Chapter 200: Plan against plan

“Of course,” Derby replied confidently. “I told him everything and he supported the idea.”

Lucas sighed heavily in frustration and rubbed his forehead.

At that exact moment, another knock sounded before Emily entered the room casually.

She carried her handbag while pretending to search around the room anxiously.

“Have either of you seen my office keys?” she asked distractedly. “I think I misplaced them yesterday.”

Lucas immediately turned toward her in annoyance.

“Em, can you believe what I’m hearing?”

Emily blinked innocently. “What happened?”

“She brought bodyguards for me,” Lucas complained. “Can you imagine that?”

Emily slowly shifted her gaze toward Derby, pretending surprise.

“Oh… you actually did?”

“Yes,” Derby answered before Lucas could continue. “It’s only for his safety.”

Lucas folded his arms irritably. “Tell her this is unnecessary.”

Emily paused for a second as though thinking deeply about it.

To Lucas’s surprise, she nodded slowly.

“Honestly…” Emily said carefully, “I think it’s a good idea.”

Lucas stared at her in disbelief.

“Em?”

“What?” Emily shrugged lightly. “You were kidnapped once already. Your memory is still unstable too.”

Lucas frowned harder.

“It’s not like they’ll chain you down,” Emily added casually. “If it’s for your safety, I don’t see the problem.”

Lucas looked betrayed instantly.

“You too?”

Emily walked closer and patted his shoulder gently.

“Luc, sometimes people overprotect the ones they care about,” she said softly. “Just let them do their job, okay?”

Lucas exhaled heavily in frustration while Derby secretly relaxed beside him.

Just then, movement downstairs caught their attention.

Lucas walked toward the window instinctively and looked outside.

Two unfamiliar figures were standing near the entrance downstairs speaking with one of the house staff.

Mavis and Jerry had officially resumed duty. Unknown to Derby, the very people she believed were there to protect her husband from Alex, were actually there to protect Lucas from her.

Even after Emily supported the bodyguard arrangement, Lucas still refused to accept it.

The entire morning had turned into endless arguments between him and Derby until he finally walked away in frustration.

“I said I don’t need bodyguards!” he snapped before leaving the living room.

Derby watched him leave with a fake worried expression while secretly hoping the guards would make it harder for Alex to get close to him again.

But Lucas remained irritated throughout the day.

He refused to go anywhere outside the house and instead spent most of his time in the garden with the elderly gardener trimming flowers and watering plants.

Oddly enough, the peaceful atmosphere there helped calm his restless thoughts.

Even while pretending to focus on gardening, his mind constantly drifted back to Alex. His smile, his voice, the way he called him baby so naturally.

By evening, Lucas had already showered and changed into comfortable clothes before lying on his bed.

His phone rested beside him while his eyes remained fixed on the screen every few minutes. He was waiting, and he knew exactly who he was waiting for.

The moment the phone finally buzzed with Alex’s name flashing across the screen, Lucas instantly grabbed it.

A smile unconsciously touched his lips before he answered softly,

“Hello.”

“Baby, how are you?” Alex’s warm voice came immediately.

Lucas sighed dramatically.

“I’m not fine.”

Alex instantly sounded worried.

“Baby, what happened?”

Lucas sat up against the headboard with annoyance written all over his face.

“They went and arranged two bodyguards for me without my approval,” he complained bitterly. “I’m really pissed about this.”

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

“I swear I feel like reporting this to the police because it’s making me feel trapped in some kind of…”

“Baby, calm down, okay?” Alex interrupted gently.

Lucas exhaled heavily.

“Let them do whatever they want,” Alex continued softly. “You’re safe with those guys.”

Lucas frowned immediately.

“No, Alex, I don’t want them.”

Then before thinking properly, he added honestly, “How am I supposed to see you again if they’re following me around?”

Silence followed briefly.

Then, Alex laughed softly. “Oh baby,” His voice brightened instantly. “You’ve decided you want us to meet up?”

Lucas’s cheeks warmed slightly.

“I want to hear more about us as you promised,” he admitted quietly. “But that’ll be impossible now if the guards keep following me everywhere.”

“No it won’t,” Alex replied confidently. “We’ll find a way.”

Lucas sighed again. “That won’t be easy at all.”

Alex became thoughtful for a second before speaking again.

“Listen carefully,” he said softly. “Once Derby leaves for work tomorrow, get acquainted with them.”

Lucas blinked. “What?”

“Become friendly with them,” Alex explained patiently. “Once they trust you and you trust them, they’ll help you instead of restricting you.”

Lucas looked doubtful. “Will that even work?”

Alex’s voice softened again afterward as he asked, “Do you trust me?” he asked quietly.

The answer left Lucas’s lips before he could even think about it.

“Yes.”

The instant the word escaped him, Lucas froze slightly in surprise at himself. It felt strange, yet he meant it completely.

A smile spread across Alex’s face on the other end of the call.

“Then be friendly with them,” he said gently. “You can even go out for drinks with them sometimes.”

Lucas slowly nodded to himself.

“Alright.”

The trust in his voice warmed. Alex deeply.

“Good boy,” Alex teased softly.

Lucas immediately blushed. “Stop saying things like that.”

Alex laughed quietly again before his tone suddenly turned softer.

“Now that we’ve settled that,” he murmured, “I want to ask you something.”

Lucas relaxed further against the bed. “What?”

A brief silence passed before Alex finally asked in a low affectionate voice,

“Baby, did you think about me at all today?”

Lucas couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his lips.

“What do you think?” he answered teasingly.

Alex instantly heard the amusement in his voice. “Oh come on, baby,” he coaxed sweetly. “Tell me properly, hmm?”

Lucas bit his lower lip shyly before finally admitting softly,

“Okay, I thought about you a lot today.”

The confession made Alex’s chest tighten warmly.

“Baby” he whispered emotionally. “I’m missing you so much.”

Lucas’s heartbeat instantly became uneven too. The longing in Alex’s voice sounded so genuine that it made his own chest ache too.

And for the rest of the night, they stayed on the phone talking softly like two people slowly finding their way back to each other again.

By morning, before Lucas could even think of a way to get acquainted with the new guards, the men were already acting as if they had known him for years.

The moment he stepped into the sitting room, he found the two of them gathered around the dining table with cups of coffee in hand while Emily chatted with them comfortably.

“Good morning, Mr. Lucas!” they chorused immediately they saw him.

Lucas paused halfway down the stairs, slightly startled by the loud greeting. “Morning.”

Mavis, the tallest among them, grinned widely and pulled out a chair dramatically. “Boss, come sit with us. We were just discussing important matters.”

Lucas narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he walked over. “Important matters?”

“Yes,” Vic, the other guard replied seriously. “Like where we’ll go for our first guys’ night out.”

Lucas blinked in confusion.

“What?”