The Day I Walked Away My Empire Began novel Chapter 150

Lucie slipped into the car and leaned back against the seat, silent and still. On the outside, she looked calm, but inside, her emotions were a tangled mess that just wouldn’t settle down. Even though she was the one who’d decided to end things, actually going through with the divorce felt like a punch to the gut.

Four years of what she thought was a perfect marriage had been nothing but a lie. Nothing but deception and pain. There wasn’t a shred of real love left, just the sinking realization that she’d only ever been used. The love she’d clung to now felt like some kind of joke.

Half an hour later, Jean pulled up in front of the antiques market.

“Ms. Anderson, we’re here,” he said gently.

Lucie barely nodded, moving on autopilot as she got out and headed to her office. She closed the door behind her and turned the lock, shutting out everyone and everything. Her emotions were still raw and too close to the surface. If she didn’t find something else to focus on, she was sure she’d fall apart.

Work was her only escape. When she was buried in restoration projects, she could almost forget her anxiety and heartbreak, at least for a little while.

—

Meanwhile, Steven was driving Bria back to Rose Manor. It had once been their secret haven, the place they’d hidden their relationship because of who they were and the complicated lives they led.

Bria eased herself out of the car, her gaze sweeping over the familiar grounds. It looked exactly the same as she remembered. Tears stung her eyes as memories rushed back.

“It hasn’t changed at all…” she whispered.

Steven smiled softly at her. “I’ve made sure everything stayed just the way it was. Nothing’s been touched.”

“It’s okay,” Steven whispered, brushing his fingers over the scar on her face and holding her damaged hand with so much care it almost hurt to watch. “We should be happy. From now on, let me be the one to take care of you.”

Their relationship had always been unconventional. Bria was five years older, and she was Marian’s half-sister. Her childhood had been tough. Her mother died young, and her father was a hopeless gambler who lost everything. Bria had grown up poor, sometimes going hungry, and had often gone to Marian for help. Marian had tried to support her at first, but Bria’s father had a way of making things worse, and eventually Marian had to give up.

That’s how Bria met Steven. At first, they were just acquaintances. When Steven was fifteen, the Heath family ran into trouble, and he had to start learning the ropes. Around the same time, Bria dropped out of school and started hustling in the city’s clubs and casinos. She was bold and clever, and by her twenties, she’d already made a name for herself.

One day, their paths crossed in a way neither of them expected, and they teamed up. Steven backed her financially, helping her expand her influence, and she became the one to handle what he couldn’t do openly. She was sharp and decisive, always covering his tracks. Together, they pulled the Heath family back from the brink and turned themselves into a powerhouse in New Amberton’s casino world.

“Oh, by the way,” Bria sniffed, dabbing at her tears, “where’s our son? I can’t wait to meet him.”