Page 33 of Cruel Hero

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation I’ve been dreading. “It’s something else.” I force myself to meet his gaze. “I can’t keep doing this. Us.”

He freezes, his expression shifting from concern to confusion, then to something sharper—hurt. “What are you saying, Tiff?”

“I’m saying...” I swallow hard, my heart pounding in my chest. “Lucas, you’re an amazing guy. Kind, talented, supportive. And I care about you, I really do. But...”

“But you don’t love me,” Lucas finishes quietly.

I nod, a lump forming in my throat. “I’m so sorry. I thought I could. I wanted to. But my heart... it belongs to someone else. It’s not fair to you to pretend otherwise.”

Lucas is silent for a long moment, his gaze dropping to the floor. When he looks back up at me, I see the hurt in his eyes, but also a resigned understanding.

“It’s the man who left you all heartbroken, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” I admit. “Adrien. We have... a messy history. But I can’t deny what I feel for him. And I can’t keep stringing you along when my heart isn’t fully in this.”

Lucas lets out a long sigh, pushing paint-stained fingers through his hair. “I had a feeling there was still something there. The way you talked about him... I could tell he meant a lot to you.”

“I’m so sorry, Lucas.” My voice cracks. “I never meant to hurt you. You deserve someone who can love you completely, without reservation. And that person... it’s not me.”

“I’d rather know the truth than live in denial.” He takes a step closer, taking my hands in his. “I want you to be happy, even if it’s not with me. Just... be careful, okay? Make sure he treats you right this time.”

Tears prick my eyes at Lucas’s kindness. “Thank you for understanding,” I whisper. “And I’m so sorry. I do care for you, and I was hoping I could move on...”

Lucas squeezes my hands. “We can’t help who we love.”

“I should go,” I say, pulling my hands from his. “I’m sorry again, Lucas. For everything.”

As I turn to leave, Lucas calls out softly, “Tiffany?”

I pause, looking back at him. “Yes?”

His eyes are sad but sincere as he says, “I hope he makes you happy. You deserve that.”

A lump forms in my throat. “Thank you, Lucas. You, too, deserve happiness.”

With one last smile at Lucas, I leave the studio behind me. As the scent of oil paints and turpentine fades behind us, I feel a weight lifted from my shoulders. It’s not the ending I envisioned with Lucas, but it feels right.

My future, uncertain as it may be, belongs with Adrien now.

It always did.

And for the first time in a long time, I am at peace with it.

Chapter 15

Adrien

Diane greets me with a scowl as I enter the office. “Well, well, well, who decided to show up.” She eyes me up and down. “Did you have a good time with your little plaything?”

I shoot Diane a warning glare, not in the mood for her snarky comments. Instead, I focus on the task at hand.

“What’s the update on the Dean Carter situation?” I ask as I take a seat at my desk.

“We had little to go off of, but Matteo was able to access some security footage. We’re still looking into the details, but it seems Silva’s people have been following Miss Carter for the past two weeks.”

Damn it.

If Rafael Silva is part of this, things just got a lot more complicated. Everyone in this business knows he’s ruthless and doesn’t shy away from dirty tactics. His involvement in human and illegal organ trafficking is notorious, and I have no doubt he’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. If he’s involved in this, then Tiffany’s safety is even more at risk than I thought.

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