Public Announcement
1465 Words
ELENA
The announcement went public thirty minutes later.
And the world lost its mind.
I sat inside Lucien’s office staring at my phone while notifications exploded endlessly across the screen.
Messages.
Mentions.
Articles.
Rumors.
My entire social media feed looked like chaos.
ELENA RIVERS ENGAGED TO LUCIEN BLACKWOOD
BUSINESS TYCOON APPEARS WITH FORMER LAURENT FIANCÉE
THE DEVIL BILLIONAIRE’S NEW OBSESSION
I rubbed my forehead slowly.
“This cannot be healthy.”
Lucien sat across from me reviewing documents like the internet was not currently destroying both our names.
“You’ll get used to it.”
“That’s somehow even more terrifying.”
His mouth almost twitched again.
Almost.
I was beginning to realize Lucien Blackwood secretly found my reactions amusing.
Which honestly felt unfair considering he remained emotionally unreadable ninety percent of the time.
My phone vibrated again.
Unknown number.
Then another.
And another.
I frowned.
“Why are random people calling me?”
“The press probably leaked your number.”
I stared at him in horror.
“They can do that?”
“They already did.”
Wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
I switched my phone off immediately.
“I officially hate rich people.”
“You became engaged to one.”
“That sounds like my biggest mistake today.”
Lucien calmly signed another document.
“That opinion may change eventually.”
Something about the way he said it made my chest tighten slightly.
Dangerous again.
Everything around this man somehow became dangerous without warning.
A knock interrupted the silence.
The office door opened and Ethan walked inside holding a tablet.
He looked directly at me first.
“Well,” he said slowly, “the internet thinks you’re either a genius or completely insane.”
I sighed heavily.
“Nice to know people are divided.”
Ethan laughed softly before handing the tablet to Lucien.
“The Laurent family isn’t happy.”
Lucien barely glanced at the screen.
“I assumed that already.”
Ethan leaned against the desk casually.
“Nathaniel is apparently trying to contact several news outlets.”
My stomach tightened instantly.
“To say what?”
Ethan looked toward me carefully before answering.
“He’s claiming this relationship started before the engagement ended.”
I froze.
“What?”
Lucien’s expression darkened immediately.
The entire atmosphere inside the office shifted.
Colder.
Sharper.
Dangerous.
Ethan noticed it too because his expression immediately became more serious.
“That rumor is spreading quickly online.”
Anger rushed through me so suddenly it almost shocked me.
Nathaniel was trying to paint me as a cheater now.
After humiliating me publicly.
After abandoning me.
I laughed bitterly.
“Wow.”
Lucien stood slowly from his chair.
And for the first time since meeting him, he genuinely looked angry.
Not emotional.
Controlled anger.
Which somehow looked far more terrifying.
“He’s desperate,” Ethan muttered quietly.
Lucien picked up his phone calmly.
Too calmly.
“Tell legal to prepare a statement.”
Ethan nodded immediately.
“And if Laurent continues spreading false claims?”
Lucien’s dark eyes turned cold.
“Then we bury him publicly.”
The words sent chills through me.
Not because he raised his voice.
Because he sounded completely serious.
Ethan looked almost sympathetic toward Nathaniel for a second.
Which honestly said everything.
Lucien ended the call and turned toward me.
“You should go home for now.”
I blinked slightly.
“That sounded almost protective.”
“You’re overwhelmed.”
The annoying part was that he was right.
Again.
I hated how often he noticed things about me before I admitted them myself.
“I can handle it.”
Lucien studied me carefully.
“You’re shaking.”
I looked down immediately.
My hands were trembling slightly.
I had not even noticed.
Embarrassment flushed through me instantly.
“I’m fine.”
“No,” Lucien said calmly. “You’re trying to be fine.”
Silence filled the office.
Even Ethan looked awkward suddenly.
I looked away first.
Because somehow Lucien saying things that accurately always made me feel exposed.
Ethan quietly cleared his throat.
“I should leave before this becomes emotional.”
Lucien ignored him completely.
Ethan sighed dramatically before walking toward the door.
Then he paused suddenly.
“Oh,” he added casually, “your mother is downstairs.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
Ethan looked toward me sympathetically now.
“She looks furious.”
Oh no.
No no no.
I stared at him in horror.
“My mother is here?”
“She arrived ten minutes ago.”
Lucien’s expression remained calm.
Of course it did.
Nothing shocked this man.
Meanwhile panic immediately exploded inside my chest.
“She cannot come up here.”
Ethan blinked.
“She’s already on her way.”
Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
I turned toward Lucien quickly.
“You do not understand.”
“I assume she disapproves.”
“She’s going to kill me.”
That almost amused him again.
Almost.
A second later the office doors suddenly opened.
My mother stormed inside looking absolutely furious.
“Elena Rivers.”
Yep.
I was dead.
Mom looked between me and Lucien before narrowing her eyes sharply.
“You,” she said coldly toward Lucien.
Lucien remained perfectly calm.
“Mrs. Rivers.”
“How dare you involve my daughter in this circus.”
I immediately stood.
“Mom.”
“No,” she snapped. “You do not get to ‘Mom’ me right now.”
Wonderful.
Ethan quietly slipped out of the office before things got worse.
Coward.
Mom crossed her arms and looked directly at me again.
“Tell me the internet is lying.”
Silence.
Her eyes widened immediately.
“Oh my God.”
I winced slightly.
“Mom, please calm down.”
“Calm down?” she repeated in disbelief. “You got engaged to another man less than twenty four hours after your public breakup.”
When she said it like that, it sounded even crazier.
Mom turned sharply toward Lucien again.
“And you,” she said coldly, “what exactly do you want from my daughter?”
The room became quiet.
Lucien held her gaze calmly.
“A partnership.”
Mom looked horrified.
“A partnership?”
“I intend to marry her.”
Straightforward.
Emotionless.
Like he was discussing a corporate merger.
Mom stared at him for several seconds before turning toward me slowly.
“Elena,” she whispered, “this man talks like a machine.”
Honestly?
Fair observation.
I rubbed my forehead tiredly.
“It’s complicated.”
“No,” Mom replied immediately. “It’s insane.”
Lucien remained completely unfazed by the insults.
Which somehow made this worse.
Mom walked closer to me lowering her voice slightly.
“Are you being forced into this?”
Before I could answer, Lucien spoke calmly.
“She’s free to leave whenever she wishes.”
Mom looked suspicious immediately.
“And yet she’s still here.”
That silence answered enough already.
Mom studied my face carefully.
Then something in her expression softened slightly.
“You’re hurting that badly,” she realized quietly.
The words almost broke me instantly.
Because unlike everyone else, my mother noticed the truth immediately.
Not greed.
Not ambition.
Pain.
I looked down quickly before my emotions embarrassed me again.
Mom sighed softly.
“Oh Elena.”
For the first time since arriving, her anger faded slightly.
She touched my arm gently.
“You don’t have to destroy your life because Nathaniel hurt you.”
Lucien’s gaze shifted toward me quietly.
I swallowed hard.
“This doesn’t feel like destruction.”
Mom looked unconvinced.
“It feels like revenge.”
Maybe she was partly right.
But it was more than that too.
Lucien suddenly spoke again.
“I won’t hurt your daughter.”
The calm certainty in his voice surprised both of us.
Mom looked at him carefully.
“You expect me to trust that?”
“No.”
At least he was honest.
Again.
Mom exhaled slowly before turning toward me one last time.
“If this man breaks your heart too, I will personally destroy him.”
Lucien nodded once like he respected the threat.
Which honestly felt ridiculous considering who he was.
Mom kissed my forehead softly before walking toward the door.
Then she paused.
“And Elena?”
I looked up.
“You’ve always been terrible at pretending you’re okay.”
The second she left, silence filled the office again.
My chest suddenly felt painfully tight.
I quickly looked away toward the windows before either Lucien or Ethan noticed my eyes burning.
Too late.
Lucien noticed everything.
“You should go home,” he said quietly this time.
I laughed softly without humor.
“Which home?”
And for the first time since meeting him, Lucien had no immediate answer.
- Writer
