From Broken Bride to Tycoon's Trophy Wife

Chapter 9

It wasn't until the last of the guests had left that I noticed Nolan, restrained by two bodyguards in a corner. His hands and feet were tied, and a cloth gagged his mouth, making it impossible for him to speak.

Lucas walked over and removed the cloth from Nolan's mouth. His face turned crimson with anger.

"Is this how you treat your guests?" Nolan growled.

Lucas remained unfazed, replying politely, "My apologies for the poor hospitality, Mr. Wilson. I hope you won't take offense."

Nolan's eyes locked on mine, and there was an unmistakable plea in them.

He spoke with barely contained frustration, "Lily…"

I simply nodded faintly, "Thank you, Mr. Wilson, for attending our wedding."

"And when you get married," I added, "Please be sure to send us an invitation. My husband and I will certainly attend."

As I said "my husband," Lucas gave a slight raise of his eyebrow, and the corner of his mouth quirked into a subtle smile.

Nolan's face contorted in defeat.

"You did this on purpose," he spat, glaring at Lucas. "You wanted me to see Lily marry you with my own eyes. You wanted me to give up completely."

"You're a manipulative bastard!" he added.

Lucas didn't deny it. He smiled shamelessly and replied, "Thanks for the compliment."

Nolan, probably stunned by Lucas's boldness, seemed to lose his grip on his anger for a moment. Then, he turned to tease me.

"So you're the Miss Lily our young Master Lu has been obsessing over," Nolan said.

I smiled and greeted him, "Mr. Sullivan, I've heard so much about you."

He chuckled, taking a sip of his wine. "You wouldn't believe it. Ever since he saw you when you were little, he's mentioned you to us guys from time to time. When you became an artist, he quietly supported all your exhibitions and bought every one of your paintings. He was... really dedicated."

Someone nearby chimed in, "Not just that. Young Master Lu even moved his branch to Harbor City just for her."

Hearing that, everything clicked into place. I finally understood why Lucas was always so attentive, why he'd rushed to the hospital when I had a heart attack. Our connection had started long before I realized.

When Lucas returned to my side, he asked with concern, "What are you thinking about? You look deep in thought."

I turned to him, smiling, "I was just wondering about the first time we met. I can't quite remember it."

Lucas gently pulled me closer, his voice low and full of affection. "A long time ago, there was a little crybaby who always ran to cry under the cherry blossom tree. I was practicing piano upstairs and got annoyed by the noise. I went downstairs to see who could cry for so long... and I ran into you."

Suddenly, it all came rushing back.

"You were that kind big brother who comforted me?" I gasped.

I used to be isolated by friends because of my health issues, and I would often cry under that tree. But there he was, a kind older brother who listened to me and brought me comfort. We had shared many quiet moments, exchanging flowers and pastries.

After all these years, Lucas had grown into such an... irresistible man.

Seeing my surprised expression, Lucas chuckled softly and ruffled my hair. "I watched you adjust to life in Harbor City. You slowly found happiness, even getting together with Nolan. I was upset at first, but as long as you were happy, that was enough for me."

He paused, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "But then I saw you weren't truly happy with him. I wanted you to be happy, so I quietly supported your career and helped you along the way. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore. Seeing Nolan fail to appreciate you, I decided I wanted to keep you by my side and love you properly."

My heart skipped a beat.

After returning to Harbor City, Nolan spiraled into depression. He neglected his business, and his father, furious, beat him with his cane and eventually sent him to the hospital.

As for Wendy, she disappeared for a while. Charlotte told me she'd been spotted picking up trash in the south side of the city, acting erratically, even mentally unstable. Then, a few days later, Charlotte called.

"Lily, you know what?" she said, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"What is it?" I asked, curious.

"I ran into Wendy a few days ago."

Hearing her name, I felt almost detached. Wendy felt like a distant memory now.

"Ugh, she's really in a sad state. She didn't even recognize me. She's still muttering about marrying a rich second-generation heir and being a trophy wife."

"Some homeless guys saw her and took advantage of her. Now she's mentally unstable... and she's over three months pregnant."

I didn't feel any sympathy for Wendy. We're all adults. We make our own choices. I had tried to help her once, but she had betrayed me.

After hanging up, Lucas brought me a late-night snack, a sweet coconut sago dessert.

"Honey, don't overwork yourself. Take a break and enjoy this."

Looking up at Lucas's handsome face, I felt a deep sense of contentment.