Page 61 of Forever His Favorite
Before Taylor could even finish, Lucas was already moving—storming toward the door in long, forceful strides. His movements were sharp, desperate, like a man chasing the last breath he had left. “Send me the address,” he barked.
Taylor surged to his feet, shouting after him. “Are you serious right now? You’re really going to follow her again?”
But Lucas didn’t turn back. Didn’t pause. Didn’t even seem to hear him. His mind was already miles away, his body moving with a single-minded obsession.
On the other side of town, Emily sat across from Jeremy at a quiet outdoor café. It was a bright, sunny evening. Behind them,the bridge arched gracefully over a river where ducks glided lazily across the surface.
Emily sipped from her glass of juice while Jeremy held a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.
“Have you thought about it carefully?” Jeremy asked, watching her with concern. “If you go through with this marriage, it’ll be official. With all the ceremonies, in front of the world. There’s no turning back. Are you sure you want to marry Sebastian?”
Emily’s lips curved into a smile. “I am. He’s been so good to me ever since we got together. He’s never left my side. He’s taken care of me, supported me in ways I didn’t expect. At first, our marriage was just because his family was pressuring him. But now… we’ve become so much more than that.”
Jeremy studied her for a moment, then gave a small approving smile. “I’ve heard people say he really values family. If you marry him then you will be his family too.”
Emily’s eyes drifted toward the glittering water behind him. She took another sip of her juice, her voice carrying a trace of wonder. “When I first married him because he said he is marrying me just because of his family rules, I thought our marriage would mean nothing. That there’d be no future between us. But now…”
“Say that again.”
The sudden voice behind her made Emily freeze. She turned sharply—and her breath caught.
Lucas stood there, holding a bouquet of flowers, his eyes locked on her. He strode forward and stopped right in front of her table.
Emily frowned, startled. “What are you doing here?”
Lucas strode forward, dropping to his knees before her in the middle of the café. He seized her hand eagerly, his voice breaking with excitement. “Emily…”
She instantly pulled her hand back, her expression hardening.
He didn’t falter. His excitement remained, his voice trembling with emotion. “So it’s true? You were forced to marry him, right? I knew it. I knew you’d never willingly love anyone else. I knew you wouldn’t marry anyone else unless you had no choice.”
His hand shot out again, clasping hers tightly.
Emily straightened in her seat, her voice cold. “What does it have to do with you? Who I love, who I marry—it has nothing to do with you.”
He still didn’t let go, even when she tried to pull her hand back. His grip only tightened as if he feared she would vanish the moment he released her.
Lucas took a deep breath, his smile oddly unwavering. “I get it. You’re still angry with me. That’s why you married Sebastian—because you wanted to punish me for what happened.”
Annoyance flickered across Emily’s face. “Lucas, I didn’t come here to deal with you. Let me go.”
She tried to pull her hand away, but he tightened his grip.
Her eyes hardened. “If you don’t let go, I’m going to call security.”
He still didn’t let go, even when Emily tried to pull her hand back. His grip only tightened, his voice cracking.
“Don’t do this, Emily,” he pleaded, his voice trembling, raw. “I know you’re punishing me, but please… stop. I really can’t take it anymore.”
His face crumpled, the usual confidence gone, replaced by something fragile. He lifted the bouquet in his hands, holding it out to her almost like an offering of his soul. “See? I brought you flowers. You love orchids, right? I brought these for you.”
Emily’s eyes fell on the bouquet. For a moment, her chest twisted so painfully it felt like her ribs were splintering inward.
Orchids.The word tore through her like glass.
Five years together. Five years of him sending orchids on her birthday, on their anniversary, on every occasion that was supposed to be theirs. And countless times, she had told him that she didn’t like orchids.
She liked roses.
