Lethal Temptation (by Michelle Ray) novel Chapter 84

84 (Lucian’s POV) Ours 2

Lucian

We stayed on the floor a little longer, catching our breath, letting the silence wrap around us. It was the kind of silence that didn’t demand anything-just peace. Just presence.

“I guess we’re moving in today?” I asked, trying to sound casual, but I was hoping she’d say yes.

Mara looked around the space slowly, then gave me a small nod.

That nod lit something inside me.

“I’ll get someone in to help with the cleaning and setup,” I said quickly.

As expected, her face twitched with protest, so I took her hand gently.

“Mara, we have a corporation to run. And with pack affairs on top of that, we won’t have time to mop floors and dust shelves every day. We’ll still cook when we can-dinners, snacks-but we can’t do everything ourselves. We need help. I promise it won’t be anyone from the Nighthorn mansion.”

She hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. That was enough.

We left the house and locked up, then I took her to a quiet café nearby for lunch. Nothing fancy-just something warm, something simple. She smiled more with each passing minute, and I knew it wasn’t just

the food. It was freedom.

When we got back to the Nighthorn mansion, Mara and I started packing.

We weren’t going to make a grand announcement. We had no intention of telling anyone we were “moving out.” We’d frame it as staying at our holiday house-something temporary. If my father caught wind of a

full move, he’d find a way to drag Tina into it. That couldn’t happen.

Instead, we’d do it in pieces. Gradual. Days here, weeks there. Enough to keep attention away until Tina

gave birth and I had the DNA results in my hands.

Mara called her parents to tell them about the move. She was glowing-really glowing. I hadn’t seen her this light in a long time, and I was determined to protect that glow.

Even if the child Tina was carrying turned out to be mine, there would be no place for her in my life. I’d make sure the baby was cared for. An account, steady support, whatever was necessary. But that was it. The connection would be practical, not emotional.

I wouldn’t let Mara carry the weight of my mistakes. Tina had already done enough damage-manipulating her way into a pregnancy, twisting it into a weapon against us. If I allowed her to stay involved, it would break more than just Mara’s heart. It could break our future-and I wasn’t going to let that happen.

If my father wanted to fight to keep the child in the family, that would be his battle. I wouldn’t be a deadbeat, but I also wouldn’t let guilt destroy my wife. Mara deserved a clean slate. Our children deserved

384 (Lucian’s POV) Ours 2

peace.

*25 Points

Tina worshipped money. With the right offer, she’d walk away. And if she didn’t? Then I’d make sure she had no power left to wield.

Because this-Mara and I-was the only thing that mattered now.

And I was finally ready to protect it like it deserved to be protected.

While Mara and I packed, I received a link from Austin.

“Sir, I need to speak with you. Urgently.”

I excused myself and stepped out, linking him back to ask where he was.

“Tina’s room,” he replied.

My stomach dropped. Was she back from the hospital already?

“No,” he added, sensing my concern. “They haven’t discharged her yet.”

When I walked into the room, Austin was standing by the dresser. Tina’s laptop was open, and next to it were several pill bottles and a few unmarked tablets.

“What is this?” I asked, approaching cautiously.

He shook his head. “Sir… she faked the emergency. Slowed her breathing down using these pills. That’s what caused the spotting. She wasn’t trying to kill herself or the baby. She just wanted to scare you-pull

you in.”

I stared at the pills, stunned.

“She researched it all,” he added, turning the laptop to face me. Her browser history was full of keywords like ‘how to slow heart rate,’ ‘mimic pregnancy complications,’ ‘panic symptoms without harm.”

The extent of her desperation chilled me. She had weaponized fear.

I looked at Austin, genuinely surprised. “Why did you do this?”

He stood a little straighter. “Because Mara is a good woman, sir. And I haven’t seen you this happy since you were twelve. I knew something was wrong-wolves don’t have complications like this. It didn’t make sense. So I searched. I hoped I’d find nothing.”

He hesitated.

“There’s more,” he said.

I braced myself.

“She’s seeing someone. Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s all in her email.” He clicked open the inbox and pointed out a folder of flagged messages.

I sat down by the dresser, sifting through them. Code names. Hotel bookings. Coordinated times. Soft

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threats. Emotional blackmail.

+25 Points

Tina wasn’t just clinging-she was strategizing. This wasn’t obsession. This was a full-blown operation.

Austin leaned in. “I also found her email password in a note in her drafts folder. She probably kept it there

in case she forgot.”

I copied it into my phone.

I was going to log into her account later and dig deeper. As far as I was concerned, this was my key to ending all of it.

Finally, a way out.

I stood, crossed the room-and hugged Austin.

It wasn’t just gratitude. It was relief.

“I’m getting my life back,” I whispered, more to myself than to him.

And this time, I meant it.

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