Chapter 262

Serena's POV

I was lying on my couch, mindlessly scrolling through my phone on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Like millions of others across the country, I found myself waiting for the live stream of Lucas Harrington and Rachel Thorne's wedding. A union between two of the most prominent families had captured the nation's attention, and here I was, another spectator to their fairy tale.

The camera focused on Lucas, standing tall in his perfectly tailored black tuxedo, a white boutonnière pinned to his lapel. Even through the screen, his presence was commanding. I couldn't help but notice how the camera lingered on his face, capturing that characteristic intensity in his grey eyes that I knew all too well.

My phone buzzed with an incoming call from Atticus Thorne. I hesitated before answering, watching his name flash across my screen.

"Have you seen the news?" He cut straight to the point.

I deliberately played dumb. "Which news are you referring to?"

"The fact that you can still joke tells me you're holding up better than expected," he remarked.

"Why wouldn't I be fine? This was always going to happen," I countered, surprising myself with how steady my voice sounded. Nothing about this should affect me - I'd seen it coming from miles away.

"That's what I admire about you, Serena. You could watch the world burn and not bat an eye."

I cut through his psychological analysis. "Aren't you supposed to be at the ceremony?"

"I am."

"Then why are you calling me?"

"Can't help worrying about you."

"Don't waste your energy," I replied coolly.

Suddenly, Atticus's tone shifted to something more conspiratorial. "Serena, I can't shake this feeling that today's ceremony isn't going to go as smoothly as everyone expects. What do you think?"

"I think you're imagining things," I dismissed his suggestion. "This is a merger of the Harrington and Thorne dynasties. Who would dare disrupt that?"

"We'll see about that."

I ignored his cryptic response and returned my attention to the livestream. The cathedral was packed with guests, though the camera carefully avoided clear shots of the attendees - too many prominent faces in one room. Rachel appeared in a stunning ivory gown, her face partially hidden behind a delicate veil as she clutched a bouquet of white roses. She walked down the petal-strewn aisle on her father's arm while the organ played the traditional wedding march. The guests rose in unison, all eyes on the bride.

Lucas stood at the altar in his white tailcoat, waiting. When Rachel reached him, her father lifted her veil and kissed her forehead before placing her hand in Lucas's. I noticed the tears glistening in Rachel's eyes.

The priest began the ceremony: "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of God to witness the union of Lucas Harrington and Rachel Thorne..."

Then came the crucial moment. The priest's voice rang out solemnly: "Lucas Harrington, do you take Rachel Thorne to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?"

The cathedral fell silent. Every eye and camera focused on Lucas's face. But instead of the immediate "I do" everyone expected, he remained silent. The seconds ticked by like hours. I saw Rachel discreetly squeeze his hand, trying to prompt him. Lucas turned to look at her, then back to the priest, and said, "I..."

I closed the livestream. There was no point in torturing myself further. I switched on the TV and started watching a movie, my mind wandering to thoughts of when I could have Milo and Stella back with me.

Before long, Atticus called again. "Exciting enough for you?"

"Nothing extraordinary," I replied dismissively.

"Your composure is remarkable. If Lucas knew how unbothered you are, he'd probably be devastated - assuming he's not too busy being arrested right now."

"What?" That stopped me cold. I quickly reopened the streaming app, but the feed was gone. When I searched for news about the wedding, every single mention had vanished, as if it had never existed.

"Done checking?" Atticus asked calmly.

"What happened?" I forced myself to keep my voice level, even as my heart started racing.

"Still nervous?" Atticus teased.

"I just want to know the truth," I replied honestly. "After all, whether Lucas and Rachel's wedding proceeds normally affects both my safety and my personal interests."

The truth was, I was being selfish. At this moment, my biggest concern was whether I could get Milo back if something went wrong with the wedding.

Atticus shrugged, finally stopping his playful taunting. "During the wedding ceremony, just as Lucas was about to answer the priest's question about whether he would take Rachel as his wife, federal agents arrived with an arrest warrant. They took him into custody on suspicion of corporate misconduct."

My fingers involuntarily tightened around my phone.

"Do you understand what this means?" Atticus asked.

"It means the wedding won't happen," I answered calmly.

Atticus let out a short laugh, his tone carrying a hint of reproach. "Serena, I can hardly watch this. Lucas has gone to such lengths for you, willing to sacrifice his reputation and future to stop this wedding, and you're just sitting there, completely unmoved?"

"What else can I do? What power do I have to change anything?" I challenged back. "I don't even understand how this is different from him simply refusing the Thornes directly. Either way, his reputation is ruined!"

"Aren't you usually the clever one?" Atticus asked, eyeing me skeptically.

I felt anger rising but chose to remain silent.

Atticus continued his explanation: "If Lucas had directly refused the Thornes' wedding arrangement, do you think they would have accepted that smoothly? Wouldn't they have threatened the Harringtons? You can't fight against people with that kind of influence head-on."

"But now he's still left with nothing," I said.

"But he can protect everyone else," Atticus emphasized each word.

I bit my lip as he continued: "Now that Lucas faces legal troubles, the Thornes absolutely won't let Rachel have any further association with him. This way, the broken engagement isn't because Lucas refused - it's because the Thornes withdrew. He even gave them a face-saving reason to call off the wedding without embarrassment."

"Aren't you worried about the Thornes retaliating behind the scenes?" I asked skeptically. "What if Rachel seeks revenge because she couldn't have Lucas? She's capable of anything."

"Maybe, but the Thorne family won't support that. They're public figures who care about their image. They won't kick someone who's already down, especially since the Harringtons no longer hold any value for them. They'll be too busy looking for their next strategic alliance. As for Rachel's personal vendetta - dealing with her alone isn't much of a threat."

I fell silent, unable to form a response. I couldn't even tell if Lucas had truly destroyed his career or if he had actually broken the law. Wasn't he supposed to marry Rachel? How did everything go so wrong?