Chapter 199: Are you blushing

Maybe then this tormenting confusion would stop. Lucas sat up slowly on the bed again and ran both hands through his hair.

“Please…” he whispered helplessly to himself. “Just let me remember him.”

His eyes drifted toward his phone resting beside him. Alex’s number was no longer blocked. Without thinking much, Lucas picked up the phone and opened the contact list.

His thumb hovered over Alex’s name for several long seconds.

A strange warmth spread through him just seeing it there. He remembered how naturally Alex unlocked his phone earlier.

How confidently he had said, “You know mine too.”

Lucas’s lips curved unconsciously into a faint smile.

“We were really that close?” he whispered to himself. Deep inside, something answered yes.

And that feeling alone made him miss memories he couldn’t even recall.

Eventually, Lucas lay back down again. But instead of Derby, or the marriage, or even his missing memories…The only thing filling his mind was Alex’s voice close to his ear.

Baby… please remember me soon.

Lucas shut his eyes tightly as his chest tightened again. He found himself genuinely wishing for his memories to return, not for himself this time, but for Alex.

Lucas was still lying awake on his bed, lost in thoughts of Alex’s voice and gentle touches, when his phone suddenly buzzed beside him.

The sound startled him out of his daze.

He picked it up quickly, and the moment he saw Alex’s name flashing across the screen, his heartbeat quickened.

For a second, Lucas simply stared at it before answering softly.

“Hello…”

“Baby.”

The familiar affectionate tone instantly warmed Lucas’s chest again.

Alex sounded relieved just hearing his voice.

“Did you get home safely?” he asked immediately. “You’re feeling okay, right? Are you resting now?”

Lucas couldn’t help smiling faintly at the endless concern.

“Yes, I’m home,” he answered calmly. “And I’m fine too.”

“Good.” Alex exhaled softly. “I’ve been worried since you left.”

Lucas rolled slightly onto his side, holding the phone closer to his ear.

“You worry too much,” he murmured.

“That’s because I love you too much.”

The direct answer made Lucas’s cheeks grow warmer.

Alex chuckled softly from the other end as though he could already imagine him blushing.

“Are you blushing right now, baby?”

“No,” Lucas lied quickly.

Alex laughed softly again, the deep sound sending strange butterflies through Lucas’s stomach.

“You’re adorable when you lie.”

Lucas bit his lower lip shyly and stared at the darkness of his room.

Why did talking to Alex feel so natural? The conversation flowed so easily between them despite his missing memories. After a brief silence, Alex’s voice softened again.

“I want to see you again.”

Lucas’s fingers tightened slightly around the phone.

The longing in Alex’s tone touched him deeply.

But at the same time, fear and confusion still lingered inside him.

“I… I don’t know,” Lucas admitted honestly. “Please give me more time.”

There was a short silence afterward.

Then Alex answered gently, “Okay, baby. I’ll wait.”

Something about the patience in his voice made Lucas’s heart ache sweetly.

Neither of them spoke for several seconds after that. Yet strangely, the silence between them didn’t feel awkward. It felt intimate.

Lucas could hear Alex’s slow breathing through the phone while his own heartbeat remained uneven in his chest.

It almost felt like they were lying beside each other instead of miles apart.

Then suddenly Alex spoke again, his voice quieter this time.

“You know…” he murmured, “sometimes I used to imagine what our children would look like.”

Lucas blinked in surprise.

“Our… children?”

“Yes.” Alex laughed softly. “You always said you wanted to give birth to our children.”

Lucas sat up slightly on the bed in complete shock.

“You mean… we actually talked about things like that?”

“Of course baby, we did,” Alex replied fondly. “We planned a lot of things together.”

Lucas felt strangely emotional hearing that. A warm ache spread through his chest again.

Then another realization suddenly hit him.

“Wait…” Lucas said slowly. “You knew about my condition?”

Alex became quiet for a second before answering gently, "You mean, about you being  a hermaphrodite?”

“You really know my heaviest secret?” Lucas asked again in more surprise.

“Baby… there’s nothing about you I didn’t know.”

Lucas’s breath caught slightly.

The tenderness in Alex’s voice made his chest tighten again.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, hearing that made him feel accepted and safe.

“What else did we do together?” Lucas asked curiously, unable to stop himself anymore. “Tell me more.”

Alex chuckled softly.

“No.”

Lucas frowned immediately. “Why?”

“Because I want you to hear it while looking into my eyes,” Alex answered smoothly. “Not over the phone.”

Lucas’s cheeks warmed again.

Alex truly knew how to leave him restless.

“Please, I want to see you again,” Alex pleaded softly afterward. “Just once more.”

Lucas remained silent, conflicted.

He wanted to say yes immediately.

God, he wanted to, but everything still felt complicated.

Alex’s voice became gentler again. “Think about it, baby,” he whispered. “Choose a place and time you’re comfortable with.”

Lucas closed his eyes slowly as warmth spread through him again.

Then Alex gave a soft laugh before murmuring near the phone,

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

And before Lucas could respond,

Alex kissed the phone softly.

The faint sound of that kiss sent an embarrassing shiver down Lucas’s spine.

His cheeks burned instantly as he whispered back shyly after the call ended.

“Goodnight Alex.” He chortled happily. Then remained holding the phone close to his chest with a small smile on his lips.

And for the first time in a very long time, falling asleep didn’t feel lonely anymore.

The next morning, Lucas sat on the edge of his bed scrolling absentmindedly through his phone. Then a soft knock sounded on the door.

Before he could respond, Derby stepped into the room carrying her usual pretentious smile.

“Good morning, darling,” she greeted sweetly as she walked in.

Lucas barely glanced at her as he responded, “Morning.”

Derby sat beside him on the bed, acting every bit like a caring wife.

“Lucas darling, last night I wanted to tell you about a new arrangement,” she said softly, “but you were already asleep.”

Lucas finally looked at her properly. “What arrangement?”

Derby smiled gently. “I wanted to let you know I brought guards for you.”

Lucas’s brows instantly furrowed.

“What?”

“For your safety, of course.”

Lucas stared at her in disbelief before letting out a short scoff.

“Guards? What for?”

Derby immediately switched into a worried expression.

“Darling, after what happened to you, I can’t take chances anymore. I don’t want you getting hurt or kidnapped again.”

Lucas stood from the bed immediately in irritation. “Come on, I’m fine,” he snapped. “I don’t need any fucking bodyguards.”

“Lucas…”

“No. This is ridiculous, okay?” he continued angrily. “Send them back. I don’t need people following me around like some politician’s son. Even mayors’ children aren’t guarded this much.”

Derby quickly stood too, trying to calm him.

“Darling, please,” she pleaded softly. “It’ll make me worry less.”

Lucas rolled his eyes.

“Your memory is still missing,” Derby continued carefully. “You need protection.”

Then she added the perfect lie smoothly,

“Besides, they’re not strangers. They came through Gabe, from your dad.”

Lucas paused instantly.

“My dad knows about this?”