After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage
Chapter 95

Pushing aside that strange feeling in his chest, Elijah flew to London, desperate to see Gloria face-to-face.

He needed to apologize properly and admit how wrong he'd been about everything. Maybe though it seemed increasingly unlikely-she might even forgive him.

But after two weeks in London, he still hadn't made it past the gates of the Ramirez estate. The security staff's hostile glares told him everything he needed to know.

With no other options, he resorted to waiting outside like some paparazzi, hoping for just a glimpse of her.

Today, he finally got one.

His heart jumped when he spotted her. He pushed his car door open, her name already forming on his lips—when suddenly he froze in place.

As Gloria stepped out of her car, a tall figure followed, wrapping an arm around her waist with casual intimacy.

The gift box in Elijah's hand hit the pavement as anger surged through him.

"Gloria!" he called out.

At that voice, Gloria went rigid. A familiar dread washed through her body like ice water.

That tone. He always used that exact tone whenever she'd supposedly crossed a line with his precious Jenna.

Feeling her tremble, Lucas's expression hardened. He rubbed her back reassuringly and helped her back into the car.

Before closing the door, he squeezed her hand. "I've got this. Don't worry."

The moment the car door shut, all warmth vanished from Lucas's face. He spun around and drove his fist straight into Elijah's approaching face.

Once upon a time, Elijah would've easily dodged such an attack. But months of stress and illness had taken their toll. He could only watch helplessly as Lucas's punch sent him sprawling onto the wet pavement.

Through the downpour, Lucas accepted an umbrella from the waiting butler and stared down at the fallen man with complete indifference.

His lack of interest felt more insulting than any words could have been. Elijah's chest tightened with a pain that had nothing to do with the punch, but Lucas didn't bother speaking-didn't even waste another glance on him.

As thunder rumbled overhead, Lucas returned to the car.

The vehicle glided through the gates, which closed with finality, cutting Elijah off completely.

Gloria refused to speculate about why Elijah had appeared. From the moment she'd truly given up on him, his actions no longer concerned her. She was focused on building her new life.

Lucas felt the same. Perhaps it was simply a man's instinct to protect what was his, but he had no desire for his fiancée to waste any thought on her past.

By unspoken agreement, neither mentioned the incident again.

At dinner, Lucas-now in dry clothes-sat beside Gloria while discussing wedding plans with her father across the table.

As one of the key people involved, Gloria offered occasional input but mostly ate quietly, content to let them handle the logistics.

Lucas divided his attention between the conversation and Gloria, cutting her steak into perfect bites and making sure her wine glass stayed filled.

Her cheeks colored at his attentiveness. Though he'd shown similar care during their lunch date, she still wasn't used to such treatment.

Her father had doted on her as a small child, but he'd moved to London when she was only six. After that, Elijah had become her guardian.

While he'd cared for her in his way, Elijah had always emphasized making her independent. Except when she was sick, he rarely helped with everyday tasks.

And after Jenna entered the picture, Gloria's standing in the household had plummeted dramatically.

Now Lucas was only the second man to treat her with such consideration. He handled her as if she were made of crystal, worried she might somehow break.

Yet she was a grown woman, sitting at her father's table.

Still, she appreciated the steak he'd prepared for her. In return, she spooned some butternut squash risotto onto his plate, whispering, "The chef just brought it out. It's still hot."

Lucas looked surprised, then smiled. "Thank you," he said softly.