Chapter 89

Lucas POV

Victoria and I fell silent as the three parents re-entered the room. I wasn't surprised to see that the anger hadn't dissipated. If anything, they looked even more disappointed now than before.

The sharp edge to their smiles betrayed their true feelings.

"Lucas, sweetie, let's think about the benefits of keeping this engagement intact," Victoria's mother's voice was honeyed, laced with calculated kindness. "We realized that we may have been a bit harsh with you from the start. If that's what all of this is about, then we're willing to accommodate things."

A bit harsh? That was the understatement of the century.

Victoria's parents haven't liked me from the start, that much was clear, and they weren't going to start liking me now either.

I knew they were only making this offer because they needed my father's name and business more than we needed theirs. This marriage contract benefits their business more than ours.

I exchanged a glance with Victoria who was wearing an expression of frustration. She had been trapped in this arrangement just as much as I had.

The two of us had just talked about how much we needed this engagement to end.

But I wondered if Victoria would say anything...

"I appreciate the sentiment," I replied with a measured tone. "But this isn't about accommodations. It's about my life, and my decisions."

"Enough of this nonsense, Lucas." My father leaned forward, and his eyes were fixed on mine with a predatory intensity. "Think about your legacy. Everything you've worked for. Your position. You're throwing all of that away by doing this."

His words stung, not because I cared about legacy or position, but because my father's approval still held weight in my heart. The conflict between my desires and his expectations was a battle I had been fighting for too long.

But it was too late to go back on my words now. I've already made it this far and done something I believed was impossible.

I wouldn't stand down from him now.

"I've considered it, Dad," I said with a steady and sure voice. "And this is the decision I've decided to make."

"I can't stand for this, Lucas." My father's jaw tightened, and his nostrils flared aggressively. "If you do this, I'll never forgive you for it. You're not being smart. You'll regret this."

As much as I hated to admit it, his opinion still mattered to me. I wanted to please him, and this went against that.

A part of me was scrambling to figure out how to get what I want, and also make sure that my father doesn't hate me.

Did I really want to break free from the expectations that he had placed upon me? Would I be able to handle a life where my father constantly looked down on me for making this decision?

The silence stretched between us as I fought with my own emotions, unsure of what to do.

And then, a voice that I hadn't expected to join my side spoke up... Victoria's.

"Lucas is right," her voice was gentle but firm.

I turned to look at her, astonishment written across my face. Her gaze met mine, and for the first time tonight, I saw a flicker of vulnerability in her eyes that reflected the pressure that had been placed on her own shoulders.

Her opinion didn't just surprise me. It appeared that everyone else in the room was shocked to hear her agreement.

"Vic—" Victoria's father started to say, but she held a hand up to him.

"No, Dad. I agree with Lucas," she said. "This marriage arrangement was doomed from the start. It would've happened one way or another."

The room erupted into a burst of voices. Everyone was talking all at once and I didn't know what anyone was saying. I just knew that the air had grown incredibly angry. Our parent's voices blended, talking over each other as if seeing who could be the loudest.

But no one was angrier than my own father who glared at me with so much venom, I thought he'd start spewing smoke out of his ears. It was the perfect mask of outrage and disbelief.

"The both of you are making a grave mistake! One that will cost you your future! What do you know about what's best for you?" His voice thundered through the room, shaking the walls with his fury. "You're only children."

"You should be ashamed of yourselves!" Victoria's mother shouted. Her face was red with anger. "How dare you question our authority and put businesses at risk like this! This is all we've ever worked for, Victoria!"

"No." Victoria stood from her seat now, finally putting her foot down. "This is all you've ever worked for. You've forced me to play a part in your schemes, and I'm sick of it. I'm done. I want to end the engagement, too."

Victoria's mother could hardly contain her upset. "We're leaving. Right now. Grab your things, and let's go."

As Victoria turned to leave with her parents, I felt a heavy sense of finality settle over the room. We did it. We were free of our arrangement.

She stopped, her gaze locked onto mine.

I tried to give her a smile, but it wouldn't come out.

"Thank you," she said in a hushed voice. There was a glimmer of the real Victoria beneath those relieved eyes, and I was so happy to know that I had been the cause of her gratitude.

"You don't have to thank me," I said. "This had to happen. Remember that."

Once the door had shut behind them, the realization sunk in that I was alone with my father.

A chill ran down my spine as I felt his looming presence behind me.

His cold voice sliced through the air, not wasting any time. "You might as well pack your things and leave, too. If you're going to be foolish and ruin everything, you're not welcome here. I don't want to see your face."

His words felt like a slap in the face, but I had expected them. Of course, he wouldn't be happy about me trying to find my own happiness.

Kendrick Busch didn't believe in happiness. In fact, I think he despised it.

I brushed past him, immediately running up the stairs to my bedroom to pack my things. I didn't want to be in this house anymore either.

I grabbed one of my hockey bags that I usually take to our games and began filling it with anything that I might need. Clothes, shoes, my toothbrush, deodorant...

Just as I slung the strap of the bag over my shoulder, my phone began to ring.

Shana's name flashed across the screen, and I let out a much-needed sigh of relief.

She had perfect timing, it's almost as if she knew what I had just done.

Knowing she was calling made me feel that much better.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey Lucas," her voice filled my ears, and warmth spread through me.

At that moment, I knew that I had made the right choice.

"Shana?" I said, biting my lip. "I just ended my engagement with Victoria, and my dad is kicking me out of the house."