Chapter 252

Lucie's thoughts were in total chaos. For a moment, it felt like the ground had disappeared beneath her feet. She slumped into Steven's arms and just broke down, ugly crying, unable to hold it in.

Her mind kept spinning. She'd lost her mom at five, her dad at seven, and the grandma who'd loved her most passed away when she was nine. If her grandpa didn't make it this time, she'd have no one left in the world.

"Grandpa... Grandpa, please," she sobbed. "Am I really cursed? Why does the universe have to be this cruel? Please, don't take the last person I have left!"

Steven hugged her even tighter, his voice soft and steady as he tried to comfort her. "Don't say that. If you were really cursed, wouldn't I be the first to go? I'm your husband. If anyone should've been knocked out by your bad luck, it's me."

But Lucie just cried harder, her whole body shaking.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," he whispered, brushing a hand through her hair. "Your grandpa will be fine. And you still have me. I'll always be here. I'll always be your husband-your family."

Down the hallway, Bria watched from her wheelchair, her face cold and

unreadable. Shannon pushed her forward slowly, leaning down to whisper, "See?

I told you. He's with that bitch Lucie again."

Shannon rolled her eyes. "Look at her putting on a show. Her grandpa's dying, and she's still holding on to Steven, looking all pathetic."

Bria didn't say anything, but inside she felt like someone had poured boiling oil over her heart. She'd never seen Steven act so gentle and caring before. He must really love this Lucie. Bria could live with Steven cheating on her physically, but she absolutely couldn't stand the thought of him actually loving someone else.

Shannon nudged her again. "Are you really going to sit here and take this?"

Without a word, Bria started rolling herself closer to them.

Up ahead, Steven was too focused on Lucie to notice anything else. He just kept holding her, murmuring soft words, trying to calm her down. "Don't cry anymore, okay? Your grandpa will get through this. I just don't want you to make yourself sick."

He pressed his forehead to hers, kissed her eyelids, and held her like he never wanted to let go.

Bria took a deep breath, then spoke up, voice quiet but clear. "Steven."

It was like someone had thrown a bucket of ice water on him. Steven froze, then quickly pushed Lucie away like a guilty kid caught sneaking cookies.

"Bria-you... what are you doing here?" he stammered, standing up, looking everywhere but at her.

Bria smiled, calm and sweet. "You didn't come home last night. I was worried. I heard you were back, so I just wanted to check on you."

Steven looked like he wanted to disappear.

Bria turned to Lucie, still smiling politely. "Ms. Anderson, thank you for making time to keep Steven company. You're so generous. I'm sure you'll be rewarded for it." She sounded friendly, but every word had a razor edge. "And I really do appreciate you. It's nice that you can help Steven out with his physical needs Much better than somet random girl off the street. I feel so

much better knowing it's you. No

need to sneak around behind my back."

Every word was perfectly calm, but each one hit Lucie and Steven like a punch to

the gut.

Lucie's eyes were swollen from crying, and now they burned with anger and embarrassment. "Bria, you can lay off the sarcasm. If you're so worried, maybe keep a better eye on Steven instead of picking on me."

Bria just smiled wider, her eyes sharp. "Why would I bother? Like I said, you're a much safer choice than what's out there. I don't mind at all if he comes to you."

Lucie's hands clenched in her lap. "So he avoids you because you're worse?"

Bria's smile flickered, just for a second. She hadn't expected the quiet, proper girl to hit back like that. "At least I'm not the one sleeping with someone else's husband."

Lucie's jaw tightened. "And who's the homewrecker here, exactly?" She turned to Steven, grabbing his arm and pulling him closer. "Steven, am I the other woman? When we first got together didn't ask you more than s once if you had any messy exes? What did you say? Go onptell her."

Bria glanced at Steven too. "Yeah, Steven. Why don't you tell us what you said back then?"

Steven couldn't look at either of them. He moved to grab Bria's wheelchair. "Bria, let me take you back to your room—"

"No," Bria said, standing up on shaking legs. "I want to know what you told Ms. Anderson."

Steven just stood there, looking trapped and miserable. He remembered exactly what he'd told Lucie: that he'd been single for three years, that he'd been too busy with work to date, that his last relationship was way back in college.

He'd started working in business when he was fifteen or sixteen, but he'd never let his education slide. He was smart, a fast learner-he'd finished college coursework while he was still in high school.

Of course, normal people couldn't

compare to the kids born into rich families. They had private tutors from the start, and their parents would spend whatever it took Even if they never set foot in a reat classroom, they'd always be ahead of everyone else.