Two Reborn, One Throne novel Chapter 140

Lucian led Joanne out of the cafeteria by the hand. Before Joanne could even ask where they were going to eat, Lucian's phone rang.

It was Grace.

Joanne instantly tried to shrink away on pure reflex. Knowing how terrified she was of his mother, Lucian didn't push it. He gestured for her to wait ahead while he took the call.

Relieved, Joanne stood on her tiptoes, pressed a quick kiss to Lucian's cheek, and happily skipped ahead.

Lucian's face flushed red. His sweet Joanne always knew exactly how to make his heart flutter.

Grace was apparently having the worst luck today. Neither Arthur nor Lucian had answered her calls immediately.

She was beyond furious. Given the time, her worthless son was probably hanging out with Joanne, wasn't he? Dammit, she had completely forgotten about that. Boys his age were bound to try and taste the forbidden fruit, and as a mother, there was only so much she could do to stop it.

Thankfully, the call connected just before it went to voicemail.

"Why did it take you so long to pick up?" Grace demanded coldly. "Lucian, you'd better not be messing around with Joanne. The only reason I haven't ripped that little hussy apart is because your finals are coming up. Don't push your luck with me."

Lucian bristled instantly. He hated his mother's endless disdain and insults toward Joanne. "Did you call just to talk about this?" he asked, his voice dark.

Already enraged by Arthur's rejection, Grace snapped at her son's tone. "What kind of attitude is that? Lucian, I am your mother!"

"You should be incredibly grateful you're my mother. Because otherwise..." Lucian's voice dropped to a terrifying chill, "...I wouldn't be holding back."

Grace was momentarily stunned into silence.

Was this really her son?

This cold, commanding, utterly alien tone—it was like he was possessed.

"Lucian..."

"Get to the point. Why did you call? If it's just to nag me, don't bother calling again." He sounded fully prepared to hang up. Grace panicked.

"You really think you're a grown man now, don't you? Think your wings are hard enough to start lecturing me? Lucian—"

Beep!

He hung up.

Grace: "..."

What had she done to deserve this? Her own flesh and blood treating her like trash? It was all Amber's fault. That girl couldn't even keep an eye on him properly and let him get tangled up with Joanne. Now that little hussy was ruining him.

"Mom, find some time this week to take a trip out to Fairhaven Village. Track down Xanthe's family and tell them to come to the city and drag her back home. Without Xanthe around, Arthur will naturally go back to revolving around you."

Grace's eyes lit up. "You're right! Ever since Xanthe showed up, Arthur has been paying less and less attention to me."

"Wait, Lucian, how do you know where Loretta's hometown is?"

"Don't worry about it. Starting today, stop texting and calling Arthur. Once you get this handled, wait for him to come crawling back to you before you even acknowledge him. Mom, once you find the Sutton Household, you know exactly how to play the victim, don't you?"

Lucian really didn't want to get dragged into the drama between his mother and Amber's father. But on second thought, if things weren't going well for his mother, she'd take her frustration out on him and start insulting his sweet Joanne again.

He hadn't even settled the score with Amber over Loretta yet. Now Yvonne was hunting her, and she was frantically trying to pry her father away from his mother. Hah. Let's make her a little busier, then.

The less time she had to interfere with him and Joanne, the better.

—Amber, everything you owe me from our past life, I'm going to make you pay back in this one.

Lucian glanced ahead at Joanne, who was patiently waiting for him, hung up the phone, and took her out for a nice meal.

Meanwhile, Amber was about to find herself drowning in crises.