Chapter 7
“H–hi.”
6
I stammered, phone still pressed to my ear.
Mom’s voice rang out on the other end.
“Hello? Sweetheart? You there?”
Lucian stepped forward and calmly hit the speakerphone button.
“Ma’am, I’ve picked up Sloane.”
The clean scent of lime from his shirt filled the air-
I instinctively stepped back.
“Careful.”
He caught me gently, smiling as he steadied me.
For a moment, I just… froze.
Then I looked at my phone.
The call had already ended.
“You must be exhausted.”
Lucian took my suitcase, so polite it threw me off.
I nodded and followed along quietly.
We’d just met, and neither of us really knew what to say.
San Francisco isn’t a big city, but every square inch costs a fortune.
By rush hour, even luxury cars crawl like turtles.
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Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrying Your Rival
Chapter 7
‘Cold?”
He finally broke the silence.
blinked.
No. Not at all.”
Compared to the frozen hell I lived in with Jace up north,
his place was practically summer.
Jine years of cold basements, leaky roofs,
No heat in winter, no AC in summer.
never dared to suggest moving-
Didn’t want to bruise Jace’s fragile ego.
So I just grinned and bore it.
But some men?
hey’re fine with struggle…
As long as they’re not sharing the success.
What’re you thinking about?”
.ucian’s warm voice pulled me back.
Suddenly, thinking about Jace in my fiancé’s car felt wrong.
But I figured he deserved to know a bit of the truth.
I, uh… actually…”
I know.”
Lucian turned the wheel, and we pulled into Pacific Heights.
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Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrying Your Rival
ភ
2
Chapter 7
“Jace.”
He said the name like he knew it too well.
My face burned.
It was like he’d peeked into my messy past.
Then he added, calm and firm,
“His company’s mediocre.”
“He’s mediocre. You deserve better.”
I blinked, then gave an awkward smile.
“Yeah… I was young and dumb.”
He glanced at me.
“Shame I didn’t know you back then.”
The car rolled to a stop in front of a massive house.
I followed his voice, looked up-
and met those gentle eyes of his.
I’d only ever dated Jace.
He was always intense, loud, driven by ego and impulse.
Lucian… was the opposite.
But I couldn’t get carried away.
This wasn’t love.
It was an arrangement.
So I gave a polite smile and followed him inside.
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Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrying Your Rival
5.3%
Chapter 7
My mom and Lucian’s parents were already waiting.
Mom rushed over, hugging me tight.
She whispered,
“The lawyers are already, negotiating to pull out the funding from Jace’s startup.”
Of course they were.
That’s my mom–efficient and ruthless.
I gave her a thumbs up and smiled.
The wedding was set for the next day.
It wasn’t nerves that kept me up that night.
It was the schedule-
The fittings, the rehearsals, the makeup trials.
By morning, my stylist arrived to get me ready.
Funny,
I’d begged for a wedding for nine years.
Now, suddenly, I had one.
Turns out, getting married is easy-
If the guy actually wants it.
I didn’t know Lucian well,
But I could already tell–he wasn’t a bad man.
He was calm, thoughtful, and respectful.
After getting into my dress,
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Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrying Your Rival
5.5%
Chapter 7
I stepped outside, and there he was.
In a tailored tux, looking even better than before.
I couldn’t help myself-
“Why are you marrying me?”
“We barely even know each other.”
Lucian smiled, like he’d been waiting for me to ask.
“We’ve got a lifetime to change that.”
15:03
