70

Arthur

“What a pretty property you own there, Lucien Giordano.” I said, stepping closer to the man of the hour, whose beautiful wife had just left him.

It had been a long time since I last laid eyes on Moore in person. Six years, maybe. But tonight, the moment she walked down the podium with Lucien, held like some trophy wife, I nearly laughed.

Wasn't she the same woman he had married to uphold his status instead of him? Lucien Giordano never failed to amuse. One moment, he was cruel. The next, impossible to read.

Lucien turned to face me, the faint scent of his cologne shifting with his movement. His lips curled into a smirk that made my skin crawl.

This was the first time in seven years I was in the same proximity with him.

“I buy things worth it with my money, Arthur Lumberton.”

He wasn't different from Lucien of seven years ago. The proud, arrogant and full of himself man that had stared deep into my eyes with no warmth and called me a thief.

I felt disappointed at the fact he referred to Moore as a property. I had for a minute thought they was something between them. But the coldness in his gaze said otherwise.

I scowled. “You fucker. You must feel out of place knowing I took a project from you. How does that feel?”

I expected a flicker of irritation—maybe even some cold detachment—but instead, Lucien chuckled.

“Well… how does it feel to struggle for seven years just to brag about a contract I let you have?”

I clenched my fists at his words, but I schooled my face into a neutral expression. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing my anger.

“You invited me to your launch. Why?” I asked, changing the topic.

Lucien was already losing interest in the conversation, his gaze drifting to where Moore stood. I tilted my head slightly, catching a glimpse of the fire in his eyes.

Now that's what I wanted!

This can't be right. There was no way the almighty Lucien Giordano felt something for the woman who cost him his only daughter.

Not everyone knew the truth about what happened to his child or how she had died under suspicious circumstances—but I did. I made it my business to know.

I must know everything to pull his ass down. Fact that he could hide his relationship with Felicity with me despite being his friend. I wondered just how long Lucien had ceased being friends with me.

“She’s stunning,” I said, testing him.

Lucien’s face remained unreadable as he turned to me. “My wife isn’t the reason you came to me tonight, is she?”

There it was again—that well-concealed possessiveness. I knew how Lucien was with things that belonged to him. It was the same reason I had failed seven years ago when I tried to take his spot before he destroyed me.

“Absolutely not,” I said smoothly. “But I still don’t understand why you would invite me, a potential enemy to both you and your wife, to a launch. Aren’t you even a little afraid of what I might do to you or her?”

I deliberately stressed your wife, hoping to provoke him.

Lucien tilted his head slightly. “You always wanted to meet Moore. I gave you the chance tonight. Shouldn’t you be thankful?”

I stiffened. “What?”

“Oh…” His lips twitched. “You don’t know, or are you just playing dumb? Did she not kill you five years ago to cover her tracks?”

My pulse spiked. How the fuck did he know that?

“You sought her out when you hit rock bottom,” Lucien continued, his voice smooth yet cutting. “She was the only one with the guts to say no to me. You saw that as an opportunity. You built yourself up using her resources because her good-for-nothing husband had his own skeletons to hide. And then she killed you. And I married her. That makes both of us your enemy, right?”

I couldn’t speak. If Lucien knew this much, what else did he know? How much of my plan was already compromised?

“Cat got your tongue Logan?” he mocked.

Logan… that was the name I had presented to Moore and Grey six years ago.

I forced myself to recover, masking my thoughts. “What more do you know?”

Lucien smirked. “I’m not playing that sick game with you, Arthur.” His voice turned icier. “But I do know about the little threat message you sent through her sister.”

I went still.

“I have your details,” Lucien continued, his tone calm but laced with warning. “And to save you the stress of searching for Moore’s contact, I’ll have my men send it directly to you. Send whatever threats you like. I’ll enjoy watching you try. Your hide and seek game was getting too boring. I had to invite you here..”

I clenched my jaw, barely suppressing the fury rising inside me.

“You invited me to London for this?” My voice was steady, but deep down, I felt a pang of something I didn’t want to name.

For years, I imagined that one day, we would make amends. We had been friends once—before everything fell apart. Before Lucien crushed my ambitions and ensured I had nothing left. I had even entertained the idea of becoming family, of marrying his sister. But Lucien had made sure that dream never saw the light of day.

Lucien’s smirk deepened. “Maybe. But mainly, I invited you to let you know that letting that contract go was my choice. You’re next in line after my company. That’s a decent achievement. But take a good look, Arthur. See for yourself how far you still are from ever beating me.”

His words cut deep. Before I could formulate a response, Lucien clapped me on the shoulder. “Enjoy the party.”

He walked away, leaving me standing there, fists clenched, heart pounding.

I was enraged.

I wanted to rip this place apart. Shatter the wine cellar. Hell, I wanted to stab Lucien with the nearest sharp object.

But that would be foolish.

No. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing just how much he had gotten under my skin.

Instead, I turned my thoughts to Moore. If I couldn’t touch Lucien, then Moore would suffer the consequences.

Lucien had no idea what was coming for him. Not when I had Athena under my wrap and also about unleashing his biggest weakness on him. Whatever chance Moore might want to have would be shattered.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, reading the message on the screen.

Unknown: “We found someone willing to undergo a facial lift to look just like Felicity, sir.”

A slow, satisfied smile crept onto my lips.

Now wasn’t the time to say hello to Moore.

Not yet.

But soon. Very soon.