Chapter 64 Lucky mischieve
Instantly a mischievous grin curled his lips and he walked over to him. “My Lucas, is this fate or what.?”
He walked around him, his eyes admiring. “Sweet bunny, your maker should have made you a woman because you're so damn beautiful. How I wish to kiss these beautiful small lips of yours.” He raised his hand to caress his lips but…Sssh.” Zenith made a hissing sound in a whisper, dropped his hand, and started bending towards his face. But paused on a second thought, “I need to take it easy, I need to make him come freely to Daddy.”
A slow smile curved Zenith’s lips… not cruel but calculating...
He moved closer, soundless, and crouched beside the bench. For a moment, he only watched Lucas’s face, memorizing the calm and the innocence there. Then he leaned in, close enough that his breath brushed Lucas’s ear.
“Lucas.” He whispered his name slowly.
Lucas stirred, brow knitting faintly, but he didn’t wake.
Zenith lowered his voice further, threading it gently into the space between sleep and consciousness.
“Stay away from Alex.” He paused… “He isn’t what he pretends to be.”
Lucas’s fingers twitched.
“He lies easily,” Zenith continued softly, patiently. “You think you see him…but you don’t. You only see what he wants you to see.”
Lucas shifted, a quiet sound catching in his throat but he didn't wake up.
“He will hurt you,” Zenith murmured calmly, as if in a confession. “Not because he means to… but because that’s who he is.”
Another pause. Then, slower and firmer he concluded, “Don’t trust him.”
Zenith straightened, watching him like he was making some rituals to make the words sink… watching Lucas’s breathing falter before settling again. Then, suddenly, he felt that his breathing had become uneasy and disturbed.
He smiled with satisfaction and stood up. Then he watched him a little and whispered, “My sweet bunny, have terrible dreams about him.” He walked away without another glance back or a single sound.
Minutes later, Lucas stirred on the bench, woke, and sat up swiftly gazing around as if he sensed a presence. He saw no one but his heart thudded for no clear reason. A chill clung to him, a sense of wrongness pressing at his chest.
Alex’s face surfaced in his mind immediately. And for the first time, doubt followed close behind.
Later that day, Lucas was still off.
Though not dramatically and nothing anyone could point out, it felt just wrong. He answered more slowly. His smiles didn’t reach his eyes. Every time Alex spoke to him, that nameless unease from his sleep tightened in his chest.
Don’t trust him would sound in his head. He would shake his head to shake off the thought and focus on his task.
Then from nowhere, Zenith who had been watching appeared beside him, unannounced.
“Hey,” Zenith said lightly, like he cared a lot about him. “You look tired.”
Lucas glanced up. “I’m fine.”
Zenith hummed, unconvinced, then leaned casually against the counter. “You seemed to have been having a rough day. Especially when people aren’t being honest with you.”
Lucas stiffened but just a little.
Zenith noticed...of course he did. He was very watchful so that none of Lucas's reactions would pass by without his noticing it.
“Oh, sorry,” Zenith added quickly, holding up a hand. “That wasn’t about you. Just… office stuff.” He paused. Then, almost as an afterthought, “Alex is really good at that, though.”
Lucas frowned. “Good at what?”
Zenith blinked, like he hadn’t meant to say that. “At… managing situations.” He smiled faintly. “Saying what people need to hear.”
The words slid neatly into place…too neatly because that instant, Lucas’s grip tightened on what he was holding. “You make it sound like he is fake.”
Zenith shrugged. “I didn’t say he is fake.” He paused, “Just that he is selective and a bit cunning.”
Lucas swallowed, his anxiety increasing.
Zenith studied him for a moment, then softened his tone. “Look, I like Alex. I do. He is charming, he is gorgeous, wealthy, and confident.” He gave out a small, knowing smile. “People like him usually are.”
Zenith straightened, checking his watch. “Anyway…don’t let me distract you. I just thought you should know… not everyone here is as straightforward as you. And I hope you feel better soon because I really do care about your welfare.”
He walked away before Lucas could respond.
Lucaas stood there long after, the noise of the workplace blurring. Then Alex laughed somewhere nearby. Instead of feeling comfort, Lucas felt that chill again…negative, sharp, and familiar. This time, it didn’t feel like a dream.
Alex noticed it almost immediately.
Lucas didn’t linger anymore. He answered when spoken to, but the warmth was gone. It stripped down to something polite and careful. Every smile felt measured, every glance cut short before it could settle.
Alex tried to catch his eye but always missed as if Lucas was intentionally averting his eyes.
He stepped closer but Lucas stepped back. He tried again but the same thing happened.
The realization hit him hard and his heart twitched painfully. Lucas is pulling away but why?
A tight knot formed in Alex’s chest. Did I push too far? Did I scare him?
In confusion, Alex went back to the office, but couldn't concentrate on anything except watching Lucas on security footage. After a while, he sent for him. Lucas didn't want to but he had no choice since he was the boss.
Alex sat across from him, searching his face for something familiar. Lucas kept his focus on his fingers or nothing in particular, nodding at the right moments, saying just enough to be civil.
That hurt more than silence.
“Did I do something wrong?” Alex asked quietly.
Lucas hesitated…just a second too long. “No,” he said, too quickly.
“I’m just tired.”
The lie landed wrong. Alex felt it.
So this was it…regret…reality is catching up. Lucas was convincing himself it had meant nothing.
Alex forced a small smile. “Right,” he muttered weakly, eyes searching Lucas’s, "Of course.”
His heart twisted painfully. He leaned back, masking the ache with composure, with pride. If Lucas wanted distance, then he would give it to him. He wouldn’t beg anymore. He wouldn’t corner him again. He would give him the space he needed. So he released him to go back to work.
As the day dragged on, the misreading festered. He’s done.
By the time Alex sat alone in front of the system in his office, watching Lucas move through the floor like a stranger, the resolve hardened into something reckless.
If Lucas thought he could just quietly step away, if this was how it would end then Alex would stop pretending he didn’t care.
And that decision, born from misunderstanding, was about to change everything because instantly, Alex decided to close the system and stopped watching him on the footage. Then whispered, My Lucas, why are you making this too hard? No problems, I will give some space”.