Chapter 94: Her Fault

Lucian’s POV

?"Sorry?" Lucas repeated angrily, taking a step backward. "Do you have any idea what you’ve done?"

?My mother wiped the tears from her cheeks as she looked pleadingly at him. "Lucas, I know I made a mistake, but you have to understand that I was frightened for your life. You were unconscious, and there was so much blood. I thought I was going to lose you."

?"And what about Olivia?" Lucas demanded, his voice rising. "Did you ever stop to think about what could have happened to her? You left her alone in that forest, Mother! She could have been attacked by rogues or wild animals!"

?"I went back for her!" my mother cried. "I told you that I returned to the forest as soon as I knew you were receiving treatment. But she was already gone!"

?"Then you should have told me the truth!" Lucas shouted, throwing his hands into the air. "Instead, you lied to my face and allowed me to spend four years searching for a woman who thought I had abandoned her!"

?"Lucas, that’s enough!" a deep, commanding voice suddenly interrupted.

?I turned toward the doorway and found my father, Kaden, standing there. He was dressed in a black shirt and trousers, and judging by the stern expression on his face, he had heard enough of the argument to know something was wrong.

?"What is going on here?" he demanded, looking from Lucas to me before his eyes settled on our mother. The moment he noticed her tears, his expression darkened. "Rebecca, why are you crying?"

?My mother quickly wiped her cheeks. "Kaden, it’s nothing. We’re just having a disagreement."

?"A disagreement?" Lucas repeated bitterly. "Mother, you lied to me for four years, and you’re calling it a disagreement?"

?"Lucas, lower your voice," my father warned, stepping farther into the bedroom.

?Lucas turned toward him, his expression filled with disbelief. "Father, did you know that Mother lied to me about what happened in the forest four years ago?"

?My father glanced at Rebecca before returning his attention to Lucas. "Yes, I knew."

?Lucas went completely still.

?"What?" he asked quietly.

?"Your mother told me what happened after she brought you home," Father admitted. "She explained that she found you unconscious beside a young woman, but because you were badly injured, she brought you straight to the packhouse. She also told me that she returned to the forest afterward, but the girl was gone."

?Lucas stared at him for several seconds before letting out a bitter laugh.

?"Unbelievable!" he exclaimed, shaking his head. "So you knew too? Both of you knew that Olivia hadn’t abandoned me, yet you allowed me to spend four years searching for her?"

?"Lucas, calm down," Father warned.

?"Calm down?" Lucas repeated, his voice rising. "How do you expect me to calm down when my own parents have been lying to me for four years?"

?"Watch your tone, Lucas!" Father ordered, stepping toward Rebecca. "I understand that you’re angry, but you will not stand here and shout at my wife!"

?Lucas stared at him in disbelief.

?"Your wife?" he repeated bitterly. "That’s what you’re worried about right now? That I’m raising my voice at your wife?"

?"Lucas!" Father growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

?"No, Father!" Lucas snapped, taking a step toward him. "For four years, I searched for Olivia! Four years! And both of you knew the truth! But instead of explaining why you kept it from me, you’re standing here telling me not to shout?"

?"She is your mother, Lucas, and you will respect her!" Father replied firmly.

?"And I’m your son!" Lucas shouted, pointing at his chest. "I’m your son, Father! Didn’t I deserve to know the truth?"

?My father fell silent, and for a moment, nobody said anything. I stood near the bed, watching the confrontation unfold, unable to believe how quickly things had gotten out of control. I had never seen Lucas speak to our father like this before. Even after becoming the Alpha King, he had always respected him.

?"Lucas, please," my mother whispered, approaching him. "Your father wasn’t trying to hurt you. I was the one who made the mistake. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

?Lucas turned toward her, his expression filled with disappointment.

?"That’s the problem, Mother," he replied bitterly. "You made a mistake, and instead of telling me the truth, you decided to cover it up. And Father helped you do it."

?"Lucas, your mother was frightened," Father explained, his voice calmer now. "You were dying when she found you. She wasn’t thinking clearly, and all she wanted was to save your life."

?"And I understand that!" Lucas answered angrily. "I understand why she brought me home! What I don’t understand is why she lied afterward! Why couldn’t either of you tell me what really happened?"

?My father sighed heavily. "We should have told you."

?"Yes, you should have!" Lucas snapped. "And do you know what makes this even worse? Mother had another chance to tell me the truth, but she still chose to keep quiet!"

?My mother looked at him nervously. "Lucas..."

?"When Lucian first brought Olivia home, you recognized her, didn’t you?" Lucas demanded, pointing toward me. "You knew she was the woman I’d spent four years searching for!"

?"Yes," my mother admitted quietly. "But Lucas, you have to understand that she was already married to your brother. I didn’t want the two of you fighting over her."

?Lucas let out a bitter laugh.

?"Fighting over her?" he repeated in disbelief. "Mother, when Lucian first brought Olivia home, he didn’t even like her! He wanted nothing to do with that marriage, and you knew it!"

?I swallowed hard, unable to deny his words. When Olivia first arrived at the palace, I had wanted nothing more than to get rid of her. I had treated our marriage like a burden and repeatedly considered ending it. The thought of falling in love with her had never even crossed my mind.

?"That was your chance to tell me the truth!" Lucas continued angrily. "You could have come to me and said, ’Lucas, I’ve found the woman you’ve been searching for. She’s the woman your brother married.’ Do you know what would have happened then? I would have gone straight to Lucian and explained everything!"

?"Lucas, I was afraid of what might happen," my mother explained tearfully. "I didn’t know how either of you would react."

?"Afraid of what, Mother?" Lucas interrupted, shaking his head. "Lucian wasn’t in love with her then! He didn’t even want her as his wife! We could have settled everything before anyone developed feelings, but you kept quiet!"

?My mother lowered her head, unable to answer.

?"And now look at us!" Lucas exclaimed, gesturing toward me. "My own brother is in love with the woman I’ve spent four years searching for! We nearly attacked each other in Olivia’s bedroom, and all of this could have been avoided if you’d told me the truth when you first recognized her!"

?I remained silent because, as much as I hated admitting it, Lucas was right. If Mother had revealed everything back then, perhaps I would have willingly stepped aside. I hadn’t loved Olivia at the time, and I certainly hadn’t imagined that she would eventually become the most important woman in my life.

?But things were different now. I loved her, and the thought of losing her to my brother was unbearable.

?"Lucas, I was trying to protect this family," my mother whispered. "I didn’t want my sons turning against each other."

?"And yet that’s exactly what happened!" Lucas replied bitterly. "You kept quiet because you were afraid we’d fight, and now we’re standing here fighting because you kept quiet!"

?My father sighed heavily before stepping forward.

?"Lucas, I understand why you’re angry," he said firmly. "Your mother should have told you the truth, and I should have insisted on it when she told me what happened four years ago. But that doesn’t give you the right to disrespect her."

?Lucas turned toward him, his expression hardening.

?"Whatever happened, Rebecca is still your mother," Father continued. "And I won’t allow you to stand here and shout at her."

?Lucas laughed bitterly, shaking his head.

?"Of course," he muttered. "That’s all that matters to you, isn’t it? Protecting your wife."

?"Lucas, don’t push me," Father warned, his eyes flashing.

?"No, Father! You don’t get to threaten me because I’m angry about something you both did!" Lucas snapped. "I trusted you. Both of you! When Mother told me Olivia had disappeared before she arrived, I believed her. I spent years wondering why Olivia had left me without saying goodbye. Do you know how that felt?"

?My mother began crying again, and Father immediately placed a protective arm around her shoulders. The sight seemed to make Lucas even angrier.

?"Look at you," he said bitterly, staring at them. "You’re standing there comforting her as though I’m the one who has done something wrong."

?"Nobody is saying you’re wrong for being angry," Father replied. "But there is a proper way to express your anger."

?Lucas shook his head, looking completely exhausted.

?"I can’t believe this," he muttered. "I really can’t believe that my own parents would do something like this to me."

?"Lucas, son, please," my mother begged, trying to approach him again. "I’m sorry. If I could go back and change what happened, I would. Please don’t let this destroy our relationship."

?But Lucas immediately stepped backward and raised a hand to stop her.

?"Don’t, Mother," he said coldly. "Please, don’t come near me right now."

?My mother’s lips trembled. "Lucas..."

?"I need to get out of here before I say something I’ll regret," he interrupted, looking away from her.

?"Then go and calm yourself down," Father replied firmly. "We’ll talk when you’re ready."

?Lucas turned toward him one last time.

?"Don’t worry, Father," he said bitterly. "I won’t raise my voice at your wife again."

?Before anyone could respond, Lucas closed his eyes and teleported away."

?For several seconds, nobody spoke. My mother covered her mouth as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks, and Father immediately pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest.

?"Kaden, he hates me," she sobbed. "Our son hates me."

?"No, Rebecca," Father whispered, gently stroking her hair. "He’s angry and hurt. Give him some time."

?I stood silently, watching them. Although I was still upset that my parents had kept such an important secret from us, I couldn’t deny that my mother looked devastated. But I also understood Lucas’s anger. Four years was a long time to search for someone, especially when the people closest to you knew something that could have changed everything.

Without waiting any longer, I closed my eyes and concentrated on Lucas’s bedroom at the royal palace. A moment later, I teleported.

?When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing in the middle of his bedroom. Lucas was standing near the window, his back turned toward me, with both hands resting on the windowsill. He didn’t turn around immediately, but I knew he had sensed my arrival.

?"What are you doing here, Lucian?" he asked coldly.

?"We need to talk," I answered, taking a few steps toward him.