Chapter 140

I couldn't help but feel a lot of guilt for potentially overshadowing Lucas's hard-earned victory with my family drama.

To make it up to him, I suggested we join the team for a celebratory night out because it was what he deserved.

At first, Lucas appeared reluctant to go, perhaps due to my current state, but I could see that there was an underlying desire for him to bond with his teammates and commemorate their win from today.

Eventually, Lucas agreed, and we met the rest of the team at a nearby restaurant for dinner.

As we gathered around one of the tables, I found myself putting on a facade, doing my best to try to lift my spirits despite the cloud of worry that loomed over my head.

Laughter and chatter from the teammates filled the air, but my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts about my father.

Where was he now? Was he aware of what he'd done to me, or did he even care that he possibly ruined my life?

Lucas, perceptive as ever, sensed my gloomy mood and offered silent reassurance by gently squeezing my thigh beneath the table.

I appreciated his discretion in not bringing up how I was feeling in front of his teammates. I needed time to process my feelings and sitting here with everyone was only making things worse.

I wasn't in the mood to be laughing and making jokes. But it only made me feel worse because I didn't want Lucas to be concerned about me. I wanted him to have fun, so I plastered a fake smile for the rest of the meal, making it seem like everything was fine.

Once we left the restaurant, walking hand in hand back to Grandma Jo's house, Lucas finally brought up the subject that had been hanging over us since we left his locker room.

"I've arranged a meeting with a lawyer tomorrow morning. He's a trusted, close family friend. I know he'll be able to help us in some way."

I leaned closer, eager for a glimmer of hope. "What can he do for us?"

"He can give us some insight into the legal implications and let us know if we have any fighting chance in this situation," Lucas's voice held a hint of optimism. "He's helped my dad out of some sticky situations before."

I nodded, relief washing over me. I clung to the belief that this lawyer might be able to resolve the twisted and tangled mess that my father had left behind for me.

---

The following morning, Lucas and I made our way to the lawyer's office. My palms began to sweat as I overthought every single possible outcome.

I still couldn't believe that he had dragged me into this situation and didn't have the decency to show his face.

I shouldn't even be surprised by my father's behaviors at this point, but somehow, I was.

As Lucas and I sat in the lawyer's office surrounded by polished wood and leather, I felt a sense of unease.

It was awfully stuffy in this room, much more stuffy than Professor Black's office, and that resided in an old building.

This lawyer's office was much worse and I could smell the years of dust clinging to every surface.

The lawyer was named Gregory, and he was a stern-faced older man in a perfectly tailored suit.

He listened intently as Lucas explained our predicament. He looked like he was around Kendrick's age, and I wondered how close he and Kendrick were.

I wondered what kind of trouble he'd gotten Kendrick out of in the past.

My fingers fumbled in my lap as I tried to distract myself. It was a futile attempt to fight off the impending wave of emotions that were threatening to creep out of me.

"So, let me get this straight," Gregory began, arching an eyebrow once Lucas was done explaining everything. His eyes landed on mine. "Your father suffered a substantial debt at a casino."

I nodded, my voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, that's correct."

"Do you know what casino it was?" Gregory asked, a very serious look taking over his face.

"Uh, I believe it was called Lucky Chips Casino."

Gregory sucked in a breath of air as he drummed his fingers on the desk, contemplating our situation. "I'm afraid this is a more delicate matter than I had originally considered."

"Why is that?" I asked, needing to know why the name of the casino was significant.

"You see, Kendrick owns a significant percentage of the Lucky Chips Casino, and with his wealth, status, and connections, challenging him would mean that you would be entering into a legal nightmare. One that you wouldn't win."

Lucas leaned forward, his voice edged with frustration. "But it's her father's debt, not hers. How is this even possible? There has to be some way around all of this."

Gregory offered a weary smile as if this was an issue he'd seen one too many times. Maybe he dealt with a lot of cases where a drunk, addicted father screwed his daughter over by stealing her identity and placing a large debt on her life.

"I understand your concerns, Lucas. Truly, I do. But Kendrick's resources and legal team are formidable, and as his close friend and personal lawyer, I'm telling you right now, challenging him in this matter would likely result in a significant loss."

I bit my lower lip to hold back the tears threatening to surface. None of this was fair!

It seemed as if things were looking positive for one moment, and the next moment, everything was suddenly crashing down.

I was so overwhelmed and overcome by the weight of my father's actions and learning that my father had gambled at one of Kendrick's casinos, of all places, that I felt like I was drowning in an inescapable ocean.

If it wasn't one thing, it was another. I wasn't sure how much more of this I would be able to take.

Even though he wasn't able to help us, I thanked Gregory as we left his office. My shoulders physically slumped in defeat as Lucas and I walked back to the car.

Lucas turned to me with a look of regret. "I'm so sorry, Shana. I really thought that Gregory would be able to figure something out for us."

"It isn't your fault, Lucas." Tears welled up in my eyes again, but I blinked them away. "It's just not fair. I don't know what to do. My father… I don't even know where he is, or if he's in jail, or what Kendrick might have done to him. Do you think he knows?"

"My father?" Lucas's eyes clouded with concern.

I nodded my head. "Yeah, what if he knows my father owes him money? I mean, it is his casino after all."

Lucas reached out to hold my hand. "I mean, it's possible. We know that my father is unpredictable, and if anyone knows where your father is, it might be him."

"I don't want to ask Kendrick for help."

"We won't," Lucas assured me. "I have my ways of finding things out without asking him."

I nodded, clinging to a shred of hope that Lucas could somehow help me figure out what to do next. "I'm just so lost right now," I admitted.

"I'll help you." Lucas squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Do you trust me?"

I squeezed his hand back. "I trust you."