CHAPTER 100: SHE CONFESSED

Braelyn’s POV

" It’s all because you see another woman in her...." Those words stung in a way I didn’t understand.

It should not matter. There wasn’t really anything romantic between Lucien and me. He was just playing a role and yet it still stung.

Why did it feel like something cracked in me?

I froze, unable to step forward, just hiding in a corner, watching what I didn’t understand.

I walked right into something I was never meant to hear

Amber’s words didn’t just slice through the hall, they sliced through me. The sound of her quiet sniff, the tremble in her voice, the sheer desperation clinging to every syllable... it made the walls feel too close

She was desperately begging for her voice to be heard.

A question hung at the back of my mind: who was the shadow he wanted to see in me? Was it Elena, the ex-girlfriend he mentioned, who left him because of his reputation?

I could not see Lucien’s face at the moment but I was certain his jaw was clenched so hard it could split

Lucien’s back was turned to me, tall and rigid like he was barely holding himself together. He was stunned by what Amber said, and it only proved her point further.

I could get a glimpse of Amber but I doubt she noticed me.

Amber stood in front of him, her mascara smudged, her shoulders shaking. I didn’t even need to see her face properly to know she was crying. She wasn’t wearing her mask anymore

"I won’t, Lucien... I won’t," she choked out, and the strain in her voice sounded like she’d been holding those tears back all night.

"I can’t stand here and watch you chase the ghost of another woman. You don’t love her. You don’t. You’re only projecting because you see someone else in her..." her voice broke

"She is the one who reminds you the most about her but they are not the same people and would never be." Amber deadpanned

Her words bled into my chest like poison. A cold, creeping numbness spread through my arms. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, loud enough that I barely heard Lucien’s sharp inhale.

Was I involved in a more twisted game? I didn’t understand.

"Enough" His tone dropped. His tone was strained like the kind of voice someone uses when they’re on the edge of losing their temper or their mind. "Don’t talk about her."

But Amber pushed forward, wiping at her cheek. "Why?" She asked, stepping forward.

"Who should I not talk about, Braelyn, or " before she could finish the sentence. Lucien lost it. He pushed her against the wall, his figure towering over her, intimidating her.

"Do not talk about her". He emphasised every single word. He was trembling because of rage and maybe something more.

Amber laughed, finding something hilarious about the angry brooding man before her. "No. You need to hear it. She isn’t her. She’ll never be her."

Something inside me cracked. I didn’t know who ’her’ was. I didn’t know why those words made the floor tilt under my feet. I didn’t know why my stomach twisted so violently I felt I might be sick. But I knew, with painful clarity, that I shouldn’t be here. I should walk away and pretend I hadn’t heard this.

Yet I couldn’t move. A part of me wanted to know more even if knowing might hurt me

Lucien first slammed the wall above her head. She flinched but her sharp gaze didn’t soften. His voice came out low and controlled like a lethal poison. "Amber, I’m warning you. Don’t push this."

She let out a humourless laugh, broken in the middle. "I’m already pushed, Lucien. I’ve watched you ruin yourself over this delusion. And I’m your friend. That means I don’t get to stay quiet, even if you hate me for it."

A tense silence followed. I swallowed hard, my feet remained glued to the ground, and my breathing was shallow. I didn’t know whether I wanted him to deny it or confirm it or just... stop.

Amber exhaled shakily. "She’s married. She’s unavailable. She can never be yours, and most importantly, you can’t fix your past through her."

My throat tightened, and the air suddenly felt like smoke.

Lucien’s response came slowly, like each word was dragged from somewhere unwilling. "You don’t know what you’re talking about."

"I know what obsession looks like," Amber whispered. "And I know what grief does to people. I saw it in you Lucien."

A cold shiver ran through me because something about the way she said it, grief, trauma felt like she was pulling back a curtain I wasn’t meant to see through.

Lucien drew in a deep breath, then stepped back, voice dropping even lower. "Amber. Go back inside. None of this matters to you."

She didn’t move, her determination increased," It does.." she said and he froze

"It matters to me because I have to watch you do the same thing all over again while it breaks me.." she stated.

"I have to watch you act obsessed over another woman when I love you." She finally confessed. Her eyes studied Lucien but he didn’t seem shocked.

"But I don’t love you, Amber. You always knew." He calmly rejected it like it was nothing. Amber didn’t fall apart immediately maybe because she expected this.

"Why..." Her voice broke. "Why don’t you love me? Why can’t you love me?" She begged him moving towards him

He didn’t answer. "I have been there from the start. I have always loved you, Lucien. "

"I never cared about your family background or anything I just loved you but you never saw me the way you saw even her shadow ...." She sniffed

"Tell me why?!!" Amber cried out losing it

"I always saw you as a friend and do you think I never noticed the look. For crying out loud, Amber, I gave you the fucking signs...love doesn’t work that way. " Lucien snapped. I held my breath.

This was spiralling faster than I could keep up. His tone lowered and he continued.

" I don’t love you and I don’t think I can ever. What I do or who I love or am obsessed with has nothing to do with you, and besides, Joey loves you. He always prayed you looked his way... You should give him a chance because he will treasure you..."

Amber had a complete meltdown. "It doesn’t matter. I suspected he loved me but none of that matters..." She cried out desperately, clinging to Lucien, who froze.

"I just want you to love me ... Please stop hurting yourself by chasing her shadow and just love me ..." She begged desperately.

Lucien went cold. "So you have been using and playing along all this time." He said coldly.

"You are toying with Braelyn, why can’t I toy with him... please let’s stop hurting each other." She admitted.

Lucien snorted, still refusing to touch her as she clung to him. "I guess you finally have your answer, Joey.." Lucien said and my breath hitched.

Joey...

Where was Joey? I didn’t know there was anyone else here. There were no answers.

"Stop being a punk and show yourself, Joey. Get your delusional crush off me before I do something I would fucking regret..." Lucien hissed, then the soft footsteps followed from the opposite entrance Joey emerged

"Amber .." he could barely say..

My head felt light. I stepped back, almost stumbling on the floor. Lucien glanced my way, but before he could see me, I had already left, walking in slow, soft steps to avoid being caught, and when I was far enough, I ran....

I didn’t look back as I ran. My chest tightened, and I almost ran out of breath..

I didn’t stop until I was far enough and certain no one had followed me. My body bent over as I struggled to catch my breath and process what the hell I just witnessed

Lost in the moment I didn’t notice a service trolley coming my way until it almost ran into me. Luckily the waiter avoided hitting me directly but ended up bumping into me.

I fell on the ground and she quickly went down to help me up. "I am so sorry ma’am.. please forgive me." She begged desperately, aware of the implications of her actions.

I didn’t want to cause her more problems, so I brushed it off. "It’s fine I was also at fault."..

Her eyes were filled with gratitude. She quickly crouched on the ground to pick up something. "This must belong to you ", she said, shoving the piece of paper in my hand before extending her gratitude once more..

"Thank you so much." She chimed before quickly pushing her trolley away.

I blinked slowly, still confused. My attention turned to the paper she shoved in my hand.

Confusion spread across my face with silent creases forming on my forehead. It was a photograph.

Behind the words written was.

DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING THEY TOLD YOU ABOUT THE FIRE

It was boldly written. I flipped it over to see a familiar face with blonde hair and soft blue eyes. It wasn’t the way I remembered her in pictures

She looked tired and wary here, and more importantly, older than I imagined her to be, as if she had aged overnight.