THE LUCAS' REJECTED MATE

CHAPTER ONE

Shadows of Rejection

I was always aware of my position in his life. I knew that I was only a pawn in his scheme, a means to expand his commercial empire, even before the signatures on our marriage license dried. Even still, the realization of the reality did not lessen the pain as I continued to get rejections, each one leaving deeper scars on my already delicate heart.

It seems like yesterday when we first met. The Albrecht Estate's opulence was astounding; it was quite different from the simple existence I had experienced. A chilly light was projected over the shining marble flooring by the entryway chandelier, which shimmered like a thousand stars. And there he was, my future spouse and the heir apparent to the Albrecht dynasty, Lucas Albrecht. His clinically detached assessment of me with his ice-blue gaze made my skin crawl. This was business; it wasn't love at first sight.

"You understand why you're here, don't you?" Like a dagger cutting through quiet, his speech was as frigid as his gaze.

I nodded, my throat tightening with fear and unable to speak. I had a clear understanding. In this marriage, two strong families came together to form a merger. In our agreement, love had no place. However, at that time, I was unaware of how deeply hurtful that lack of love would be.

The truth of my condition became brutally apparent as the weeks stretched into months. More hurtful than plain hostility, Lucas regarded me with a disdainful indifference. I was only a nice face to smile and nod at his side; he was usually gone, traveling for work or entertaining customers at opulent parties. At home, he was aloof, preoccupied with his business dealings and discussions. Even though they knew my status in the Albrecht home was precarious at best, the house staff showed me careful deference.

The first significant setback came at a dinner gathering we threw for a few of Lucas's business partners. I'd been getting ready for hours, picking out the ideal outfit, and making sure everything was just so. Foolishly, I thought that maybe, just maybe, he might notice me. But as the night went on, it was evident that I was lost on him. He was completely preoccupied with his visitors, and, unsettlingly, with Sophie, his ex-girlfriend.

I saw them laughing together, heads bowed very close, sharing a private moment. I felt a knotting agony in my stomach as I saw his hand linger on her arm and his grin, which was unlike any smile I had ever seen aimed at me. I knew, even if the visitors may not have. Their connection was obvious, and it made me feel a combination of envy and hopelessness in my heart.

I went up to him after the visitors had departed. I was trying to maintain a firm voice, but my hands were shaking. What on earth are you doing, Lucas? You flirted with Sophie the whole evening, even though you are married to me!"

His eyes narrowed as he spoke, brusque in his tone. Claire, stop talking nice to yourself. This marriage is an agreement between business partners. You can't expect me to act differently."

His remarks seemed like a blow to the face. I watched in stunned silence as he turned and left me by myself in the large, empty dining room. The rejection was not only psychological; it was also bodily like a heavy weight pushing upon my chest and restricting my breathing. Never before had I felt so unimportant and little.

The rejections kept coming, and everyone hurt more than before. Lucas had a way of devaluing me without even trying. He would be silent for days or even weeks at a time, leaving me to worry whether he would ever return. When he did come back, it was as if nothing had occurred, as though I were simply an item of furniture that he could move or disregard as he pleased.

However, the worst occurred when he began to see Sophie more often. I could tell that she was still infatuated with him by the way she looked at him. And why would she not? Strong, affluent, and unreachable, Lucas embodied everything she had ever desired. It was his letting her, however, that stung the most. I kept being pushed aside, yet he let her into our house and his life.

I heard their distinct, deep voices in the library one evening. My heart was racing in my chest as I stood still at the door. My feet would not move, no matter how much I wanted to look away and pretend I hadn't seen them. What they were saying had to be known to me.

Sophie put her fingers on Lucas's arm and said, "I miss you, Lucas." "We were so good together."

Lucas remained still. Rather, he let out a wistful and frustrated sigh. "Sophie, it's not easy. You're aware of it.

As I listened to them, I felt a tear go down my face. I was only a roadblock in their path, and it was obvious that whatever had been between them wasn't completely forgotten.

After forcing myself to go, I went to my room and sobbed as I slumped into the bed. I had never felt so abandoned and so alone in my life. I was in pieces at Lucas's behavior, but there was nothing I could do. Ensnared in a fraudulent marriage, I was devoted to a guy who could not give a damn if I lived or died.

Something started to cross my thoughts as I lay there, my tears seeping into the pillow. This could not continue. There needed to be a change. But what? And just how?

One thing was apparent, though: I couldn't continue to live in the shadow of rejection. The solution wasn't clear. I had to get out, even if it meant leaving behind all I had ever known.

But could I leave Lucas? Could I walk away from the one person I had ever loved and the guy who had become my torturer?

Though I didn't know the answer yet, as the evening went on, I vowed to myself in silence. I would discover a means to take back my life, to emerge from the darkness and into the light. And maybe it was time I quit trying to have Lucas see me for the true me if he couldn't see me that way.

I wiped tears from my eyes and inhaled deeply as the first rays of morning peaked through the curtains. The dawn of a new day brought with it the prospect of a new existence-one in which I was not only a piece in the larger scheme of things.

I knew in my heart, nevertheless, that the journey ahead would not be simple. More suffering, rejection, and heartache would follow. I was, nevertheless, resolved to confront it, whatever the cost. I deserved more than this, after all. I was worthy of being appreciated, loved, and acknowledged.

And I would discover that love, regardless of the cost to all else.

I decided as the dawn rose to meet Lucas one final time, but what I saw when I went into his study altered everything: a letter from Sophie, and not just any letter. That admission had the potential to ruin us all.