Chapter 102: Huge Secret

Lucian’s POV

"It’s my little sister’s," I answered. "Lillian’s."

Olivia looked at me for a moment before turning her attention back to the bracelet lying on my desk. "Oh," she murmured. "I didn’t know Lillian wore bracelets like that."

I frowned slightly. "Is there a problem?"

"No, not at all," she replied quickly. "I was just surprised to see a woman’s bracelet on your desk. That’s all."

I forced myself to relax. "It was her favorite bracelet. She used to wear it all the time before she fell into a coma. I decided to keep it here because it reminds me of her."

Olivia’s expression softened immediately. "Oh, Lucian. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up something painful."

"It’s fine," I assured her.

"How is she doing now? Have the healers noticed any improvement?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. She’s still unconscious, but the healers are doing everything they can to help her recover."

"I’m sure she’ll wake up someday," Olivia said gently. "You shouldn’t lose hope."

"Thank you." She gave me a small smile before looking away, and I quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness. For a moment, I had been afraid she would ask more questions about the bracelet. It didn’t belong to Lillian. It belonged to a woman I had spent the past four years searching for.

I hated lying to Olivia, especially after everything we’d been through, but how was I supposed to explain that I had kept another woman’s bracelet for four years? What would she think if she discovered that I had been searching for its owner all this time? She might think I was still in love with that woman, and perhaps, until recently, I had been. But things were different now. I had Olivia, and I wasn’t willing to lose her over someone I might never find.

"Lucian?"

I blinked and returned my attention to her. "Yes?"

"You’ve been quiet. Is everything okay?"

"Of course." I smiled slightly. "I was just thinking about something."

"Oh, okay."

I glanced at her before speaking again. "About what I asked you earlier, Olivia. You don’t have to give me an answer tonight."

She looked surprised. "Really?"

"Yes. I know you’re confused about your feelings, and I don’t want you to make a decision simply because you feel pressured."

"Thank you, Lucian. I appreciate that."

I nodded, although it wasn’t easy to say those words. The truth was that I wanted her to choose me. I wanted her to tell Lucas that she had no interest in pursuing a relationship with him. But I also understood that forcing her to make a choice wouldn’t solve anything.

"Can I ask you something?" Olivia suddenly said.

"Anything."

She hesitated, looking down at her hands before raising her eyes to mine. "What if I choose Lucas after these three months? Will you hate me?"

For a moment, I couldn’t speak. Of all the questions she could have asked, that was the last one I wanted to hear.

"Why would you ask me that?" I finally managed to ask.

"Because I know how much you dislike the idea of Lucas and me being together. And I don’t want you to hate me if things don’t turn out the way you want."

I sighed and moved closer to her. "Olivia, I could never hate you."

"Even if I choose him?"

I swallowed. "I won’t lie to you. It would hurt me. A lot. But that doesn’t mean I would hate you."

She studied my face quietly, and I continued, "However, don’t expect me to sit around doing nothing while Lucas tries to win your heart. I’m still your husband, and I love you. As long as there’s a chance that you might choose me, I’m going to fight for us."

A faint smile appeared on her lips. "You’re both so stubborn."

I chuckled. "Unfortunately, that runs in the family."

She laughed softly, and hearing that sound made me smile. For a few moments, neither of us spoke. Then Olivia glanced toward the door.

"I should probably go now. It’s getting late."

"Alright."

She started toward the door but stopped and turned back to me. "Lucian?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for understanding."

I smiled. "Goodnight, Olivia."

"Goodnight."

I watched her leave, waiting until the door closed behind her before returning to my chair. For several minutes, I sat quietly, thinking about our conversation. I had told Olivia that I would respect her decision, and I meant it. But the thought of watching her become my brother’s wife was almost unbearable.

I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my forehead. Damn it. How had things become so complicated? Only a few months ago, I hadn’t even wanted Olivia in my life. I had treated her terribly because I believed she was Princess Annabel, the woman I had been forced to marry. Now, the thought of losing her frightened me more than I cared to admit.

My eyes eventually moved toward the bracelet on my desk. I stared at it for a moment before reaching forward and picking it up.

Four years. It had been four years since I first started searching for the woman who owned this bracelet. Four years of unanswered questions, countless searches, and disappointments. I had never imagined that I would spend so much time looking for someone whose name I didn’t even know. Yet here I was, still holding on to the only thing she had left behind.

I ran my thumb over the little charm and sighed. "I think it’s time I let you go," I murmured.

The room was completely silent, but I continued speaking as though the woman could somehow hear me. "I’ve searched for you for four years, but I don’t even know where you are. I don’t know whether you’re alive, whether you’re married, or whether you even remember me."

I paused, staring at the bracelet. "I used to believe that someday I would find you, and that no matter how long it took, we’d eventually meet again."

A bitter smile crossed my lips. "But I can’t keep waiting forever. I’ve fallen in love with someone else now, and I don’t want to lose her."

I lowered my eyes. "Wherever you are, I hope you’re happy. But I think it’s time I stopped searching for you."

I was about to put the bracelet away when a familiar voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Hi, brother."

I jerked my head up and found Lucas standing a few feet away from my desk, wearing that irritating smile of his.

"What the hell, Lucas?" I snapped. "Don’t you know how to use the door?"

He shrugged. "I didn’t realize I needed an appointment to visit my brother."

"You do when you keep teleporting into my study without permission!"

"Relax. I’m not here to fight."

"Then what do you want?"

Instead of answering, Lucas glanced at the bracelet in my hand, and his eyebrows rose. "You’re still keeping that thing?"

I immediately closed my fingers around it. "That’s none of your business."

Lucas chuckled and shook his head. "Tell me something, little brother. Have you told Olivia about the woman you’ve been hopelessly in love with for the past four years?"

My expression darkened. "Mind your business, Lucas."

"Does that mean you haven’t told her?"

"Lucas, I’m warning you."

"Warning me about what?" he asked, folding his arms. "You’ve been telling Olivia how much you love her, asking her to marry you again, but you haven’t mentioned the woman you’ve spent four years desperately searching for."

"That’s enough!" I snapped, rising from my chair.

Lucas didn’t seem bothered by my anger. "Tell me something, Lucian. How do you think Olivia would feel if she discovered that you’ve been in love with another woman all this time?"

"That’s none of your concern."

"Of course it is. I love Olivia, too, and unlike you, I have nothing to hide from her."

I scoffed. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I’ve been honest with Olivia about my feelings. I’ve been searching for a woman, and that woman turned out to be her. But what about you?"

I clenched my jaw, but Lucas continued before I could answer.

"What happens if the woman you’ve been searching for suddenly appears tomorrow? Are you going to abandon Olivia and run after her?"

"Don’t be ridiculous!" I snapped. "I love Olivia, and I’m not leaving her for anyone."

"Then why haven’t you told her the truth?"

"Because it doesn’t matter anymore! I’ve already decided to stop searching for that woman."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes!"

"Then why are you still keeping her bracelet?"

I looked down at the bracelet in my hand before returning my attention to him. "Because I haven’t thrown it away yet. Is that a crime?"

"No, but I find it interesting that you’re so desperate to marry Olivia while keeping something like this from her."

I slammed the bracelet onto my desk. "Lucas, what exactly do you want from me? You’ve already convinced Olivia to give you three months. Isn’t that enough? Must you come into my study and interfere in my personal affairs, too?"

"I’m not interfering. I’m simply pointing out something you seem determined to ignore."

"And what would that be?"

"That Olivia deserves to know the truth before she makes her decision."

I laughed bitterly. "Don’t pretend you’re doing this because you care about her feelings. You’re only looking for something you can use against me."

Lucas’s smile disappeared. "Believe whatever you want, Lucian. But I’m serious about Olivia, and I don’t intend to watch you hurt her."

"And you think I would deliberately hurt my own wife?"

"I think you’re hiding something important from her. And if you truly love her as much as you claim, you should be honest with her."

I pointed toward the door. "Get out."

Lucas frowned. "You can’t keep hiding this from her forever. Olivia has to know."

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the doorway.

"Know what?"

My blood ran cold. Lucas turned toward the doorway, and I followed his gaze.

Olivia stood there, staring at us.