65 – Cypress Mosaic

The ​vehicle ​carrying ​Lorenz ​sped toward the ​mansion ​in ​northern ​Manhattan. ​He was leaving work ​somewhat ​earlier than usual. ​It was to ​coincide ​with ​Adriana’s ​visit.

She ​was ​scheduled to visit ​the ​mansion ​today to discuss ​the details regarding the ​marriage. It ​was a ​meeting for ​the parties ​involved ​to ​sketch out a ​rough outline ​before bringing in their ​respective lawyers to formally ​document everything.

The date, location, ​and scale ​of ​the wedding, of course, as well ​as the engagement ceremony, ​the ​contents ​of ​the ​prenuptial agreement, issues ​of inheritance ​and ​children, asset management ​after ​marriage, the timing of the ​press announcement, ​and ​the scope of ​the ​wedding’s ​publicity. ​The ​list of ​things ​to decide ​was endless.

It was a natural process. This ​marriage was not ​a union of ​two people in love, ​but a ​transaction where two ​families ​calculated needs and ​profits to thoroughly ​exchange conditions. ​If ​this wasn’t ​business, ​then what ​was?

Lorenz ​let out ​a ​sigh ​with a bitter ​smile ​and leaned ​his ​head ​back ​against the headrest.

Casting a meaningless gaze toward the East River outside the car window, he retraced the events of yesterday.

『“Lucas… has come out of his room.”』

The moment he heard those words, Lorenz and Elian forgot they had even been arguing in raised voices.

When he went downstairs with Elian, Lucas was sitting at the table in the main dining room. Seen from behind, sitting in a chair with a backrest far too high for his height, he looked exceptionally small.

Elian stopped in his tracks, unable [stolen content]to take his eyes off the sight. He struggled to stolen contentcompose [Read on Read BL Novels]himself, trying not to show his emotional agitation in front of the child.

As Lorenz watched Elian’s profile from the side, his hand twitched several times.

Whether it was his hand, his arm, or his shoulder… he wanted to reach out and hold him, but it was an inappropriate gesture. Besides, Elian wouldn’t have accepted it. In the end, Lorenz’s touch never reached Elian.

‘Mr. Lockhart.’

Having regained some composure, Elian called for Lorenz in a solemn voice. However, his gaze remained fixed solely on Lucas’s back.

‘You remember everything I’ve asked of you—how to react if Lucas shows signs of change, right?’

He calmly reminded Lorenz of the precautions once more.

Hide your surprise.

Do not praise him.

Do not be excessively joyful.

However, clearly acknowledge the positive aspects.

Above all, accept the situation naturally. So that the child can feel safe.

The three of them had dinner together. Although Lucas appeared nervous, he seemed to find stability by making eye contact with Lorenz and Elian in turns. Throughout the meal, the child held a rabbit doll. Lorenz did not stop him.

He realized later just how nervous the boy had been; the child’s palms had been drenched in sweat. He wondered how much courage it must have taken for a boy who had stayed within a limited world for months to come down to the dining room. Those small palms, sticky with perspiration, seemed to say everything.

Elian stroked the child’s palms and cooled them with his breath. The child gave a shy smile at the ticklish sensation. Watching the two of them, Lorenz quietly turned his head away. It was because facing the courage the child had squeezed out of himself felt somehow overwhelming.

Because of that small but not-so-small commotion, the argument with Elian had simply fizzled out. From the moment he heard Lucas had left his room, Elian’s entire attention had been on the child. Not only the conversation with Lorenz, but even the fact that Joshua had visited seemed to have been forgotten by him.

But Lorenz had not forgotten. Even if he wanted to erase it from his mind, he couldn’t.

Joshua and Elian knew each other.

‘Rian.’

The man knew an Elian Bellotti that Lorenz did not.

It was the same with Vincent.

Even though he was currently the person physically closest to Elian, there was too much he didn’t know about him.

Worse still was the fact that Elian Bellotti did not properly know who Joshua was.

Lorenz contacted his personal security team. There was no hesitation in the act of making the call, as if he had already made a clear decision.

“Keep a special eye on Joshua’s movements for the time being. If he approaches the mansion without prior notice…”

Lorenz shook his head and corrected his instructions.

“No, monitor whether he attempts to approach Elian Bellotti. We don’t know what Joshua is capable of, so surveillance must not slacken for a single moment. At the same time, provide the highest level of security for Elian Bellotti. I mean cover his entire route of movement from the moment he leaves the mansion.”

After giving the instructions fluently and with a tone of conviction, Lorenz suddenly lowered his voice secretively and added.

“However, it must be done discreetly so that he does not notice.”

A headache, an old friend, began to wrap around his body from the feet up. Lorenz’s eyelids, which had been blinking slowly as he stared out the window, slid down heavily.

“You’ve arrived, Mr. Lorenz.”

Together with Margaret, who had come out to the parking lot to greet him, Lorenz headed for the elevator.

“How is it? Is everything ready?”

He was referring to the preparations for Adriana’s arrival.

Since this was the first time she, as Lorenz’s prospective fiancée, would visit this house, everything had to be prepared with the utmost courtesy.

“Of course, Mr. Lorenz. We received information that Ms. Wesley likes white and purple, so we chose white roses and irises for the floral arrangements. We also specially prepared desserts to accompany the tea from a place she is known to frequent.”

“Good. That’s perfect.”

After stepping out of the elevator, Lorenz first stopped by the living room to check. Looking around the space where he would discuss the details of the marriage with Adriana, he nodded with satisfaction. The living room, which usually felt elegant and antique but somewhat heavy, felt much brighter.

“Since it is a visit from someone important to you, Mr. Lorenz, I took even more care than usual.”

A visit from someone important to me… because she is the person I will marry.

Lorenz forcibly suppressed the repulsion that tried to surge up again at the concept of marriage and pretended not to notice.

“What is Lucas doing? Is he spending time with Mr. Bellotti?”

“He is currently in a history lesson. Elian seems to have gone out for a bike ride.”

The fact that Elian Bellotti had gone out at the time his future spouse was visiting made Lorenz feel a strange emotion. He couldn’t tell if he was relieved or disappointed that the two would not run into each other.

Beside the conflicted Lorenz, Margaret spoke with concern.

“But Mr. Lorenz, are you sure we don’t need to prepare a meal? It’s been weighing on my mind.”

“Ms. Wesley is not the type of person who values formality or procedure. She might even think we’re being excessive with just this much.”

Adriana had requested that he not make this visit too grand. She argued that such formalities would have to be endured countless times throughout the marriage process, so for now, it was better to move efficiently. Lorenz agreed with that sentiment.

“I still have some time, so I’ll take a shower and change my clothes.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The expression on her face as she stood there looking at Lorenz was somewhat unusual. As she often said, she was someone who had been with him since the day he was born. Margaret knew Lorenz well, but Lorenz knew her just as well. He didn’t even have to guess to know that she had something to say.

“Is there something else you wish to tell me?”

“Actually… something else happened yesterday.”

Lorenz, who had half-turned away, turned back completely.

“What did Joshua do to him?”

Hearing the voice that immediately turned fierce, Margaret shook her head.

“It wasn’t that. It happened before Mr. Joshua arrived.”

“Tell me what happened, quickly.”

“Lucas has started drawing again.”

Lorenz’s pupils dilated.

“Something like that happened, and why…”

“Elian was very happy.”

“Then if something that important happened, you should have called to let me know immediately. If you had, I would have…”

Lorenz, who looked as if he might lung forward and grab Margaret by the shoulders and shake her, was stopped by her next words.

“Elian wanted to tell you himself, Mr. Lorenz.”

“……”

Like a beast hit by a tranquilizer dart, Lorenz became docile.

He didn’t know what expression to make. More than the news that Lucas had started drawing again, the words he had just heard from Margaret were harder to believe. He… wanted to tell me… himself.

Like someone whose tongue wouldn’t move properly, Lorenz spoke haltingly.

“Did he… say that?”

Margaret nodded.

“He asked me if it would be alright to tell you directly, Mr. Lorenz.”

“But I haven’t heard anything. Nothing at all…”

“Elian intended to tell you over the phone. But then Mr. Joshua suddenly barged in, and things got tangled up. As you know, after that, neither Elian nor I had the composure to mention the drawing.”

Margaret cast a regretful glance toward the lush flowers decorating the sofa table.

Lorenz stood there in silence for a moment. He was looking at the white roses and irises following Margaret’s gaze, but in reality, he wasn’t seeing anything.

“A man who is usually so composed couldn’t hide his excitement. He was so lovely, cautiously asking if it was okay to tell you himself.”