### Chapter 6: The Bitter Toast
The Rogers family meeting was held in the grand dining hall, a regular gathering where family matters were discussed, and alliances reinforced. The room was filled with relatives, each with their own agendas and ambitions, but all pretending to be one big, happy family. Lucas Walfez, as usual, kept to the sidelines, his presence barely acknowledged by most of the room.
Selena Rogers, radiant as always, sat beside him. Her beauty, so often the topic of hushed conversations among the family, was strikingly apparent tonight. Lucas knew how many eyes lingered on her, particularly those of her cousin, Quinton Pallet, whose jealousy and resentment simmered just below the surface.
As the evening wore on, Quinton, ever the schemer, decided to put his latest plan into action. Under the guise of family unity, he stood and raised his glass, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.
"A toast," Quinton announced, his voice ringing with false cheer. "To the Rogers family, may we continue to prosper and rise together."
The family members raised their glasses in response, some more enthusiastic than others. Lucas noticed Quinton's eyes flicker towards Selena as she lifted her glass. Something about Quinton's demeanor set off alarm bells in Lucas's mind, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.
As the glasses clinked together, Lucas saw a subtle movement out of the corner of his eye—Quinton's hand brushing against Selena's glass just before she picked it up. His suspicions sharpened, and when Selena brought the glass to her lips, Lucas acted on instinct.
"Selena, wait," Lucas said, his voice just loud enough to catch her attention.
Selena paused, looking at Lucas in surprise. "What is it?"
Lucas didn't have a solid reason to give her, just a gut feeling that something was wrong. "I think you might have grabbed my glass by mistake," he said quickly, taking the glass from her hand and placing his own in hers.
Selena blinked, confused but trusting him enough not to question it. She smiled and took a sip from the new glass Lucas had given her. Meanwhile, Lucas discreetly swapped the glasses back, taking the one Selena had originally been handed.
He didn't drink from it, though. Instead, he placed the glass back on the table, intending to find a way to test it later. For now, he couldn't let on that he suspected anything.
Quinton's eyes narrowed as he watched the exchange, his anger barely concealed. His plan had been to drug Selena, rendering her unconscious, and then to take advantage of the situation. But Lucas's quick thinking had ruined everything. Quinton's smile tightened, but he forced himself to remain calm. He couldn't afford to show his hand just yet.
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully, though the tension between Quinton and Lucas was palpable. Quinton's mind raced with thoughts of revenge, his desire to humiliate and destroy Lucas growing with each passing moment.
When the meeting finally concluded, and the guests began to leave, Quinton slipped away to make a phone call. His hand trembled slightly as he dialed the number, seething with fury as he waited for the line to connect.
"Uncle Andy," Quinton said, his voice low and urgent when the call was answered. "It's Quinton. I need a favor."
On the other end of the line, Andy Pallet, a high-ranking officer in the Aquarian police force, listened intently. He had always been protective of his nephew and was more than willing to help him with whatever he needed.
"What is it, Quinton?" Andy asked, his tone serious.
"There's someone I need you to deal with," Quinton replied, his eyes flashing with malice. "His name is Lucas Walfez. I want him out of the picture—find something, anything, to arrest him on. I don't care what it is, just make sure he's locked up for a long time."
Andy paused, considering the request. Framing someone was not without its risks, but Quinton was family, and he trusted his nephew's judgment. "I'll see what I can do," Andy said after a moment. "Leave it to me."
Quinton hung up, his anger momentarily abated by the thought of Lucas being thrown in prison, his life destroyed. But for now, he would have to wait and let his uncle handle things.
Meanwhile, Lucas, unaware of Quinton's plotting, excused himself from the estate and made his way to his secret base. He needed to meet with Dominic, his trusted ally, to discuss the sudden disappearance of the mysterious new player in Aquaria. The timing was suspicious, and Lucas wanted to know if there was more to it than met the eye.
The night was cool and quiet as Lucas drove through the city, his thoughts occupied by the evening's events. Quinton's actions had confirmed his suspicions—there was more going on within the Rogers family than even Selena realized. Lucas knew he needed to tread carefully, but he also knew he couldn't let his guard down.
As he approached the outskirts of the city, where his base was located, Lucas noticed something unusual. The road ahead was blocked by several police cars, their lights flashing in the darkness. His heart quickened, but he maintained his composure, slowing his car to a stop.
The officers stepped out of their vehicles, their expressions unreadable as they approached. Lucas's mind raced, but he kept his face neutral. This was no random stop—he had been set up. But by whom? And why?
As the officers surrounded his car, Lucas's thoughts turned to Quinton, the man who had spent the entire evening trying to undermine him. Had Quinton gone so far as to involve the police in his schemes? And if so, how much trouble was Lucas really in?
The lead officer knocked on Lucas's window, his expression stern. "Step out of the vehicle, Mr. Walfez," he ordered.
Lucas complied, his mind already working on how to handle the situation. As he stepped out of the car and faced the officers, one thing was clear—this was only the beginning of a much larger battle. And Lucas would need all his wits and resources to emerge unscathed.
But for now, he was outnumbered and outgunned. As he was handcuffed and led toward one of the police cars, Lucas silently vowed that he would find out who was behind this—and make them pay dearly.
The next move was theirs, but Lucas was already planning his counterattack.