LOGINFine!" Her scream echoed through the mansion. Lucas stopped near the doorway.Very slowly, he turned. Derby stood trembling. Tears running down her face. Her chest rising and falling. And then she shouted, "You're not getting any divorce!" The words echoed through the hall."We are tied together!" Lucas stared at her. Her eyes burned with desperation. "Do you fucking hear me?" For several seconds neither moved. Then Lucas looked at her with a sadness she wasn't expecting. "I hear you, but when the papers are ready, you will sign it." Then he opened the door.And walked away. Leaving Derby standing alone in the middle of the mansion with the question, “Is this the same Lucas?” Lucas walked out of the mansion without looking back. The cool evening air hit his face, but it did little to calm the frustration still boiling inside him. Derby's words echoed in his mind.You're not getting any divorce!We are tied together! He exhaled sharply. His ca
Alex turned the phone back toward himself. "His name is Zenith." Lucas repeated it quietly. "Zenith..." "So he didn't even tell you his name?" "No." Alex looked offended on Lucas's behalf. "He cornered you." Lucas opened his mouth. "He hugged you." Lucas sighed. "He touched you. How dare he" "Alex…" "And then he tried to convince an amnesia patient that they had some epic romance together." Lucas nearly laughed, because as Alex put it that way, it sounded ridiculous. Alex shook his head. "I think it's time somebody addresses his nonsense." Lucas immediately frowned. "What are you planning?" "Nothing illegal." "That answer makes me nervous." Alex grinned. "Good." Lucas groaned. "Alex…" Alex leaned closer. "I'm serious, baby. He is a bitch." His expression became more thoughtful. "If you genuinely don't remember him, then nobody should be pressuring you into accepting a relationship you can't recall. A relationship that
Lucas immediately tensed. "Please..." Zenith smiled sadly. "We cared about each other, Luc." Lucas tried gently removing Zenith’s arm from him. "I'm sorry." His voice was sincere. "I can't remember." "Then remember." Lucas shook his head. "It doesn't work like that." The atmosphere grew tense.Neither noticed the restroom door opening again. Until a voice came through. "Everything okay, boss?" Both men turned. Marvis stood in the doorway. His eyes immediately landed on Zenith's arm. Then on Lucas's expression. His face hardened. Lucas felt immediate relief."Yeah." He stepped away from Zenith."We're leaving." Marvis didn't move. His gaze remained fixed on Zenith. He wassuspicious, protective, and watching. Zenith slowly removed his arm.Holding both hands up. "No problem." But his eyes remained on Lucas. "Luc." Lucas paused. Zenith smiled. A little sadly. "A memory loss doesn't mean you get rid of me that easily."
It wasn't fear of Derby or fear of the divorce failing, but fear that while Lucas had been moving closer to him… Vince had also found a place in Lucas's heart. He didn't want him loving Vince, not minding that he was Vince. Alex pushed the thought away immediately, because it was ridiculous. Lucas liked him. Lucas waited for his calls. Lucas asked to see him.So why was he feeling like this? On the other end of the line, Lucas sighed. "Then why do you sound sad?" The question caught Alex off guard. He smiled despite himself.Trust Lucas to notice. Trust Lucas to always hear the things nobody else did. "I'm not sad." "You are bothered about something." "I'm not." "I can feel it. You are." Alex laughed. "You are impossible, Lucas." "And you're avoiding my question."Alex rubbed his forehead. For a moment he considered telling him that hearing about Vince bothered him. And that he was jealous of himself in Vince’s personality. And that the thought of Lu
The words escaped in a whisper.He stared ahead. His thoughts began crashing into each other. The kiss. The way he'd felt relieved seeing Vince last night. The way his heart reacted whenever Vince looked at him. The fact that he'd smiled three separate times while reading a simple note. His face slowly paled. "No." He immediately stood. Then sat back down. Then stood again and started pacing. "What is wrong with me?" He ran both hands through his hair.His thoughts spiraled. "What about Alex?" The question struck him hard. The person he'd been thinking about every night. The person whose goodnight calls he waited for. The person who made him feel safe. The person he'd kissed. The person that had expressed his true feelings to him in many ways. Lucas groaned and covered his face. "Oh my gosh, am I falling for Vince too? Why does his kiss make me feel the same way as Alex’s?” His voice echoed through the empty room. "What the fuck is wrong with my head?
Meanwhile, last night when Derby was getting drunk, the cottage had grown quiet. Outside, the night insects sang softly, while inside only the warm glow of a bulb illuminated the small living room. Vince glanced at the clock as Lucas checked his phone for the third time. “Is everything alright?” Lucas nodded absentmindedly.But instead of walking to the bed, he checked his phone again. Vince noticed, for the fourth time in ten minutes. A small smile tugged at his lips. "Waiting for someone’s call?" Lucas looked up. "Hmm?" "Your phone." Vince nodded toward it. "You keep checking it." Lucas immediately looked down at the screen again, still no message. A faint look of disappointment crossed his face before he hid it. Vince pretended not to know why."Why don't you call her instead of waiting for her to call?" Vince said as he walked over and climbed onto the bed. Lucas's head snapped up instantly. "No!" The answer came so fast that Vince
While Alex and Lucas were lost in a whirlwind of passion, oblivious to the world beyond their entanglement, another plan was quietly brewing elsewhere. The one that would soon threaten everything they share. Mr. Westman had arranged a private dinner with Mr. Ashton, Derby’s father. It wasn’t jus
“Listen,” Lucas said, trying to stay calm, “I’m not getting dragged into this ridiculous setup. Why don’t you tell that creep or whoever that guy is—that you’re not interested? Marriage shouldn’t be forced.” Derby let out a soft, humorless laugh. “You really think it’s that simple, don’t you? Lu
He rechecked the map. Still moving, but he was no longer on the old textile road. Immediately, Dan’s voice crackled in his earpiece. “Update boss, the guy took a detour — he is along the industrial lane now, heading toward the Seabridge outskirts. I think he might be heading towards the beach.
Alex just stared at the phone as it vibrated in his hand, the screen lighting up with Nathan’s name. His heart pounded hard in his chest, his breath shallow. He wanted to… No, he needed to hear his voice, to feel his touch, but his mind was torn. The decision he had made earlier weighed heavily on







