Page 50 of Forever His Favorite
The air shifted instantly. A ripple of whispers spread across the room like fire to dry grass.
“Isn’t that Emily?” one voice murmured, hushed but sharp enough for ears nearby. “Wasn’t she with Lucas?”
Another leaned closer to their neighbor, whispering in disbelief. “That does look like her… but what’s she doing with someone like Sebastian Graves?”
And then, louder, more certain, a voice cut through the murmurs. “Oh, don’t you know? She’s married to Sebastian now.”
Lucas’s eyes shifted toward Emily and Sebastian, sitting side by side. Sebastian took her hand in his and leaned closer. She tilted her head toward him, listening as he whispered something to her. The longer Lucas stared at them, the more his eyes burned.
And then she smiled.
The curve of her lips shattered Lucas’s chest. His heart hammered against his ribs, his jaw tightening until the muscle jumped. He tried to tear his gaze away, but his eyes betrayed him. They clung to her, greedily, hungrily—feeding on every twitch of her lips, every spark in her eyes that used to be his and his alone.
The meeting droned on. Voices blurred, numbers flickered on the screen. Lucas heard nothing.
As the meeting started to come to an end, one of the men leaned across the table toward Sebastian. “Mr. Graves, if you have a moment, I’d like to speak with you privately.”
Sebastian rose with an easy nod, then leaned toward Emily, brushing her hand gently with his thumb. “Wait here, baby. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Emily gave a small, obedient nod. “Alright.”
Sebastian left with the man, heading toward the buffet tables at the far end of the room. The moment he was gone, the whispers around the table flared like wildfire.
“So is Emily Mr. Graves’s wife now?” one asked, leaning closer.
“Yes, it looks like that,” another replied.
A third voice scoffed. “Too early, don’t you think? For five years she was rumored to be with Lucas Cantrell, and now suddenly married to someone this rich?”
“Maybe she dumped Lucas for money. Cheated on him, who knows? Women like her… most are gold diggers anyway. Everyone remembers—Lucas never admitted she was his. She claimed to be his girlfriend, but he refused to acknowledge it.”
“And now she’s married into wealth. She’s married to someone so rich and isn’t even working for Lucas anymore. Her life must feel like a jackpot.”
“Maybe she was two-timing both men. First working with Lucas, seducing him, then at the same time seducing Sebastian. Who knows what was happening behind closed doors? Maybe she cheated on Lucas and married Sebastian for his rich family background.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. After all, who could refuse marrying a man like that?” another added with a smirk.
Each word sliced at Emily’s skin like a blade. Her throat tightened, her hands trembled under the table. Anger and humiliation churned in her chest until she couldn’t breathe.
She slammed her bag against the table, the sharp sound snapping through the whispers. Then she rose to her feet and stormed out, not sparing a single glance behind.
The second she moved, Lucas was on his feet too. His chair scraped harshly against the floor as he strode after her with long, determined steps. Sebastian’s sharp gaze tracked him instantly.His expression darkened, and he excused himself, moving quickly to follow.
Emily’s heels clicked furiously as she walked through the corridor, trying to get as far away from that room as possible. But before she could escape, Lucas quickly rushed past her, and then appeared right in front of her, blocking her path.
His breath was heavy, his chest rising and falling with restraint. “Emily, I want to talk to you,” he demanded, his voice rough.
She ignored him, brushing past as though he were invisible.
“I won’t do anything to you, I promise,” his voice cracked as he trailed after her. “I just want to talk.”
Her steps faltered. Slowly, Emily turned around, her face pale, her voice cold as ice. “What do you want?”
Lucas breathed a sigh in relief. But his lips twisted into a displeased, ironic smile. His eyes glimmered with pain. “You never used this kind of tone with me before. I’m not used to it.”
Emily’s chin lifted stubbornly. “This is the way I talk now. If you don’t like it, don’t talk to me.”
Lucas stepped closer. His tall frame cast a shadow over her, his gaze scorching. “No matter how you change, there will never be a time when I don’t like you.” His eyes flickered, pain and madness bleeding through. “I made mistakes. I took your love for granted. I ruined everything you gave me. But I can’t forget you, Emily. I don’t want to forget you.”
