THE BILLIONAIRE'S FORBIDDEN DRIVER

The One Person Who Saw Her

Chapter 3

Lucas didn't stop walking. The ballroom was filled with laughter, music, and congratulations, but none of it seemed to reach Arabella as she watched him move through the crowd.

Every second felt painfully slow for her and made her heart beat faster. He had heard everything, every humiliating word and painful truth and, somehow, that bothered her more than the hundreds of strangers celebrating her engagement.

Her father noticed him a moment later with his eyes narrowed slightly. "Lucas," he said.

Lucas stopped a respectful distance and his expression gave nothing away as always. "Sir," Lucas replied.

Arabella’s father studied him." Is there a problem?" he asked.

"No, sir," Lucas said calmly. "I came to let you know your vehicle is ready whenever you wish to leave." A normal answer and exactly what a driver should say, nothing suspicious or unusual.

Arabella released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and for one terrifying moment she'd thought he might mention what he'd overheard, but he didn't.

Her father gave a short nod. "Very well."

A strange silence followed because Lucas knew and Arabella knew he was aware, but neither of them could acknowledge it there. Not with her father standing between them.

Then, Lucas gave her a brief glance and something in that look made her feel tense. There was no pity, judgment or curiosity, only understanding and, for some reason, that nearly broke her.

"You may go," Arabella’s father said.

"Yes, sir," Lucas replied. He nodded his head and turned away. After seconds, he was lost in the crowd.

Arabella couldn't take it anymore, she couldn't stand another congratulations, smile and reminder that her future had been decided without her.

Without a word, she turned and walked away fast, ignoring the whispers that followed her through the ballroom, the stares and voices calling her name.

The moment she reached the balcony, she pushed the doors open and stepped into the cool night air. The city lights glittered beyond the estate because it normally calmed her, but tonight it did nothing.

She held the railing tightly, trying to hold herself together and not to scream and cry.

The balcony doors opened behind her, but she didn't turn around because she already knew who it was.

"Miss Kingston." The familiar voice was quiet, careful and professional, yet somehow hearing it eased something inside her.

"Did you follow me?" she asked.

"No," Lucas replied. After a brief pause, he added, "I was checking the perimeter."

Despite everything, she laughed. The first genuine sound she'd made all evening.

Lucas allowed himself the faintest smile as he was able to accomplish the mission of making Arabella smile that night after everything that had been going on.

Then the silence returned, but this time, neither of them seemed eager to break it.

Finally, Arabella spoke. "They sold me," she said.

Lucas looked at her and the pain in her voice was impossible to miss. "No," he said quietly.

She laughed bitterly. "No?"

"They betrayed you."

The difference hit her so hard that she looked away immediately because if she didn't, she might cry and the last thing she wanted was to cry in front of him.

The distant sounds of the party drifted through the open doors behind them, a world she suddenly felt disconnected from.

"I feel stupid," Arabella admitted.

"You shouldn't," Lucas said.

"I didn't see any of this coming."

Lucas pressed his teeth together. "They should have told you."

She raised her face up to look at him with no excuses, defense or lectures, just honesty. Something she hadn't received from anyone else that night, and she liked it and wanted more.

The realization frightened her, but before she could think about it further, the balcony doors opened again.

Arabella groaned silently because she didn't need to turn around before she knew that anyone it happened to be was only coming to make matters worse for her.

It was Damian Sterling. "Found you," Damian said.

His voice carried confidence, the kind that assumed he was always welcome, but Arabella wasn't in the mood for that.

"Congratulations," Damian said dryly. "You've become surprisingly difficult to find."

Lucas immediately stepped back, creating distance and returning to his role.

Damian turned to him. "You can leave," he said.

Lucas remained still. "I'm waiting for instructions from Mr. Kingston," he replied politely.

Yet somehow, Damian looked annoyed.

Arabella was annoyed too, but not by Lucas but by Damian acting as if he owned her and the place.

"What do you want?" Arabella asked.

Damian looked at her. "We need to discuss the wedding."

Her patience snapped. "The wedding?"

"Yes."

"There isn't going to be a wedding," she said firmly. The confidence in her voice surprised even herself.

Damian's expression became serious. "You're being unrealistic."

"No," Arabella replied. She stepped closer. "For the first time in my life, I'm being honest."

The tension between them sharpened instantly.

"You'll change your mind," Damian said.

"I won't."

"Our families..."

"Stop talking about our families," Arabella cut in.

The words filled the night air. Damian blinked and Arabella took another step forward.

"What do you want, Damian?" she asked.

For the first time, he hesitated slightly, long enough for her to notice, then he smiled. That arrogant smile she was beginning to hate.

"What I want doesn't matter," he said.

And there it was, the answer and the truth, he didn't want her, not really. All he wanted was the alliance, a merger and most especially, the benefits, just the same thing her father wanted.

Arabella felt sick of everything and without another word, she walked away and Damian didn’t stop her from leaving.

The party ended hours later and the estate had grown quiet as most of the guests had left.

Arabella sat alone in her bedroom, staring at the city lights outside her window because she couldn’t sleep.

A knock sounded at the door and she frowned so hard.

"Go away," she called.

Another knock followed, and it was very hard and louder this time. With a sigh, she crossed the room and opened the door, then froze.

Lucas stood outside. He immediately looked down respectfully.

"Miss Kingston."

Her heart did something strange that she refused to examine. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"You left this downstairs," Lucas said, holding up her phone.

"Thank you," she said softly.

She reached for it and their fingers touched each other. They were both staring at each other for less than a second and they both noticed.

Arabella quickly pulled her hand back so did Lucas also. An awkward silence followed and both of them didn't know what to say next.

Finally, Arabella broke in. "You didn't have to bring it yourself."

"I know," Lucas said.

The answer surprised her and she gave a small smile. "Then why did you?"

Lucas looked at her and for a moment, she thought he might not answer, then he spoke. "Because nobody should be alone after a night like this."

The words settled far deeper inside her than they should have, and it formed a lump in her throat.

Nobody should be alone after a night like this. It sounds very simple and honest and somehow exactly what she needed to hear.

"Lucas..."

His name escaped from her mouth before she could stop as something unspoken passed between them. Footsteps suddenly echoed through the hallway. A servant hurried toward them breathless and panicked.

"Miss Kingston."

Arabella immediately stepped away from Lucas. "What happened?" she asked.

The servant struggled to catch his breath. "It's your father."

She felt uneasy suddenly with her hands trembling. "What about him?"

The servant glanced nervously at Lucas, then back at her. "Mr. Kingston wants to see him."

Lucas's expression remained unreadable.

Arabella's heart pounded fast. "Why?" she asked.

The servant swallowed immediately. "I don't know."

But something about the man's tone made her very uneasy. The servant turned toward Lucas. "Mr. Kingston said you should come to his studies immediately."

Lucas gave a small nod." I'll be there shortly."

The servant hesitated, then shook his head. "No."

Arabella frowned. "No?"

The servant looked genuinely nervous now. "He said immediately."

She felt cold all of a sudden because her father never summoned employees to his private study, not even this late at night, and judging by the fear on the servant's face, whatever he wanted from Lucas wasn’t going to be a good one.