My Stepbrother Wants Me-Chapter 142: Marry Lucy

Julian’s POV 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

I stood at the entrance of the event hall, the cold air hitting my face but doing nothing to lower the temperature of my blood. My chest felt tight. Every second I stood there, I felt like the floor was falling out from under me. I wanted to turn back around, find that guy, and finish what I started, but the noise of the gala behind me reminded me I was still a prisoner of this event.

"Julian! There you are!"

Lucy appeared out of the crowd, her face lit up with the fake, practiced glow for the cameras. Before I could move, she threw her arms around my neck, pulling me into a hug.

"Where have you been? Everyone is asking for the man of the hour," she whispered into my ear, even as a whisper, her voice still made my stomach turn.

I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed her forearms and shoved her away from me. It wasn’t a gentle push; she stumbled back a step, and her eyes flashed with shock. I stepped toward her, my voice dropping into a low tone.

"Enough of the pretence, Lucy," I said, making sure my words were sharp enough to cut. "No one is watching right now. There are no cameras in this hallway. Keep your hands off me and stop acting like this is real."

Her mouth thinned into a hard line. "You’d better watch your tone, Julian. We have an image to maintain, you never know who is watching."

"Julian! Lucy! Excellent, you’re both here."

Richard stepped out from the ballroom, followed closely by Lisa. He looked energized, his eyes scanning the hallway with the precision of a man who had just won a war. He adjusted his suit jacket and looked at me.

"We’ve been looking for you," his tone left no room for argument. "The car is out front. It’s time to go. We’ve done enough tonight to secure the narrative for the next month."

I stayed silent, not wanting to look at him. I didn’t want to speak to him. If I opened my mouth, I was afraid I’d say something that would end with me crossing the line. I just stared at the floor, my hands balled into fists at my sides.

"Well? Move it," Richard commanded.

I didn’t move. I felt a wave of nausea at the thought of being trapped with him and Lucy for the next thirty minutes. "Where’s Gabriel?" I asked, my voice tight.

Richard checked his watch. "Gabriel brought his own car. He’ll leave when he’s ready. He’s probably still with his friends."

"And Catherine?" I forced the name out, trying to sound indifferent, though the thought of her out there with Dante was tearing me apart. "Is she coming with us?"

Richard gave a dismissive shrug. "Gabriel will bring her home. They’re both adults, Julian. They don’t need a chaperone. Now, get in the car."

The unfairness of it hit me like a physical blow. Gabriel got to drive himself. Catherine got to stay behind and do whatever she wanted with that tattooed stranger. But I was being herded like cattle. I was the one being squeezed into a limo to play house with a girl I didn’t want.

"I don’t feel like going home yet either," I said, looking my father in the eye. "I’ll stay. I’ll catch a ride back with Gabriel later. You guys go ahead."

Richard stopped and turned fully toward me, his expression shifting from triumphant to lethal. He stepped closer until he was inches from my face. I could see the fine lines of rage around his eyes.

"That is impossible," Richard said, each word hitting like a hammer. "Lucy is going with us. What do you think the people will say if they find out that the latest couple in town, the ’success story’ of the night, didn’t even leave the gala together? Use your head for once, Julian. This is about optics. This is about the plan. You are getting in that car."

I looked at Lisa, but she was staring at the wall, her face holding a blank mask. She wouldn’t help me. She was now a friend of my dad.

I swallowed hard, the taste of my own resentment was bitter in my throat. I didn’t have a choice, not like I ever had one. I turned and walked toward the entrance, the heavy glass doors being held open by staff members who were no doubt watching our every move.

The limo was waiting at the curb. I climbed into the back, sliding as far into the corner as I could. Lisa got in next, sitting silently, followed by Lucy, who sat right in the middle, her dress ruffling against my legs. Richard climbed in last, taking the seat opposite us.

As the car pulled away from the curb, Richard leaned back and let out a long, satisfied sigh.

"Magnificent," he began, looking at me and then Lucy. "The press is already buzzing as usual. That apology on stage, the reconciliation... it was perfect. You did well, Julian. Your performance was convincing enough to quiet the skeptics."

I stared out the window, watching the lights of the city blur into long, white streaks. I didn’t say a word. All I could see was Catherine’s face when I’d pulled that guy away from her. I couldn’t stop thinking about what they were doing right now. Was he driving her home? Was he taking her somewhere else? The thought of his hands on her, of him calling her his ’girlfriend,’ made my pulse throb in my temples.

"I agree," Lucy’s annoying voice sounded like noise in the quiet car. She reached out and patted my knee. I moved my leg away, but she didn’t seem to care. "I think we really turned a corner tonight. People love a redemption story."

"They do," Richard agreed, nodding. He looked at me with a predatory glint in his eyes. "In fact, I was thinking tonight... if we maintain this momentum, we should start thinking about the long term. If you and Lucy keep this up, I hope you two can eventually get married. It would solidify the Foundation’s image permanently. It would be the ultimate power move for this family."

The words hit me like a bucket of ice water. I looked at him, my mouth slightly open. I wanted to laugh, but the look on his face told me he wasn’t joking. He was serious. He was ready to plan my wedding to a woman just to protect his own reputation.

"Marry Lucy?" I repeated, my voice cracking.

"Why not?" Richard said, shrugging. "You’re both young, you’re both from the right circles. It makes sense. It would end any lingering gossip about your character, Julian. It would show the world you’re a man of stability."

I looked at Lucy. She was smiling, her eyes fixed on my father. She wasn’t surprised. She probably knew he was going to say it. She was probably in on it.

I turned my head back to the window, my heart beating. My father was doing everything in his power to trap me. He was matching me with Lucy like I was a piece of furniture he was moving into a room. I realized then that it wasn’t just about tonight. It was about my entire life. He was trying to erase Catherine from my world and replace her with this, and the worst part was, I didn’t know how to stop him without destroying everyone I cared about.