Episode19
1082 Words
The invitation sat untouched on the kitchen counter for two days before Lucas finally brought it up.
They were finishing dinner—Marilyn in a cozy sweater, hair damp from a recent shower, Lucas still in a crisp shirt, tie loosened at the collar. The quiet rhythm they’d built over the past few weeks was comforting, fragile in its intimacy.
Lucas set his glass down. “There’s a masquerade gala this Saturday. Charity event. I usually avoid these things, but… would you come with me?”
Marilyn blinked, fork halfway to her mouth. “To the gala?”
He nodded. “It’s a fundraiser hosted by the firm’s board. Press will be there. Everyone important will be there.” He paused. “You don’t have to say yes. But I’d like to go with you.”
She set her fork down. “Lucas… do you think it’s a good idea?”
His eyes searched hers. “I don’t care what they say. But I care about how you feel. That’s why I’m asking.”
Marilyn looked away. The idea of showing up beside him in public—of the cameras, the whispers, the judgment—made her stomach twist. She wasn’t afraid of attention. She was afraid of being misunderstood again.
But then she saw the way Lucas was looking at her: not demanding, not expecting—just hoping. It had been a long time since someone hoped for her, not in spite of her pain, but because they saw her fully.
She exhaled. “Okay,” she said softly. “I’ll go with you.”
Lucas’s smile was quiet but genuine, the kind that unfolded slowly like sunlight after a storm.
Two Days Later – Social Media Chaos
They hadn’t even stepped onto the red carpet yet, and the buzz had already exploded.
A grainy photo of Lucas and Marilyn entering a designer boutique for her masquerade gown fitting surfaced online, and within hours, news outlets were speculating.
“Lucas Caldwell Spotted With College Author Marilyn —Just Friends or More?”
“The Caldwell Brothers and the Same Girl? What’s the Story Behind Marilyn?”
“Ex-Lover of Xavier Caldwell Now Dates the Elder Brother?”
Marilyn stared at her phone in disbelief as her name began trending across several gossip blogs. Her i********: DMs were flooded with messages—some supportive, others cruel.
“I knew this would happen,” she muttered, scrolling through headlines.
Lucas gently took the phone from her. “Let them talk.”
“Easy for you to say. You’re used to this.”
His expression sobered. “It’s not easy. It’s just something I stopped giving power to. But if you want to pull out, I understand.”
Marilyn looked up. “No. I said I’d go, and I will. I just… hate that people reduce everything to drama.”
Lucas smiled sadly. “They only see the mask. Not the person.”
Elsewhere – Caldwell Family Estate
Lucas’s father, Martin Caldwell , sat in his office, the newspaper folded tightly in his hand. His lips pressed into a thin line as he read through the latest article. Photos of Marilyn and Lucas were plastered on the screen of his tablet—flashes, gossip, speculation.
He picked up his phone and dialed Lucas’s number.
The call was short.
“Come to the estate. We need to talk. Alone.”
Later That Evening – Caldwell Estate Study
Lucas stood with his arms folded as his father poured a glass of scotch behind his mahogany desk.
“You really want to do this, Lucas?” Martin asked without looking up.
Lucas didn’t flinch. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You think that matters to the board? Or the press?” His father finally turned, glass in hand. “First your brother, now you. Both distracted by the same girl. The same mess.”
Lucas’s jaw clenched. “She’s not a mess. And she’s not a distraction.”
Martin let out a tired sigh. “Your brother is halfway across the globe because of her.”
“No,” Lucas snapped. “Xavier is in Australia because you sent him there after learning what he did. He treated her like a game, and you wanted him to face consequences.”
Martin’s eyes narrowed. “You’re right. I did. And you want to know why?”
Lucas waited.
“Because for once in his life, Xavier needed to grow up. He needed to face something real. That ‘fun bet,’ as you call it, was disgusting. And when I found out from the family lawyer—after the press nearly leaked it—I sent him to our Sydney branch to sort out the mess and grow some damn maturity.”
Lucas took a breath. “So what’s this about, then? You’re worried I’ll follow in his footsteps?”
“No , " Martin, said, sitting down. “I’m worried you’ll lose your career over a romance. The firm is watching you. The media’s circling like vultures.”
Lucas stared hard. “I’ve never lost control the way Xavier did. I won’t. But I won’t abandon her just because it’s inconvenient.”
“You’re not just anyone, Lucas. You carry our name. That still means something.”
“I carry it on my terms,” Lucas said quietly. “And I’ll keep doing so—with integrity.”
His father didn’t reply. Just stared, perhaps realizing for the first time that his older son wasn’t just the responsible one—he was the principled one.
Meanwhile – Australia
Xavier stared at the waves crashing along the Sydney shoreline, his phone buzzing beside him.
He ignored it. Another tabloid. Another scandal.
Theo had texted him earlier with a screenshot of Lucas and Marilyn entering a gala fitting together.
“Guess your brother’s not wasting time.”
Xavier had deleted the message but couldn’t delete the burn it left behind.
For once, he wasn’t angry at Marilyn. He was angry at himself. Angry that he’d been so stupid, so shallow. He hadn’t loved her right. He hadn’t even loved himself right.
And now… now he was halfway around the world because of it.
The worst part? His father was right.
He needed to grow up.
But it still stung that Lucas—polished, composed Lucas—was now the man Marilyn looked at the way she used to look at him.
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- Writer
