Chapter 150

Eleanor's POV

I rushed up to Serena's floor. My mind was a jumble of worry for Serena, whom I'd hoped to find and console. But as the doors slid open, I froze mid-step.

There, in the dimly lit hallway, stood my brother. Lucas was leaning against the wall, his head bowed so low I couldn't see his expression. But what I did see made my breath catch - a tear sliding down his cheek, catching the warm light before falling to the floor.

I couldn't move. In all our years growing up together, I'd only seen Lucas cry once - at his parents' funeral. Even then, it had been silent tears quickly brushed away, his composure never truly breaking. But this... this was different.

"Lucas..." I whispered, my voice barely audible in the thick silence of the hallway.

He didn't respond, didn't even acknowledge my presence. Another tear fell.

My mind raced, trying to piece together what could have happened. The news about his rumored engagement to Rachel Thorne had been spreading through Manhattan's social circles like wildfire. Did Serena break up with him? The thought made my chest tight.

"I thought..." Lucas's voice was rough, barely above a whisper. He didn't finish the sentence. I could hear the pain in those two words.

I'd never seen him invest so much of himself in anyone before Serena. Even his carefully maintained walls seemed to lower around her, revealing glimpses of warmth I'd thought he'd lost years ago.

I took a careful step forward, then another, until I was standing beside him. The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken words.

"Want to get a drink?" I finally asked, keeping my voice gentle. "Bemelman should still be open."

The minutes ticked by. Finally, Lucas straightened up, though he kept his face turned away from me.

"...Alright."

We rode the elevator down in silence.

The night air hit us as we stepped out of the building, bringing with it the distant sounds of traffic and the ever-present energy of the city. Ethan, was already waiting with the car, but my brother shook his head slightly.

"We'll walk," he said, his voice steadier now but still carrying an unfamiliar weight.

Bemelman was quieter than usual at this hour, the usual buzz of Manhattan's elite replaced by soft jazz and the clink of glasses. The maître d' took one look at Lucas's face and led us to a private corner booth without a word.

I watched with growing concern as Lucas reached for the bottle again, pouring himself another generous measure of whiskey. His usual precise movements had grown slightly less controlled, though his face remained as impassive as ever.

"Maybe you should slow down a bit," I suggested softly. The ice clinked against his glass as he lifted it to his lips, ignoring my words completely.

"Did you and Serena have a fight?" I ventured carefully, watching his reaction. His hand tightened around the glass for a moment, but he offered no response. Just that telling pause in his movements before he took another drink.

The ice in my own untouched martini had long since melted, but I barely noticed. My mind was racing, trying to piece together the puzzle of what had happened.

"Lucas," I started again, my concern finally overwhelming my caution, "what's really going on with you, Serena, and Rachel?"

His response, when it came, was delivered in a voice as cold as the ice in his glass. "I'm not marrying Rachel."

I sat up straighter. "The engagement was publicly announced by both families. This isn't something you can just brush aside - it's about the Harringtons' and the Thornes' reputations!"

"I don't care about reputations," Lucas bit out, his voice carrying an edge.

"But you should!" My voice rose slightly, echoing in the confined space. "This isn't just about what you want. The media's already running with the story. Every society column in Manhattan is talking about the 'merger of the year.' You can't just..."

"I can," he interrupted, his tone final. "And I will."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. This wasn't getting us anywhere. "Lucas, think about what this is doing to Serena," I said more gently. "She's already been through so much. The way she grew up, always treated unequally in her own home. And then what Ian did to her..." I trailed off.

Lucas's expression darkened at the mention of Ian's name, his knuckles white around his glass.

"She has no reason to trust you right now," I continued softly. "No matter what you say, no matter how sincere you are. The timing of this engagement announcement... it looks bad, Lucas. Really bad. And with her history..." I shook my head. "You're putting her in an impossible position. If you don't resolve this Rachel situation clearly and publicly, any relationship with Serena will brand her as 'the other woman.' Is that what you want for her?"

My brother remained silent, but I could see my words hitting home in the slight slump of his shoulders, the way his eyes fixed unseeingly on the amber liquid in his glass.

"She's such an incredible woman," I said, more to myself than to Lucas, pouring myself a drink at last. "It seems so cruel, doesn't it? The universe keeps throwing these challenges at her, one after another. First her family situation, then Ian's betrayal, and now this..." I took a sip, feeling the burn of the alcohol. "I'm worried this might be the last straw, you know? That this might be what finally makes her give up on love altogether."

The bottle made a hollow sound as Lucas set it down too hard on the table. "I won't let that happen," he said, his voice rough with emotion and alcohol.

"Then you need to fix this," I replied firmly. "Not just the Rachel situation - though that needs to be handled immediately - but you need to show Serena that she can trust you. That you're different from the others who've hurt her."

Lucas closed his eyes briefly, and in that moment, I saw just how much he was struggling. My confident, controlled brother, who always seemed to have all the answers, looked utterly lost.

"How?" The question was barely audible, but it carried the weight of his vulnerability.

"You start by being honest with her," I said quietly. "Not just about Rachel, but about everything. Your fears, your struggles with the family obligations, all of it."

Lucas's fingers drummed against the bottle, a nervous gesture I'd rarely seen from him. "You don't understand. When I try to explain, I see that wall going up in her eyes. The same wall she built after Ian's betrayal."

"Because she's terrified too," I countered. "You think Serena doesn't know what she's risking? She's already lost everything once. The company, her family's trust, her reputation - all gone because she trusted the wrong person."

His jaw tightened. "I'm not Ian."

"No, you're not," I agreed. "But right now, you're acting exactly like what she fears most - another powerful man putting family obligations and business considerations ahead of her."

"I'm trying to protect her," he said, his voice rough. "If I move too quickly against Rachel, against my grandfather's wishes, it could spark a war between our families. The Thornes wouldn't hesitate to use their influence to destroy everything Serena's rebuilt."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I know that resolving things with Rachel is the key to fixing this with Serena. But it's not that simple."

"It needs time," he continued, his voice growing hoarse. "I can't completely disregard the Harrington family's safety and burn bridges with the Thornes. I can't sever ties with my grandfather without considering our relationship. And my reckless actions... they could end up hurting Serena more. If I throw away everything - my reputation, wealth, power - how can I protect her from those who would harm her?"

The ice in his glass had completely melted. "Ending the engagement requires a process - careful planning, strategic maneuvering. What terrifies me is that by the time I accomplish all this, Serena might already be too far gone."

Lucas's fingers tightened around his glass. "I'm not even confident I can win her back. Once Serena gives up on something, she never looks back. Just like with Ian."

Looking up at me finally, his eyes held a desperation I'd never seen before. "That's why I need to find her now. I need her to wait for me, to not give up hope. I can't let her lose faith in me completely."