Page 12 of Forever His Favorite (Possessive Billionaires, Precious Sweethearts #3)

The crowd parted as Lucas forced his way forward until he stood face-to-face with her. And before Emily could even breathe, he grabbed her and pulled her into a crushing hug.

A ripple of gasps ran through the hall. Conversations stopped mid-sentence. Someone near the back whispered, “What’s going on? Didn’t Ms. Crawford just say she’s married to Mr. Graves?”

“Yeah,” another answered, incredulous. “And didn’t she break up with Mr. Cantrell? Why’s he hugging her now—right in front of her husband?”

Sebastian’s jaw clenched until he tasted metal.

Light in his eyes snapped to ice. He closed the gap in a single, controlled step, fingers locking into Lucas’s shoulder like a vice, and with one hard twist ripped Emily free.

He shoved Lucas so hard the man staggered back, boots skidding on the floor. Sebastian’s voice dropped low.

“Mr. Cantrell,” Sebastian bit out, his fury shaking every word. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Lucas staggered back, but his fury only deepened. His eyes burned into Sebastian as he barked, voice raw with possessiveness,

“Your wife? Don’t make me laugh! Emily is my woman. My would-be wife! Why would she ever marry you? I’m the one who stayed by her side for five years. I’m the one who—”

His words faltered, his anger choking into something almost desperate as his gaze snapped to Emily. His tone shifted, dropping lower, trembling with restrained emotion.

“Emily… I’m sorry for what you went through.

I know I was away. I thought it was just a minor fight, that you’d come back.

I should’ve pacified you sooner, but it’s never too late to accept mistakes.

You’re right in front of me now—please…” His voice cracked as he extended his hand toward her. “Come back to me.”

Emily’s eyes stayed cold. “Lucas, there’s nothing for you to pacify.

No fight to fix. No misunderstanding to smooth over.

Our relationship died long before I lay on that operating table and you told me you didn’t care whether I lived or died.

That was when you became nothing to me. If you expect me to come back after that…

” Her words hardened into ice. “…I’d rather be dead. ”

Sebastian froze. His head snapped toward Emily, stunned.

Leon had reported what little he could about Emily’s past with Lucas, but never had Sebastian imagined hearing this. ‘She… died?’ His chest tightened violently, and a faint ringing filled his ears.

Lucas’s face went slack with shock, then scrambled for recovery. He stumbled through apologies and promises, voice fraying.

“I know I ignored you. I treated you wrong. I didn’t listen when it mattered. I can change. Emily, please, give me another chance.” His voice trembled at the end, softer than a whisper, shaking as his hand reached for her once more.

Emily didn’t move.

Taylor, who had stood silently at Lucas’s side until now, finally stepped forward. His voice was calm and pleading as he tried to salvage whatever remained.

“Emily… you don’t know. When you were gone, Lucas did everything he could to bring you back.

He never intended to leave you. He only loves you.

He never touched Amelia. Even when he was frustrated, even when you pushed him away, he never thought of betraying you.

Whenever anyone attacked you or spoke badly of you, he was always the first to protect you. ”

Emily didn’t move, her body stiff, eyes fixed ahead as if Lucas wasn’t even there.

Taylor, who had stood silently at Lucas’s side until now, finally stepped forward. His voice was calm and pleading as he tried to salvage whatever remained.

“Emily, you don’t know. When you were gone, Lucas did everything he could to bring you back.

He never intended to leave you. He only loves you.

He never touched Amelia. Even when he was frustrated, even when you pushed him away, he never thought of betraying you.

Whenever people slandered you, he was always the first to protect you. ”

Dillon, his hands folded in front of him, added quietly from behind, “This is true, Miss Emily. Mr. Cantrell knows he made a terrible mistake, but he truly loves you. You should come back to him instead of dragging this fight any further.”

Lucas’s chest rose and fell in ragged, uneven breaths, each inhale shuddering like a man on the verge of collapse. He stepped closer, eyes locked on Emily.

“Emily,” he whispered, voice raw, trembling with nerves, “if you’re angry, hit me. Hit me as much as you want. I’ll take it. The only thing I want is your forgiveness. I don’t want us to separate.”

Emily stared back at him blankly. “Mr. Cantrell, are you done with your explanation?”

The blunt dismissal hit him like a physical blow. His lips trembled, but desperation surged, and he reached out, gripping her hand with both of his hands digging in as if a drowning man had found a rope.

Sebastian’s body stiffened instantly. Every muscle coiled like steel as his eyes snapped down to Lucas’s hands on Emily. A dangerous, silent warning radiated from him, thick enough to choke the air.

Lucas’s eyes glimmered with a fragile hope, searching Emily’s face. “Emily… so… do you forgive me?”

“Forgiveness?” Emily repeated softly, the word sharp and deliberate, hovering like a blade. For a heartbeat, a flicker of softness crossed her features—just enough to make Lucas’s chest rise with relief. Gratitude and longing clawed at him, tears stinging the corners of his eyes.

The blunt dismissal landed like a physical blow.

Lucas’s lips trembled, but he forced himself on.

Desperation seized him; he reached out, gripping her hand with both of his, clutching as if a drowning man had found a rope.

His fingers pressed into her skin, knuckles white, his entire body leaning forward.

Sebastian went rigid at once, his body jerking as his eyes snapped down to Lucas’s grip on Emily. A dangerous silence radiated from him.

Lucas, eyes shining with hope, searched Emily’s face. “Emily… so… do you forgive me?”

“Forgiveness?” Emily tilted her head just slightly, a faint shadow of softness flashing across her face—enough to fool Lucas for a heartbeat. Relief surged through him; he exhaled shakily, tears prickling his eyes, chest rising and falling unevenly, gratitude choking him.

Sebastian’s jaw tightened further, the subtle clench of his fists betraying the storm inside him.

Then Emily’s words shattered the fragile moment. “I do not want to accept your apology, Mr. Cantrell.”

She jerked her hand out of his grip, ripping away from him. Lucas stumbled back in shock, his face blanching.

Immediately, Sebastian reached for her hand—the one Lucas had touched—and wiped it carefully with his own. The gesture was possessive, protective, and a clear slap in Lucas’s face.

The sight made Lucas’s lips curl, fury and fear twisting his expression. He took a few agitated steps toward Sebastian, rage boiling in his veins.

But Emily’s voice stopped him cold.

“I remember the things you said. You told me that all I did was create drama, and issues in your life. That I was nothing but a bother. That I was never good enough for you.”

Lucas froze mid-step. He swallowed hard, forcing his expression into something steadier, though pain clawed mercilessly at his chest. His gaze dropped helplessly to her hand that was safely enclosed in Sebastian’s grasp.

“Yes…” he admitted hoarsely. “Back then, I really thought you were lying. Creating problems for me out of jealousy. Stalking me, sending photographs, twisting everything. I didn’t want to deal with more issues after work.

I told myself Amelia was the rightful owner of those designs. And I blamed you.”

His voice cracked, raw with regret, his eyes pleading. “But after you left, I realized how wrong I was. Everything I thought, everything I imagined, was worthless. Because even if I lose everything—my company, my reputation, my work—I cannot lose you, Emily.”

“Emily… I have everything in the world,” he whispered, voice low, almost breathless. “And I’d give it all up just to spend my life with you. Please… come back.”

Emily stared at him, unflinching. A bitter smile ghosted across her lips.

“Firstly, I was never the one stalking you, Lucas. The photographs you saw? Every single one of them was delivered to me at your house—by someone else. Someone like Amelia, perhaps? Sending them just to keep me updated on your perfect, loving relationship.”

Lucas’s body stiffened like stone.

Emily’s eyes hardened as she went on. “But since you never believed me before, I don’t expect you to believe me now. It doesn’t even matter anymore. What matters is—we’re already over. We broke up. Nothing you say makes sense anymore. I already have a husband.”

Lucas’s voice erupted, jagged and trembling with rage. “Then divorce him and marry me!”

His body trembled violently, veins standing out at his temples, chest heaving as if he could barely contain himself. His face twisted, caught between anguish and rage, breaking apart with every word.

“We were together for five years, Emily. Five damn years!” he shouted, voice cracking.

“All that time, you were in love with me. You gave me everything! And now you want me to believe you’re just—over me?

That fast?” His eyes burned, wild and disbelieving as he jabbed a shaking finger toward Sebastian.

“You married him right after breaking up with me! How much do you even know about him?! About his family?”

Emily’s eyes turned to steel.

“It’s been five years of me being stupid. I treated you like you were my whole world. But you’re not anymore. It’s that simple! I don’t have feelings for you. The only thing I want now is for you to stop bothering me.”

She didn’t wait for his reply. Her head turned, her features softening instantly as her eyes met Sebastian’s. “Sebastian, I want to go home.”

At once, Sebastian slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her firmly against him.

His body closed protectively around hers.

Together, they began to walk away. But before they could take more than a few steps, Lucas’s lips curled in agitation.

He lurched forward, blocking their path with his body.

“Your feelings,” he rasped. “How can they just change out of the blue? Just because you say they’ve changed? How could you not have any feelings for me?”

Emily’s voice was low, her patience thinning. “Lucas, I just need you to get out of my way right now.”

His voice cracked, trembling, falling into something delicate. “Obviously, I am the one you love the most. I’m the one you couldn’t sleep without. I’m the one you couldn’t imagine your life without! How can you just find a strange man and marry him?”

His eyes snapped to Sebastian, dark with doubt. He pointed at him, his voice suddenly rising with fury. “Did he threaten you with something? Did he force you?”

Emily’s anger finally flared. “Lucas! Enough with your fantasies.” She took a step closer, her chest heaving. “Yes—I couldn’t live without you back then.Every day when I opened my eyes, I was there for you. I cared about every word you said, every move you made.”

Her voice broke, but she pushed harder. “And what did you do? You took all of that for granted and played with my feelings. You were cold to me, indifferent to my pain. What right do you have to question me now?”

Her voice grew harder, but she pressed on, her voice growing sharper with each memory.

“You didn’t even have the courage to end our relationship. You called me a liar, a drama. You painted me as a delusional woman who only imagined being your girlfriend for five years.”

Her lips trembled, her voice rising. “And what did I get? Not even the ring that would’ve made me your wife. Do you remember? How quickly you told your mother I wasn’t good enough? That I didn’t deserve you—even after living with you for five years?”

Lucas’s jaw clenched, his hands shaking, but Emily didn’t let him breathe.

“Did you forget how Amelia insulted me? When I slapped her, you defended her instead of me. When I told you she was stealing—you chose her anyway. And when I was dying, when I called for you…” She drew in a shaky breath. “You didn’t care at all.”

Lucas’s hands were trembling violently now, his lips pressed tight as if the words themselves stabbed into him. His head pounded, his chest heaving, and yet Emily’s voice rose once more, sharp with finality.

“So now, don’t you think it’s ridiculous? That you’re standing here, telling me I’m wrong for choosing another man over you when you gave me nothing in those five years?”

His breath came ragged, his chest rising and falling. Emily’s voice dropped, but her words were merciless. “I should’ve left sooner. That’s the part that hurts. Not that I walked away, but that I wasted so many years waiting for you to see me.”

Silence pressed between them, heavy and suffocating. Emily’s gaze softened, though her tone didn’t spare him.

“I loved you too much to walk away. I didn’t have the courage to walk away from a man I loved so dearly. And because of that, I ended up sinking further and further into a pit of darkness… where the only one who ever heard my voice… the only one who listened to my feelings… was me.”