Chapter 249

Lucas pressed his lips into a thin line before adding, "If it weren't for her brother, I probably wouldn't even know her."

And he meant it.

Back then, Kenneth had been the only son in the family. When his parents finally had a daughter, the whole household doted on her endlessly, spoiling her at every turn. Naturally, that was what shaped Wendy into the entitled, willful woman she was now. She always had to get what she wanted, and if she didn't, she'd throw a fit until she did.

After everything that had happened, Lucas had finally come to a decision–he needed to start keeping his distance from Wendy. Otherwise, Aurora would keep misunderstanding. And what he cared about most now was her—how she felt. He wasn’t looking for drama. All he wanted was a quiet, simple life—his wife, a warm home, and a little peace.

Aurora’s resistance began to fade, her struggle slowing down. Her mind started to question–was he really telling the truth?

“You mean it?” she asked quietly, finally meeting his gaze.

It was the first time tonight she’d looked at him directly, and to Lucas, it was the first real sign of a breakthrough.

He nodded solemnly. “Of course. Not a single word was a lie.”

Aurora narrowed her eyes slightly. “Then tell me, how did you and Wendy’s brother meet in the first place? How do your families know each other?”

Lucas hadn’t expected that.

He hesitated.

If he told her the truth now, he’d have to reveal his real identity–something he hadn’t been ready to do just yet. The fewer people who knew, the safer things would be. His position wasn’t just for show. With power came enemies, and he couldn’t afford to think only about the moment.

Aurora caught his hesitation.

And in that moment of silence, the disappointment in her eyes quietly deepened.

“So in the end, a man’s promise really is just empty words.”

Lucas wrestled with himself for a moment before finally deciding against it. “Rora, can we just talk about something else?”

Aurora let out a sharp laugh, her disappointment in him deepening. So much for “not a single word was a lie.” Now that the question got too close to something real, he wanted to dodge it?

“Forget it. I get it now.”

She didn’t bother arguing, just smiled coldly. Men, after all, weren’t to be trusted. Their promises meant nothing.

Lucas saw that icy curve of her lips and knew exactly what it meant. But even then, he couldn’t explain. Not tonight. It was too late and complicated.

Aurora, to her credit, didn’t push it either. She simply walked past him, towel wrapped around her body, and headed to dry her hair. She didn’t want to waste another word on someone so full of half-truths.

Wrapped in a towel, she moved cautiously, not wanting to make any sudden gestures. But Lucas made no move to leave. He stayed exactly where he was.

Aurora finally turned off the blow dryer, her tone flat as she asked, “Why are you still here?”

“I’m going to bed. You should go sleep too.”

At this point, she was willing to believe that maybe there was nothing between Lucas and Wendy. But even so, if she hadn’t been in the picture, who’s to say they wouldn’t have rekindled something long buried? Just thinking about it made her chest tighten with something sharp and suffocating.

Lucas didn’t seem to catch the shift in her mood. He kept trying, still explaining.

“Rora, I won’t go on about anything else, but I need to stress that there is nothing between me and Wendy. If it weren't for her brother, I honestly…”