As the painful memories of his past resurfaced, Lucien's brows slowly furrowed. His eyes darkened with mixed emotions, regret, love, and quiet pain.
He still could not understand it.
He had always been a strong swimmer.
So why, at that moment, had he been unable to move?
Back then, it had felt as if his entire body had been paralyzed. He could only watch himself sink, helpless, as the cold water dragged him deeper into darkness.
That pond…
It had not been natural.
It was an artificial one, built on Syran's request.
Syran loved feeding fish and taking walks by the water, so he had ordered the servants to construct a large, deep pond within the palace grounds.
And, as always, the Queen Mother had agreed without hesitation.
Lucien's thoughts grew heavier.
Was his death connected to Syran?
Or was there someone else behind it?
Across the room, Lyra watched him carefully.
His expression had changed. There was something bitter and troubled in his eyes.
For a brief moment, her gaze flickered, but she quickly masked it with her usual cold indifference.
Still, something about the way he looked at her made her uneasy.
When Lucien finally turned his head and looked directly at her, she forced herself to remain calm.
She had been waiting for him to react.
To shout.
To argue.
To lose his temper like he always did.
But instead, he spoke calmly.
"We are married, right?" he said quietly. "Even if you don't love me, you should have some conscience. I just woke up from a coma. I don't remember anything, not even my own name, and the first thing you ask for is a divorce?"
He paused briefly, then continued.
"If you want a divorce, fine. I will give it to you. But I have a condition."
Lyra narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to understand what was going on.
Before she could respond, her assistant, Ruth, stepped closer and quietly explained the situation to her.
At Lyra's instruction, Ruth had already spoken to the doctor and confirmed his condition.
Lyra had been in the middle of an important meeting when she received the call that Lucien had woken up. She had left immediately and come straight to the hospital.
Now, hearing everything, she looked at him again, her expression unreadable.
Was he pretending?
Or had he really lost his memory?
She studied his face carefully, trying to find a clue.
Their marriage had never been built on love.
Her grandfather had made it a condition. If she wanted to become CEO, she had to marry him.
So she did.
At first, she thought things might improve with time.
But his possessive nature only pushed her away.
They argued constantly.
She began spending more time at work just to avoid him.
In return, he grew suspicious.
At times, he even complained to her grandfather, accusing her of cheating.
That only made things worse.
By the end, she had grown so distant that even his suicide attempt felt like nothing more than another act.
Her expression turned cold again.
"Condition?" she repeated.
She let out a short, mocking laugh.
"Now you're talking some sense. I was wondering how someone like you could even mention conscience."
She crossed her arms.
"So tell me, how much money do you want? I'll give it to you. After all, money and status are the only things you care about. Love? Conscience? Don't joke with me."
Lucien met her gaze without flinching.
His dark brown eyes were steady.
"I will divorce you," he said calmly, "but only after my memory returns."
He held her gaze as he continued.
"Right now, I don't remember anything. You could make me accept things I never did, and I would be at a disadvantage."
He paused, then added,
"Give it six months. If my memory does not return by then and you still want a divorce, I will agree to it without asking for anything in return."
Silence filled the room.
But inside, Lucien was already regretting his words.
He was not even the real owner of this body.
What if the memories never came back?
If he walked away with nothing, how would he survive in this world?
Still, he could not take back his words.
His pride would not allow it.
He steadied himself and looked at her with quiet confidence.
Lyra studied him, confusion flashing across her eyes.
Did he lose his memory… or his mind?
Was he acting?
Or was this real?
No matter what, he was still her husband, at least in name.
And despite everything, she was not completely heartless.
Giving him time was not unreasonable.
After a long pause, she raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement appearing as she noticed the calm confidence in his expression.
"Deal," she said.