Chapter 20 Are you really my Lucas
There was a stunned silence on the other end, then a calm response. “Alright love, on my way,” before the line went dead.
Alex slammed the receiver back into place, pacing like a lion in a cage. This wasn't just about Nathan anymore.
It was about lies, betrayal, and the one person he couldn’t afford to lose again.
Zenith knocked at Alex’s office a few minutes later, his chef's apron still tied around his waist, face flushed from the rush.
“Yes, come in,” Alex responded, ready to hear from Zenith.
“Sweetheart, you called. You sounded troubled. Hope everything is okay” Zenith said immediately as he stepped in and closed the door.
Alex was standing in a spot now, arms folded tightly, his jaw clenched as the man before him sounded like he cared.
Zenith headed towards him with a concerned look on his face.
Alex watched as he walked toward him, his eyes burning with restrained fury.
“How can everything be okay, hmm? Alex barked at him. “What do you think you’re doing, Zenith?” His voice boomed with his emotion and one could feel the fury boiling heavily. “Now tell me, what exactly did you say to Nathan about me?”
Zenith blinked, confused. “Uh, sweetheart, I don’t understand what you mean,” he said, frowning.
Alex strode further, closing the distance between them in seconds. “Don’t play stupid with me and don't you dare sweetheart me.”
His anger was palpable and Zenith could feel it.
“Nathan said you told him I was going to use him and dump him. Is that true?”
Zenith took a cautious step back, swallowing. “Come on sweet…”
“Damn it, Zenith, stop calling me that. I'm not your fucking sweetheart.”
“Yes, Alex, you’re my fucking sweetheart until our contract expires,” Zenith snapped back. “Have you forgotten? My two-year contract is still counting. So you are mine until it expires.”
“I have told you to name your price so you can get the heck out of my business.”
“And I have told you that I want nothing else except all your five branches of eatery.”
There was complete silence as their eyes locked. After a few seconds, Zenith exhaled, then raised his hand and stroked Alex’s cheek. “You know I still crave your touch. Let's forget…”
“Enough of your nonsense, Zenith” Alex said, removing his hand from his cheek.”
“Don't make me do something deadly, Zenith.”
Zenith chuckled, “Oh come on sweetheart, you used to adore me, and as far as I'm concerned, you are still part of my life, and I'm part of yours. So if you can't let go of your five sweet edifices, then there is nothing else except to love me back.” He leaned in to peck him but he gave him a push.
“Easy sweetheart, just know that I will be waiting until you realize that I'm the one. Oh, concerning Nathan, I might’ve said something… but I didn’t mean it like that. He kept whining to me about you pulling away, and I was trying to prepare him, in case you…”
“In case I what?” Alex cut in, voice rising. “In case I did what exactly? Break his heart? Make him spiral again?”
Zenith dropped his gaze. “I didn’t want him to get hurt. He is a nice kid but you dumped me because of him. So I told him you might dump him because of another person. Besides, I wasn't wrong. You dumped Joe, Ken, Larissa, Thompson, and me. So if you dumped him… ”
“Enough! Zenith, you've done more damage than you know.” Alex’s voice dropped low, dangerous. “Next time, you stay out of things you don’t understand and if Nathan gets emotionally unstable, that’s on you.”
Zenith looked stunned. “Excuse me, are you saying you dumped him already? What is the matter with you? Oh, you want to hang your fuck up on me? You think I caused this mess? Alex, you're unbelievable.”
Angrily, Alex pointed to the door. “Get out, Zenith. And stay out of my personal business from now on.”
“Come on sweet…”
“Don't finish that word, I'm your boss, so I'm Mr. Alex to you. Now leave my office.”
Zenith turned and walked to the door, then paused. “Sweetheart, I'm a bit curious, why did you dump him?”
“Get the heck out, Zenith.” Alex snapped at him.
Zenith stepped out and held the door, his curiosity beating him up. He wanted to leave but couldn't bear it. So from the door, he asked, "Alex, dear, is there another brown hair?”
Alex cursed, “Damn it, just get the heck out of this place,” as he strode angrily to the door and jammed it in his face.
“Gaddamn it, no fucking privacy in my life again?”. He snapped angrily as he strode back to his desk and slumped into his chair. His heart raced faster than it should as his tension lingered like smoke in the air after Zenith’s dramatic exit.
Zenith was once Alex’s obsession just like Nathan was before Lucas took over. He also had curly hair but not blue eyes.
Anyways, at the office Alex exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back in his chair. He hadn’t even had a moment to clear his swirling thoughts when his phone buzzed.
It was Dan so Alex swiped the screen and answered sharply, “Talk to me, Dan”
Dan’s voice was brisk and urgent. “We got a hint. The brown-haired guy, the one from the club, was seen around the arts and culinary district about two hours ago.”
Alex straightened immediately. “You’re sure it’s him?”
“Positive,” Dan confirmed. “We traced a flagged security cam. His walk, height, and even the helmet matched. GPS pinged close to a private road near the old textile road. I’ve just sent you the exact coordinates. Someone believed he was a student at one of the schools there.”
Alex opened the file instantly. His eyes locked on the red pin flashing on the map.
“Anything else?” he asked, already pulling on his jacket.
“There’s more. He wasn’t alone.”
Alex’s heart thumped once, sharply. “With who?”
“I think with his girlfriend, the name is Derby Ashton.”
The word landed like a punch to the chest. Alex froze. “A girlfriend?” He whispered as his heart twitched in pain.
Alex’s eyes narrowed. “Is there any proof that the Derby girl is very close to him?” He asked, keeping his fingers crossed.
“No boss”
“Then there is every possibility that they could be just friends.” Alex kept finding a way to console and encourage himself.
“Most likely, boss,” Dan responded.
Without another word, Alex grabbed his bike keys and stormed out of the office, ignoring the stares from the staff. His expression was locked—cold, calculating, and determined. He wasn’t losing him again.
The engine of Alex’s Ducati roared beneath him as he sped through the mid-afternoon traffic. His helmet’s visor reflected the flashing streetlights, while his gloved fingers gripped the throttle tighter than usual. The GPS screen blinked on his wrist display, showing the red dot pulsing steadily as he closed in on the last known location.
Alex’s jaw clenched as he recalled that two years ago, Lucas had just enrolled in a part-time culinary program when he saved him from slitting his wrist. If the person is a student in that school, he could be his mystery guy. The same guy who haunted his thoughts. The same boy he had chased on the bike and missed this morning. The same one who looked like the version of Lucas.
“Who are you mystery guy? Are you really my Lucas?”
A sudden red light forced Alex to brake hard. The tires screeched slightly as the bike halted. A pedestrian cast him a nervous glance. “Hey man, watch it.” The pedestrian snarled.
Alex didn’t care to respond. His pulse was racing faster than the bike engine. He controlled his anger, but once the man was out of his sight, he cursed, “Damn it, Alex, are you losing it?”