The Day I Walked Away My Empire Began novel Chapter 284

“But what about you? You’ve been lying to me since the very beginning. You never loved me, but you still managed to put on such a convincing act.”

“And then you wanted me to have a child for you and Bria. Did you ever stop to think about how I would feel? Did you ever imagine what it’s like to carry a child for ten months, to go through all that pain, only to find out the baby isn’t even really mine? Could you ever understand how that feels? Of course not.”

Steven’s chest tightened. Without thinking, he let go of his wound, blood trickling freely down his arm.

“You’ve already hurt me so much, and now you want to keep me locked up, forcing me to do things I don’t want to do. You even want to use a child to tie me down. You are a monster!”

Tears mixed with anger streamed down her cheeks.

Her voice broke, trembling so hard she could barely get the words out. “Steven, I’m telling you, I’d rather die than let you control me ever again!”

Steven saw the determination in her eyes, and it felt like something inside his chest was being crushed. A wave of panic spread through him—real panic, the kind he’d never felt before.

He always thought he could control everything, that he could keep her close, keep her his.

But he’d forgotten how stubborn and fiercely independent she really was.

“…Okay. I won’t touch you.”

Steven took a step back, hands raised in surrender, his voice tight with frustration. “Please, just put that down. Let’s talk this out.”

“Talk about what?” Lucie’s laugh was cold, her hand still gripping the toothbrush. “Are we going to talk about how you’re planning to keep me locked up? Or how you’re going to force me to have your baby? Steven, I’m done trusting you.”

“Have you ever thought about how many people would get hurt if you forced me to have another child for you?”

“That child would have no name, no place. Just a bastard. He’d spend his whole life hiding in the shadows, laughed at by everyone.”

“And if Bria ever found out, it would break her heart. What you’re doing doesn’t just hurt me, Steven. It hurts everyone around you.”

Every word hit Steven like a needle, sharp and deep.

He stared at her—her face was pale, but her eyes blazed with anger.

Suddenly, it hit him. The girl in front of him was different now.

The wife who used to smile at him, who used to lean into his arms and trust him, was gone. He’d pushed her away with his own hands, and she wasn’t coming back.

“…I’ll let you go outside. You can walk around the manor,” he said, the words thick and heavy, like he was making some huge concession. “But you have to stay where I can see you.”

Lucie didn’t move. She just watched him, wary. “I want to leave. I want to go back to my own place.”

“No way.” Steven’s voice was hard again. “I told you, unless I’m dead, you’re not going anywhere.”

The room fell into a heavy silence. The only sound was their uneven breathing.

Lucie’s arm started to ache, her hand shaking as she held the toothbrush tight.

Steven was terrified she’d really hurt herself, but he couldn’t bring himself to let her go.

He tried again, voice softer. “Lucie, I know I hurt you. I know I shouldn’t do this.”

“I’ll respect your choice. I’ll let you go. I won’t force you anymore. I just… I just want to hold you one last time…”

Steven took a careful step closer, hoping for a chance to grab the toothbrush if she let her guard down.

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