#Chapter 156: Two Different Futures

Aria’s POV “Lucian…” I could tell he was hanging on my every word, nervously anticipating my answer. I hated that I was about to break him. But surely he would understand. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I can’t marry you.” Before he could say anything, and he clearly wanted by how quickly he opened his mouth, I held up my hand, asking without words for him to allow me to continue. “I care about you, Lucian. But is that enough? I’m just not the same person that I used to be.” “Whatever our differences are,” Lucian said, “We can work it out. If we care about each other, if we want a relationship enough, then can’t we force everything else to fall into place?” “I can’t be your Luna again,” I said. “I have my own career to focus on.” “I’d never ask you to stay home and be a housewife,” Lucian said. “I know that’s not what you want.” “But there’d still be other things required of me as Luna. At the very least, I would have to cut back on my own career – my own dreams – to be able to