Chapter 211: Two can play

His head spiraled again.

“Try observing him when his guard is down.”

Then Derby’s shocked reaction, before the audio ended.

Lucas stared at the screen. His room suddenly felt too quiet. His chest tightened strangely.

It wasn't because Derby said she was starting to like him. Not even because she wanted their marriage to work, but because of Larrisa's suggestion.

She had just tried to convince her to use ways to verify something deeply personal by drugging him.

His jaw tightened. He dropped his phone onto the bed and leaned back.

For several long minutes, Lucas remained seated at the edge of the bed, unmoving.

The room was silent except for the ticking clock on the wall and the faint hum of the air conditioner. Yet inside his head, the recorded conversation kept replaying over and over again like a curse he couldn’t escape.

Larrisa’s voice. Derby’s hesitation. The suggestion about inducing him.

Every single word clawed at his chest. His fingers slowly tightened around his phone until his knuckles whitened.

Then finally, with a tired breath, he lowered his head and muttered quietly into the empty room,

“Derby… don’t do something stupid.”

But deep down, Lucas already knew she might. And that realization terrified him more than he wanted to admit.

For the first time since his accident, Lucas felt genuinely unsafe inside his own home. Not because of strangers, but because of the woman sleeping in the same house with him.

That night, Lucas barely slept.

He lay awake staring at the ceiling while his thoughts spiraled endlessly. Every memory of Derby suddenly felt suspicious. Every caring gesture now carried hidden meanings.

Was she truly worried about him?

Or desperate to prove something?

The next morning, Lucas made a silent decision.

From now on, he would only eat or drink things he prepared himself.

No exceptions.

Immediately after breakfast, he called their cook privately.

The woman sounded confused when Lucas calmly instructed her to take one week off.

“Sir… did I do something wrong?”

“No,” Lucas answered gently. “You’ve worked nonstop for months. Take the week and rest.”

“But Madam Derby…”

“I’ll handle Derby.”

The cook hesitated before finally agreeing.

After ending the call, Lucas stared at his reflection in the kitchen window.

“You’re really doing this,” he whispered bitterly to himself. The thought hurt him more than he expected. Because despite everything, part of him still wanted to believe Derby would never intentionally hurt him.

Yet, another part of him remembered the recording and that part refused to be foolish.

The next evening, dinner felt unnaturally calm. The mansion’s dining room was large enough to host ten people comfortably, yet somehow it felt suffocating with just the two of them seated across from each other.

Soft golden light from the chandelier illuminated the polished dining table. The clinking of cutlery echoed faintly between pauses in conversation.

Derby seemed completely normal. She spoke casually about random things, an upcoming charity event, a business proposal she had received earlier, the neighbor’s renovation noise, and even some ridiculous video she saw online.

Lucas only listened quietly, just as he observed quietly. He measured every expression on her face. It almost amazed him how naturally she behaved. As if she wasn’t secretly considering drugging him. As if nothing had changed.

Lucas barely touched the conversation unless necessary.

He responded with short hums or brief replies while carefully watching what Derby ate and drank.

At some point, Derby tasted the creamy sauce on the chicken and her eyes widened slightly.

“Wow,” she said with genuine surprise. “This tastes really good tonight.”

Lucas leaned back slowly in his chair and smirked faintly.

“Well,” he drawled, “That’s your husband’s cooking skills in action.”

Derby blinked at him.

“You cooked this?”

Lucas faked a smile.

“All of it.”

A small laugh escaped her lips. “Seriously? Lucas, this is delicious.”

For a moment, Lucas simply stared at her.

Weeks ago, hearing her praise him like that would’ve made him smile genuinely. Tonight, it only made him wonder whether she would still compliment him when or if he slipped something into his drink.

“Thank you,” he said calmly.

He rose from his seat and began gathering the empty plates before Derby could stop him.

She looked startled.

“Come on, Lucas,” she protested softly, standing up too. “Let the maids handle it.”

Lucas carried the dishes toward the sink without looking at her.

“Oh,” he said casually, “I forgot to mention something.”

“What?”

“The cook had an emergency, so I gave her a week off.”

Derby stopped mid-step.

“What?” she asked sharply. “A whole week? Without informing me?”

Lucas turned on the faucet, allowing water to rush over the plates before answering.

“She tried reaching you this afternoon, but you weren’t picking up.” He shrugged lightly. “The poor woman sounded devastated. She was crying like her mother was dying or something.”

Still stunned, Derby walked closer. “You should’ve at least told me first.”

At that moment, anger quietly burned beneath Lucas’s skin.

He whispered inwardly. So now I need permission too?

He gritted his jaw

Let’s see how deep your so-called love really goes, Derby.

Lucas picked up another plate and began washing it slowly.

Then, almost like he was speaking to himself, he murmured pretentiously, “Guess being an incomplete man changes things.”

Derby frowned immediately.

“What?”

Lucas laughed softly, though there was no humor in it.

“Isn’t that what this is?” he asked quietly. “Suddenly I’m no longer important enough to make decisions in my own house because of my predicament.”

Derby froze.

“Lucas, no, that’s not what I meant.”

“I shouldn’t have revealed my problem to you.” His voice cut through hers sharply.

The guilt on Derby’s face appeared instantly.

And Lucas hated the fact that part of him knew he was manipulating her emotions intentionally. But another part of him was hurting too much to care.

If they hadn't manipulated him into the silly marriage, he would have been free to move around with Alex.

Derby moved closer until she stood directly behind him.

Then gently, she wrapped both arms around his waist.

Lucas stiffened immediately.

Every muscle in his body tightened.

For one dangerous second, he nearly shoved her away from him.

Because all he could think was,

What if those same hands really planned to hurt him?

He forced himself to remain still.

Derby rested her cheek lightly against his back.

“Sweetheart,” she whispered, “please believe me. I didn’t mean it like that.”

Lucas kept washing the plate silently.

“You have every right to make decisions in this house,” she continued gently. “You’re my husband.”

Then she leaned upward and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek. “Okay?”

Lucas closed his eyes briefly.

The warmth of her embrace felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable compared to Alex’s.

That made everything worse, because despite all his suspicions, he couldn't push her away from touching him lightly.

Finally, he forced out a small smile she couldn’t see clearly.

“Okay.”

Derby immediately brightened with relief.

“There’s my husband,” she teased softly.

Lucas swallowed hard.

If only you knew how badly I want to get the heck away from you and this fake relationship.

She pulled away smiling and began rinsing the remaining dishes beside him while casually chatting again, completely unaware of the war raging inside Lucas’s mind.