The morning light filtered softly through the curtains of Lucas’s high-rise condo, casting a warm, golden hue across the polished floors. The air inside was calm but tinged with the quiet busyness of a couple preparing for a transition. Cardboard boxes sat half-filled on the floor, and an open suitcase lay on the bed, only partially packed with wrinkled clothes.
Lucas sat cross-legged on the carpet, a shirt awkwardly crumpled in his lap. He stared at it as if trying to unlock the mystery of folding. Every attempt ended the same way: clumsily folded fabric that looked worse than before. With a shrug, he stuffed it into the suitcase anyway.
Across the room, Rhea was watching him with an amused frown as she folded his jeans with far more grace. She had already filled two small boxes with his toiletries and books while Lucas was still struggling with his second shirt.
"Hurry up with the packing. You’re moving slower than I am, and I’m the one who’s supposed to be dainty here," she quipped, her hands resting on her hips, her tone playful but touched with exasperation.
Lucas turned and gave her an exaggerated grin, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "That’s better. I don’t really have anything else to do today, so let’s take our time," he replied, his voice lilting with mock innocence.
Rhea narrowed her eyes at him. "Lucas, don’t test my patience. You’ve been acting like this since yesterday. If you keep it up, I swear I’ll stuff your mouth with this cotton ball," she threatened, holding up the fluffy white puff like a weapon of domestic justice.
He simply chuckled and returned to his haphazard folding, completely unfazed. His carefree attitude made her lips twitch in reluctant amusement.
They continued working in a casual rhythm, the only sounds coming from the soft hum of the television in the background. Then, Lucas’s phone rang, slicing through the quiet. He reached for it lazily and glanced at the screen.
His expression changed the moment he saw the caller.
"Hello? Oh, hi, Lolo. What’s up?" he answered, trying to sound casual, but Rhea noticed the way his posture straightened and the light in his eyes shifted.
She paused and looked toward him, curiosity rising.
Lucas listened in silence before replying, his voice lined with hesitation. "What? Now? But… Fine. I’ll be there." He ended the call and turned to Rhea.
She tilted her head, waiting.
He exhaled heavily. "Lolo wants me at the company. He said he’s finally handing it over to me."
Rhea’s eyes widened in surprise before brightening. "Lucas, that’s incredible. You’ve waited so long for this. Go before he changes his mind. You know how impatient old people can be," she said with a smile, stepping closer and giving his arm an encouraging nudge.
Lucas smiled too, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He looked at her, then gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"But you’ll be here alone. And you’re pregnant. I won’t be able to focus if I’m constantly worrying about you," he said softly, his gaze dropping to her belly. It wasn’t showing yet, but to him, it was already everything.
Rhea placed a hand protectively over her stomach, then looked up at him with a reassuring smile. "I’m not helpless, Lucas. I’ll be fine. You know I’d never do anything to put myself or the baby in danger."
Still, he looked reluctant.
She leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "I promise. I’ll take care of myself."
He hesitated for a second longer, then nodded. "Okay. Just make sure you eat something. Wait for me here. I’ll be back as soon as I can."
She nodded again.
Before leaving, he kissed her again. This time it was slower, more lingering, as if he couldn’t bear to part from her.
"I love you," he whispered, his voice raw.
"I love you too," she replied softly, brushing her fingertips along his jaw.
Lucas left with a heavy heart, his footsteps echoing through the hall. As he walked to the parking lot, a knot of unease twisted in his chest.
Once inside the car, he took out his phone and called Ruffa.
He answered quickly. "Hey, beks. What’s up?"
"Are you busy today? I need a favor. Can you go to the condo and stay with Rhea? She’s alone, and she’s pregnant. I’m not comfortable leaving her," Lucas said urgently.
"Wait, what? Rhea’s pregnant?!" Ruffa shrieked.
"Yes. Please, Ruffa. I just need someone with her. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important."
"Alright, alright. I’ll go. I’ll bring the gays with me. Damn, Lucas. You really made a baby? Wow. The gay agenda failed," He said with a dramatic gasp.
Lucas snorted despite himself. "Thanks, Mars. I owe you one."
"You always do. I’ll head there after I finish my coffee. Tell Rhea she’s about to get a glam squad."
Lucas ended the call and started the engine, but his unease only deepened.
Back at the condo, time passed slowly. Rhea sat curled on the couch, her hands resting lightly over her belly. The television was on, playing some forgettable movie, but she wasn’t watching. The apartment felt too quiet, too still. She had already cleaned up after Lucas’s messy folding attempts and was now left with nothing but her thoughts.
She wanted to go home. She wanted company. But she stayed because Lucas asked her to.
Then the doorbell rang.
Her heart jumped. Maybe he had returned early.
She got up, smoothed her shirt, and opened the door.
She froze.
Cristoff stood there with a carefree smile, dressed casually, his eyes bright as if nothing in the world was wrong.
"Cristoff?" She said in disbelief.
"Hey, Rhea. Long time no see," He greeted her casually.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, her tone instantly cold.
"Just looking for Lucas. Is he home?" he asked, trying to peer into the condo behind her.
"He’s not. And if you don’t mind, I’d like you to leave my husband alone," She snapped and started to close the door.
Cristoff stepped forward quickly and stopped the door with his hand. "I’m not here to cause trouble. I just want closure. I’m seeing someone else now. I promise, I’ll be quick."
Rhea narrowed her eyes. She didn’t trust him, but something about his tone made her hesitate.
She stepped aside. "Fine. You can wait here."
He walked into the living room like he owned the place and made himself comfortable on the couch. Out of habit and politeness, Rhea asked, "Juice or coffee?"
"Juice, please," he said with a grin.
She returned a minute later with a glass and set it on the coffee table before sitting on the opposite end of the couch. She kept her distance, arms crossed.
Silence stretched between them, broken only by the faint sound of the movie in the background.
Then Cristoff turned to her and spoke, his voice low and strange.
"You know… you’re really beautiful, Rhea."
She stiffened, feeling uncomfortable.
He shifted closer. "Lucas is so lucky to have you."
"What are you doing?" She asked, her voice growing tense.
Instead of answering, he stood and stepped toward her. She immediately rose and backed away.
He kept coming.
Suddenly, he lunged and shoved her against the wall.
"Let me go!" Rhea screamed, struggling to break free.
"You’re the reason I got close to Lucas. I knew you were in love with him from the start. And I’ve wanted you since day one," he growled, slamming his fist into the wall beside her face.
"You bastard!" She shouted, trying to fight him off.
Cristoff grabbed her roughly and threw her down onto the couch, pinning her in place.
"I’ve wanted to have you for so long. I’m not leaving without getting what I came for."
"No! Please, stop! Don’t do this!" Rhea cried, her voice trembling as her tears fell.
Just when she thought she wouldn’t be able to fight anymore, his weight was suddenly gone. Rave tackled Cristoff from behind and slammed his fist into his face again and again, roaring in fury.
"Rhea! Oh my God, are you okay?" Nicole screamed as he ran inside.
"Call Lucas, now!" Ruffa yelled, kneeling beside Rhea while Kaley wrapped a blanket around her.
Rhea could barely speak. Her body was frozen, her breath shaking, her mind blank.
"Rave, stop! You’ll kill him!" Ruffa shouted as he tried to pull him off.
He didn’t stop until he heard a faint voice.
"Rave… stop… please…" Rhea whispered weakly.
Rave turned instantly and rushed to her, catching her in his arms as she collapsed into sobs. He held her tightly, murmuring words she could no longer hear. Nicole, trembling, grabbed his phone and quickly dialed Lucas.
Meanwhile, Lucas sat at the head of a long conference table, surrounded by directors and board members. The room buzzed with excitement as the company’s future was officially entrusted to him. Adam stood nearby, his posture steady, his eyes gleaming with pride and the weight of legacy fulfilled. He led the round of applause, a gesture filled with quiet conviction.
As the sound echoed through the boardroom, Lucas stood tall, yet still. Beneath the applause, a quiet ache stirred in his chest, a blend of gratitude, responsibility, and the memory of every sacrifice and step that had brought him here. After everything, this was it. His moment had come.
His phone buzzed.
He ignored it.
Then it buzzed again. This time, it rang.
Nicole.
His brow furrowed. He excused himself from the room and stepped into the hallway, the sound of celebration fading behind him.
“Hello?” he answered, a strange tension already crawling up his spine.
“Lucas,” Nicole’s voice was shaky, breathless. “You need to come now. It’s Rhea... something’s wrong.”
His pulse quickened. “What do you mean? What happened?”
"It’s Cristoff, your ex. He tried to touch her. We got there just in time."
For a second, the hallway spun. The boardroom behind him might as well have disappeared.
"What was Cris doing there?"
"I don’t know. He showed up out of nowhere. Thank God we had the passcode. If we hadn’t…"
“I’m on my way,” he said, already turning on his heel.
"How is she?"
"Shaken. Crying. But she’s safe now."
Lucas’s breath hitched. "I’ll be there in ten minutes. Don’t let him leave. I swear, Nicole, if he touches her again, I’ll kill him."
Without another word, he spun around and burst back into the conference room, his gaze cutting across the long table. The energy in the room froze. Adam stood immediately, his instincts sharper than anyone’s.
“There’s an emergency,” Lucas said, voice tight. “Sorry, Dad, but I have to go. Something happened to Rhea.”
He didn’t wait for questions. He was already moving, tearing through the polished halls of the building, his footsteps echoing behind him. His thoughts spiraled with Rhea crying, collapsing, the baby…
Please, no.
He shoved open the doors and slid into the backseat of his waiting car. “To my Unit,” he told the driver, urgency sharpening every word. “As fast as you can.”
The engine roared to life.
He pressed a hand over his mouth, forcing himself to breathe. The ache of the moment he had just claimed, the power, the recognition, had vanished into the background. There was only one thing that mattered now.
If anything happened to Rhea or their baby, there would be hell to pay.