LUCIAN

A Week Later...

I paused at the top of the stairs of my jet, the warm Australian sun shone brightly yet there was a storm brewing inside me.

I was back after almost fourteen months, back to the chaos, to all the drama that forced me to run away. But I was also back to my home, to my family...the family which I betrayed but have every intention of winning back even if I have to beg them.

Warm, soft fingers slid in my hand and I was jolted out of my thoughts and glanced down to Maria who stood a few steps below me. "It's going to be okay, Luci." She assured me and her words had the power to chase away my demons.

I intertwined our fingers together and followed her down the stairs to where a car was waiting for us. My company might be going down but I still had a few people who were loyal to me...or loyal to the money I paid them.

"Where do you wanna go first? Your mansion?" She asked once we sat inside the car and it drove away from the airport.

I swallowed hard and shook my head. "Take us to the Andrews Mansion." I said to the driver who nodded at me through the mirror.

"Lucian...talk to me..."

I refused to look at her, my stomach was churning with anxiousness, my palms were feeling sweaty.

I gazed out of the window instead at the familiar scenery and realised how much I missed this place.

Maria became silent and didn't try to make me speak again, I just needed a moment alone. I needed to sort out of my thoughts, to make sure what I was going to say to them, how the hell will I even explain everything?

What if they never forgive me? Fuck no. I'll try my best, I can't lose them.

Half an hour later the car halted infront of their mansion which after all these years still had that cozy atmosphere around it.

Maria gave me a long look before stepping out and coming over to my side and opening the door for me and holding out her hand.

Hesitantly, I placed my hand in hers and stepped out, taking in a deep breath. "I'm scared."

She gazed at me softly. "It's okay to be scared, Lucian. But I am sure they are going to forgive you, they all love you. You became a part of this family a long time back and for us, family is everything. We don't let our mistakes, pain and ego get in our way. We discuss it and solve it together."

I slipped my hand out of her hers and cupped her face and rested my forehead on hers. "Just give me a minute."

Her palms came to rest over my hands and we stood like that for a moment and I somehow managed to compose myself and pulled back eventually and she gave me an assuring smile.

We walked together to the front door and she rang the bell. Fuck. Why is this so difficult? What if Calix is in there too? I am not ready to face him yet. Hell, I am not ready to face anyone but I have to do this. I need to apologise for what all I did and explain to them everything and then I need their help in cleaning up this mess. I need their support. If only they forgive me.

Ten seconds later, the door was pulled opened by Maria's mother who smiled widely on seeing Maria, her eyes widening with happiness but as her eyes slid from her to me, her smile faded away and was replaced by hurt and shock.

This woman feeded me, took care of me whenever I felt sick and was there to ask me how my day was, practically, she did a better job than my own mother and seeing how much I hurt her, I wanted to weep at her feet.

I sucked in my lower lip to stop it from wobbling.

I looked over her shoulder and found her husband on the couch with Austin sitting right beside him with his head on his father's shoulder while he showed him something on his phone. My heart clenched further.

"L-lucian?" She whispered, still not believing my presence.

"Mom." Maria spoke and gestured her to step aside so that we could enter inside.

Rafe and Austin both lifted their heads at the same time, their reactions quite similar to her. I can't blame them, I literally disappeared.

I stood there, with everyone's attention at me, my social anxiety acting up a bit but that wasn't the main problem, I just didn't know from where to start.

Maria jumped in to save me. "Okay, let me give a gist of everything...Lucian didn't kill Carsten and he didn't betray us...he was just trying to save everyone and he was in Seattle and...we coincidently met...and a lot of things happened but he is back now."

I hated how Rafe's eyes welled up with tears and Austin exclaimed, his mouth hanging open. "Bro, what the fuck?"

I opened my mouth to say something but closed it. Should I start by saying sorry or by explaining everything from the beginning? And having four pairs of eyes on me wasn't helping either.

A cold sweat broke out at my forehead and trailed down the side of my face. "I...um..."

Rafe seemed to notice my discomfort and he got up. "Okay. Everyone settle down and Lucian..." His tone was surprisingly soft. "...follow me."

Nodding, I followed him as he lead me to his study and closed the door and I felt a lot more comfortable now that I didn't have so many people looking at me.

I couldn't meet his eyes and kept my head lowered.

"I am sorry." I finally whispered, my head still lowered. "I am so sorry. I was stupid and scared and--"

I stopped abruptly when he placed his palm on my shoulder and I slowly lifted my head to look at him. Tears had gathered in the corner of his eyes. "I was so worried about you, Lucian."

"I am sorry. I...I shouldn't have hurt you all. You saved my life and then I betrayed you..."

"You didn't kill Carsten?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I didn't. I swear I didn't..."

"Please...I need you to tell me everything, Lucian. I want to know what exactly happened."

Gulping, I nodded and he made me sit on a chair before he sat opposite to me and I started to narrate everything to him and explained everything.

When I finished, I exhaled shakily and my heart was literally paining but at the same time it felt a lot less heavy and my eyes were burning for trying to hold back my tears for so long.

He was still for a minute, a tear rolling down his eyes before he grabbed both my hands and dropped his forehead over them. "Fuck. You could have...told me everything, Lucian. The day you came to my office, you could have told me...I..." And then a sob escaped his mouth, his tears falling on my hands.

I swallowed the lump in my throat but eventually, I let the tears out, I let all the pain and guilt out.

He lifted his head from my hand and stood up making me stand up too before he embraced me firmly and I started to sob.

"I am so sorry..." I sobbed. "I am so sorry, please forgive me..."

"No, Lucian. I should have tried harder to find out about everything, I should have tried to help you."

"You did. You gave me a new life and I ruined it. I ruined everything."

"It's okay..." He rubbed my back. "You did everything for a reason. It's okay, you are here now. You are not alone..."

His words made me cry harder, all the times I held back my tears as a kid was now coming out. My mother always told me that boys don't cry but my family taught me that it was okay to show emotions, it was okay to cry.

My sobs gradually subsided and I whispered again in his embrace, "I am sorry. I am so sorry, dad."

That made him freeze and I started to regret my decision. Will he even consider me as his son after everything I did let alone let me call him dad? But he was my dad, my father may have not even looked at me at times but he...saved me and became my dad.

When he pulled back I was afraid to even look at his reaction and I just wiped away my tears.

"Lucian...did you just call me dad?"

I kept my eyes fixed on the floor and nodded curtly. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have--" My words died when I finally glanced at him and saw his eyes literally twinkling with affection and happiness.

"Do you have any idea how long I have waited for you to call me that?" He asked.

"You are not...mad?"

"You finally considered me worthy of being your dad, why would I be mad?"

"I..." I was lost for words. He was not mad...he was not angry. He seemed to be so happy that warmth trickled into my heart.

His palm gently touched my cheek before he kissed my forehead lingeringly. "You have always been my son, Lucian."

"And you were always my dad...I just..."

"It's okay...I understand."

I sighed heavily, I was feeling so much better, I was home.

And then Maria's face popped up in my mind and I added quickly, "But this doesn't mean I see Maria as a sister." My thoughts about her were anything but brotherly.

Seeing the raise of his brow I regretted saying anything, maybe I should have stayed silent.

My cheeks flushed and I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Well..." He finally spoke, shrugging.
"... people do call their father in law's 'dad'."

My mouth fell open. "Did you just..."

"Approve you as my son in law? Maybe..." He grinned excitedly. "It depends on you two now but you have my blessings."

A short chuckle escaped my mouth and I hugged him again as he ruffled my hair.

Chapter completion on: 9/10/22
Published on: 19/10/22

Rafe Hanzall Andrews, I fucking love you! Adopt me too or marry me or just keep me as your maid, I don't care.
😭😩❤️✨