Chapter 29: Annulment
Once they were away from prying eyes, Lara finally gathered the courage to glare up at him.
"You can put me down now. No one's watching," she muttered.
Lucas didn't listen.
Instead, he carried her all the way upstairs, straight to his room. Only then did he finally set her down on the bed.
Lara immediately scooted away, putting distance between them. "Thanks. You can leave now."
Silence.
For a moment, she thought he would simply walk out. But instead, his voice broke through the quiet.
"Are you feeling okay?"
Lara almost scoffed.
Of all the things he could ask, he chose that?
She lifted her gaze to him, searching his face for any trace of sincerity. But she couldn't find it.
Was this still part of his act?
Does he actually care... or was he just pretending again?
A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head. "Why are you asking, Lucas?" she said, voice laced with quiet pain. "It's not like you actually care."
Lucas' jaw tightened. He didn't answer, but the flicker in his eyes told her that her words had struck something deep.
Lara sighed, steadying herself. She couldn't let her emotions get the best of her. She had planned to talk to him after the birthday party. And now that they're finally alone, she couldn't waste this chance.
She turned to him, her expression unreadable. "On second thought, you should stay, Lucas. Let's talk."
His brow furrowed slightly, caught off guard by her sudden request. "You should rest. We can talk tomorrow."
"No," her voice was firm, unwavering. "We need to talk. Now."
Lucas let out a slow sigh before nodding. "Fine. What do you want to talk about?"
Lara swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing herself to look him in the eyes. "I saw you with her."
Confusion crossed Lucas' face. "What?"
Lara's grip on the bed sheets tightened. "I saw you with her. With Riah."
Lucas froze. His carefully maintained indifference shattered for a brief moment. And for the first time, something flickered through his eyes. Guilt? Anger? Pain? She couldn't tell, and she didn't want to.
He parted his lips, as if to say something, but Lara didn't give him the chance.
"You don't have to explain," her voice was eerily calm. "It's not like it was the first time I saw you together. And if you're wondering how I even know about Riah..." She let out a humorless chuckle. "You told me yourself, Lucas."
His brows knitted together. "What?"
"You were drunk, and you called her name in your sleep. Over and over again."
Lucas' hands clenched into fists. "So this is why you wanted to talk," his voice was clipped, guarded. "What? Are you planning to blackmail me with this? Use it to get something from me?"
Lara sucked in a sharp breath.
She met his gaze, pain flashing in her eyes. "Do you really think I'm that wicked?"
For a split second, something flickered in Lucas' eyes—guilt. But it disappeared almost immediately. Or maybe she was just imagining it.
"Then why are you bringing this up?" he asked, voice laced with slight irritation.
Lara bit her lip, gripping the fabric of her dress tightly.
"I just want to know. To hear it from you directly," her voice was quiet, almost fragile. "... Do you really love her?"
Silence.
Lucas' entire body tensed.
Lara continued, her voice trembling slightly. "Were you already with her even before we got married? Was she the reason I never had a place in your heart?"
For a moment, he didn't answer.
His throat bobbed, and then, finally, he gave her the answer she already knew but still foolishly wished wasn't true.
"Yes."
One word.
That was all it took.
The lone, fragile piece of hope within her shattered into nothingness.
Lara sucked in a deep breath, her chest tightening. She had known. Deep down, she had always known. But hearing him confirm it, hearing it leave his lips so effortlessly, still cut deeper than she had prepared for.
Tears stung at the corners of her eyes, but she took a deep breath, forcing herself to hold them back.
"Thank you for being honest," she whispered, her voice steady despite the overwhelming ache inside her.
Lucas looked puzzled by her reaction, as if he had expected anger, accusations. Anything but calm acceptance.
She met his gaze and spoke the words she had finally gathered the strength to say.
"Let's get an annulment, Lucas."
Her words hung heavily in the air, thick with finality. Lucas didn't move, didn't speak. He just stood there, staring at her as if she had spoken a foreign language he couldn't comprehend.
"What?" his voice was hoarse, almost disbelieving.
Lara exhaled, a small, sad smile on her lips. "I'm giving you what you want, Lucas. I'm setting you free."
Lucas shook his head slightly, his brows furrowing. "Lara, you're drunk. Let's finish this conversation tomorrow. You should rest," his voice was low, cautious, almost… avoiding.
"No," Lara met his gaze with unwavering resolve. "I'm completely sober, Lucas."
Silence stretched between them.
"I've finally come to terms with reality," she continued, voice steadier now. "There's no fixing this marriage. I can't keep holding on to you just because I love you when you're longing for someone else."
Her heart clenched. "I don't want to be in pain anymore," her admission came out in a whisper, raw and fragile.
Lucas' throat bobbed, his jaw tightening, but he remained silent.
"I'm tired, Lucas." Her voice cracked slightly, but she didn't waver.
She took a deep breath and forced herself to continue.
"Loving you… was exhausting. For three years, I fought for this marriage. I fought for us. I did everything I could to prove how much I loved you, hoping you'd at least give us a chance," she let out a small, broken laugh. "But you never did."
She wasn't sure if she imagined it, but for a split second, Lucas' expression wavered. "Lara—"
"I don't blame you," she cut in, offering him a small, sad smile. "You can't force love, after all."
Silence filled the room once more, thick and suffocating.
"I don't want to be blind anymore," she murmured. "I've finally accepted the fact that I'll never have a place in your heart."
She swallowed hard, forcing the lump in her throat down.
"And I don't want to lose more of myself loving you."