Elara's POV,
Everyone in the courtyard freezes, but I don't. I grab Asher, throw him over my shoulder, and bolt to the front gate. Asher screams, confused at what's happening, and I don't need to look back to know that Lucien had sent people after me.
"Get her!"
I'm athletic, so when the men come at me, I hit and kick at them, escaping their hold.
"You fools! What do I hire you for?"
I turn, still running, and stick my tongue out at him. He looks lethal but he isn't even chasing me, and I find out why soon enough.
I pass the gates successfully and tuck Asher in my car that I had successfully stolen and rode out the gate; he grabs my hand before I can move.
"Mum, what are you doing? Why are we leaving Daddy?"
I bite my lip and yank my hand gently from his. I promise myself I'll explain as soon as we get to the airport.
"I'm so sorry, Asher."
I get in, start the car, and press the accelerator to move, but… it doesn't. I ignite again and again and again and…
"No!!! No, you motherfucker Lucien!"
I bang my head on the steering wheel and panic when I see his men had surrounded the car. I flex my fingers, ready to do whatever it took to leave with my son. I dip my hand into my bag, hands wrapped around the hilt of the dagger when…
"Daddy!"
I whip my head to see that Asher had somehow gotten past his buckles and run to Lucien. My eyes widen, and I hurriedly get out of the car, chasing after him. Lucien lifts Asher up and my son points back at me.
"Mummy wants to take me away without you. Don't let her, Daddy."
In that instant, I have flashbacks of when Asher and I stayed cuddled up in the bed, and he'd ask me about his father.
"Mum, other kids have fathers. Where's mine?" He'd ask, curling his chubby hand around my finger. I'd smile and kiss his head.
"I'm your father and mother. You're special. A special kid that has both his mother and father in one." I'd tickle him and he'd laugh, then hug me tight.
"I love you, mummy. I don't need a father."
I knew he was too young to understand and that as he grows, he'd learn that having a father is criteria. But it wasn't necessary at that moment. And that's all that mattered.
Now, looking at him, hugging Lucien tight and Lucien whispering sweet nonsense in his ears, I can't help but feel contempt. My eyes darken and my fists folds.
"Did you seriously think I wouldn't know what happening in my home?" Lucien asked, his voice as icy as the Atlantic ocean itself. I grit my teeth and force a smile.
"I don't know. I don't seem to see you these days . I had thought you'd forgotten all about us already." I say, and Lucien's eyes darken.
He gives Asher to the head housekeeper who takes him inside the mansion and he takes an angry step towards me.
"Thought?" His voice gets dangerously lower. "Or hoped?"
I fold my arms. "Can't it be both?"
He raises a brow and gestures to one of his men. Before I could react, two of them had grabbed my arm.
"Hey! What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I jerk my body but he'd already started to walk off. I kick the air as they pull me inside the compound.
"Hey! Hey!! I'm talking to you, dickhead!" I manage to kick a stone at his head and he stopped in his tracks, then turned to me with a fire burning in his eyes.
"You're starting to annoy me, Solis. You wouldn't want to do that."
"You're in my fucking way…"
"Of what? Of running away with my child?"
"He's my child too. I'm saving him from the likes of you! You don't deserve to be his father."
His pupils dilate, and he takes long strides till he is up in my face. "What the fuck is your problem? I've done literally nothing to you…"
"You kidnapped me."
"...I've given you a job, a home, and a high standing in society. All I ask is that my son live with me. Why is that so hard for you?"
"You're hindering me from my freedom. I don't want a job, luxury cars, or a mansion. I want freedom."
"And what about what he wants?"
I remembered the way Asher clung to Lucien earlier and my entire body shakes.
"Asher was happy before you came along! How?! Why did you even find him? Our lives were perfect!"
"I want to give Asher what he deserves! A father!"
"A father is overrated! I'm everything he needs!"
"No! No you're not. You're a screwed-up woman who runs away with her tail between her legs the moment she senses danger. You're a coward woman that slept with me, had a child and couldn't look for his father. You're not fit to be a mother…"
I didn't let him finish. I head butted him so hard that everyone froze. I spat on the ground and held back my tears. "How dare you…"
He held my jaw tight and I swallowed at the dangerous look in his eyes.
"Listen and listen closely, Elara Solis. I've tolerated that bullshit for too long. The next time you lay even a finger on me. The next day, you're going shopping with a few of my men and on the road back, a truck driver would crash into you and you'd die." We don't look away from each other and he sneers. "Or so, I'd tell Asher."
He pushed me back forcefully and snapped at his men, "Take her to her room. Bolt the door. Reinforce the windows with bars. One of you stay outside her room and bring me her laptop."
My eyes widen. No. No no no no no no no! He can't…He just can't!! He turned on his back and started walking back inside.
"Lucien!!! Come back, you asshole! You can't do this! I'm not a fucking prisoner! Stop! Let me go!" I buck and kick at the men but they were unfazed. My husband didn't turn back.
"Lucien!"