A month passed swiftly, and I had never felt my days go by with such unexpected joy, fun, and comfort. But then came the business meeting — the kind of high-stakes, glossy affair where every smile was measured, every nod calculated, and chandeliers shone so brightly they practically mocked your thoughts.
As always, I navigated the room with precision, shaking hands, exchanging pleasantries, and keeping my face carefully neutral under the endless cameras and media flashes.
Everyone saw Mayhem Ember, the ice-cold king of the business world. Everyone except, him. I noticed a gaze — heavy, unwavering, familiar. My eyes scanned the room and, of course, there he was: Lavrick. Hiding behind a pillar, peeking around like a mischievous puppy, his wide grin making no effort to hide the giddiness he obviously felt.
My lips twitched at the sight. Why was he here? Oh right. The pizza shop he worked at had a big order to deliver at this very meeting.
I remembered his excited words from last night about meeting me there. Now it all made sense. Despite the throng of businesspeople and cameras, he maintained his distance, careful not to draw attention — but his eyes never left me. That ridiculous, adoring, utterly shameless gaze somehow made the suffocating formalities of the meeting feel, lighter. Human, even. I caught him trying to sneak a giggle when some overzealous client tripped over their own words, and I couldn't help but smirk.
Only with him could I be normal, not the robot that everyone else saw — just Mayhem, as myself, in small moments of quiet comfort amid the chaos.
He caught my glance, winked like an idiot, and ducked behind the pillar again, but the warmth in my chest betrayed me.
Even in a room full of power players, Lavrick made me feel untouchable, and utterly ridiculous for enjoying it.
But my mood had to be ruined.
My so-called father was already hovering near the bar, swirling his drink like it held the answers to his bankruptcy. Probably angling for a pity chat to save his sinking business — a spectacle I could neither avoid nor care to entertain. He caught my eye and began weaving his usual tale about money, debts, and how I was his last hope. "Mayhem, my boy, you're the only one who can help. Remember, family—"
I cut him off before he could smear the word family with his pathetic tone. My voice came out like ice, sharp enough to shatter glass. "Family doesn't beg at parties. Especially not when cameras are rolling."
The flicker of surprise on his face was almost satisfying — a tiny win in this suffocating room. He stammered, tried to recover, but I was already turning away.
Behind me, I heard the light patter of footsteps — Lavrick's unmistakable presence, tail wagging like some overgrown puppy. He looked absurdly happy, trailing me like a shadow I hadn't asked for but didn't bother to shoo away.
Because in a room full of wolves in suits, Lavrick — idiot, shameless, grinning Lavrick — was the only person who made me feel like I wasn't just MK. I could just be, me.
The night was already complicated enough when my so-called cousins showed up, their faces plastered with that fake,
"Oh, look how successful you are" grin.
"Mayhem, it's about time you remembered us," one said, voice dripping with saccharine sweetness.
"We've got dreams, you know, maybe you can help with some work, open doors for family,"
Their words were poison, but the history behind them was far worse — the same ones who kicked me out, left me to rot alone years ago.
I let the silence stretch, thick and cold, before responding with a single, sharp sentence: "I don't open doors for people who slammed them shut on me."
They flushed, caught off guard, and I walked away before they could even stammer.
Meanwhile, Lavrick had slipped into his element. Quiet at first, with that shameless, polite smile plastered on his face, but I noticed the subtle chaos brewing around him.
A spilled drink here, a toppled plate there. Lavrick, the self-appointed guardian, was turning the party into a carefully orchestrated mess — every cousin daring enough to darken my mood got an accidental, "oops" courtesy of him.
Even my father wasn't spared. I caught Lavrick leaning in, whispering something under his breath as he "accidentally" nudged the man's elbow, sending his expensive cocktail tumbling down the front of his designer suit.
I raised an eyebrow at him — the universal "What the hell are you doing?" look. His lip trembled slightly, a dark little pout forming, tears welling in his eyes. "They deserved it," he whispered, voice cracking like a child's but with a shadow lurking beneath — a fierce, unyielding protectiveness that made me exhale sharply.
Sometimes I wondered why I let this walking disaster tag along. And then I realized, I didn't want to be alone in this cold, shallow world.
So I said nothing. I just wrapped an arm around Lavrick's shoulder, pulling him close.
"Don't cry, idiot," I muttered, voice low but softer than I intended. "It's not your job to fix other people's garbage."
He sniffled, clutching me tighter, and I let the world around us blur. For the first time in a long time, someone had my back. And it felt, better than I ever knew it could.
After leaving the party, I scolded Lavrick for his earlier antics, voice sharp and pointed. But, as usual, he didn't seem to care.
The idiot just smiled, soaking in my words like they were some kind of reward. His hand kept finding its way to my thigh, teasing, rubbing, making me shiver and sigh even as I gripped the steering wheel, trying to stay in control.
By the time we reached home, that innocent, sheepish facade completely vanished. In its place was the hungry wolf I'd come to know — the one who'd devour me without mercy.
"Keep scolding me," he whispered into my ear, teeth grazing my skin, lips pressing hot against my neck, "it only makes me want to devour you deeper, and merrier."
And he did.
That night, he claimed every inch of me, every kiss, every touch, leaving me weak, breathless, and melting under him. And then, like a good boy, he cared for me the next morning, soft and gentle, as if nothing in the world existed besides us.
Another month passed, filled with comfort and too much enjoyment — the kind that made me afraid of how deep I was already in. But I knew there was no turning back.
It was a normal day at the office when my assistant, Marcus, entered, his expression a mix of hesitation and curiosity.
"Boss, have you checked the news?" he asked, I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
"Your, I mean, your father's business has completely collapsed," he said, a subtle smile tugging at his lips. "He's been taken by the authorities for investigation after reports of fraud and cheating."
Satisfaction bubbled quietly in my chest.
"Good. He deserves it," I muttered to myself, a small, self-satisfied smile forming.
Marcus studied me for a moment, then spoke, his tone softer now. "Boss, you've changed so much these past days, ever since meeting that, pizza guy. I'm not sure what's going on between you two, but I can tell he has your complete heart. And he makes you happy. That, makes me happy too. I hope you stay happy forever."
With a respectful bow, he left the office. I sat there a moment longer, cheeks warming as I absorbed his words.
Blushing like a fool, I glanced at the time, then decided I couldn't wait any longer — I needed to see Lavrick, even if just for a moment. I grabbed my keys and drove to his workshop, coincidentally the same one my friend owned. A small smile tugged at my lips as I imagined him there, probably goofing around or staring at me with those intense, earnest eyes of his.
"Hey, David, how are you?" I asked as I stepped into his office.
"Oh, Mayhem, I thought you forgot me. It's been ages since you last came over," he said with a warm smile.
I nodded, shrugging casually. "I only came to take an idiot with me."
David raised an eyebrow, curious. "Who?"
I pointed subtly at Lavrick, who was chatting with coworkers, unaware of my presence. I snuck in quietly, letting him notice me later.
"Oh, Lavrick! So you two are still in contact? Good," David said, smiling.
I frowned, confused. "What contact?"
He tilted his head, as if realizing I genuinely didn't know. "Well, I thought you'd kept in touch since that day, years ago, when you brought him here."
A jolt ran through me, like a gust of wind sweeping through my mind. I froze, processing.
"Huh?" I asked slowly.
David's eyes softened, noticing my confusion. "Wait, you didn't know? Don't you remember bringing in a kid, feeding him, and asking me to give him an easy job until he became an adult — almost ten years ago? He's him, Lavrick. He's been working here ever since."
I sank into the chair, stunned, my mind racing. Memories came flooding back in fragmented flashes — that skinny, trembling kid under my car, crying and desperate, almost on the edge of giving up.
I had never imagined, never imagined that he had grown into the person sitting right in front of me, the one who now held my heart in ways I couldn't have foreseen.
"What, the hell," I muttered under my breath, disbelief clear in my voice. I had had no clue.
Just then, Lavrick's eyes widened as if he had finally realized my presence.
"Mayhem! You're here! Why didn't you say so earlier? Did you come to see me?" His excitement was palpable.
David chuckled quietly as I waved goodbye to him and walked out with Lavrick.
I stopped and looked at him seriously. "So, it is you — that kid from years ago."
Lavrick froze for a moment, then laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Oh, he told you? Well, yeah, it's me. Why, aren't you glad it's me? Don't I look even more handsome now?" He winked playfully.
I chuckled, reaching out to pat his hair, twirling a strand between my fingers. "Yes, but I feel bad that I didn't recognize you earlier. You look so different, especially your hair. Why yellow?"
He shifted awkwardly. "It, it's fashion, you know."
I raised an eyebrow. "Say the truth, idiot."
He sighed, ears and cheeks reddening. "I saw in an article that, you liked yellow," he muttered softly.
I burst into laughter. "Who said so?Those articles are never right. I never liked yellow," I replied, watching his face fall slightly.
I softened immediately, smiling gently as I played with his hair. "But now, now I do. I think yellow is cute."
He giggled, nodding happily before hugging me tightly. "So, have you been crushing on me since then?" I teased.
He nodded, still giggling, holding onto me a little longer. "So, tell me. Did you come to see me?"
I rolled my eyes playfully. "No. I came to meet my friend." He pouted but nodded, hiding it quickly. "Okay, are you done with work?"
I shook my head. "Not yet. I've got more to do." I glanced at my wristwatch.
He nodded, understanding, but his voice grew eager. "Then, please make sure you come back early tonight. By 12 pm, please?"
I was taken aback but nodded anyway.
He leaned in and kissed me — long, warm, and lingering — before finally letting me go back to my office, leaving me a little breathless and smiling despite myself.