Back to the Place She Hated

Chapter 1

A knock came from the door.

slowly looked away from the rain outside the window. The dim light inside his office made the deep lines on his face look even darker.

“Come in,” he said coldly.

The old butler entered carefully. His nervous expression immediately annoyed Lucien.

“Sir, the new caretaker is here.”

Lucien frowned.

“I already said no.”

“She refused to leave.”

Lucien’s jaw tightened. His fingers gripped the armrest of his wheelchair impatiently.

“Then throw her out.”

The butler hesitated.

“Sir… she says she knows you.”

Lucien became silent.

For a moment, only the sound of heavy rain filled the room.

Something about those words felt strange.

A few seconds later, the office door slowly opened.

Lucien’s eyes froze instantly.

stood quietly near the doorway.

His breathing slowed.

“Elena…”

He had not seen her in eight years.

Not since the divorce.

Not since the day she walked out of the mansion without looking back.

She looked different now.

Older.

More mature.

But strangely more beautiful than before.

Her long dark hair rested neatly over her shoulder, and her calm eyes no longer carried the fear he remembered.

That bothered him more than it should have.

“Hello, Lucien,” she said softly.

The room became painfully quiet.

Lucien stared at her carefully, almost wondering if he was imagining her.

Years ago, Elena used to stand in front of him nervously, afraid of making him angry.

Now she simply looked tired.

And distant.

“Why are you here?” he finally asked.

“I came to work.”

“You should leave.”

“I need money.”

Her answer came quickly.

Simple.

Honest.

Lucien looked away for a second.

Somehow, hearing that hurt more than anger would have.

Before he could speak again, he noticed movement behind her.

A little girl slowly stepped closer to Elena before hiding behind her arm.

quietly looked around the large office with nervous eyes.

Lucien stared at the child carefully.

Dark hair.

Small face.

And eyes that strangely felt familiar.

Something uncomfortable twisted inside his chest.

“Who is she?” he asked slowly.

Elena held the little girl’s hand gently.

“My daughter.”

Lucien stayed silent.

The child looked around eight years old. She stayed close to Elena as if she was afraid of everything inside the mansion.

Lucien could not stop looking at her.

The girl reminded him of someone.

But he could not understand why.

Sofia slowly hid behind Elena again after noticing his stare.

“Mom…” she whispered softly.

Elena gently rubbed her daughter’s hand.

“It’s okay.”

Lucien looked away first.

“You brought a child here?”

“She has nowhere else to go.”

The room became silent again.

Outside, thunder shook the sky loudly.

Lucien slowly tightened his hand around the glass beside him.

Three years ago, everyone feared him.

Now he could barely move without help.

His empire was gone.

Most of his men either betrayed him or disappeared after the attack that left him unable to walk.

Everything in his life had fallen apart.

And now the woman he destroyed stood in front of him again.

Lucien looked at Elena carefully.

Years ago, she used to wait for him every night no matter how badly he treated her.

She used to cry easily.

She used to beg him to stop fighting with other mafia families.

But he never listened.

Back then, Lucien believed power was more important than love.

Now the mansion only felt empty.

And for the first time in years, he hated the silence.

The old butler carefully cleared his throat.

“Sir, should I prepare the guest room?”

Lucien stayed quiet for a long moment.

Then finally—

“Do whatever you want.”

Without another word, he turned his wheelchair around and slowly left the office.

Sofia quietly watched him disappear down the dark hallway.

Then she slowly looked up at Elena.

“Mom,” she whispered softly, “that man looks scary.”

Elena forced herself to smile gently.

But deep inside, old memories were already returning.

“Yes,” she said quietly.

“He always was.”

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