Lucien came home late, as usual.
Dark suit. Cold face. Hands in his pockets like nothing had changed.
But everything had changed.
Ariella was waiting.
Not in the guesthouse.
Not in silence.
Not in fear.
She stood in the middle of his office, holding the file.
When he stepped inside, the tension cut the air in half.
Lucien stopped. His eyes flicked to the folder in her hand. Then to her face.
"Ariella—"
"Don't lie," she snapped. "Not this time."
He closed the door behind him, slow, deliberate.
"You shouldn't have gone through my things."
"And you shouldn't have destroyed my life," she fired back. "But we both crossed lines, didn't we?"
His jaw tensed. "I didn't destroy your life."
"No?" She walked toward him, waving the file. "You bought my father's debt months before I ever knew it existed. You funded the bank that came for our house. You set the price. You set the auction. You—"
"I didn't force you to come to me," he cut in.
"You made it the only option!" she shouted. "You backed me into a corner and waited there like the devil you are."
Lucien didn't deny it.
He didn't defend himself either.
He just looked at her, something heavy and broken flickering in his eyes.
"I did it because of your father," he said at last. "Because of what he did."
Ariella blinked. "What?"
He stepped forward. "Your father used to work for my family. Years ago. He was trusted — by my mother. And he betrayed that trust. He forged documents. Embezzled funds. Nearly ruined her foundation."
"No… no, that can't be true."
"I had the evidence," Lucien said quietly. "He disappeared before he could be arrested. Changed his name. Started over. But I never forgot."
Ariella's hands dropped to her sides, file still in hand.
"You punished me for his sins."
Lucien's voice darkened. "I didn't expect you. I expected a spoiled heiress or a desperate gold-digger. What I got was a woman with fire in her veins and defiance in her eyes. And I hated how fast I wanted you."
She stared at him, chest heaving.
"You used me."
"I paid for you," he said flatly. "And then I—"
He cut himself off.
"And then you what?" she demanded. "Started falling for me? Is that what you're afraid to say?"
He didn't answer.
Didn't need to.
The silence screamed everything.
Ariella laughed — bitter and broken. "You don't get to feel anything for me. Not after what you did."
"I never meant to hurt you," he said quietly.
"But you did," she whispered. "And now I'll never know if anything between us was real."
She turned to leave.
Lucien reached for her arm — gently.
"I did everything to protect myself, Ariella. But you… you were the one thing I didn't see coming."
She pulled away. "Then maybe you should've."
And she walked out.
No tears. No weakness.
Just the sound of her heels on his cold marble floor — echoing like a war drum.