Claiming What is Mine

My arms trembled as I clutched the invitation. The call "Lucas Blackwell" stared lower back at me like a ghost from my past. My ex-husband. The guy who shattered my coronary heart five years in the past, with out a second thought. Five years of silence, of looking to overlook, of looking to move on, and now this-a sudden invitation to the Grand Charity Gala, hosted with the aid of him.

I flung the cardboard onto the kitchen counter, my heart racing in my chest. What did he want? Why now, in the end this time? Just seeing his name stirred a whirlwind of emotions that I'd worked so difficult to bury-anger, pain, betrayal. He had broken me in each manner viable, ripped aside the life I notion we had been building collectively, and now he become trying to tug me lower back into his world, as if none of it mattered.

The recollections came rushing returned, uninvited, like a flood I couldn't prevent. I should still see his cold, emotionless face the day he walked out on me. I ought to nevertheless sense the load of the silence that accompanied, as if the universe itself had collapsed round me. All the love, all of the accept as true with, crumbled into dust in a unmarried second once I observed the truth. He had betrayed me in the worst feasible manner, and I hadn't been the equal considering the fact that.

My cellphone buzzed, pulling me returned to the prevailing. I glanced at the screen, a textual content from Sarah lighting up: "Are you going to the gala this night? It's gonna be huge!!!"

I stared at the message, anger growing in my chest. Huge? For who? Sarah had no idea what this invitation meant to me. For her, it become simply any other fancy event, another night time to dress up and community with the elite. For me, it was a reminder of the worst time in my existence. Of the man who had torn me aside and left me to pick up the pieces by myself.

I paced the kitchen, trying to shake off the typhoon of emotions swirling interior me. I had rebuilt myself after Lucas. I had spent years mastering a way to live with out him, learning a way to be sturdy once more. But the scars have been nonetheless there, hidden under the floor. And now, all of a sudden, he wanted me to attend his occasion. What became this? Some twisted sport to remind me of the whole thing he'd carried out? Or worse-become he looking to make amends?

I picked up the invitation again, obvious at it as though it could someway provide me solutions. The Grand Charity Gala. At the same venue wherein I'd hosted my first huge event. I may want to nonetheless take into account that night time-the manner Lucas had looked at me with pride, the manner I'd felt so confident, so certain of our destiny collectively. I have been so naïve.

The ache of that reminiscence hit me tough, making my stomach twist. The thought of being within the same room as him once more made me sense unwell. But on the identical time, a part of me burned with curiosity. What did Lucas want? Was this just a manner to flaunt his fulfillment, or turned into he surely seeking to make an apology?

I took a deep breath and stared out the window. Maybe I had to face him. Maybe I needed to expose him that I wasn't the equal broken lady he'd left at the back of. If Lucas wanted to dig up the past, I could be geared up for him.

That night, I determined myself taking walks into the grand venue. My heart pounded in my chest as I stepped through the doors, the red carpet glittering under my ft. Flashing cameras, humans mingling, the top crust of society accrued in a single area. It turned into the entirety I had once loved, however this night, I felt like an intruder.

I spotted him almost right away, status across the room. Lucas Blackwell. He looked exclusive, taller, more implementing. His darkish hair was perfectly groomed, his sharp blue eyes scanning the room. When his gaze landed on me, he froze for a moment, as though he hadn't expected to look me. Then, he commenced walking toward me, his stride confident but careful, as though he wasn't positive how I'd react.

"Emma," he stated while he reached me, his voice soft and almost hesitant.

I held my head excessive, determined no longer to allow him see the impact he nevertheless had on me. "Lucas."

There become a moment of silence among us, heavy with the weight of the whole thing unsaid. I could sense the curious stares from people nearby, but I didn't care. All that mattered turned into the person standing in front of me-the man who had once been my the whole lot, and then became the source of my deepest pain.

"I'm happy you came," Lucas ultimately stated, his voice gentle.

I crossed my fingers, trying to hold my emotions in take a look at. "Why am I right here, Lucas?"

He sighed, his eyes looking mine. "I've been trying to peer you. I... I want to apologize, Emma. For everything."

I stared at him, the words nearly incomprehensible. An apology? After all this time? After the years of silence, of pretending I didn't exist? Anger flared inner me, but there was some thing else too-something softer, some thing I didn't want to well known. A flicker of the antique emotions we had once shared.

"And you think an apology will repair everything?" I asked, my voice bloodless.

"I comprehend it's no longer enough," he stated, his tone honest. "But I've modified. I've had a lot of time to reflect, and I want to make things right."

I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. He thought a few words could erase the pain he'd induced? The betrayal? "You can't simply stroll again into my existence like this, Lucas. You don't get to decide when things are 'right.'"

"I'm now not anticipating forgiveness right away," he said fast. "I simply... I need you to recognize that I'm here, and I'm willing to do anything it takes to make up for what I did."

The feelings swirling inner me had been too much-anger, confusion, a flicker of something near wish. I didn't understand what to think. Part of me desired to lash out, to make him experience the ache he had triggered. But some other a part of me, the element that also remembered the coolest times, desired to consider him. Wanted to trust that perhaps, just maybe, he had modified.

"I'll reflect onconsideration on it," I stated finally, my voice tight. "But don't assume for a 2d that this is going to be clean."

Lucas nodded, relief flickering in his eyes. "I understand. I'll wait as long as you want, Emma. I'm no longer going everywhere."

I didn't reply. Instead, I turned and walked away, weaving through the crowd of visitors. My heart changed into nonetheless racing, my mind a whirlwind of mind. Lucas had come lower back into my existence like a typhoon, threatening to rip down the entirety I had worked so tough to rebuild.

I mingled with the visitors, looking to consciousness at the event, but my thoughts saved drifting lower back to Lucas. Every time I glanced across the room, he become there, watching me. The confident, smug guy I had once cherished seemed so extraordinary now-so prone, so complete of remorse.

As the night wore on, I wanted a ruin. The emotional weight of the night changed into too much. I slipped outdoor to the balcony, letting the cool night air wash over me. The city lighting fixtures twinkled below, a stark assessment to the hurricane of feelings raging inner me.

I leaned in opposition to the railing, last my eyes for a moment, seeking to regular my thoughts. But I couldn't escape Lucas's words, his apology, the way he had looked at me with such sincerity.

"Emma," his voice interrupted my mind, smooth and careful.

I grew to become to locate him standing there, watching me with the ones piercing blue eyes. "What do you want now, Lucas?"

"I simply... I wanted to provide you area earlier, but I need you to understand I'm severe," he stated, stepping closer. "I've made errors, and I recognise I harm you. But I'm willing to do anything it takes to make it right."

I sighed, feeling the burden of his words choose my shoulders. "This isn't something you can simply restoration with some words. You broke me, Lucas. I need time to figure out what I want."

"I apprehend," he stated softly. "And I'll provide you with all of the time you need. But simply recognize that I'm right here, and I'm not giving up."

I didn't recognize a way to respond to that. I wasn't geared up to forgive him, however there was some thing in his voice, in his eyes, that made me wonder if perhaps, simply perhaps, there was a chance for some thing new.

"I'll think about it," I stated, my voice slightly above a whisper.

Lucas nodded, stepping back to offer me area. "Take some time, Emma. I'll be ready."

As I turned back in the direction of the gala, I couldn't help however marvel what the destiny held. Lucas had come crashing returned into my existence, bringing with him all the ache of the past.