Lucian sat on the worn, weathered chair, his gaze distant as he continued the conversation in his mind with Max, his ever-faithful system. The soft knock on the door interrupted his train of thought, but it didn't surprise him. He had been expecting it.
"Come in," he said softly, already knowing who it would be.
The door opened with a soft click, and a man in a crisp, professional suit stepped inside, his posture straight, his demeanor sharp and collected. The man radiated confidence the kind of confidence that comes from years of navigating high-stakes deals and negotiations. His movements were precise, every step deliberate, as if calculated for maximum effect.
"Hello, Mr. Kane," the lawyer greeted, extending his hand with a polished smile. "As requested, I'm here with the documents. Lethan Trunk, your family lawyer."
Lucian, who had been lost in his memories just moments ago, stood up slowly. His movements were calm, unhurried, almost too casual given the gravity of the situation. He shook Lethan's hand briefly, the faint smile on his lips not quite reaching his eyes.
"Hello, Mr. Trunk. Are the documents ready?" he asked, his voice steady, betraying none of the emotions swirling beneath the surface.
"They are," Lethan replied, hesitating for a moment. He looked at Lucian as if trying to gauge whether this man before him could possibly be serious about what he was about to do. "But… Mr. Kane, are you sure about this? It's highly unusual. Cutting all ties with your family, your property everything. You're relinquishing everything you've worked for, everything you've inherited. I don't know much about your family dynamics, but…"
Lethan paused, clearly uncomfortable. "As your lawyer, I would strongly advise that you reconsider. You could at least take a portion of the property, or some shares of the company. Something to secure your future." His tone softened, as if he were genuinely concerned. "This isn't something you can easily undo."
Lucian let out a small, almost tired laugh, the sound echoing hollowly in the quiet room. "You'll believe it when I sign the papers," he said, brushing off the concern with a dismissive wave. "I've thought about this long enough, Mr. Trunk. I know what I'm doing."
"But…" Lethan's voice wavered as he swallowed hard, clearly torn between his professional obligations and his moral compass. "You're cutting yourself off completely. Your family's wealth, the company everything. I don't understand"
"You don't need to understand," Lucian interrupted gently, though there was a firmness in his tone. "Just follow my instructions. Did you speak to my mother about this?"
Lethan shook his head quickly. "No, as you instructed, I've kept everything confidential. Your mother and sister don't know anything about this matter. I've prepared the documents, but they haven't seen them yet. You told me to wait for your signal."
"Good," Lucian said, his voice softening just a little. He turned toward the table, his gaze falling on the stack of papers that Lethan had just pulled from his briefcase.
One by one, Lethan laid the papers out on the table, meticulously arranging them for Lucian to review. The documents were thick, filled with legal jargon and clauses, all designed to sever Lucian's ties with his family. It was more than just signing away his inheritance it was a final act of departure. A farewell.
Lucian glanced at the papers briefly, his eyes scanning over the fine print. He didn't linger too long on the words. He didn't need to. He knew what they meant. Without hesitation, without a flicker of regret, he picked up the pen and signed. His hand moved fluidly, almost mechanically, as if the act of signing away his life had become routine.
"Now, now, sister," Lucian thought to himself as the pen glided over the paper, "you don't have to worry anymore. You won't have to fight me for the property or the company shares. You can have it all. You should be satisfied now, shouldn't you?"
As he signed the final document, he leaned back slightly, feeling a strange sense of peace settle over him. He had never cared for the wealth or the company, despite what his sister had always believed. She had misunderstood him from the start, assuming that his distance and their strained relationship had stemmed from a rivalry over inheritance. But that had never been the case. Lucian had never wanted any of it. He had held on only because he thought it might bring them closer somehow, that maybe holding onto the family name and the company would keep him tethered to the people he loved.
But now… he was letting it all go.
"It's done," Lucian said, sliding the papers back toward Lethan, his expression unreadable. "You can leave now. As for when to give them to my mother and sister do it tomorrow, if you have the time."
Lethan stared at the papers, then back at Lucian, his brow furrowed. It was surreal. The man who had just signed away his fortune his life, essentially was smiling. How could he be so calm? How could he smile after signing away billions of dollars?
"I… I'll do that, Mr. Kane," Lethan stammered, still grappling with the strangeness of it all. "But… are you sure there's nothing else? Any final words you'd like me to pass along to your family? A reason for this?"
Lucian paused, his hand resting on the back of his chair. The question lingered in the air for a moment, and then, slowly, he rubbed his chin as if deep in thought. A smile, faint and distant, tugged at his lips.
"Final words? That's an interesting question." He tilted his head, as though considering the weight of Lethan's inquiry. "Tell them… goodbye. I tried my best. Tell my sister that I was never after the property or the company. Tell them that I'm tired. I can't do it anymore. But,tell them that i hope that my absence could give them peace that my love couldn't" he added with a chuckle, "I wonder if they'll even care enough to ask you why I did it."
Lethan blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the depth of what Lucian had just said. The lawyer was sharp he could sense the layers of pain beneath Lucian's words, though he didn't fully understand the history behind them.
"Mr. Kane, may I ask you one more question?" Lethan asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. He hesitated, not wanting to overstep, but something about this entire situation felt off. He needed to know more.
Lucian raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on," he said, his tone inviting. "What's on your mind, Mr. Trunk?"
"I won't ask why you threw away billions of dollars. That's your personal decision, and I respect that," Lethan began carefully. "But… why did you call me here to a hospital? You don't seem to be injured or ill. Is there something I'm missing?"
Lucian's smile widened slightly, a hint of mischief flickering in his eyes. "Ah, that. Well…" He raised a finger to his lips in a playful gesture. "That's a secret."
Lethan shifted uncomfortably, sensing that whatever Lucian was hiding was far more significant than he was letting on. "I see. Well, I apologize for any inconvenience, Mr. Kane. I'll present these documents tomorrow, as you instructed."
As Lethan prepared to leave, Lucian's voice stopped him.
"One more thing, Lethan," he said, his tone soft but firm. "From now on, don't call me 'Mr. Kane.' I'm no longer attached to that name. Just call me… Lucian."
Lethan nodded slowly, taking in the weight of that statement. "Of course, Mr. Lucian. I'll take my leave now."
With that, Lethan walked out of the room, his mind swirling with thoughts. He had just witnessed something extraordinary a billionaire walking away from everything, choosing homelessness over wealth, and all with a smile on his face. It was, without a doubt, the most bizarre day of Lethan's career. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was far more to Lucian's story than he would ever know.
Once Lethan was gone, Lucian remained standing in the quiet room, his hands resting in his pockets. He felt lighter now, as if signing those papers had lifted a heavy burden off his shoulders. The weight of expectations, the suffocating pull of his family's name it was all gone. He was free.
But there was still one more thing left to do.
Lucian pulled out his phone, his fingers moving swiftly as he dialed a number. He waited only a few moments before a voice answered on the other end.
"Hello, Doctor. I'm ready. Let's go ahead with it."
There was a long pause, the voice on the other end hesitating. "Mr. Kane… are you sure about this? We'll need your signature, and even though you're forcing us into this decision, we cannot legally proceed without your written consent. I could be held accountable"
Lucian cut him off with a light laugh, his voice calm and unbothered. "Don't worry, Doctor. I won't be unreasonable. Bring the papers, and I'll sign them. Everything will be legal. No need to panic."
After the call ended, Lucian stood still for a moment, the phone still clutched in his hand. The room was silent, but inside his mind, a storm was brewing. He was calm on the surface, outwardly collected, but the turmoil inside him was relentless. He'd just signed away his life, his wealth, his ties to his family everything that had once defined who he was. And now, there was one last thing left to give.
His heart.
Lucian put the phone back in his pocket and stared at the ceiling for a moment, his mind drifting to the task that lay ahead. His final task. The one that he had convinced himself would bring him peace. The one that would finally prove to her to Avey that his love was real. He had nothing left to offer, nothing else to give. His heart, shattered and bruised, was the only thing left, and he would give it willingly.
His lips twisted into a sad smile, a mix of resignation and madness. He knew it was crazy absurd, even but that didn't matter anymore. It wasn't about what was rational. It wasn't about what made sense. It was about proving, for the last time, that he loved her.
Of course, Avey didn't know. She didn't need to know. After all, she was rich and powerful. She could have easily gotten another heart for her transplant. She had the connections, the influence to make it happen. But Lucian had made sure the doctor knew he would donate his heart. And no one else's.
It was the ultimate, final act of love. A self-sacrifice, a gesture so grand it couldn't be ignored. He didn't expect her to understand it. He didn't even expect her to care. But in his mind, this was the only way he could finally prove it. That his love for her was real. That it had always been real. Even if she had never felt the same, even if she had rejected him only god knows how many times , he could still give her something no one else could.
As he stood there, his mind raced with memories of her Avey. The girl he had loved for so long, the girl who had been his light in the darkness, even if she never knew it. He could picture her face so clearly in his mind, the way her eyes lit up when she smiled, the way her laughter echoed in the hallways of their school. She had always been so out of reach, so distant, even when she was standing right next to him.
He chuckled softly, his voice tinged with bitterness. "What a fool I am," he whispered to himself. "Even now, after everything, I'm still doing this for her. I couldn't win her love, but I can give her my heart."
Max's voice echoed in his mind, calm and steady as always. [Host, you're making a mistake. You're throwing your life away for someone who never deserved you. Even if you give her your heart, it won't change anything. She won't suddenly love you back.]
Lucian sighed, his smile fading as the weight of Max's words settled in. "I know, Max. I know it won't change anything. But it's not about that anymore. I've already lost the fight. This isn't about winning her love. This is about ending it. This is the only way I know how."
[You're stronger than this, Host. You can walk away. You still have so much to live for. Don't throw it all away because of her.]
Lucian closed his eyes, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "Max, I'm tired. I'm tired of fighting. Tired of hoping, tired of waiting. My heart… it's broken, Max. It's been broken so many times I can't even count. I've tried to hold on, tried to repair it, but it's gone. There's nothing left."
He paused, his voice dropping to a whisper. "It wasn't my enemies who broke me, Max. It was the people I loved. My family, Avey… the ones I would have died for. They were the ones who shattered me."
For a moment, there was silence. Max didn't respond, as if even the system couldn't argue with that truth. Lucian had given everything to the people he loved, and in return, they had taken everything from him his love, his hope, his heart.
"And now," Lucian continued, his voice steadying, "I'm going to prove it. One last time. I'm going to show her that I wasn't lying. That I would have given her my life if she asked. Well, now she doesn't even need to ask. I'll give it to her anyway."
Max's voice came through again, softer this time. [You don't need to prove anything, Host. Your love was always real. Even if she never accepted it, even if she never returned it, it doesn't change the fact that it was real. But this this is not the way to find peace.]
Lucian laughed softly, shaking his head. "You think I'm looking for peace, Max? No. I'm looking for an end. I'm done with this world. I've given everything I have, and now there's nothing left."