Chapter 5 Revelations

• Emma’s POV
• The freezing London air bit into my skin as I stumbled down the stone steps outside the venue. My heels clicked against the pavement as I kept moving, tears blurring my vision. The weight of the encounter with Lucas—and his fiancée—was unbearable.
• I couldn’t believe it. Lucas had a fiancée? The same man who had stared into my eyes that night like I was the only woman in the world? My chest ached with betrayal, anger, and a thousand emotions I couldn’t even name.
• “Emma!”
• His voice echoed behind me, firm and desperate. I didn’t stop.
• “Emma, wait!”
• His hand caught my arm, spinning me around. His touch sent an unwelcome jolt through me, and I immediately yanked my arm free, glaring at him.
• “What do you want, Lucas?” I snapped, my voice trembling. “Haven’t you humiliated me enough for one night?”
• His brows furrowed, frustration and regret etched into his face. “You don’t understand—”
• “Oh, I understand perfectly,” I interrupted, my tone icy. “You played me. Just a fun little fling with a nobody, right? Something to entertain yourself before going back to your fiancée.” I spat the last word like it burned my tongue.
• “That’s not what happened,” he said, his voice low but urgent.
• “Then explain,” I challenged, crossing my arms over my chest.
• Lucas ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “Charlotte isn’t my fiancée. It’s complicated—”
• I laughed bitterly, shaking my head. “Of course it’s ‘complicated.’ It always is with men like you.”
• “Emma, listen to me,” he pleaded, stepping closer. “Charlotte and I… it’s not real. It’s an arrangement, one my family expects me to maintain for appearances. But I don’t love her. I never have.”
• I froze, his words sinking in. “An arrangement?”
• He nodded, his eyes locking onto mine. “I didn’t choose this life, Emma. Just like you didn’t choose to be dragged into whatever mess your family is throwing at you now. But that night with you…” He paused, his voice softening. “That night was real. You have to believe me.”
• I wanted to believe him, but doubt still gnawed at me. “You had three months, Lucas. Three months to find me, to tell me the truth. And now, suddenly, here you are? At the exact moment my family decides to pull me into their twisted legacy?”
• His jaw clenched. “I didn’t know where to start. I tried to find you, but I didn’t have anything to go on. And now…” He hesitated, his gaze dropping to my stomach. “Now there’s more at stake, isn’t there?”
• My heart stopped. “What are you talking about?”
• His eyes softened, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Emma, I know. About the babies.”
• The world seemed to tilt on its axis. My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment, I couldn’t speak.
• “How?” I finally managed, my voice barely audible.
• “I hired a private investigator,” he admitted, his tone cautious. “When your name came up in connection to this inheritance, I started digging. I found out everything, Emma.”
• Anger flared in me, hot and uncontrollable. “You had no right—”
• “I had every right,” he interrupted, his voice firm. “If they’re mine—”
• “They are mine!” I shot back, my voice trembling with emotion. “You don’t get to waltz into my life after three months of silence and make demands. You lost that right the moment you disappeared.”
• Lucas’s face hardened, but there was a glimmer of vulnerability in his eyes. “I didn’t disappear, Emma. I didn’t know how to find you. But now that I have, I’m not going anywhere.”
• The determination in his voice sent a chill down my spine.
• ---
• Back at Grace’s Townhouse
• I paced the living room, my thoughts a tangled mess. Grace sat on the couch, watching me with a concerned expression.
• “Emma, talk to me,” she said gently.
• I stopped, turning to face her. “Lucas knows. About the babies. About everything.”
• Her eyes widened in surprise. “How?”
• “He hired someone to dig into my life,” I said bitterly. “And now he thinks he has a say in what happens next.”
• Grace frowned, her lips pressing into a thin line. “What do you want to do?”
• I sank onto the couch beside her, burying my face in my hands. “I don’t know. Part of me wants to shut him out completely. But the other part…” I trailed off, my voice breaking.
• “The other part remembers the man you met that night,” Grace finished softly.
• I nodded, tears spilling down my cheeks. “I don’t know if I can trust him, Grace. But I don’t know if I can do this alone, either.”
• She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to decide everything right now. Take it one step at a time. And remember, you’re stronger than you think.”
• ---
• Lucas’s POV
• Lucas stood outside Grace’s townhouse, his hands shoved into his pockets as he stared up at the dark windows. He knew Emma was inside, probably cursing his name, but he couldn’t walk away. Not this time.
• He pulled out his phone, scrolling through the messages from his lawyer. The inheritance tied to Emma’s family was no small matter. If she claimed it, her life would change forever. But it would also paint a target on her back—a target he wasn’t sure she was prepared for.
• His thoughts were interrupted by a sleek black car pulling up to the curb. The man who stepped out was tall and imposing, his tailored suit exuding power. Lucas recognized him immediately—Maxwell Langford, Emma’s estranged uncle.
• Maxwell’s sharp eyes scanned the street before landing on Lucas. A smirk curved his lips as he approached.
• “Mr. Caldwell,” Maxwell said smoothly, extending a hand. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
• Lucas ignored the handshake, his posture tense. “What are you doing here?”
• Maxwell chuckled, his expression smug. “Family business, of course. Emma’s a Sinclair, after all. It’s time she started acting like one.”
• Lucas’s jaw tightened. “What do you want from her?”
• “Only what’s best for the family,” Maxwell said, his tone dripping with false sincerity. “She has responsibilities now—ones I’m sure you understand.”
• Lucas stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous. “If you think you can manipulate her, you’re mistaken. Emma’s not someone you can control.”
• Maxwell’s smirk widened. “We’ll see about that.”
• As Maxwell walked toward the townhouse, L
• ucas felt a sinking feeling in his chest. Emma had no idea what she was up against.
• And neither did he.
• ---