Chapter 854

Meanwhile, Lucas hadn’t been idle either. He had gotten up early that morning at the hospital and, without wasting a second, headed straight to the police station.

Up front, Desmond was driving, sunglasses on, secretly thrilled to see his boss back in full-on CEO mode. This was the version of Lucas he preferred–sharp, commanding, and in control. God knew how Desmond had survived the past month. Not only did he have to oversee their own company, but also keep tabs on Walton Corporation, all while managing the emotional rollercoaster that was his boss. Twenty-four hours in a day weren’t enough–he felt like he needed forty-eight. His own downtime had been cut drastically, with no trace of the freedom he once had.

And his boss? He was glued to his wife’s side, paying zero attention to the company or even to family affairs. He had practically handed everything over to Desmond. Frankly, Desmond suspected that if he were even slightly more capable, Lucas might’ve dumped the entire company on him. It was as if, without his wife, Lucas had lost all interest in everything else. Desmond had seen it with his own eyes all month long. No matter what he asked, Lucas responded with indifference. Sometimes, he wouldn’t even bother picking up the phone. Seeing him like that had honestly pained Desmond. He even started missing the version of his boss who’d snap at him without warning. Back then, Lucas was a force to be reckoned with in the business world, and no one dared to challenge him. All Desmond had to do was play the part of a competent assistant. Now? He was doing everything short of herding cattle.

Only in the past couple of days, after finding out his wife had woken up, had Lucas finally shown signs of getting his spark back. He had called him directly, asking him to come to Millford and help him out. Lucas wasn’t used to being without a trusted assistant by his side. And the moment Desmond saw that call from his boss, he’d practically jumped out of his seat with excitement. He had waited so long–was this finally it? Especially after hearing that Aurora had woken up, he was overwhelmed with joy, nearly moved to tears. It was a miracle. She was finally awake. All those days spent praying and hoping had finally paid off. Only with her awake would Lucas regain his fighting spirit. And only then would life go back to normal for the rest of the team.

+25 BONUS

The backbone of the company would be back.

Now, as Desmond looked out at the world, even the trees and flowers seemed more vibrant and charming. Even his boss looked easier on the eyes today. With that thought, Desmond peeked through the rearview mirror again and again, glancing at Lucas, who was seated in the back with his eyes closed, resting. Something about it felt odd. His boss looked like he’d lost some weight over the past month. And strangely enough, not seeing him for so long had made Desmond feel almost fond of him. Realizing that, Desmond wanted to smack himself. What the hell was he doing? Was he seriously missing Lucas? Clearly, he hadn’t been yelled at enough lately. Otherwise, how could he possibly start feeling sentimental after just a few weeks? That was terrifying.

Out of nowhere, Lucas‘ voice rang out coldly. “You done staring? Do you want to keep your eyeballs or not?” Desmond flinched, but his mouth moved instinctively. “Of course, of course. I’d very much like to keep them.” The next second, he quickly snapped his gaze forward and focused all his attention on the road.