‘How could Dana forget to remind me to change? Damn it!’
He looked so different that even his wife, Riya Stone Wellington, couldn’t stop staring at him. The man before her was almost unrecognizable compared to the disheveled, casually dressed figure she knew. While he had always been handsome, this transformation revealed a whole new level of attractiveness. Riya, too, looked stunning as she stood up from the sofa, wearing a seductive black lace outfit. Her long, straight black hair framed her beautiful face, and her fair skin and enticing figure were on full display. However, Lucian wasn’t in the mood to admire her. He had never seen her wear that lace before. The room was thick with stares, confusion, and silence. It remained that way until Madame Verna Wellington, an older version of Riya, cleared her throat to draw everyone’s attention. Pointing an accusatory finger at Lucian, she shouted, “Hey, what do you think you’re doing, dressing like that?! Who are you trying to impress with this getup? You’re so shameless! And don’t think for a moment that this will change our minds. Do you understand?!” Riya folded her arms and looked away with a dismissive expression. “Since you’re here, Lucian, it’s time for you to know that we need to get a divorce as soon as possible.” Lucian’s brow furrowed in surprise at her words. He glanced at Jakob, who wore an arrogant smile, and then stepped closer to Riya. “What do you mean by that, Ri?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. Riya glared at him with disdain. “Are you dumb? Are you stupid?” she snapped, sighing deeply before turning to take Jakob’s arm. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ll take care of things here. You should go before it gets any darker outside. We’ll see each other tomorrow.” Jakob smiled, then leaned in to give her a long, lingering kiss on the lips, which was more than enough to ignite Lucian’s anger. He almost moved to intervene, but restrained himself, clenching his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He knew he had to keep his composure, aware of his own strength—a single punch from him could easily send Jakob flying, potentially putting him in a coma. As they broke away from the kiss, Jakob sneered at Lucian before leaving the house. Riya then turned to Lucian, a satisfied smile on her face. Shaking her head in disappointment, she said, “You’re such a letdown. What kind of man are you? You just stood there, watching your wife kiss another man, and did nothing about it. Worthless!” Madame Verna laughed derisively, shaking her head as she lounged on the sofa, her legs crossed. Lucian stood there, feeling deeply hurt and betrayed. “How could you do that to me, Riya? What the hell is wrong with you?” he asked, his voice surprisingly calm, but his golden eyes were filled with hurt. “What the hell is wrong with me?! How dare you, a pathetic piece of trash, question me!” Riya’s voice erupted like a lit fuse. Lucian struggled to maintain his composure as he continued, “I’m asking because of what I just witnessed, Riya. You disrespected me in front of that child by kissing it…” Riya slapped him hard across the face. “Who are you calling a child?! He’s only what, two years younger than you? Look at you! That ‘child’ is a fully grown man, worth more than you in every conceivable way! He’s the head of a million-dollar company. And what are you? A busboy, a security guard, or whatever other degrading… disgraceful thing you do out there!” Her anger seemed to reach a boiling point as she continued, “I’m sick of it! Utterly fed up! If it wasn’t for Grandpa, I wouldn’t have had anything to do with someone like you! But he’s gone now, right? Now, all I am is a laughingstock because of you! Why don’t you just go and die?! Get out of my life!” she screamed, her words cutting deep. Lucian stood there, stunned and speechless. He glanced at his mother-in-law, Madame Verna, and then back at Riya, his wife. They have no idea who he truly is. Unbeknownst to many, Lucian was the son of the notorious Godfather, the powerful mafia lord of Metro City, and the designated heir to his father’s vast empire. He was also a major player in the corporate world. He was even a significant investor in the Winchester Group, holding a 20% stake worth nearly two million dollars—assets far beyond anything Jakob could ever dream of. Four years ago, the Old Master of the Wellington family found himself in a perilous situation, and it was Lucian who came to his rescue. Taking on the role of the Old Master’s security guard, Lucian protected him from those who sought to harm him. During this time, Lucian became captivated by Riya. He found her intriguing, and she sparked something in him that no other woman had. Despite having everything else he wanted, Riya was the one thing he couldn’t easily acquire. The old master had always expressed his debt of gratitude toward Lucian. Knowing that Lucian desired Riya, he arranged their marriage as a way to repay him. Riya, however, had never wanted Lucian; she saw him as a man with nothing to offer. Left with no choice, she entered the marriage begrudgingly. Since joining the Wellington family, Lucian had been treated like a servant, constantly tasked with menial household chores. Despite this, he harbored hopes of building a happy family with Riya, believing that his efforts and dedication would eventually be enough. Within the Wellington household, Lucian’s status was lower than that of a servant. Now, with Riya’s words and actions, she was destroying the last remnants of his dignity as a man. Was it wrong to love someone? Lucian felt his chest tighten as he placed his hand over it, a deep sigh escaping his lips. He reached out to hold Riya’s hands, his voice soft and pleading. “You’re not thinking clearly, Ri. It’s been three years. I’m sure you’re not doing this with a clear mind. I’ve done—” Before he could finish, Riya pulled her hands away with a forceful jerk, her eyes blazing with anger. Her glare was so intense that it seemed as if it could strike him down. “This is the humiliation I have to endure. How can a loser like you insult me? I’ve had enough of you, Lucian!” “Is it money that you want? Is it material things?! Then fine! Tell me what you want, and I will give it to you,” Lucian pleaded earnestly. “What I want? Oh, please, do you think someone like you can afford what I want? Bugatti, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chanel… You can’t even begin to touch that on your pathetic $3,000-a-month security guard salary!” Her head shook with scorn as she laughed mockingly. At this point, Madame Verna intervened, her tone dismissive. “Alright, enough of this argument. Lucian, you are going to agree to divorce my daughter. But before you do, go take out the trash in the kitchen and cook a good dinner. I’m famished.” Lucian blinked, taken aback by her cold command. He looked at his mother-in-law and, with a hint of defiance, replied, “You must be out of your mind.”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 t
The next day, Lucian rose early, determined to prepare a lavish and delicious breakfast. He hoped to mend the rift with his wife and mother-in-law after yesterday. Despite his frustration, he felt it was wise not to aggravate them further.As he was busy in the kitchen, his small phone rang. It was his father. The Godfather.Lucian sighed as he answered, “I told you not to call me on this number, Godfather.”“Lucian, you don’t carry that other phone with you all the time. What are you doing? I have something that requires your immediate attention,” the Godfather’s voice came through, insistent and urgent.“Godfather, my marriage is in a crisis right now, and I need to focus on fixing it. Ask Drake or someone else to handle whatever it is,” Lucian responded, shaking his head as he stirred the sauce simmering on the stove.“Your marriage has always been in crisis, son!” the Godfather snapped, frustration evident in his tone. “Stop being so difficult! I need you specifically for this t
“Lucian?!” Madame Verna hissed, her voice rising in a harsh whisper. “I told you to stop sleeping with him!”Riya shifted uneasily, her eyes flitting nervously to Lucian to ensure he wasn’t paying attention. He remained engrossed in his phone, oblivious to their conversation.“I did stop, Mom! It was just that one night months ago. I couldn’t help it, okay?”Madame Verna pressed her palm to her forehead, clearly exasperated. “Oh, for God’s sake, Riya. Not again. How many times have you had to terminate a pregnancy because of him? How many times have you aborted his child? I explicitly told you to take every precaution to avoid this situation. So why does it keep happening?”Riya looked down, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know.”Madame Verna sighed heavily, her tone firm as she continued, “We’ll have to change our plans for today. Forget the divorce for now, we need to take care of this. You are going to get rid of that baby. We can’t let anything jeopardize our chances of
Two weeks later.[Golden Eye System initializing…]Lucian lay half-awake on the hospital bed, his vision blurred and his senses dulled when he saw shimmering words appear before his eyes, accompanied by a monotone female voice in his head.[Host has met the requirements…][Commencing integration process…]He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling his blood surge through his veins with overwhelming intensity. A sudden, excruciating headache gripped him, as if his skull was about to split open. Clutching his head, his breaths came in heavy, labored gasps. The machines around him began to react to his distress—monitors beeped frantically, the rhythmic hum of the heart monitor escalating into a rapid, piercing alarm.The mechanical ventilator, which had been helping regulate his breathing, emitted a sharp, continuous whine, signaling a disruption. The alarms and beeps was enough to catch the immediate attention of the doctors and nurses nearby, and they rushed into the room.[Linking to host i
“The doctor said your survival was nothing short of miraculous given the nature of the accident,” Dana began, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “You were hit by two vans, Lucian—hit front and back. They said it would be impossible to survive, considering the extent of your injuries. You broke so many bones.”Lucian listened, his gaze fixed on her as memories started to surface. He recalled heading to meet Jakob when the vans seemingly appeared out of nowhere.“How did you not see two vans coming straight at you, Lucian? If you had died, what would have happened to the rest of us now that the Godfather is gone?” Drake’s voice was filled with anger and frustration, his scolding words piercing through the haze of pain and confusion.Lucian turned to Drake, still wrestling with the shocking news of the Godfather’s death. The weight of the situation bore down on him, making his head spin.He attempted to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his back, forcing him to remain still. His
Lucian remembered a happy family.His mother, Elena Winchester, always wore a bright smile, and his father, Davis Winchester, seemed devoted to making her happy. Their family life was filled with joy, frequent outings, and Davis would often return home with gifts and flowers for Elena after a long day at work.Then he caught his mom crying one day in the living room.FlashbackElena Winchester, a strikingly beautiful young woman, sat on the sofa, tears streaming down her face. She turned and saw her five-year-old son peeking at her from behind a wall.With a tremor in her voice, she called out, “Draco, you can come out now. There’s no need to hide; I can see you.”The little boy, with his short, dirty blonde hair and captivating blue eyes, approached her with a look of concern. His chubby face, though sad, retained its adorable quality.He walked over to his mother and said simply, “You’re crying, Mom.”Elena managed a weak laugh through her tears, wiping her face with a towel. “Yes,
Felicia, enraged, clenched her teeth and glared at Draco, who returned the stare before retreating to his room to cry.The next day, Draco attempted once more to convince his father that Felicia was involved in his mother’s death, but Davis remained unconvinced.“Your mother died in an accident, Draco! It was a tragic accident, nothing more. I understand you want to find someone to blame, but Felicia had nothing to do with it. She’s pregnant and due soon. I need to focus on your mother’s funeral arrangements. I can’t deal with this right now, so let it go!” Davis scolded, his frustration evident.Draco watched as his father walked away, and Felicia, who had overheard the conversation, found him to be an irritating obstacle. She was gonna end him anyway, so why not do it as fast as possible?Two days after Elena’s burial, Davis was still deeply grieving and continued to argue with Draco, dismissing his claims as fanciful. Accepting Draco’s theories would mean acknowledging that he was
[Memory retrieval sucessful][Healing capacity currently at 60%]Lucian gasped as he awoke, his eyes snapping open in shock, his breaths heavy as he finally remembered who he was. His mother, his father, Felicia, and Jakob all came rushing back into his mind.Nearby, Dana and Drake were arguing in hushed tones.“I’m sorry, but this is on you, Drake. You keep stressing him out!” Dana scolded in a whisper. “You shouldn’t have told him about Godfather’s death when he hasn’t fully recovered. You were too quick and didn’t even consider how he’d feel!”Drake looked at Dana, struggling for a response, and then noticed Lucian’s eyes were wide open.“Your precious boss is awake. Now, go exert your focus on him instead,” Drake said, turning her toward Lucian.Dana’s eyes widened, and she quickly rushed to Lucian’s side. “You’re finally awake, boss! It’s been hours! You had us—had me—worried.”Lucian exhaled heavily, his mind still reeling. It felt like he had just experienced an awakening.So,
Lucian arrived at his old hideout, yanking the Weepwraith out of the car and throwing her forcefully to the ground.She gasped, her expression a mix of shock and fury. “How dare you treat a woman so roughly? You’re utterly disrespectful!” she spat as she scrambled to her feet. “You’ve just signed your own death warrant. Let’s see your face when you realize you’ve kidnapped the wrong person.”Lucian scoffed, glancing around the familiar surroundings. “This place,” he began, his tone casual as he started unwrapping the bandage on his hand, “this is where I killed my first demon. Wasn’t too long ago, actually.”The Weepwraith’s eyes narrowed, her composure faltering. She hadn’t expected that.Tossing the bandage aside, Lucian clicked off the safety on his gun. “Do gunshots work on demons? Let’s find out.”The Weepwraith’s face contorted, her human guise slipping. “How did you know?” she hissed.Lucian silently raised the gun, aimed it at her head, and pulled the trigger. The bullet tore
Lucian and Leah stepped out of the marriage registry building, marriage certificates in hand. It was official—they were now legally husband and wife.Just like that, Lucian had married a woman he barely knew.‘How… interesting,’ he thought to himself as they approached the car that had brought Leah there.“So, what’s next?” Leah asked, her excitement barely contained. “We should start living together now, right? I’d like to introduce you to my family as my husband.”Lucian shook his head, his expression calm but distant. “Let’s cross that bridge after the wedding.”Her smile faltered. “Oh, the wedding…” she murmured with a slight frown. “I RSVP’d, but I wasn’t sure if I’d actually attend. Why do you seem so interested about it?”Lucian gave her a faint, enigmatic smile. “You’ll find out soon enough,” he replied, sidestepping the question.Without another word, he opened the car door for her. “We’ll be in touch,” he added smoothly, gesturing for her to get in.Leah’s smile softened as
“Boss!” Kevin’s right-hand man, Kief, burst into the office, his face tight with urgency. “Have you seen the news? The city’s buzzing—those kidnapped girls, they’ve all been freed! According to the reports, someone rescued them!”Kevin’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What? And the Brussels—have they been caught yet?” he asked, his voice tense.Kief shook his head and answered, “Not yet, boss. But it’s only a matter of time. The cops have a sketch of the suspect they’re looking for.”Kevin clenched his teeth in anger. “Damn it! And what about our asset? Has he returned?”“No, boss, he’s still out of reach. And the one who saved those girls? They’re keeping his identity under wraps—for now,” Kief replied.“Not for long,” Kevin muttered, reaching for his phone. He dialed a number and waited, tension crackling in the air. After two rings, a hushed voice answered, “Mr. Craig, can we maybe do this later? Things are happening at the precinct right now.”Kevin’s expression hardened. “I don’t c
The next morning, news reports buzzed with the story of an anonymous man who had heroically saved all the kidnapped girls, bringing them home safely.In her room, bathed in the soft morning light filtering through her curtains, Amber was on a call with Liz. She couldn’t contain her surprise. “Wait—are you serious?! You were the one who told him I was missing?”Liz responded, “I had to. You didn’t show up at school, and as usual, he came to pick you up. Your phone wasn’t reachable, and then your dad called…”“My dad called you?” Amber asked, stunned.“Yep. He sounded really worried, and that’s when I realized something was off. I’m not even sure why I thought to call Lucian. I just had this feeling he needed to know because he seemed worried too, and he seemed to care about you. It didn't even take too long, and you're already back home. He saved you.”Amber couldn’t help but giggle, shaking her head. “The moment I saw him there… I’ve never felt so relieved. And the way he just broke o
“Can we… get married?” The girl’s voice was hesitant, but her eyes were full of hope as she gazed up at Lucian, as if she genuinely believed he might say yes.Lucian raised an eyebrow, staring at her as if she’d lost her mind. “What?” he looked around, noticing his cars parked everywhere, a few of them pulling back in. “Where did that come from?” he muttered under his breath in confusion.“I said, marry me,” she repeated, more insistent.He glanced at her. “Yeah, I heard you. But I’m not marrying you,” he replied firmly, shaking his head and began to walk away toward Jace, who was talking to one of his men.As soon as Jace saw him, he approached with a grin. “Boss…”“Why are all my cars here? From my house?” Lucian asked, his expression confused.Jace nodded in confirmation, looking at the surrounding cars as well. “Yep. How else were we supposed to get all the girls home?” he replied casually. “Just like Drake took your sister, the guys are making sure they all get back safely. Don’
Lucian thought it was over for him. He was already feeling like he was dying due to the searing pain coursing through him, and the Fiend’s cruel enjoyment only made it worse, drawing out every agonizing second.Then, out of nowhere, the girl charged forward, swinging the stick high and hard. With all her might, she brought it down onto the Fiend’s head. The sound of wood meeting skull was followed by a grunt of surprise from the demon. He staggered back, disoriented, claws retracting for a brief moment as he turned toward her in fury.“You…” the Fiend hissed, preparing to lunge at her. But before it could, Lucian mustered the last of his strength and shoved the Fiend hard, forcing it several feet back.Lucian struggled to catch his breath, glancing down to see his shirt in tatters, chest scorched and raw.The Fiend stumbled but quickly regained its footing, though the momentary distraction had given Lucian the edge he needed.Ignoring the throbbing pain, Lucian straightened, his eyes
Lucian flexed his hands, feeling the pulse of his strength coursing through him while staring intently at the eyes of the Fiend.“You’re no match for me,” the Fiend’s voice was smooth, almost coaxing, but there was a cruelty beneath it.Lucian kept silent, his attention fixed on the creature. He couldn’t afford any distractions—his only defense here was his enhanced strength.Hopefully, this one wouldn’t try to mess with his mind like the Imp had.The Fiend attacked him.Lucian barely had time to react, sidestepping as razor-sharp claws extended from the Fiend’s black gloves, slicing through the air, narrowly missing his shoulder. The Fiend’s movements were swift, almost too fast to track, but Lucian had trained his body to anticipate attacks. He swung back with his fist, landing a blow to the Fiend’s side. The Fiend staggered, surprise flashing in his eyes.With a growl, the Fiend dropped into a low crouch, his eyes locked on Lucian’s throat as he lunged forward. Lucian’s breath ca
Lucian walked toward the junkyard worker, who noticed him approaching and stepped forward, asking politely, “Can I help you with anything, Sir?” Lucian’s lips curled into a forced smile as he nodded. “Yeah.” Without warning, he launched a brutal punch that sent the man sprawling through the air. The worker collided with one of the nearby cars, his body crashing into it before he crumpled to the ground, unconscious and bleeding. “Damn,” Jace remarked, eyes wide with admiration. “I’ll never get used to how strong the boss is. I love it,” he added, mimicking the punch with a clenched fist. Drake, however, just scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. Lucian entered the small building Ron had just exited. Inside, the room appeared plain—nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first glance. He shook his head, as he kept looking around. For someone who had been in the gang for so long, he knew there were things beyond what the eyes meet. Drake and Jace followed him in, their eyes swee
Lucian lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply as he tried to steady his nerves. He paced back and forth in his office, mind racing as he awaited an update from Drake. He needed to find his sister, and time felt agonizingly slow.Frustrated, he moved to the window, resting his arms on the rail as he stared out at the row of dilapidated buildings, the air thick with the smoke he exhaled through his nose and mouth. He felt restless. Where is Amber? She must be terrified right now. And what is my father doing to find her?His phone suddenly rang, snapping him from his thoughts. He quickly pulled it from his leather coat. Drake was calling.He moved away from the window, answering immediately, “Did you find anything?”“Yes, we located an old CCTV camera in the area. We found someone able to connect it, and he’s working on it now… it’s ready,” Drake reported, then instructed the technician, “You can leave it to us now. We’re heading over, boss.”Lucian nodded and ended the call.He sat on his ch