Lara was still sleeping when they came back to the mansion. Carefully he took Luke from her and passed unto the butler waiting for his return. Then he carried Lara with more care so she won't wake up.
They bring the mother and son back to the room Lara was earlier and put them into the bed. The butler soundlessly went out of the room after leaving Alex gazing at the sleeping beauty.
Lara, why are you two months late?
Then he shook his head in dismay of himself. She wasn't late, he was careless of himself.
He never believed in love.
Love for him is an obstruction to success. All his youth he dedicated to his studies and later in managing the humongous empire that his father passed onto him when he retired. There was a lot of women around him but they all look the same to him. Cunning, spoiled, flirt, tease, oh he never ran out of bad adjectives of them. He never took one in bed, they disgust him.
Until Crystal made her way. As the servants are familiar with her being a very close family friend, they didn't question her arrival that night. Probably thinking he expects her, they let her in.
He didn't know what happened, he was quite drank that night but he was alone. It was one of those nights he truly felt alone and all his success seems meaningless. He woke up the next morning naked with a naked Crystal beside him. And Sandra on the door speechless and shocked followed by their parents.
As a man he knew nothing happened between them that night. But with Sandra witnessing something like that how can he be not responsible? His sister is only 15. A menopausal baby of their mom. What kind of big brother would he be if he refused marriage?
Also two months ago, love was out of the question. He never doubted himself if he might be gay or asexual. He knows he is straight. But just the women he met have disgusting characters. Not one pure innocent soul. So it was a little trouble getting married to Crystal, he even thought that it's alright. He is after all at marrying age and he knows Crystal since before she can walk.
Until Lara. The girl who fainted on him. Who never drooled in his pretty face, or the wealth that comes with his name. The one who begged to go home. Like a cowered cat who hides her face from his eyes. Until her, he never questioned the decision he made two months ago.
The girl sleeps peacefully on the bed. She must be tired and stressed a lot. How could she sleep like this in an unfamiliar house? He approached her and carefully undone the bun of her hair. He wanted to feel the silkiness of her hair more but afraid to wake her up he withdraw his hand back to his side. She's like an angel and he can't look away.
She moved and it startled him. But she only pulled the boy in her arms, hug him like a pillow and sleep again. He studied the little boy and he felt sorry for himself. Luke could have been theirs.
Maybe Lara isn't two months late.
Maybe it was him who came late. About five years too late.
*****
Before the break of dawn Assistant Cheng emailed him the background check he did on Lara. Detailed as it was, the whereabout of Luke's father was nowhere in it.
He called his assistant immediately and asked.
"Young Master, I will check again. But really Luke Lee seemed to have come out of nowhere when he appeared on her life. After that 2nd year at school, she never enrolled again. At that time also is the birthdate of her son. There was no information of her getting pregnant while she was at the Conservatory."
Alex pinched the furrow in his brows. "So is he adopted?"
"There was no information about that as well. Only that he is registered as her son. And there was no information on any affair that Ms. Lee ever had in the past or at present." Assistant Cheng is feeling useless at the moment. Making him very nervous about his job.
When the Young Master requests a background check, his reports are always smoothly detailed. After being with Alex Liu for 7 years he knows how well he should do his tasks.
And then his boss hung up on him. He sweated nervously wondering if he will still be able to report to work when the sun shines.