The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 72

Chapter 72: 02/18- Engagement is off

A tense silence fell over the group as Lucian took a deep breath, his golden eyes darkening with an intensity none of them had seen before. The air around him shifted, growing thick with an unspoken tension, and then, with a voice filled with unwavering finality, he spoke.

“The engagement is off.”

Aeliana’s heart skipped a beat. She stared at him, blinking in disbelief, as if she had misheard. “What…?” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sudden crackle of thunder in the distance.

Lucian turned to face her fully, his expression set in stone. His usual warmth, the gentle affection he always held for her, was gone—replaced by something cold, distant, and resolved. “I can’t do this anymore, Aeliana,” he continued. “This whole thing—it was arranged for the sake of duty. I convinced myself that it was right, that we could make it work. But the truth is, my heart isn’t in it.”

The sky rumbled ominously above them, dark clouds gathering like an omen of what was to come. Aeliana felt a chill run down her spine as she clutched the fabric of her dress, her fingers tightening around it.

“You don’t mean that,” she said, shaking her head. “Lucian, we’ve always known what was expected of us. We had a plan—”

“A plan forced onto us,” Lucian interrupted, his voice firm. “Aeliana, you deserve more than that. We both do.”

A gust of wind howled through the courtyard, sending loose leaves and petals swirling around them. The storm above was growing stronger, the energy of it pulsing in time with the emotions raging inside of him.

Kael, who had been standing in stunned silence, finally found his voice. “Lucian, think about what you’re saying,” he interjected, stepping forward. “Breaking off an engagement isn’t something you can just decide in the heat of the moment.”

Lucian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “This isn’t the heat of the moment, Kael. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time.” His gaze flickered to Aeliana, and for a brief second, there was something softer in his eyes—regret, perhaps. “I never wanted to hurt you, Aeliana.”

Aeliana took a shaky breath, her throat tightening. “Then why does it feel like you just did?” she whispered.

Lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating their faces in a brief flash of blinding white light. The wind lashed against them, and a low growl of thunder rolled across the heavens like a beast awakened from its slumber.

Skye, who had been lingering nearby, watching the entire ordeal unfold, tilted his head with intrigue. His smirk returned, though it was more knowing than mocking this time. “Well, this just got interesting,” he murmured under his breath.

Leona, standing beside him, cast him a sharp look before turning back to the scene before them. Her heart was heavy as she watched Aeliana struggle to hold herself together.

“You said it yourself, Lucian,” Aeliana finally said, her voice unsteady. “Duty. We have responsibilities. It’s not just about us.”

Lucian’s jaw clenched. “I know. And I’ll fulfill my responsibilities to my people. But I won’t pretend anymore, Aeliana.”

The storm raged on, the wind whipping through his hair as he turned away. The weight of his decision pressed down on him, but for the first time in a long time, he felt like he was breathing freely.

Kael let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing his temples. “Damn it, Lucian. Do you realize what kind of chaos this is going to cause?”

“I’ll deal with it,” Lucian said simply. His golden eyes flickered once more toward Aeliana. “I’m sorry.”

Aeliana stood frozen, her hands trembling at her sides. She had always known Lucian to be a man of conviction, someone who stood firm in his choices. But she had never imagined that conviction would lead him away from her.

The rain began to fall—first as a drizzle, then as a heavy downpour, soaking them all within moments. The sky wept for them, mourning the end of something that was never truly meant to be.

The raindrops began to fall heavily, mingling with the thick tension in the air. Aeliana stood in the storm’s growing fury, her hair plastered to her cheeks, strands sticking to her wet skin as she looked at Lucian in disbelief. His eyes, once warm with affection, now held an intensity that made her chest tighten.

“Tell me the truth, Aeliana,” Lucian demanded, his voice rough and edged with something far more painful than mere anger. The storm around them seemed to echo his turmoil, the thunder rumbling as if the sky itself growled with frustration. “Were you cheating between me and your cousin… what’s his name again? Silvia? Slivo?”

“It’s Silvion,” Aeliana corrected instinctively, her voice barely a whisper over the wind. Immediately, she regretted saying it, realizing how it must have sounded to Lucian.

Lucian’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. “So you remember his name easily enough.” His eyes never left hers, searching for any hint of deception or guilt. “Were you with him, Aeliana? While we were supposed to be building something together, were you with him?”

Aeliana’s mouth opened, words forming but never fully spoken. The question hit her like a physical blow, knocking the breath from her lungs. She wanted to deny it, to tell him that it was all a misunderstanding, but the memory of Silvion’s kiss lingered in the back of her mind like a festering wound.

“I—” she stammered, trying to find the words that would make this all go away. “It wasn’t like that, Lucian. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

“But it did,” Lucian shot back, his tone cold and unforgiving. “Intentions don’t matter when the damage is done. Did you kiss him?”

Aeliana’s shoulders slumped under the weight of his accusation. “I… He kissed me,” she admitted, the confession heavy on her tongue. “But I didn’t—”

“It doesn’t matter who started it,” Lucian interrupted, his eyes flashing with hurt. “The fact remains that it happened. How am I supposed to trust you after this?”

The rain intensified, sheets of water pouring down around them, drenching their clothes and obscuring their vision. But neither of them moved. They stood rooted in place, locked in a confrontation that neither wanted but both needed.

Kael, who had been standing a few paces away, glanced at them anxiously. His usual cheerful demeanor was replaced by a rare, somber expression. He knew better than to interfere in this, but his loyalty to Lucian made it difficult to stay silent.

“Aeliana,” Kael began cautiously, his voice strained. “Is there more to this than you’re telling us? Silvion has always been…different. But you need to be honest now.”

Aeliana felt the weight of their combined judgment bearing down on her, suffocating her in its grip. Her mind raced through every interaction with Silvion—the smiles, the conversations, the stolen moments she now realized had been laced with deception.

“Silvion manipulated me,” she said finally, her voice quivering but steadying with each word. “He played on my insecurities, made me question everything between us, Lucian. I was confused, lost… But I didn’t mean to betray you.”

Lucian’s jaw tightened, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “And yet you did.” The betrayal in his voice was unmistakable, a sharp knife twisting in Aeliana’s chest.

“You don’t understand,” Aeliana pleaded, stepping forward, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Silvion has always had a way with words. He… he made me feel like I wasn’t good enough for you. Like I was only a burden in your life.”

Lucian’s expression softened, the storm in his eyes abating momentarily. “You were never a burden to me,” he said quietly, his voice breaking slightly. “I chose you because I thought we could build something real together. But now, it feels like everything was just a lie.”

“Lucian, please,” Aeliana whispered, reaching out to touch his arm, but he flinched away, her touch now foreign and unwelcome.

“I can’t do this,” Lucian muttered, his voice barely audible over the roaring storm. “I can’t keep pretending that we’re okay when everything is falling apart.”

Kael watched helplessly as Lucian turned away, his heart breaking for his friend. He wanted to fix this, to mend the rift that had formed between them, but he knew this was beyond his reach.

The rain beat down harder, as if the heavens themselves wept for what was lost between them. Lucian took a shaky breath, struggling to keep his emotions in check. “I need time,” he said, not looking back. “Time to think, to figure out what comes next.”

Aeliana’s tears finally spilled over, blending with the rain on her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Lucian,” she choked out, her voice cracking under the weight of her guilt and regret. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

Lucian paused, his back still turned to her. For a moment, it looked like he might say something—something to offer a glimmer of hope. But he remained silent, the unspoken words swallowed by the storm.

Kael approached Aeliana gently, offering her a small, sympathetic nod. “Come on,” he said softly, guiding her away from the scene. “Let’s get you inside. There’s nothing more to be done here tonight.”

As Aeliana allowed Kael to lead her away, she cast one last, longing glance at Lucian. The storm continued to rage around them, a physical manifestation of the chaos and heartbreak that now lay between them.