Lethal Temptation (by Michelle Ray) novel Chapter 81

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81 A Little Resentment

Mara

Martha’s words cut deeper than I wanted to admit. Not because they were cruel-but because they felt real.

No matter how many times Lucian touched my hand under the table or whispered reassurances between bites of breakfast, I couldn’t shake it. I couldn’t lie to myself the way he was trying to lie to both of us.

She was right.

Once upon a time, Alpha Vander probably told Martha that Darian would have everything. And look where that got her. Now she watched another woman’s son take the crown her own child was promised. What if that was my future too?

What if the child Tina carried was the future Alpha? Lucian’s firstborn. His legacy. And Tina-whether I liked it or not-would always be tethered to him through that child. Always present. Always a reminder.

Where would that leave me?

Where would that leave my children?

I sat through the rest of breakfast in silence. Lucian tried his usual tricks-his hand grazing my thigh, that playful smirk he knew I loved-but none of it worked. I wasn’t there. I was already spinning into a future l couldn’t control.

After we excused ourselves and headed back toward our wing, he took a call from Austin. His voice was

calm. Too calm.

“Okay. Thank you, Austin,” he said.

No panic. No urgency. No grief.

Which meant Tina and the baby were fine.

I hated myself for the thought that flashed across my mind-I wished they weren’t. Not because I wanted pain for anyone. But because I was terrified. Terrified that this child would come into the world and shift everything. That I’d become second to something I didn’t help create. That my love-my loyalty-would be overshadowed by biology.

I changed into something casual once we got to our room. I didn’t say a word. The silence between us stretched, thick and heavy.

Lucian finally broke it. “Mara…”

I shook my head. “Don’t talk about it, Lucian.”

“Why shouldn’t I?” he asked, his tone sharper now. “You’re clearly upset. You haven’t looked me in the eye since breakfast.”

<81 A Little Resentment

“I said don’t,” I snapped, louder this time.

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I wasn’t ready. Not for his words. Not for the logic. Not for the promises that might not mean anything in a

year, or two, or ten. He couldn’t fix this with touches or sweet nothings.

Because this wasn’t about right now.

It was about what happens when love isn’t enough.

“Mara…” Lucian insisted.

“Don’t talk about it, Lucian,” I said, my voice tight.

“Why not?” he pushed, frustration creeping in. “You’re clearly upset.”

I turned to him, my heart pounding. “Because I don’t want to hold you to words that can’t undo what’s already done.”

He looked at me, confused-but I didn’t stop.

“Martha’s vile, yes. But she’s not wrong about this,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. “You can

promise me the world, Lucian, but it doesn’t change one thing-that child is yours.”

His shoulders tensed, his jaw clenched, but I kept going.

“I would never ask you to love the baby less because of me. But don’t you see? That child will always be a

reminder that someone else came before me. That I came second. The child will be older than mine, and

when the time comes, it’ll feel entitled. If you try to pull back, to create distance for my sake, the child will

resent me for it. Tina will feed that resentment. She’ll spin a story where I’m the thief who stole her

happiness, who stole you.”

I paused, breath catching. “And what if… what if that child is stronger than ours, Lucian? What if he’s the

better Alpha? Then what? He leads, and mine… are just your other kids? Where does that leave me? Where

does that leave them?”

He dropped his gaze, shame coloring his face.

“Tina won the moment she got pregnant,” I said quietly. “And now I’m the one who has to play catch-up.

I’m the one trying to measure up. I’m second, Lucian.”

I hadn’t even realized I was crying until the tears were streaking down my cheeks, hot and uncontrollable. I tried to breathe, but my words kept spilling.

“Your father’s already called that child your heir-he hasn’t even met him. What does that say? Maybe you should’ve annulled our marriage the moment you found out. Maybe I should’ve said no. Maybe I should

never have let you claim me.”

I choked on the last sentence, trembling. “Maybe I shouldn’t have children. It would make things easier.”

Lucian crossed the room in two steps and pulled me hard against his chest. His arms wrapped around me like he was trying to hold me together.

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“Don’t say that,” he whispered. “Don’t even think it. Mara, listen to me. I’ll put everything I have in your name. Our children will inherit me. All of it. Steel Corp. The estates. Everything. What Martha says doesn’t matter. She’s bitter because my father broke every promise he made to her.”

I stayed silent, but he kept going, voice low and fierce.

“My mother was my father’s mate and wife. I’m a legitimate son. Tina’s child will never be that. No matter what my father says, I choose my heir. And it will be our children, Mara. The ones we’ll raise with love, not manipulation. They’re the ones who will carry my name. Our name. Our legacy. I’ll put it in writing. I’ll have the papers drawn up.”

I wanted to believe him. Desperately.

“But Tina-” I started.

“I’m cutting her off,” he said, hard and fast.

I shook my head slowly. “You can’t. You won’t. You have a child to raise with her, Lucian.”

He didn’t argue.

He just held me tighter.

Because we both knew I was right.

Tina had tied herself to us forever. Not with love. Not with fate.

But with something crueler.

A child conceived from a moment that should’ve never happened. A child we would now have to live with

-for better or worse.

And no matter how much we loved each other, we would never be free of her shadow.

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