"Lucian, you need to listen to me very carefully," Lampard's voice was low, almost frantic. "I have some shocking news. The Vulpea family's downfall is just the beginning. There's a way to salvage this, but we have to act fast."
Lucian's heart raced. "What are you talking about?"
"There's a clause in the contract—a loophole. If you adopt Aurelia and become her legal guardian, you can secure both your futures. But there's more," Lampard continued urgently. "You need to marry someone who has no stake in the family fortune, someone untainted by greed. It's the only way to fulfill the contract's terms."
Lucian blinked, his mind racing to keep up. "Adopt Aurelia? Marry someone pure? How is that supposed to help?"
"If you do this, Aurelia will regain her status as the rightful heiress, and her power will be unmatched. She'll inherit the family's assets and, more importantly, their influence. But if you don't act, the family's greedy cousins are planning to seize control. They're ruthless, Lucian. They've already made moves to eliminate Aurelia to claim the fortune for themselves."
A cold chill ran down Lucian's spine. "They want to... kill her?"
"Exactly. And they won't hesitate. You have to protect her. Adopting her makes you her legal guardian, which complicates their plans. Marrying someone pure seals the deal, fulfilling the contract and securing the power structure."
Lucian looked over at Aurelia, now peacefully asleep in her stroller, oblivious to the danger surrounding her. His protective instincts flared. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"
"There wasn't time. Things are escalating quickly. They could make a move at any moment. You need to decide now."
His mind flashed to Seraphina—the only person who fit the description Lampard had given. Pure, kind, and completely uninvolved in the corrupt world he inhabited.
"Fine," Lucian said firmly. "I'll do it. I'll adopt Aurelia and find someone to marry. But I need your help to expedite the legalities."
"Consider it done," Lampard replied. "But be careful. They're watching every move. And Lucian... trust no one."
The line went dead, leaving Lucian standing in the silence of the grand kitchen, the weight of Lampard's words pressing heavily upon him. The stakes had never been higher. Not only was Aurelia's life in danger, but his own fate now hinged on choices he never anticipated having to make.
He knew what he had to do, but the path ahead was fraught with peril. Could he convince Seraphina to help him? Would she even consider such a proposition from someone she barely knew?
As questions swirled in his mind, a shadow flickered in the corner of his eye. He turned sharply, but there was nothing there. Paranoia began to creep in—were the cousins already making their move?
He glanced over at Aurelia once more, her small form rising and falling with the gentle rhythm of her sleep. She was innocent in all of this, unaware of the legacy she had been born into. And now, it was up to him to protect her—not just from the cousins who sought to destroy her, but from the curse that had bound them both to the Vulpea family's legacy.
As Lucian stood there, the enormity of his situation pressing down on him, his phone buzzed again. His heart skipped a beat as he saw the name flash across the screen: HopeLine!
He hesitated for a moment before answering. Her voice, soft and soothing, came through the line.
"Hey? I... I don't know why, but I felt like you might need someone to talk to."
Lucian's breath caught in his throat. He had no idea how she always seemed to know when he needed her, but her timing was impeccable.
"Seraphina," he began, his voice thick with the weight of everything he couldn't say. "I think I need more than just someone to talk to."
A pause. "What do you mean?"
Lucian glanced at Aurelia again, her tiny form so fragile, yet holding the key to everything. His chest tightened as the realization dawned on him.
"I think I need help saving a life," he said softly, knowing that his words carried far more meaning than Seraphina could possibly understand.
And as the conversation continued, Lucian couldn't shake the feeling that the choices he was about to make would change everything—for him, for Aurelia, and for Seraphina.
But whether it would be for better or worse remained to be seen.