his expression instantly turned cold and dangerous.

"Take your hands off my wife." Ethan's voice was lethal as he strode over, radiating danger with every step.

The man immediately released me, but his eyes remained fixed on my face, as if afraid I might disappear.

Ethan positioned himself in front of me, one arm protectively around my shoulders. "Are you okay?" he asked without taking his eyes off the stranger.

"He says he's my father," I whispered, my voice shaking with the absurdity. "He's crazy."

Ethan frowned at the man, then his expression shifted from anger to surprise. "Victor Laurent?" he recognized the man. "CEO of Meridian Holdings."

What? I looked at Ethan in shock, then back at the man claiming to be my father. This was the investor Ethan had been trying to contact? This has to be some kind of scam.

"Mr. Storm," Victor nodded, his French accent becoming more pronounced with emotion. "I apologize for this manner of meeting, but I had to see Lucy. She is truly my daughter."

"BULLSHIT!" I couldn't hold back, fury coursing through me. "I'm not your daughter! You don't even know me!"

"Lucy," Ethan said softly, his hand making soothing circles on my back.

"You believe him?" I looked at Ethan incredulously.

"I think we should hear what he has to say."

I took a deep breath, feeling trapped in some absurd nightmare. "Five minutes, then we're gone."

Victor motioned for his bodyguards to wait outside, and the four of us moved to a small sitting area at the back of the shop. The old shopkeeper brought tea with trembling hands, then quickly disappeared, seemingly afraid to be caught in the drama.

"Twenty-four years ago," Victor began, his fingers clasped tightly together, "I had a small investment firm. Not big, but promising. I had just gotten married, and my wife Jade was eight months pregnant. Our life was beautiful."

He paused, his eyes growing dim. "Then the financial crisis hit. My primary investor, Storm Investment Group, pulled out without warning."

I felt Ethan tense beside me, his fingers tightening on the back of my hand.

"William Storm," Victor looked directly at Ethan, "your father, withdrew all funding overnight. My company collapsed. We had nothing, and creditors were hunting us down."

I watched Ethan's profile, his jaw tightening, his expression growing complex.

"Jade and I fled New York with nothing but the clothes on our backs and that pocket watch." Victor pointed to the antique timepiece on the counter. "While on the run, Jade went into premature labor. We were in the middle of nowhere, no money, no doctor."

Victor's voice choked, and he closed his eyes as if fighting against painful memories. "Jade... didn't make it. I carried our newborn daughter, so tiny and weak, to the nearest hospital. They wanted payment first, and I had nothing except that watch."

No, this can't be true. My heart raced, my palms growing sweaty.

"I gave the watch to a passing doctor as collateral, begging him to save my daughter. Then I went to bury Jade." He paused, his eyes filled with pain. "It took me a week to get back to the hospital. When I returned, the nurses told me my daughter had died and had already been buried."

My stomach twisted into knots. Died? But I'm...