URBAN GRANDMASTER: From Dust to Domination

A GREAT PRETENDER

The situation was not as Lucian had planned. He sighed, “I would never lie to you, Tracy.”

Once again, Tracy bit her lips, she knew Lucian wouldn't lie to her but it was impossible to believe.

"Hey! Blabbermouth!" Henry walked up to him. "You should join the film industry. You really know how to act, calling yourself a rich man and having an estate in Z+ City."

Lucian frowned. "Why would I lie? I have nothing to gain by lying about any of this."

"Of course you don’t! You just speak rubbish and expect everyone to believe you." Henry beamed. "Look, you fraud, I have been to Z+ City with my grandfather and we met the richest man who happens to be the owner of the only estate in Z+ City and unfortunately, it wasn’t you."

"Look at that," Tracy's father commented. "I knew he was lying. How can a crippled man own an estate in Z+ City?"

"My love, he’s just being delusional. He even lied about reaching the twelfth energy meridian," Tracy’s mother sided with him.

They were all so blind to see the truth. Despite revealing a bit of his secret, they didn’t care. They only saw him as that crippled ex-son-in-law that should have stayed dead.

"What’s the matter? Have you run out of fuel to tell us more lies?" Henry mocked him. "Please, tell us more. I love to hear what other stories you’ve prepared for us."

Lucian hesitated. Henry’s claim had held back his spirit to speak further.

Henry didn’t know the full story, but that was a good thing.

Lucian held back his tongue. The owner of Z+ City had passed down his inheritance to him because Lucian was his adopted heir, sent on training, only to be ambushed, which cost his legs.

The owner didn’t want Lucian to die, and as a result, Lucian was married into this family just to avoid death and stay hidden until the right time.

Lucian shook his head. "I don’t see a better time than now."

"Hey! Speak up! Cat got your tongue?" Henry taunted him. His entire existence alone was a thorn to Lucian, who was only managing to keep himself under control. "Hey! Am I not talking to someone? Or are you perhaps dead again?"

Lucian didn’t waver. He shifted his gaze to his wife, Tracy, before fixing his eyes on her parents. "I want a divorce."

"A divorce?" Tracy’s father chuckled. "We have been waiting so long for this." He didn’t hesitate as he sent one for his servant for the document with a gesture. "It’s good you’re alive to sign the documents. That makes things easier for my daughter."

"But... I wonder." The man stepped forward and threw the document on the floor as the servant brought it. "You can sign it, but first, pick it up." The man’s voice grew dark before a laugh followed. "If you can’t stand then nothing else can be done."

Lucian’s frown didn’t waver. It was clear to him already, they loathed him and would do anything to derive entertainment from him.

He hesitated, not ready to reveal he could walk again, but then someone came forward and picked up the document and handed it over to him.

The person in particular, her actions shocked the rest of the family.

Tracy’s sister, Nancy, the youngest daughter of the family, who had been watching the whole show for a while, couldn’t take it any further.

She was the only one in the family who respected Lucian, despite him being crippled.

She didn’t follow the blind crowd of her family. Her eyes saw what her elder sister couldn’t, and it hurt, knowing he ended up with her sister.

"I’m sorry on behalf of my family. Please find it in your heart to forgive us," she pleaded, as if knowing what he was capable of doing to her family if they went on taunting him.

Lucian retrieved the document, “Thank you.” He muttered 

Tracy stood there, watching him sign the paper without hesitation. A part of her became worried. She couldn’t understand why, but she felt something was wrong. 

Her gaze fell on Lucian and watched as he signed every page without looking back at her at all.

When he was done, he wheeled up to her with the document, handing it over to her.

She received the document and the pen. She didn’t know what came over her, but she couldn’t see herself signing the document.

"Come on, baby girl. Sign that paper so he can leave us be and never return," Henry pestered her.

"Why aren’t you signing the papers, dear? Is everything alright?" her father asked. 

She couldn’t even respond if she wanted to, something in her felt like signing the papers was a bad idea .

"What’s the matter, My love ?" Henry nudged her in the shoulder. "Sign it so we can be together."

Lucian noted the uneasiness on her face. He knew her more than she knew, only because he had loved her so much. Despite her wrongs, he couldn’t throw away everything he knew about her. At least, not yet.

"Sign the papers, my dear, and let this dog go back to the pack where he belongs," her father chipped in.

Tracy nodded, and signed the papers.

It was at that moment, Lucian stood up from his wheelchair.

Everyone was baffled, unable to believe what their eyes were seeing. Lucian was standing perfectly fine.

"Impossible!" Tracy’s father beamed in shock. "You are crippled!”

"Lucian?" Tracy shook her head, not sure of what to do anymore. "Wha—how are you even standing like that?"

"Because I can," Lucian replied and added, "Now, the document. I have places to be."

Seeing Lucian stand, Henry felt like he had been slapped in the face but he wouldn't allow himself to lose more dignity.

"I knew it!" He retorted with a sudden outburst. "I knew something was off about him! You can walk! You always could walk! You just pretended so you could live on them for God knows how long!" Henry accused him head-on. "What did you plan to achieve by doing this?! Come on, tell us now!"

His accusation was clear and it sparked an anger in Tracy’s heart.