Chapter 40: Goodbye
TERESA’S P.O.V.
It had to be Lucian. I couldn’t think of anyone else who despised me as much as he did. And besides, he was the only one with a motive. Maybe he found out about the babies and decided I wasn’t worthy to carry his children. Maybe that’s why he sent someone to get rid of me. That had to be it. It was the only explanation that made sense.
I kept staring at my ransacked apartment, feeling as if the floor had been pulled out from under me. I couldn’t make sense of the wreckage—clothes scattered, drawers overturned, broken glass reflecting pieces of the room and pieces of me. My throat tightened, and a sense of violation sank into my bones. I hugged myself tightly, feeling lost.
Luke stood beside me, his brows furrowed, hands clenched into fists. Even in the midst of this chaos, his presence was solid, steadying. The rage in his eyes was unmistakable; he was ready to hunt down whoever had done this, his voice low and thunderous with quiet threats. And as he turned to look at me, his gaze softened.
"Teresa," he said, voice rough with concern, "you’re not staying here tonight. It’s not safe."
He spoke with such certainty, as if his words alone could shield me from any danger. For a moment, I nearly accepted without hesitation. But my sense of independence and the deep urge to distance myself from Lucian pulled me back. I didn’t want to burden Luke any longer, either. So, I cleared my throat, trying to meet his worried gaze with as much resolve as I could muster.
"Luke, you’ve already done so much. I can’t impose on you or your family like this. I don’t... I don’t want to disrupt Katie and the kids’ lives." The words felt so inadequate as they left my mouth, but they were the only armor I had against the relentless kindness he always showed me.
He tilted his head slightly, his brown eyes hard to read. His jaw tightened, and I could tell he was holding back whatever response had come to him first. Luke was so many things—kind, protective, the perfect big brother, and endlessly patient—but he was never one to let something go without a fight. The way he looked at me, it felt like he was trying to see past my words, to uncover whatever I was holding back.
"You’re not inconveniencing anyone, Teresa, and you know that. I’m asking you to stay with me because it’s the safest place I know." His voice held a note of disbelief that I would even question his offer, and I could hear the worry woven through it. It made my heart ache, but I knew I had to stand by my decision.