The Day I Walked Away My Empire Began novel Chapter 276

In the photo, Lucie and Elio were caught up in a kiss, wrapped up in each other as a circle of friends grinned and cheered around them.

[LUCIE’S NEW GUY REVEALED AS ELMRIDGE’S ELIO PITTS]

[STEVEN’S EX-WIFE PROPOSED TO IN PUBLIC—NEW FLAME HOTTER THAN THE OLD?]

[HIGH SOCIETY QUEEN: LUCIE ANDERSON HEADING FOR HER SECOND FAIRYTALE WEDDING]

[STEVEN DITCHES WIFE FOR MISTRESS, FANS SAY HE’S LOST HIS MIND…]

Steven barely skimmed the headlines before his chest tightened and all the energy drained out of him.

Lucie! She was really with Elio now. Not only that, she was flaunting it. There was one scandalous photo after another, and now a full-on proposal. At this rate, she’d be remarried before he even had time to think about it.

“Damn it—”

Bria, still riding the high of the moment, leaned in for another kiss. “Steven, why’d you stop?”

He just sat there, unresponsive, his usually sharp features darkened with frustration. “Bria, I… I’m just not in the mood tonight. Let’s try again another time.”

Bria’s face fell. She glanced down, just to check. Yep. Nothing.

“Steven, what’s going on? Is there… something wrong with you?”

She desperately wanted to know—was it a him problem, or just a her problem? Was it like this when he was with Lucie, too?

“Bria, you should get some rest. Next time, when I’m actually together, I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

He climbed out of bed, yanking on his pants with a bit too much force, his anger simmering just below the surface. Bria watched, disappointment written all over her face, but she didn’t dare say anything that might bruise his ego. “It’s okay. No rush.”

“You get some sleep. I’m leaving.”

He stormed out, his whole body tense with frustration.

“Lucie, you bitch! How could you embarrass me like this? Are you trying to drive me crazy?”

***

The party kept going strong until midnight.

Lucie finally glanced at her phone, then at her friends. “It’s getting late. I really need to head home.”

Mira pouted. “It’s only midnight, what’s your hurry?”

“Yeah, we hardly ever get to do this. Let’s just stay out all night,” Yolanda chimed in.

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