Chapter 33 Storm was over
Alex could barely contain his excitement as he contacted his HR almost immediately. He instructed her to prepare an employment letter for an assistant chef and promptly forwarded Lucas’s details. He didn’t want any delays, not this time.
In less than an hour, everything was ready. But Alex wasn’t done. He wanted Lucas close, he wanted him secured, and he wanted him around him for a long time. So he drafted a three-year contract and made it a condition of the job. To Lucas, it was a miracle and an answered prayer after days of frustration.
However, he never imagined there could be more hidden between the lines of the contract he held with his trembling hands. Though the hand didn't tremble out of fear but excitement. He went through the employment letter with his heart thumping happily.
Meanwhile, that evening, when Alex was told that Lucas had arrived to sign, his heart pounded joyfully to the extent he could feel the movement on his chest.
He hurriedly connected his system to the CCTV monitor to see how he was doing.
The instant he saw him seated in the office, anxiety crept in, cold and sharp. Had he gone too far with the contract? Would Lucas hesitate when he saw the terms? Would he walk away? Those thoughts got him unsettled.
But then, to his uttermost surprise, Lucas signed quickly, but blindly, without reading a single page of the contract.
Alex stared with mixed emotions.
Relief washed over him, but it was quickly followed by something heavier… guilt. A knot tightened in his chest as realization dawned on him at how desperate Lucas must have been to sign so easily without going through it. The weight of it hit him hard.
His fingers instinctively curled around the pendant resting against his chest. His heart twitched painfully as he wondered aloud,
“Has Lucas been suffering all this time?”
The question burned and suddenly Alex’s emotion changed. He wanted to rush to him, pull him into a tight embrace, and never let go. He wanted to tell him how much he had missed him. How he had always been there in his thoughts. How he would make sure that no matter what, he would never suffer again. At least not under his watch.
The instant the contract was signed and handed over, Alex shot to his feet. Without thinking he bolted out of his office, his footsteps echoing sharply down the hallway. His heart pounded as he headed straight to the HR office, urgency burning through his veins. He needed to look into his eyes and tell him that he was his savior years back. Then he would also tell him that he mattered a lot to him.
He burst into the HR office, breath slightly uneven. “Where’s Lucas?” he asked, his voice tighter than he intended.
The HR officer looked up, startled by Alex’s sudden appearance. “He just left, sir,” he replied calmly. “I have told him to resume work tomorrow morning just like you instructed.”
“Oh, he had left?” Alex stood sounding a bit disappointed. The air suddenly felt heavy in his lungs. No chance to talk. No chance to take back the silence or say the things clawing at his chest.
He ran a hand through his hair, frustration and regret crashing together. He had missed the moment—the only moment that mattered. Lucas had walked out of the building believing it was just a job, unaware of the storm of emotions Alex had barely managed to contain.
Alex exhaled slowly, forcing himself to steady his racing thoughts. Tomorrow, he told himself, tomorrow, he would see Lucas again. Tomorrow, he would make things right. Tomorrow, he would show him through actions if not words, that he wasn’t alone anymore.
But as he turned to leave the HR office, the hollow ache in his chest refused to fade. He knew one thing for certain now:
He should never have let Lucas walk away without talking to him immediately when he came in. He would miss him more throughout the rest of the day, especially the night ahead.
Meanwhile, on Lucas’s way home, his happiness was boundless, light enough to make his steps quicker and his chest feel warm. He could barely contain himself; all he wanted was to burst through the door and tell Nathan the good news. Let him know that the storm was over, finally, because he now had a nice job with stability, and hope was alive again.
Passing a small grocery store, he paused, then smiled and went in. They were out of a few vegetables at home, and tonight felt like the perfect night to cook something special. He beamed as he picked tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and the rest of the things he felt were important.
With the bag swinging lightly in his hand, he headed home, heart racing, already imagining Nathan’s reaction. He unlocked the apartment door and stepped inside, still smiling. At that exact moment, his phone buzzed with a message.
“Hey Luc, I’ve been trying your number but it wasn’t connecting. Something came up out of town concerning the new Kornelly Hotel branch they’re opening in two days. I was needed there as one of the chefs to cover for a sick chef. So I may be there for a week. I dropped some cash in the bedside drawer—call me if you need anything. And stay strong. Everything will work out fine.”
Lucas’s smile slowly faded. His shoulders slumped as the weight of the words settled in. He stood there in the quiet apartment, grocery bag dangling from his hand, the excitement still buzzing in his veins with nowhere to go. He had been looking forward to cooking something delicious for Nathan, to sharing the news over a warm meal. Instead, the apartment felt suddenly empty.
The silence pressed in on him the moment he locked the door. Too quiet. Too empty. Lucas dropped the grocery bag on the counter and sank into a chair, his excitement crashing into a wave of loneliness. There was no one to laugh with, no one to listen to as he replayed the moment in his head—the offer, the contract, the relief. The words I got the job hung on his lips, heavy and unused.
For a brief moment, the loneliness stung. This was supposed to be shared.
He inhaled deeply, then exhaled, straightening his shoulders. He had waited too long, suffered too much, to let the silence steal this from him. Slowly, he stood up, went over to the stereo, put on the music, and got to work.
He stored some in the fridge and picked out the ones he needed. He washed the vegetables, chopped them neatly, and cooked with care, as if someone were watching, as if someone would taste it. When the food was ready, he served himself properly, poured a glass of water, and raised it slightly in the air.
“To new beginnings, Lucas” he murmured, a small smile curving his lips.
He ate slowly, savoring every bite, letting pride replace loneliness. Tomorrow was his fresh start. After dinner, he laid out his clothes carefully, polished his shoes, and checked the time several times. He didn’t want to be late—not on his first day.
As he lay in bed, sleep came easily, wrapped in quiet excitement. Alone or not, he had made it. And as his eyes finally closed, one thought stayed with him, steady and bright: Tomorrow, I would begin anew.