Chapter 11

The Reed mansion had never been this chaotic before.

Servants rushed everywhere.

Richard Reed barked orders every five seconds.

Expensive tea sets were changed three separate times because “nothing looks sophisticated enough.”

And in the middle of all this chaos-

Danny slept peacefully on the sofa.

A blanket covered half his face while soft snores filled the living room.

Kai sat nearby eating chips.

“This is honestly impressive,” he said. “Your father is having a nervous breakdown and you’re unconscious.”

Danny mumbled sleepily beneath the blanket.

“Mhm.”

Richard turned toward them in disbelief.

“How can he still be sleeping?!”

Kai shrugged.

“He’s gifted.”

Richard pressed a hand against his chest dramatically.

Last night Danny casually announced:

> “Oh by the way, I signed a marriage contract with Lucas King.”

Then immediately went to sleep afterward.

Naturally Richard assumed his son had finally lost his mind.

Until this morning.

When Lucas King himself requested to visit the Reed mansion.

Personally.

Richard almost fainted on the spot.

Now the entire household stood tense waiting for the arrival of the most powerful businessman in Bayleaf City.

Meanwhile the person marrying him remained asleep drooling slightly onto the couch cushion.

Richard stared at his son helplessly.

“How did someone like him attract Lucas King?”

Kai answered immediately.

“Face card.”

“…What?”

“He’s pretty.”

Richard couldn’t even argue.

Danny truly had inherited his late mother’s beauty.

Soft features. Warm eyes. A face too gentle for the ruthless business world.

Unfortunately he also inherited absolutely none of Richard’s ambition.

A servant suddenly rushed inside nervously.

“Chairman Reed-Mr. King has arrived.”

The entire room stiffened instantly.

Outside, several black luxury cars lined the snowy driveway.

Then Lucas stepped out.

Tall.

Elegant.

Terrifyingly handsome.

Snowflakes landed softly against his dark coat as he walked toward the mansion entrance like royalty visiting commoners.

Richard suddenly understood why everyone feared this man.

Lucas carried power naturally.

The kind impossible to ignore.

The servants bowed instinctively as he entered.

“Mr. King,” Richard greeted quickly.

Lucas nodded politely.

“Chairman Reed.”

His voice was calm.

Deep.

Controlled.

Yet somehow the entire room felt heavier when he spoke.

Then Lucas’s eyes moved past everyone else-

And softened instantly.

Richard turned.

Danny was still asleep.

Lucas walked directly toward the sofa without hesitation.

The terrifying businessman who ruled entire industries crouched beside Danny carefully.

Then gently adjusted the slipping blanket higher around his shoulders.

The room fell silent.

Richard blinked slowly.

Kai grinned.

Oh.

So this was serious serious.

Lucas brushed dark hair away from Danny’s sleeping face with impossible tenderness.

“Danny,” he said softly.

Danny whined sleepily.

“No meetings…”

Lucas’s expression softened even more.

“No meetings.”

“Mm…”

Danny nuzzled deeper into the blanket.

Lucas looked entirely helplessly fond.

Richard stared in absolute shock.

He had never-

Never-

Seen anyone look at Danny with this much patience before.

Most people eventually became frustrated with his son.

Annoyed.

Disappointed.

Even Richard himself spent years criticizing Danny constantly.

But Lucas?

Lucas looked at Danny like every lazy habit was adorable.

Like Danny being himself was enough.

Danny finally blinked awake slowly.

His sleepy eyes landed on Lucas immediately.

“Oh.”

Then he yawned.

“You came.”

Lucas nodded once.

“I did.”

Danny stared at him for another second before naturally holding his arms upward.

“Carry me.”

Silence.

Richard nearly dropped his tea.

Kai started choking on chips.

Lucas, however, didn’t hesitate even slightly.

He slid one arm beneath Danny’s knees and lifted him effortlessly into his arms.

Danny immediately curled against his chest comfortably like this happened every day.

Lucas looked down quietly.

“Still tired?”

“Mhm.”

“You slept eleven hours.”

“Not enough.”

Lucas almost smiled.

Cute.

Richard watched this interaction like his soul was leaving his body.

His son-

His lazy disaster of a son-

Had somehow domesticated Lucas King.

Danny rested his cheek against Lucas’s shoulder lazily.

“Oh right. Dad.”

Richard snapped back instantly.

“Yes?”

“We got married.”

Lucas calmly corrected him.

“We will marry officially next month.”

Danny waved weakly.

“Same thing.”

Richard stared between them slowly.

Then finally asked the question haunting him all night.

“…Mr. King.”

Lucas looked toward him politely.

“Why Danny?”

The room became quiet.

Even Kai looked curious suddenly.

Lucas glanced down at the human resting trustingly in his arms.

Danny was already half asleep again.

Then Lucas answered softly-

“Because he makes my life peaceful.”

Danny blinked slowly at that.

Richard froze.

Lucas continued calmly.

“He doesn’t care about status. Or power. Or pretending to be someone else.”

His hand adjusted carefully against Danny’s back.

“And when I’m with him… things feel quiet.”

Danny stared up at him silently.

That warm strange feeling returned to his chest again.

Lucas looked at Richard afterward.

“I know Danny dislikes business politics.”

Richard sighed tiredly.

“He hates it.”

“I know.”

“And he’s irresponsible.”

Lucas glanced down at the sleepy human in his arms.

“Yes.”

“Lazy.”

“Yes.”

“Difficult.”

Danny frowned sleepily.

“Rude.”

Lucas’s lips twitched faintly.

“Yes.”

Richard looked genuinely exhausted.

“He’ll forget meetings. Ignore phone calls. Sleep through important events.”

Lucas listened calmly.

Then answered without hesitation-

“Then I’ll handle those things for him.”

Silence.

Richard stared at him blankly.

Lucas’s voice remained steady.

“Danny doesn’t need to become someone else to deserve care.”

The words hit harder than intended.

Richard suddenly remembered years of criticism.

Years of trying to force Danny into becoming stronger, sharper, more ambitious.

And all that time-

Maybe his son simply wanted someone who accepted him as he was.

Danny mumbled softly against Lucas’s shoulder.

“See? He gets me.”

Lucas’s eyes gentled immediately.

“I do.”

Richard slowly sat down.

For the first time in years-

The crushing anxiety inside him eased slightly.

Because now he understood.

Lucas King wasn’t treating this like a business arrangement.

He genuinely cared for Danny.

And with someone this powerful standing beside his son-

No one would dare threaten Reed Group again.

No one would dare hurt Danny.

Richard looked at Lucas quietly.

Then finally lowered his head slightly.

“…Take care of him.”

Lucas answered instantly.

“With my life.”

And for some reason-

The sincerity in his voice made even Danny’s sleepy heart beat faster.

                         *****

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