150 Morning

Lucian

Morning crept in with a soft golden hue, and for a long moment, I refused to open my eyes.

Spending the night in the mansion had felt like a good idea yesterday-safe, familiar, private. But now, as Iy there listening to the soft rhythm of Mara’s breathing beside me, the dread of morning set in. I knew whaty ahead. Breakfast. Or more urately, a tribunal with food on the table.

I hated breakfast. Always had. And this one was bound to be worse than usual.

I could already see the topics lining up like soldiers waiting for orders. Darian’s daughter would be mentioned. His move out of the mansion. His marriage to Tiffany-who, let’s face it, still had the emotional range of a locked door when it came to him. Me offering them refuge? Definitely an offence in my father’s book. Then there was Richard-his health, his future, and everything I hadn’t decided yet. My father’s scrutiny on my choices woulde eventually-whether from him directly or with Martha’s prodding.

Then there was Mara-her opinion, her ns for our child, our future. Herposure would be dissected, praised or

picked apart.

And of course, Tina. Her exit wasn’t going to be ignored. It would be the elephant seated beside us, pouring its own damn

tea.

No, breakfast would not be peaceful.

If the mansion’s exit wasn’t on the right wing, I might have slipped out quietly with Mara and sent a text to apologiseter.

But my father wasn’t stupid. I was almost certain Jason would be stationed by the main corridor, waiting for us with that

polite but pointed invite to the family table.

Mara was curled against me, still naked beneath the covers. I moved closer, wrapping my arm around her waist. She

grumbled in her sleep, and it made me smile. That low, sleepy protest-gods, I loved her for that. I kissed her neck gently

and held her for a moment longer.

We were finally at peace.

Tina was gone. Richard was in the best hands possible. The poison was gone from our lives. Whatever came next, I

would face it with Mara beside me.

Still, I couldn’t sleep. I slowly eased myself from the bed, careful not to wake her. I picked up my phone and stepped

toward the window, dialling Darian.

He answered on the second ring.

“Couldn’t sleep?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he muttered. “The couch sucks.”

That told me everything I needed to know. Tiffany hadn’t softened. She was still holding that wall between them like her life depended on it.

“You should’ve slept in another room.”

“No. I can’t. It’s better this way,” he said, his voice more serious than usual. “I want to be where she is. Do you think you and Mara would’ve found your way to each other if you’d slept in separate rooms?”

He had a point.

150 Moming

+ Points

“Hanging around her increases my chances. If I give her space, months will pass. She’ll leave. Every second I get near her counts. She’s the only one I want, Lucian.”

I paused, nodding even though he couldn’t see me. “Well… I hope it works out for you.”

“Thanks.”

Then he added with a sigh, “I didn’t know how f****d up spending the night here would feel until now.”

I let out a shortugh. “Me too,” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose.

There was a pause, and then he said more quietly, “I’m prepared for my mother.”

That reminded me why I called in the first ce.

“Darian, whatever you do, don’t bring up ric Moongrove at the table.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I figured. You want to investigate him quietly?”

“Exactly. If Martha gets wind of it, she’ll either bury the truth or blow it up before we can make sense of it. Either way, she’ll

make it messy. I want to handle this strategically.”

“I wasn’t going to bring it up,” Darian said, his voice lower, more thoughtful now. “But I still don’t think she’s being honest

about certain things. We should discuss it properly-once we’re home.”

I let out a slow breath, my eyes drifting to Mara still curled peacefully in bed. Her hair spilled over her pillow, her hand

unconsciously resting over her stomach. She hadn’t stirred once since I got up.

“She hasn’t had time to go through the proposal,” I said quietly. “Too much has happened. Between Richard, Tina, and the

mansion politics, she’s barely slept. Besides, she’s also dealing with the audit.”

“The audit?” Darian asked, already putting pieces together.

“We’re investigating Daniel Northwood. Missing funds. Unfinished contracts. Suspicious approvals. It’s a mess.”

There was a long pause on his end. Then, with a heavy exhale, he said, “Lucian… I know this is going to implicate my

mother.”

I didn’t respond immediately. Instead, I leaned against the window and watched the soft haze of morning grow clearer

outside.

“I don’t think she was lying about her arrangement with Daniel,” I said, offering him the only piece of reassurance I could.

But Darian’s tone hardened. “She’s lied to me too many times, Lucian. I’ve stopped giving her the benefit of the doubt.”

He wasn’t speaking in anger-it was disappointmentced with exhaustion.

“Do the math,” he continued. “She’s been paying ric Moongrove millions of Kins every year for twenty-three years. That

kind of money doesn’t fall from trees. She wasn’t pulling that from her ounts. She and Daniel had to be padding

contracts. She yed the books while our father looked the other way.”

It all made sense. Too much sense.

“What if we bring up the investigations at breakfast?” I suggested cautiously. “Give her a chance toe clean.”

He didn’t reply right away. I knew he was weighing that suggestion against years of loyalty… and betrayal.

Finally, he asked, “And what if she doesn’te clean? What will you do if she’s guilty?”

I didn’t have an answer.

I rubbed my jaw, ncing back at Mara. “Honestly? I haven’t thought that far.”

180 Morning

+8 Points

“You need to.” His voice was calm, but firm. “If she’s guilty-and I’m sure she is-then take everything of value from her.

Auction it. Stop financing her lifestyle. Back her into a corner. Let her live without money for once in her life.”