Chapter 4~ A plan

LUCAS.

I didn’t expect to run into Sophia the moment I returned to the city, but I did.

Now she was lying in my bed, her skin a little pale, her eyes filled with sadness and a shell of herself.

“Elias and I divorced two weeks ago,” she remarked in a low voice and although my face was devoid of any emotion, deep down, I was shocked.

Elias and Sophia used to be so in love with each other. What happened for them to divorce?

I wanted to ask more but I changed my mind, seeing how the topic was uncomfortable for Sophia.

“You rest. I need to meet a few friends later on,” I said before leaving her room with the tray.

Heading downstairs, I placed the tray in the kitchen and took out my phone. Dialling Wilson’s number.

“I knew you wouldn’t cast me away the moment you returned!” His voice boomed over the speaker and I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“Cut it out. I need you to investigate everything that happened to Sophia in the last three years that I’ve been gone,” I instructed.

There was something off and I wanted to know what it was.

Sophia was so happy when I was leaving. How did she end up like this?

Just after cutting the call, my phone buzzed and I sighed when I saw that it was my father who was calling.

Word does spread pretty fast. I need to check who the mole is.

“Hello, Dad-“

“You ungrateful brat!” Dad’s angry voice reached my ears. “I heard you arrived a few hours ago. Why haven’t you called?”

“I was going to ca-“

“Nonsense!” He cut me off. “Come home for dinner today without fail!” Dad ordered and cut the call without waiting for my response.

I sighed heavily, knowing what awaited me at the Hart estate. The only person I was close to was my father, Steven Hart.

As for the rest, let’s just say we had been enemies since I don’t know.

...

I drove into the estate, the place already feeling heavy for my liking.

Although this had been where I spent most of my childhood years, it still felt like I was walking into a stranger's home with Richard, my elder brother, his wife, Olivia and his son, Elias, living there.

I walked into the living room and found them all waiting except for Elias.

The fuck... did they think I was a tourist attraction that they needed to watch?

“Lucas! My son! You look great!” Dad was the first to exclaim with a genuine smile.

“Good evening, Dad,” I replied, not returning his smile, not wanting the other two to think I was here to be friendly with them.

“Welcome, Lucas. We didn’t know you were back. It’s good to see you,” Olivia chipped in with her annoying, fake-ass voice and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her.

Dad never liked it when we didn’t get along. So I was trying to be civil for him but god, my brother’s wife was annoying as fuck.

 “It’s good to have you back,” Richard said and my eyes fell on him.

The look in his eyes made me scoff internally. He failed to disguise the hatred he has for me.

My face still remained emotionless. I used to get affected and irritated by these two in the past but now I just see them as small fries.

Dad studied me and nodded in approval as if he liked what he saw.

“Now, this is the demeanour of a CEO. You’re different from before... in a good way. I think it’s good that you left, son. Look at you. I feel so proud,” Dad complimented and I saw Olivia roll her eyes.

Dad’s right though. So many things had happened during my stay overseas. I had grown both physically and mentally.

We kept chatting until Elias rushed into the living room, his eyes looking bloodshot and worried.

“Grandpa, I’m here,” he stated.

“So? Do you want me to start dancing?” Dad asked and I almost burst out laughing.

Elias suddenly noticed me and his eyes grew so wide they could fit his face.

“U-uncle Lucas. Long time, no see,” Elias remarked. “Welcome back.”

Elias was about to take a seat when a pillow landed on his back.

“Useless fool!” Dad yelled. “Why did you divorce Sophia? Do you know what such a label would do to your career?”

I looked at Elias and saw him hesitate. He suddenly gained the courage and faced Dad.

“Grandpa, I didn’t divorce her on purpose. Violet is pregnant with my child and I can’t let my heir be born out of wedlock. It’s the right thing to do.”

What? Violet… isn’t that Sophia’s best friend? 

My heart clenched for Sophia… that’s why she looked so devastated. This fool betrayed her with her close friend. 

A sneer escaped my lips.

The right thing to do?

So he thought divorcing a wife who loved him for his mistress who happened to be her bestie was a noble thing to do?

“Grandpa, don’t be angry, please. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to have an illegitimate grandchild. Sophia couldn’t give me kids. I had to do what I had to do.”

I clenched my hands into fists. If Grandpa wasn’t here I would have delivered some slaps to Elias's face to teach him a lesson for disrespecting Sophia.

However, this development could not be so bad after all. It could work in my favour.

I heard Dad sigh. “Fine. Do whatever you want. But, you need to compensate Sophia. You’ve wasted that young woman’s time.”

Although Dad had agreed to Elias’s absurd relationship, my nephew looked a bit strange.

He looked worried but he forced a smile.

“I’ll do that, Grandpa,” he replied reluctantly.

Dad’s attention fell on me again and I knew what he wanted to ask before he could even say it.

“Lucas, you’re thirty now. When do you plan on getting married?” He asked. “Have you found me a daughter-in-law during the time you were away?”

Dad let out a dramatic sigh. “I wonder if I’ll be able to see my other daughter-in-law before I die.”

All eyes turned to me, waiting to hear my response.

I leaned back in my seat and a small smirk crossed my lips. “Don’t worry. I have a plan.”