When we got to his flat, I braced myself for the conversation I knew was coming.
‘I didn’t know she would do that,’ Lucas said, his voice low.
‘She’s always like that — desperate, manipulative. But now… she’s dragged you into it. I never wanted that for you.’
A wave of anger rose inside me.
“I didn’t do anything wrong, Lucas. I was just trying to help you.
You asked me to talk to your children, to gather evidence.
I didn’t expect Rachel to drag me into her problems like this.”
Lucas’s eyes darkened, and for a moment I saw something cold in them.
“You don’t understand, do you? You don’t understand how dangerous she is. She’ll do anything to win.
And now she’s dragged you into it. She’ll do anything to keep you from seeing those children again.”
My chest tightened.
“Are you seriously saying this to me now? After everything I’ve done for you?
After everything I sacrificed to help you get custody of them?
‘Exactly,’ said Lucas, his tone changing.
“You did all that for me. You helped me fight for them.
But now you’re standing in my way. I can’t let you and her both come after me.
You’re part of the problem now.”
His words hit me like a punch in the stomach.
He had used the children, used everything I had done for him, and now he was turning it against me.
The man I had supported, trusted and cared for was now blaming me for the situation he himself had created.
Tears stung my eyes, but I held them back.
I couldn’t believe what was happening.
The man I thought I knew had become someone I didn’t recognise.
‘Maybe you should have thought about that before dragging me into this,’ I said, my voice trembling with pain.
‘I’m leaving, Lucas. I can’t help you destroy me like this anymore.’
And so, I walked out of his life, leaving behind the man who had promised me everything — and used everything to manipulate me in return.