The Day I Walked Away My Empire Began novel Chapter 282

The mansion was huge, but it was just her and that crazy robot rattling around inside.

By the third day, Lucie was about to lose it. She felt like she was going stir-crazy, trapped within these four walls.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“Mr. Heath, welcome home.”

Finally, the front door swung open.

Steven walked in, arms loaded with shopping bags.

“Put these in the fridge,” he said.

The robot answered, “Okay.”

The second Lucie saw Steven, her whole chest tightened with anger. She glared at him, voice sharp as a blade. “Steven, you’re finally back. Why are you keeping me here? What do you want from me?”

Steven shot her that infuriating, smug grin, shrugged off his suit jacket, and tossed it on the sofa.

“Babe, this isn’t imprisonment. I’m protecting you.”

Lucie lost it. She lunged at him, clawing and hitting. “You’re crazy! Let me out! Let me out right now!”

“You jerk! Why are you doing this to me?”

Steven just stood there, letting her hit him, not even flinching. He didn’t budge until her arms gave out and she was left panting, out of strength.

“Feel better now?” he asked.

Lucie’s eyes burned with fury. “Steven, you’re about to marry someone else, so why are you still keeping me here?”

Steven’s eyes went dark, his expression turning cold. He took a step closer. “I’m marrying Bria because I promised her I’d never let her down.”

“That’s my promise. I have to marry her and take care of her for the rest of her life. I can’t break my word. I can’t fail her.”

Lucie’s heart twisted tighter. “Then go love her! Why won’t you leave me alone?”

He let out a shaky breath, moving even closer, cupping her face gently in his hands. “Because I love you, Lucie. I want you.”

There was something wild in his eyes. His breathing was getting heavy.

Lucie panicked, stumbling back. “Don’t touch me. If you do, I swear I’ll kill myself right in front of you.”

Lucie’s eyes were red and shining with tears. “That was in the past! You destroyed everything between us. You betrayed me first!”

“I didn’t betray you,” Steven shot back, his tone suddenly freezing. “I’m marrying Bria out of duty. My love is reserved for you. Those two things have never conflicted.”

“You don’t get to decide that!” Lucie grabbed a pillow from the sofa and threw it at him. “I don’t want your love. I refuse to be your dirty little secret! Let me go, Steven. Let me go right now!”

Steven caught the pillow and tossed it aside, his grin fading into a cold, dangerous look. “I told you. You’re not leaving. Not unless I’m dead.”

He closed the gap in one stride, yanking her into his arms so tightly she could hardly breathe. “Stay with me. Stop thinking about running away. Stop talking about Elio. Or—”

He stopped, his eyes running over her pale face, his voice full of threat. “I can’t promise I’ll be this gentle next time.”

Lucie’s whole body ached, but she refused to back down. “What, you’re just going to keep me locked up forever?”

“Shh, of course not.”

“I know you hate me because of the baby,” he continued, softer now. “I can make it right. We can have our own child—a baby that’s just ours. When you have our baby, I’ll let you go. I promise.”

“Listen to me, I already talked to the doctors. Right now isn’t the best time for you to get pregnant, but it’s not impossible. I’ll find the best specialists, the best care… just for you…”