Keep your distance

Madame Verna rose to her feet, glaring at Lucian, who instinctively took a step back, realizing the gravity of his words. She asked him, her voice dripping with disbelief, “What did you just say to me?”

Lucian swallowed hard, casting a quick glance at Riya before responding, “You expect me to do these menial house chores and then want me out of your family? You are gonna have to change the latter to get the former. Nothing comes for free.”

Madame Verna’s face contorted with rage. “You son of a bitch!” she screamed, her fury palpable. “Who do you think you are, talking to me like that? For three years, you’ve been freeloading in my house, contributing nothing! You must think you’re clever, don’t you?”

Lucian nodded calmly. “Actually, I do have a high IQ. I don’t usually brag about it, but I graduated summa cum laude from one of the most prestigious—”

SLAP.

The sound echoed in the room as Madame Verna’s hand struck Lucian’s cheek.

“Who cares about that when it hasn’t landed you a job that could uplift this family’s status!” Madame Verna snapped. “I’m sure you must have graduated from one of those no-name colleges because you’re useless! You’re nothing! Either you make dinner or you leave my house! You’re not sleeping here tonight, do you understand?! Get out!”

Lucian sighed and turned to Riya, his voice weary. “Is that what you want, Ri? I'm exhausted and hurt by this sudden talk of divorce, and now you want to send me out just like that? You have a conscience, Ri. Let me go in and rest my head. I have a lot to think about.”

He glanced at his mother-in-law and added, “I’m not in the mood to do anything right now, so take care of your own trash and consider what you stand to lose if you lose me.”

With a sneer, he turned and walked toward the stairs, leaving them stunned.

Madame Verna exhaled heavily in disbelief, watching Lucian's retreating figure. “That bastard! First thing tomorrow, your divorce must be finalized. It's essential for us to contribute to the family business. We need to secure our standing, and Jakob is our ticket to being recognized. Lucian is useless to us!”

Riya pouted and looked at her mother with a whiny expression. “But Mom, he's too handsome to let go. He has this vibe that makes me feel... Can I really lose him? I don't think I’ll be able to handle seeing him with another woman.”

Madame Verna slapped her daughter’s arm, making Riya flinch with a yelp. “Mom?!”

“Shut up!” Madame Verna snapped. “You don't say things like that, Riya! Your relationship with Lucian must end, and you know that. Once you divorce that trash and marry Jakob, he's promised to invest a hundred million to stabilize our company. That's what matters, not some fleeting attraction to Lucian!”

Riya nodded, acknowledging the truth in her mother’s words. Sunrise Corp, the Wellington family’s business, was in dire straits. The capital chain had been severed, pushing the company to the brink of bankruptcy.

Ever since the passing of the Old Master a year ago, Riya and her mother had been marginalized, treated as unimportant within the family.

They were often the subject of gossip, and now, with the company in crisis, everyone was expected to contribute in some way.

The only viable solution for Riya to help save the company was to marry Jakob Winchester. This alliance or marriage wouldn’t just elevate her status within the family but also enhance her position in the company and the broader social circles of the city.

She smiled at the thought and nodded resolutely. “You’re right, Mom. Jakob is far better for me than that pauper! It’s time we get him out of our lives!”

Meanwhile, in a small room within the mansion, Lucian was seething with anger.

He tore off his coat and threw it onto the bed, his eyes darting around the room as he wrestled with his thoughts.

The blatant disrespect for his dignity had reached a tipping point.

“No one is taking my wife from me,” he muttered to himself, determined to take action.

He grabbed his iPhone from his coat, a device he reserved for important business calls and communication with his father.

Scrolling through his contacts, Lucian found Jakob’s number. He dialed it in his small phone, his expression hardening as he waited for the call to connect.

After a few rings, Jakob answered, sounding puzzled. “Who’s this?”

“It’s Lucian, and we need to talk,” Lucian replied, his voice deep and stern.

Jakob, who was back home in his living room, was caught off guard. His frown deepened as he wondered how Lucian had gotten his number.

“Hey, look, I don’t… oh, so you stole my number from Riya, you kleptomaniac son of a bitch!” Jakob shouted, clearly annoyed.

“Chill, Jakob. I’m calling to warn you to stay away from my wife. She’s mine, do you understand? I don’t care what you’ve promised her or what you think you’re offering. Keep your distance, or I won’t take it lightly,” Lucian warned. His tone was calm but carried an unmistakable edge.

“Are you threatening me?” Jakob asked, incredulous. He scoffed, adding, “Have I fallen so low that a piece of trash like you feels bold enough to threaten me? Do you even know who you’re talking to?”

Lucian’s voice remained steady. “Just a boy who’s riding high on his daddy’s wealth, thinking it makes him special. You’re nothing to me, Jakob. What you did today, in front of me, has put you on my list—a list you definitely don’t want to be on.”

Jakob was left speechless, eyes wide with shock. Before he could respond, the line went dead.

Jakob stared at his phone, his face contorted with rage. “That bastard hung up on me! How dare he?!” he fumed.

His mother, Felicia, hearing the agitation in his voice, quickly emerged from the room where she had been getting her pedicure and manicure done. Her expression turned from concern to worry as she approached him.

“Son, what’s gotten you so worked up?” she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and concern.

Jakob, still seething with anger, turned to face her. “It’s Lucian Stone, Mom. The husband of Riya Wellington. He had the audacity to threaten me simply because I’m involved with his wife.”

Felicia’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

She let out a derisive chuckle, shaking her head with disappointment. “Don’t tell me you don’t know how to handle a situation like this, Jakob. I thought I raised you better than that.”

Jakob’s confusion was evident as he frowned.

“In this family, son, we take what we want, and everything else that gets in our way is just collateral damage,” Felicia said in a low, measured tone. “You think both of us being here didn't come without any collateral damage? If you want something, you take it, even if it means getting blood on your hands. Lucian Stone is insignificant, like an ant under those expensive boots of yours—nobody will miss him.”

She offered a reassuring smile and a gentle pat on Jakob’s shoulder. “I have my own grooming to attend to,” she said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before turning to walk away.

Jakob’s lips curled into a sneer as he considered Lucian a mere ordinary person. The world doesn't care about nobodies. With a wicked smirk, he began typing a message to Lucian.

As Lucian settled into bed, he received Jakob’s message, which read: “Then let’s meet tomorrow to discuss this properly…”

The message ended with an address.