Chapter 131 Unexpected reaction
We believed the drink was meant for Lucas,” Dan said. Someone pointed the server at Lucas but the person's face was not detected yet. The securities were still trying to track the guy. But one certain truth is that whoever did it wasn’t targeting you. He was targeting him.”
For a moment, Alex couldn’t even breathe. His eyes instinctively turned toward Lucas, who was still standing near the counter, talking to the nurse without any idea what was going on.
“And that’s not all,” Dan continued.
Alex’s voice dropped dangerously low. “Say it.”
“The person who pulled down your pants that night,” Dan paused. “It’s the same man who was talking to Lucas earlier.”
Alex’s expression darkened instantly as “James.” escaped his lips.
The name came out like a threat.
Memories flashed through his mind. The betrayal, the blackmail, the ten million he had made away with years ago. Alex’s jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
“So he came back to taunt me,” Alex muttered. “He came back for Lucas.”
On the other end, Dan stayed silent for a moment before saying carefully, “Boss, we will find him.”
Alex kept silent for a beat. Then his voice turned even more dangerous. “If he thinks he can touch Lucas and walk away again… he’s about to learn he picked the wrong person this time.”
Just then Lucas walked toward him, smiling weakly. “Alex? Can we go home now?”
Alex ended the call slowly, then turned back to him. The anger in his eyes disappeared instantly, replaced by something softer… but also more protective than ever.
“Yes,” he said quietly. “Let’s go home.”
On their way home, the drive was quiet. Not the peaceful kind, but a kind of heavy one.
Lucas leaned back against the seat, his gaze fixed on the window as the city blurred past. His mind kept drifting back to the hospital. To the tests, and the unknown result waiting ahead in two days.
Alex drove beside him, one hand on the wheel, the other resting loosely near Lucas’s thigh, as if he wanted to reach out but wasn’t sure if he should.
Then suddenly, Lucas’s phone buzzed.
Lucas blinked and glanced down at his phone. His expression shifted immediately.
Alex noticed and asked instantly. “Who is it?”
Lucas hesitated for a second before turning the screen slightly.
“...My dad.”
The air in the car changed.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Lucas exhaled softly and answered the call, bringing the phone to his ear. “Dad, what do you want?”
The words came out sharper than he intended. On the other end, there was silence. A long one.
Lucas frowned slightly, almost pulling the phone away to check if the call had dropped.
When his father’s voice finally came through, quieter than usual. Lucas heard, “I deserve that.”
Lucas’s grip on the phone tightened just a little.
“I was going to say something else,” his father continued, his tone carrying a weight Lucas wasn’t used to hearing. “But son, I guess I don’t really have the right to complain.”
Lucas didn’t respond. His eyes shifted briefly toward Alex, then back to the road ahead.
“I’ve been thinking,” his father went on. “About everything. About how I handled things, how I treated you.”
Then a little pause before his voice came up again but softer. “I miss you, Lucas. I'm missing my son.”
Lucas’s chest tightened unexpectedly.
“Since you left, the house just…” his father exhaled. “It doesn’t feel right anymore.”
Alex’s hand slowly moved, this time gently resting over Lucas’s, in silent support.
Lucas didn’t pull away. He wasn't expecting that from his father. He was expecting nothing more than a threat.
“I’m sorry,” his father said, the words coming out with effort, like they had been stuck for a long time. “For making things difficult for you. For not listening… for not trying to understand.”
Lucas swallowed, tears threatening to spill because this wasn’t the man he was used to.
“I know I can’t fix everything with just words,” his father continued. “But, please my son, can you come home?”
Lucas’s breath hitched slightly.
“Even if it’s just to talk. Or to give me a chance to make things right.”
The car felt smaller suddenly. It seemed warmer and tense.
Alex didn’t say anything, but his thumb brushed lightly against Lucas’s hand, a quiet reminder that he wasn’t alone in this.
On the other end, his father’s voice softened even more.
“Please, Lucas, come home. Forgive your old man, hmm.”
Lucas closed his eyes for a brief second. So many memories. So many emotions tangled together.
When he finally spoke, his voice was no longer sharp, but it wasn’t soft either.
“I… need time, Dad.”
“Please son, let's start with just one night okay?” Lucas’s father pleaded.
“I’m not ready yet,” Lucas responded.
There was a faint sound of disappointment on the other end, but his father didn’t argue.
“Alright, son,” he said quietly. “I understand.”
Another small pause before his father said, “I’ll be waiting. Whenever you’re ready, take care.”
Then, the call ended.
Lucas slowly lowered the phone, staring at it for a moment before letting out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.
Alex glanced at him. “You okay?”
Lucas nodded faintly, though his eyes were distant.
“I don’t know,” Lucas admitted.
Alex squeezed his hand gently.
“You don’t have to decide anything now.”
Lucas turned slightly toward him, something soft flickering in his expression. “Yeah.”
Outside, the road stretched ahead, looking uncertain like Lucas’s thoughts. Though one thing was certain, whatever might come his way, he wouldn’t be facing it alone.
They were barely halfway to Alex’s place when Lucas’s phone buzzed again. He glanced down absentmindedly, expecting maybe another random notification. The moment he saw the message, his brows pulled together. It was a bank alert.
His account had been unfrozen.
Lucas straightened slightly in his seat, staring at the screen like he wasn’t sure he had read it right. For two months plus, everything had been locked, cut off, controlled.
Then suddenly, “It’s back,” he muttered.
Alex glanced at him. “What is back?”
“My account,” Lucas said, still confused. “It’s been unfrozen.”
Alex’s grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. That was fast and unexpected.
Before either of them could process it, Lucas’s phone buzzed again with another call. Lucas frowned at the screen and muttered, “Emily.”
He answered immediately. “Hello, Em.”
On the other end, his sister’s voice came in fast with surprise, almost breathless. “Lucas, what did you say to Dad?!”
Lucas blinked. “What? I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t?” she asked, clearly confused.
“No,” Lucas replied, sitting up straighter now. “We just spoke on the phone, that’s all. Why?”
There was a pause, like she was trying to piece things together.
“Lucas, Dad gave me your keys.”
Lucas’s heart skipped. “What?” he asked in surprise.
“The keys to your car, your bike, and even your room,” she continued. “He just handed them to me and said I should keep them safe because…” she paused slightly, “Because you’ll be coming back home soon.”
Silence filled the car, and Lucas’s mind went completely blank.