CHAPTER 410

She left without any hesitation.

Lucian got up and tried to go after her, but the world started spinning, and he lost his bearing. He staggered sideways and leaned on the wall to steady himself. When he refocused his gaze, Caitlin was already gone.

He tried to look for her, but a tall, handsome man stopped him. "Hold it. It's a private office from here on out. No entrance."

Lucian knew full well that the owner of this place was powerful beyond his imagination, so he turned and left, but his head was still spinning and throbbing.

He left the law office, but Lucian had no idea where to go next. He used to have the Owens and Caitlin to go home to. They were his family.

The Owen couple eventually died, and Caitlin hated his guts, but at least he still had his mother and half-brother. At least he still had a home and family.

But now the Owens were dead, Caitlin still hated him, while his mother became the one who caused the Owens' deaths.

It was a big world, but he had no place to call home. Agony and sorrow engulfed him, and he thought his life was a big joke. He stiffly got in his car and drove all the way to the Owen couple's final resting place.

Lucian got some flowers and items for a tribute at the base of the hill. He trekked up the hill and knelt

before the Owen couple's graves despite how tormented his soul felt just from facing them. Lucian kept kneeling until the skies turned dark. It was as if Lucian had turned into a statue. His bodyguard who came with him almost couldn't feel his legs, but still Lucian didn't move.

Young Master Lucian seems really distraught, and he doesn't seem to be in the best state of health either. Worried that he might fall, he quietly went aside and called Jared to tell him about Lucian's condition.

Jared said, "Keep an eye on him and don't let anything happen. I'll be there in a minute."

Half an hour later, he and Theodore came to the scene and pulled Lucian up from the ground.

Lucian didn't even manage to get up. His friends felt him fall like a rock, and his bodyguard shouted, "Young Master Lucian!"

Jared and Theodore quickly checked on him, but their friend was as white as paper, and his eyes were closed. He fainted.

That shocked them. Jared quickly placed a finger under Lucian's nose to check his breath. "It's alright. He just forgot to breathe for a moment."

"I'll take him on my back." Lucian's bodyguard bent over.

Jared and Theodore placed their friend on the bodyguard's back, and they acted as support as Lucian was taken down the hill.

He woke up when they got to the base, but it seemed like a part of him was missing. He kept staring out the window into the distance, though his eyes were devoid of any emotion.

Lucian's friends were worried about him. They tried to ask him what happened, but Lucian ignored them and remained silent.

Jared and Theodore stopped pushing him for answers. Once they got to his place, they made him take some IV infusions and pushed him into the bathroom. "You take a shower and ease up a bit. We'll talk once you come back out."

They closed the door and quickly asked the bodyguard, "What happened to him?"

A frown knitted Tucker's brows, but he told the gentlemen what happened.

Jared and Theodore exchanged a look.

A long while later, Jared heaved a sigh. "I knew Mr. Owen wasn't the killer. He was a man among men, and a kind soul at that too. He would never kill his friend."

"That was what we all said, but did he listen? No!" Theodore sighed as well. "He only believed what he heard. When Mr. Owen said he let Lucian's father down, that guy thought Mr. Owen was the killer. Honestly, Mr. Owen should have made things clearer too. Lucian wouldn't have taken it the wrong way, and none of this would have happened."

Jared shot him a look. "Tell that to Caitlin and you'll lose a friend in one second."

"Why would I do that to her after she's bereaved?" Theodore shook his head. "I know that's not the

right thing to say, but I just feel sorry for them. Mr. and Mrs. Owen were good people, but now they're dead. Not like the Owens are a big family. Now that Mr. Owen and the servants are gone, only Caitlin alone is left. I sympathize with her."

"Yeah." Jared sighed once more. "I wished he never listened to Josiah."

Hindsight was twenty-twenty. The tragedy had taken place, and all they could do was help Lucian accept the truth so he could get over it as soon as possible.

While Lucian was taking a bath, his friends asked the servants to make something to eat. Tucker helped out as well. He made a few dishes and some soup for them.

When Lucian finally came out of the bathroom, his friends made him sit down with them and poured a glass of wine for him. "Talk about anything. We'll listen. And alcohol is our friend tonight."

Lucian cleared up his head a little while he was in the shower, but he still felt numb and detached from everything. It felt like he was floating around like a specter who was looking at this world from the outside.

He knew that wasn't the right state of mind to be in, so he grabbed a glass of wine and downed it all to calm down. I can't falter. I can't go mad. Josiah still needs to pay the price, and I still need to make Caitlin happy. I need to stand tall and strong if I want to protect her. NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

His friends downed their wine as well, and Jared filled his plate with a piece of meat. "Here, eat. Alcohol can't fill your belly."

"Yeah, you should really eat something," Thoedore agreed. "You look like you just came out of the

sh*tter. Your body's a treasure, so take care of it before you even think about caring for anyone else. You wanna take care of Caitlin too, don't you?"

Lucian nodded. The food was tasteless and he had no appetite, but he forced himself to swallow it.

Oh, good. He's eating. He can still be saved. Jared patted his shoulder. "Don't look so bleak. She's not heartless. You guys are childhood friends, and with you repenting, she might forgive you if you just treat her well. Can't be sure about her dating you, but I think you guys can be a family again. Eventually."

Theodore frowned and nudged Jared with his elbow. The look in his eyes said, 'What the hell are you talking about? Shut up.'

Jared looked exasperated. But I'm telling the truth!

He was Caitlin's childhood friend too, and he knew her inside and out. She might look gentle and meek on the outside, but on the inside, she was as tough and stubborn as a slab of steel.

I know her too well. There's no way she'll date him again. He'd be lucky if she even wants him back as her family.

Lucian knew that, of course. He practically was Caitlin's family for more than a decade, but just being her family wasn't enough.

He wanted to marry her. He wanted to raise a family with her and live happily ever after with her. The thought of her marrying someone other than him was unimaginable. Just the possibility of her dating someone else and giving him her everything made him so furious, he could kill someone.