Chapter 210: Got him tipsy

Two days later, the afternoon sun stretched across the garden as Derby sat under the shade with Larrisa.

The house was unusually quiet.

Neither of the women noticed that a short distance away, hidden behind the flowering hedges, was Marvis. He had paused after hearing Lucas’s name. He didn’t plan to keep listening, until Derby’s next words stopped him cold.

“Aunt… you won’t believe what I just found out about Lucas.”

Larrisa looked up immediately.

Her eyes widened.

“Oh my goodness, did he get his memory back already?”

Derby let out a dry laugh and shook her head.

“No.” She sighed. “That would’ve been better news than this.”

Larrisa straightened immediately, her interest piqued.

“What did you find out, Derby?”

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Impatiently she asked again. “Is he sneaking around with Alex already?”

Derby blinked. “What? No.” Then lowering her voice she said, “His dick isn’t responding.”

Larrisa stared, before the words made sense. “What?” escaped her lips in surprise.

Behind the hedge, Marvis almost choked. His eyes widened in shock.

Derby leaned closer. “I’m serious.”

Larrisa blinked several times.

“Wait, are you sure?”

Derby nodded. “I tried to seduce him several times.” Her face tightened slightly. “But he kept avoiding me.”

She looked embarrassed admitting it.

“So two nights ago I got upset and confronted him.”

Larrisa folded her arms. “And?”

Derby hesitated. Then quietly said, “He said after the accident, something changed.”

Marvis’s eyes widened further.

Derby continued. “He said he went to see a doctor.”

Larrisa’s face turned serious.

Derby looked troubled as she kept going. “He told me the doctor thinks it might be temporary erectile dysfunction.”

Silence followed.

Larrisa stared in surprise. Then, suddenly she said, “Oh shit.”

She covered her mouth. “That’s serious.”

Derby nodded slowly. “I know.”

Larrisa frowned. “But… what’s the treatment?”

Derby shook her head. “Nothing definite yet.” She sighed. “He said there’s hope things return to normal eventually.”

Larrisa leaned back. For a moment she looked thoughtful.

Then she said quietly, “So it wasn’t just amnesia.”

Derby looked away. Her voice became colder. “Maybe this is Lucas’s punishment.”

Larrisa frowned.

Derby continued. “If he hadn’t gotten involved with Alex in the first place”

“Derby.” Larrisa interrupted immediately.

Derby looked at her.

Larrisa’s expression softened. “Don’t say things like that.”

Derby fell silent.

Larrisa sighed. “If he’s really going through something medically, blaming him won’t fix anything.”

Derby looked down. Her fingers tightened around her dress. “I know.” Her voice lowered. “But I’m scared.”

That caught Larrisa’s attention.

Derby swallowed.

“I kept thinking he didn’t want me.” Her eyes became glassy.

“And now I don’t know if he’s hurting… or if he’s just pushing me away.”

Hidden behind the hedge, Marvis stood frozen. His expression shifted from shock to suspicion.

Then slowly a smirk appeared. He looked toward the house.

“Lucas,” he muttered quietly.

“That doesn’t sound like you. Erectile dysfunction? I don't think so. I need answers to that.

The conversation drifted after that. The tension about doctors and memory slowly dissolved into quieter topics.

Birds chirped somewhere in the garden while Derby absentmindedly pulled at a flower petal.

Then suddenly she said, “You know…”

Larrisa looked at her.

Derby smiled awkwardly. “I was really starting to like him.”

Larrisa blinked.

Derby let out a breath and laughed softly at herself. “At one point…” She looked down. “I started wishing his memory would never return.”

Larrisa stared in surprise.

Derby continued quietly, “So he would remain married to me.”

Larrisa’s eyes widened.

“Oh my goodness.”

Derby looked up with a light smile.

Larrisa leaned closer dramatically. “Are you falling in love with Lucas? Are you out of your mind?”

Derby immediately frowned. “What? Why are you saying it like that?”

Larrisa pointed at her.

“Because normal people don’t wish permanent amnesia on somebody unless feelings are involved.”

Derby looked away. Her ears turned pink. Then she shrugged. Her voice softened.

“Well, he’s a good guy.”

Larrisa watched her. “Girl wake up, you can't fall in love with him. He is gay.”

Derby continued. “Come on, that is not certain. He might be bisexual. He’s calm and gentle.”

She smiled faintly. Her fingers tightened around the flower.

“And he’s… unexpectedly considerate.”

She looked embarrassed.

“So I don’t think there’s anything wrong with falling for him.”

Larrisa stared, wondering if it was really Derby speaking.

Then suddenly burst out laughing.

Derby glared.

“What's so funny about this?”

Larrisa shook her head.

“This is unbelievable.”

Derby frowned.

Larrisa leaned back and narrowed her eyes. Then her expression changed. Slowly and suspiciously.  “Wait.” She said suddenly.

Derby looked at her.

Larrisa tilted her head. “What if his problem isn’t real?” Larrisa said, lowering her voice.

Derby blinked. “What are you saying?”

Larrisa leaned closer.

“What if his little guy is working perfectly and he’s lying about this dysfunction thing.?”

Derby froze.

For the first time, the thought entered her head. She opened her mouth to speak, but no word came out of it. Her brows slowly furrowed.

“No” She said at last as she thought about that night.

Lucas’s expression, his hesitation, and his lowered eyes.

She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.”

Larrisa folded her arms.

Derby looked thoughtful as she defended him quietly. “He sounded genuine, and honestly, he looked upset at his predicament.” Derby looked away.

Larrisa studied her. Then suddenly smiled. It was too casual and knowing. She lowered her voice. “How about a test?”

Derby frowned.

Larrisa continued. “Find a moment when his guard is down.”

Derby blinked, a bit confused.

Larrisa added lightly, “Not to force anything. Just observe him, put something in his drink or water to heighten his senses. Then see if he would react differently when he’s tipsy and not overthinking. ”

“What?!”

The words escaped Derby as she stared in disbelief. Her face heated immediately.

Larrisa laughed. “What if his problem isn’t real and his little guy can dance very well?”

“Come on girl, I’m serious.”

Derby looked horrified as she said, “Oh that’s ridiculous!”

Larrisa shrugged.

“Well, if you’re so certain he’s telling the truth then you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Derby looked away annoyingly, but the thought had already entered her head. And she hated that part of her wanted to know if he was by any chance lying.

Hidden behind the hedge, Marvis slowly lowered his hand from his mouth. His eyes narrowed. His expression was unreadable. Then he quietly smiled as the word, “Very interesting,” escaped him in a whisper.

The instant their discussion diverted to business, Mavis left.

Without wasting time to tell Alex everything he overheard. Alex directed him to reveal it to Lucas directly.

That night, Lucas was in his room, half paying attention to the series playing on his laptop. His mind wasn’t really there.

Now and then, his thoughts drifted back to that evening with Alex.

Then his phone vibrated with a message sound from Marvis. Yet, there was no text but an audio file.

Lucas frowned in confusion. Then he tapped it.

At first, it was garden noises.

Then, Derby’s voice.

Lucas slowly sat upright. His expression changed as he listened to the recording.

After listening, he just sat still, his mind ran through the pieces of their discussion.

“I was really starting to like him.”

His fingers paused. “I started wishing his memory wouldn’t return”

Lucas's brows drew together.

Then, Larrisa’s voice. “What if his problem isn’t real and his little guy can dance very well?”

Lucas froze again at that.

“What the heck, is that Larrisa a wolf in sheep's clothing?”