For a moment, an old wound reopened. A wound he rarely allowed himself to revisit. But the memory arrived anyway. 5 years earlier, Lucas had been deeply in love with a woman named Victoria Lane. Back then, his company was still struggling. Investors were pulling out. Bills were piling up.
One evening, after months of promising to stand beside him, Victoria ended their relationship. Her words had carved themselves into his memory. I thought you were going to be successful. Lucas remembered starring at her. Confused, heartbroken. You said you loved me. Victoria’s expression never changed. I loved what I thought you would become.
Two weeks later, she was dating a wealthy investor. The betrayal shattered something inside him. Even after his company became successful, fear remained. Every relationship afterward felt suspicious. Every compliment felt uncertain. Every smile carried questions. Did they love him or his money? Then Hannah appeared. She never chased wealth.
