CHAPTER 39: HIS RAGE

RAPHAEL’S POV

The moment the will was read, something inside me snapped. All the years I’d spent proving myself, every deal, every sacrifice, every sleepless night reduced to a joke. Gregor ended up favouring Lucien. Lucien. The reckless bastard who’d never lifted a damn finger for this family.

My vision blurred with rage. I barely heard the rest of the lawyer’s speech. My hands trembled against the table, jaw aching from how hard I was clenching it. This wasn’t justice. It was a mockery. It was Gregor’s final punishment.

Lucien just sat there, relaxed, smirking like he already knew how much it burned. Every tilt of his mouth was deliberate, each one meant to push me further.

I should’ve walked away. But when he opened his mouth, I saw red. He just kept on edging. I knew he was doing this deliberately.

Lucien has always been this way since we were children. Always taking advantage of my flaws, my anger issues like he wanted everyone to know he wasn’t the only flawed one.

God, I knew I should not listen to him. I knew Braelyn was scared of my rage, which I had been controlling for years, but I couldn’t stop myself, and that was what he wanted.

The next thing I knew, my fist connected with his jaw. The impact sent him sprawling into the antique shelf behind him. Glass shattered. My pulse roared in my ears. I didn’t care who shouted my name, Ronan, Natalia, Olivia it was all noise.

Lucien stood back up, blood dripping down his chin. He laughed, low and taunted. "Go on," he said, spreading his arms. "Hit me again. Let her see the monster she married. It won’t change a thing."

Monster. I was the monster. He, of all people, knew who the monster was between us.

My hands shook. He wanted me to lose control. He wanted to humiliate me.

I barely noticed Braelyn until she was in front of me, her voice breaking through the haze. "Raphael!"

My brain froze as my mind drifted to the winter night. She pleaded with that same voice begging me to stop.

She stepped between us, her hands on my chest, trembling but firm. My heart hammered under her palms. My heart skipped painfully, and for a moment, I didn’t breathe. "Raphael, please, you promised..." His voice shook before her eyes snapped to Lucien.

"Stop! Both of you!" She was small compared to us. But the strength her petite frame had that no one else in this room possessed. She glanced back at him, as she struggled to breathe

Her eyes were wide, locked with mine, and it was enough to pull me back. But my arm was already mid-swing. I had to twist hard, the movement tearing something in my shoulder just to stop myself in time. The pain shot down my arm, white-hot.

I think I dislocated my shoulder, my hand fell limp at my side while I held my shoulder, gritting my teeth in pain.

"Braelyn, are you out of your mind?"Lucien rushed forward, pulling her behind him, his hand resting on her shoulder protectively. He didn’t care about the crowd, all that mattered to him was her.

She shook her head. "No, I’m fine. Just stop fighting." She muttered reaching out for his face that was bruised.

He leaned towards her touch while her delicate fingers traced his face. She whimpered, a tear rolling down her face. "I should be asking you the same question. Why didn’t you fight back?" She snapped at him

He laughed a smile naturally gracing his lips. "I can’t let you see that side of me." She was stunned. I gritted my teeth finally understanding his game.

"That’s careless of you." She hissed.

That was when the real fire hit my chest. Why the hell was she standing there for him? Why did she have to protect him of all people?

I stared at her, my wife shielded by the same man who’d just spat venom in my face. Although Lucien didn’t fight back he was a skilled fighter and avoided the major blows. His injuries weren’t worse than my shoulder.

She didn’t even spare me another look. That’s when it finally hit me. She risked herself to protect him.

Lucien wiped the blood from his mouth and scoffed. "You’re lucky your wife’s here," he said coolly. "She just saved you from looking like an even bigger fool."

"Don’t," I hissed, my voice shaking with fury. "Don’t you dare talk about her."

Lucien tilted his head, that infuriating smirk curving again. "Why not? Everyone already knows you don’t treat her like a wife anyway."

The room fell silent, every breath heavy, every gaze snapping toward us.

"Lucien," I warned, but my voice lacked conviction. He’d already thrown the match.

He leaned lazily against the table, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Or should I remind everyone about your little arrangement? The one where your marriage isn’t exactly... exclusive?"

A sharp chill ran down my spine. Braelyn’s gaze flickered. She shot him a warning look, but he didn’t stop.

Lucien’s tone turned calm "Ten years, wasn’t it? That’s how long you plan to train her in this nightmare.." I drew in a deep breath to calm my nerves. Don’t fall for it again, I warned myself.

He finally said the secret everyone pretended not to know. "Lucien please stop," Braelyn begged him. His jaw clenched.

I clenched my fists. "You don’t know what you’re talking about."

Lucien’s smirk deepened, eyes flicking between me and Braelyn. "Oh, I know enough."

"What is all the drama about?" Olivia chirped in after giving us a round of applause. "So what if it is an open marriage? You want him to cling to her while you steal his inheritance. Was that your plan all along?" She stated.

"Olivia please. This is between them." Mum intervened. Then glanced at Braelyn and me.

"Please, today is already a lot. Let’s all take a break." She said as her eyes fell on Lucien’s hand holding Braelyn’s.

"Can we all stop pretending..." Olivia sneered, I told myself to breathe until..

Ronan’s voice thundered suddenly. "Enough! This isn’t the time or the place."

But it was already too late.

The silence that followed felt endless, suffocating. I could barely look at Braelyn. Her eyes shimmered with something that stung disappointment.

Lucien had won this round, and he knew it.

I didn’t want to hear it anymore. I walked straight towards him then yanked Braelyn from his hold. "You’ll regret this," I muttered, voice low before storming off.

Lucien’s laugh was quiet but sharp. "I would love to see you make me." his voice rang behind me.