Chapter 113 Just the beginning
Then he carried everything to the dining table. He set down the plates. Two glasses, cutlery, and a
A small bowl of salad.
Lucas had just finished placing the last fork on the table when Alex said, “Yes, that's all, just let me know tomorrow when it's ready, okay.”
Alex started walking towards the table, loosening his collar slightly as he ended the call.
“Alright,” he said into the phone. “Handle it.”
He dropped the phone on the table as his eyes landed on the dinner on the table.
The apartment was spotless.
Lucas was standing there adjusting the plates.
Alex stood for a second, watching him quietly, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Wow,” he said.
Lucas looked up. “What?”
Alex walked closer, shaking his head in admiration.
“I took a few minutes for one business call and you transformed the entire place.”
His eyes moved around the clean room, then back to Lucas.
“Baby… are you secretly a magician?”
Dinner passed easily between them. Between bites of spaghetti, teasing glances, and occasional playful nudges under the table, the earlier tension had completely melted away. The apartment felt warm and peaceful. It was filled with quiet laughter and the comfortable silence of two people enjoying being together.
When they finished eating, Lucas began gathering the plates. Alex leaned back in his chair and watched him. “You cooked,” Alex said casually. “So I’ll wash.”
Lucas paused and looked at him suspiciously. “You?” he asked with a raised brow. “Wash dishes?”
Alex placed a hand dramatically over his chest. “Excuse me. Are you questioning my domestic abilities? I was handling the kitchen before you, okay.”
Lucas chuckled and stacked the plates. “I just didn’t know Mr. Busy Businessman had time for things like dishwashing.”
Alex stood and walked toward him, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. “For you,” he said simply, “I’ll make time for anything.”
Lucas tried to hide the small smile that escaped him. “Smooth talker.”
They carried the dishes to the kitchen together. Lucas turned on the tap while Alex stood beside him, ready with the sponge.
At first, things went smoothly.
Lucas rinsed while Alex washed. But after a few minutes, Alex flicked a small splash of water toward Lucas.
Lucas froze. Then slowly turned his head. “Alex.”
Alex grinned innocently. “What?”
Another small splash landed on Lucas’s arm.
Lucas narrowed his eyes.
“Oh… so that’s what we’re doing now?” Before Alex could react, Lucas dipped his fingers into the water and flicked a much bigger splash right at him.
Alex jumped back. “Hey!”
Lucas laughed, clearly pleased with himself. “That’s what you get.”
Alex stepped closer again, shaking his wet hands. Water droplets scattered everywhere.
Lucas tried to dodge, laughing.
“Stop it!”
“You started it. Alex said.”
Lucas reached for a towel, but Alex grabbed his wrist before he could.
The laughter slowly faded as their eyes met. For a moment, neither of them moved. Alex’s grip softened, his thumb slowly brushing across Lucas’s wrist.
“You look happy tonight,” Alex said quietly.
Lucas hesitated before responding, “I am.”
Alex studied his face carefully.
“You’ve been through a lot lately,” he continued softly. “With your dad, work, your secret, and everything.”
Lucas looked down at the sink, watching the water swirl down the drain.
“I know.” There was a small pause before he spoke again.
“Sometimes I feel like everything in my life is complicated.”
Alex gently lifted his chin so their eyes met again. “Not everything.”
Lucas held his gaze.
“You my Lucas,” Alex said quietly, “is the easiest thing in my life.”
Lucas blinked, clearly not expecting that.
Alex smiled faintly. “Loving you is the simplest decision I’ve ever made.”
For a moment Lucas didn’t speak. Emotion flickered across his face before he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Alex’s waist.
Alex hugged him back immediately. Lucas rested his head lightly against Alex’s chest.
“You make things feel… safe,” Lucas murmured.
Alex tightened his arms around him. “Good.”
Lucas tilted his head up slightly.
“Because I’m scared sometimes.”
Alex’s hand moved gently through his hair.
“Of what, baby?”
Lucas hesitated before answering. “Of losing this.”
Alex didn’t respond with words.
Instead, he lowered his head and kissed him slowly, softly, reassuringly, and steadily.
When they finally pulled apart, Alex rested his forehead against Lucas’s. “You won’t lose me,” he said quietly.
Then he smiled slightly. “But if you keep distracting me like this,”
Lucas raised a brow. “The dishes will never get done.”
They laughed out loud as they disengaged.
The last dish finally clicked into the rack. Lucas wiped his hands on a towel and stretched slightly, rolling his shoulders.
“Done,” he announced with satisfaction.
Alex leaned against the counter beside him, arms folded, watching him with an amused expression.
“You know,” Alex said casually, “for someone who claimed I’m only good in business, we worked pretty well together.”
Lucas scoffed lightly. “We worked together?” he said. “You splashed water everywhere.”
Alex grinned. “And you enjoyed it.”
Lucas shook his head, but the smile on his face betrayed him.
“I’m going to shower,” he said, tossing the towel onto the counter.
Alex’s brows lifted immediately.
“A shower?” he repeated slowly.
Lucas nodded and turned toward the room. Alex followed right behind him.
“Well,” Alex said casually, slipping his hands into his pockets, “that’s convenient.”
Lucas glanced back suspiciously.
“Convenient?”
“Yeah,” Alex replied with a playful shrug. “I could use a shower too.”
Lucas stopped walking. Slowly, he turned and their eyes met.
Then Lucas suddenly rushed the last few steps toward the bedroom.
Alex’s eyes widened as “Hey!” Escaped his lip⁹
But Lucas was faster. He slipped into the bathroom and slammed the
door shut. Then click the door lock.
Alex stopped outside the door, staring at it in disbelief.
From inside, Lucas’s laughter echoed. “Nice try, Alex!”
Alex leaned his forehead against the door dramatically. “Baby,” he groaned. “You wound me.”
“Go sit down,” Lucas called from inside. “You’ve caused enough trouble for one evening.”
Alex sighed and pushed himself away from the door.
“Cruel,” he muttered. “Very cruel.”
Still shaking his head, he walked back into the living room.
The apartment was quiet again now, except for the faint sound of the shower turning on in the bathroom.
Alex sat on the couch and leaned back. For a moment, he stared at the ceiling. Then his expression slowly changed.
The warmth faded from his face.
The earlier memory returned. The threatening call from Mac and the text message.
Alex reached for his phone.
His fingers moved quickly as he scrolled through his contacts before pressing Dan’s number.
The call connected almost immediately. A calm voice answered. “Yes, boss.”
Alex’s tone was no longer playful.
It was sharp and focused.
“I need you to run a trace on a number,” he said quietly.
“Yes, boss.”
Alex pulled up the message and read out the number slowly.
There was a brief pause on the other end as Dan noted it down.
“What are we looking for, boss?” the voice asked.
“Everything, Dan” Alex replied coldly.
“Name. Location. Connections.”
His eyes drifted toward the hallway where Lucas was showering. “I want to know who this person is,” Alex continued.
“And why does he think he can threaten me?”
The voice on the line responded immediately. “Understood, sir. We’ll start the investigation right away.”
Alex’s jaw tightened slightly. “One more thing.”
“Yes, boss?”
“If this Mac has any connection to Lucas, or Lucas’s family.” His voice dropped lower.
“I want to know before the morning.”
“Yes, boss.”
Then the call ended.
Alex lowered the phone slowly.
The apartment was quiet again.
From the bathroom, the faint sound of water still ran behind the closed door.
Alex leaned back on the couch, staring at the dark screen of his phone. Something about the call earlier. Something about that voice
It didn’t feel random.
And Alex trusted his instincts.
Whomever Mac was, this was just the beginning.