The Kidnapped Bride

The distinct revelation was too heavy to deny. Neither did he possess the power to say bluntly that he was the one behind everything that happened. 

That ruby...was his mother's precious asset. She loved it more than her own life. Why? because that was the last symbol she had with herself as the Mistress of the household of the Smiths. 

Veronica was someone who had all the love of her husband, except the title of the Smiths family. 

That was the same title which she aimed for the ages. Amara wasn't able to get her hands on the heart of her husband, but surely, on the name that she was his legal wedded wife! 

At this point, Amara's face turned even uglier. She can't even help but laugh at the lie that Lucas was trying to trap her into, "What happened? Now you are shocked. How come I know about this?" 

"Don't forget that after your father's death, I was the one who had also managed the Smith family's business. I'm more calculative than what you can even imagine, Lucas." Amara told him honestly where she felt that his face was on the edge of losing all its color. 

There was the evident loss of words, where he stood speechless in the middle. With the pictures present in his hands he clothed them tightly before his eyes went down on the ground, "You are... mother..." 

"You are mad over me that I got the pictures without your knowledge? You should have thought about this before you had actually decided to snatch the ruby without my permission. Have you ever wondered why this precious asset was with me for years and never given to Veronica?" Amara can't help but ask, with the ultimate motive that was flashing in her eyes. 

On hearing her words, Lucas can't help but lift his eyes to see the malicious glint that is present in those sparkling gazes. 

She was a woman, someone who had played tons of mind games in her era. "Y-You mean to say...Veronica wasn't able to have it...not because she isn't married but...." 

"But I was the one who was too protective about this. Your father was madly in love with that Queen. Do you expect that he won't ever think of giving this asset to his lover, someone whom he considered to be his wife from the depth of his heart?" A scoff left her lips when he couldn't help but recall the past. 

The distant memories which were no less than any stone or any horror present for her. "He was adamant on giving this to her, he tried to steal it like you, man times. BUT I? I was too careful and always felt that since this under my wings, this ruby will last until I breathe on this earth..." 

But slowly and steadily, the smile started to fade from her lips. It was replaced with negative thoughts as the cloud of gloominess started to surround her. Her gaze never tore from Lucas's lost face when she made a comment, "You broke my trust, my confidence, and everything Lucas....." 

"No Mom, there's nothing like that!" Lucas took a few steps ahead but immediately, Amara put her palm ahead, motioning him to not come closer, "You have done whatever you wanted to, without my knowledge. Now don't even say that you are interested in making up, because the broken pieces can never be restored." 

"But I'm your son!" He can't help but blurt it out. 

"The same son who didn't care about his mother's emotions?! That son, are you really calling yourself to be my son?!" Amara's yell made Lucas's lips turn into a straight line. 

He had no future choice except to accept his crime. Taking a deep breath, he didn't let his emotions be carried away anymore, "I know that I have done wrong and this can't be reversed as well. But trust me, this was needed. I can get you more than that damn ruby once I marry that Jenn-"

"Nothing can be equal to my precious lineage ruby which I got as the daughter-in-law of this household!" Amara shut him down. 

While Lucas's heart was getting heavier, he was left with nothing. Since the ruby was already with the Johnsons now, he can't ask it back.

Instead of lowering his head in front of her head, Lucas's mind doesn't find a single solution to this. 

"You can give me....any punishment you want.." he told her in a small mutter, trying hard to not sound too rude to her. 

While his heart was still not convinced that he had done anything wrong, however for his Mother's emotions, he had to act as the guilty son. 

On the other hand, Amara still didn't buy his attitude towards her. She was reluctant in doing so, with her mind still revolving around the thought he might again betray her. "I can never forgive you, Lucas. But the only thing you can now do is to marry Jennifer as soon as possible and get me that ruby. Snatch it from those Johnsons." 

A frown curve Lucas's forehead when he heard this. How was he supposed to snatch it from their hands? Especially now that he has totally given it to them? 

But then, something made him feel the chills as he heard his mother's comment, "Be thankful that I haven't revealed this to you grandfather till now. If I had done that, you would have been disowned and Jack might have been declared as the legal heir..." 

Immediately his gaze snapped out to state at his mother with horror-filled expressions. 

Yes, how can he forget that his mother had still kept her lips sealed? He was grateful at least for that. 

However, her warning alarmed his guards as she stared at him with her deadly glasses. "Now, get married to Jenifer as soon as possible and kill her to obtain her wealth! We can't let the news of the ruby not being us travel to anyone else...Remember that, this is enough for you to be thrown out from the Smith family!" 

...

Let us climb up in the ladder!