The True Heiress Reborn And Slays (Alicia Delaney) novel Chapter 332

he competing proposals from several suung

improvement.

The atmosphere in the boardroom was so thick with tension you could almost taste it.

Yet under all that pressure, Riley turned things around with a strategy that was not only visionary and meticulously detailed, but also backed by clear logic and delivered with compelling conviction.

She confidently addressed every challenge raised by the competitors, and in the end, secured yet another major contract for Ashford Group.

Thunderous applause filled the room. Lucas watched Riley on stage, surrounded by flashing cameras, and for the first time, a clear thought formed in his mind.

She carried a different kind of grace than Sophia–one that intrigued him.

Almost foolishly, it dawned on him that he genuinely wanted to get to know her better.

Later, when his grandfather asked if he’d like to attend the celebration party Riley’s department was throwing, Lucas didn’t hesitate. He accepted gladly.

From that point on, he began actively seeking her out. Using his status as the Ashford heir, he seized every opportunity to spend time with her.

He learned to speak sweetly, plan romantic gestures, and even dropped the formal heir persona–sending flowers, picking her up after work, and checking in on her like any regular guy trying to win someone

over.

Back then, he put genuine effort into winning Riley over, but not out of real affection. In his mind, she was to become a shield–a cover to protect his ongoing relationship with Sophia from his grandfather’s notice.

He even naively believed that once Riley became Mrs. Ashford on paper, he could secure his position within Ashford Group and silence any lingering doubts for good.

Day after day, as he spent time with Riley, the truth of his betrayal stayed buried.

Even later, when he and Sophia quickly had Jeremy, he didn’t hold back–continuing the charade without restraint.

He grew comfortable in his own web of lies, smugly assuming that once his inheritance was locked down and he had enough influence to control everything, he could smoothly manage both women without consequence.

But he was wrong.

He didn’t want to let go of either. He clung tightly to both, and in doing so, created the very chaos he now faced.

Now everything was crumbling around him, and there he stood–right in the center of the flames, burning

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Lucas‘ heart hammered hard against his ribs, each beat echoing with regret and pain.

He closed his eyes. Riley’s face–glowing under the spotlight–overlapped in his mind with the cold, disappointed look she wore now.

Each memory cut like a blade, torturing the love that had come far too late.

And he knew he deserved it.

Lucas remained in the study for what felt like an eternity.

So long that the daylight shifted from bright to a soft golden hour, then slowly dissolved into dusk.

In the growing darkness, his face flickered between shadow and light as an internal war raged on.

On one side stood Riley–in her element, steering Ashford Group to success, alongside those rare moments of gentleness that now made his chest ache.

That was his love–belated but fierce–the warmth he wanted to fight for with everything he had.

On the other side was the paralyzing fear of losing it all.

No luxury cars, no estate, no sycophants following his every move, no Ashford heir aura–just becoming the laughingstock of Havenbrook, left with nothing.

In the end, love lost to self–preservation.

Back then, he had hidden Sophia–the woman he claimed to love–in the shadows and used Riley to secure his place as heir.

Now, to hold onto everything he had, he was prepared to let Riley go once again.

Exhausted, Lucas closed his eyes and rationalized in his mind.

It’s okay, this is only temporary. Once my position is secure, once this storm passes, I’ll find a way to win her back. A little hurt now in exchange for a comfortable future for her… She’ll understand.

The thought filled him with sharp self–disgust, but it also acted like a numbing agent, allowing his strained nerves to relax, if only briefly.

He rose, his joints stiff from sitting too long.

After straightening his slightly wrinkled shirt, his expression smoothed back into calm composure–as though the man tormented by regret moments before had been just an illusion.

Pushing open the study door, he prepared to go inform his grandfather of his decision.

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