The CEO's Secret Obsession-Chapter 119: “Because I will destroy you..."

"I am saying his behavior hasn’t felt right for weeks," Lucas replied carefully. "Not just reckless, it’s desperate."

Benjamin’s mouth tightened slightly. "Desperate people make stupid decisions."

"And dangerous ones," Lucas added.

Benjamin leaned back in his chair. "I didn’t call you because I needed confirmation. I called you because I wanted to know if someone else saw what I was seeing."

Lucas didn’t smile. "I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t."

Benjamin picked up the report again, tapping it lightly against the desk. "This stays between us for now."

"Of course," Lucas said.

"But," Benjamin continued, his voice hardening just a fraction, "I won’t move until I am certain."

Lucas nodded. "Good. Because if it is Jack—"

He stopped himself but Benjamin finished the thought for him. "Then I won’t protect him."

That landed heavily.

Lucas stood slowly. "I will keep my eyes open."

Benjamin looked up at him. "Do that. And Lucas?"

"Yes?"

"If you notice anything—anything at all—you come to me. Not Alexander."

Lucas understood immediately.

He nodded once. "You will hear from me."

As Lucas left the study, Benjamin remained seated, staring at the report in his hands.

....

[Corridor Outside Benjamin’s Study]

Lucas stepped out of the study, the heavy door closing softly behind him.

For a moment, he stood still, jaw set, the image of the report burned into his mind.

Clean cuts, deliberate and it wasn’t an accident.

He exhaled slowly and turned and nearly walked straight into Jack.

Jack froze and the hallway suddenly felt too narrow, too quiet.

"Oh," Jack said first, forcing a casual smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Lucas. Didn’t expect to see you here."

Lucas’s gaze flicked to him—brief, assessing, unsettlingly calm.

"Yeah," he replied lightly. "I get that a lot."

Jack shifted his weight, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Are you here for work?"

Lucas tilted his head slightly. "Something like that."

Silence stretched.

Then Jack laughed awkwardly. "Guess everyone’s busy these days. Heinberg first then the accident. Just chaos everywhere."

Lucas studied him now—really studied him.

The tightness in his jaw, the way his shoulders stayed rigid and the faint tremor Jack tried very hard to hide—Lucas saw it all.

"Funny thing about chaos," Lucas said mildly. "It usually leaves fingerprints."

Jack’s smile faltered for half a second.

"I don’t know what you are implying," he said quickly. "If this is about Alexander—"

Lucas raised a hand, stopping him mid-sentence.

"Oh, relax," he said, almost amused. "If I were implying something, you would know."

Jack swallowed.

Lucas stepped closer. It was not threatening or aggressive but close enough that Jack felt crowded anyway.

"You know," Lucas continued conversationally, "most people mess up because they talk too much or because they panic."

Jack scoffed. "You are talking like I have done something."

Lucas smiled but it wasn’t warm. It was a cold calculative smile that made Jack break a sweat.

"If you haven’t," he said softly, "then you shouldn’t be this nervous."

Jack’s breath hitched but before he could respond—

"Jack!"

Olivia’s voice cut through the tension like a blade wrapped in silk.

She approached them with a practiced smile then her hand lightly gripped Jack’s arm as if grounding him.

"There you are," she said sweetly. "I was wondering where you disappeared to."

Her eyes flicked to Lucas—sharp, measuring.

"Lucas," she added pleasantly. "I didn’t know you were visiting."

Lucas straightened, expression unreadable. "Just stopping by."

Olivia chuckled lightly. "Of course. You always seem to be around when things get interesting."

Lucas’s lips curved slightly. "Lucky timing, I guess."

Jack felt Olivia’s fingers tighten around his arm—a silent warning.

Lucas stepped back, hands sliding into his pockets.

"Are you going to see Alexander?" Olivia asked.

"Yes, I will but only after I—" Lucas looked at Jack. "finish some personal investigation."

Jack looked at him, heart pounding.

Lucas met his eyes fully now.

"Take care of yourself," he said. "People who try too hard to stay invisible usually end up standing out."

Then he walked away, unhurried, leaving a heavy silence behind.

Jack exhaled shakily.

Olivia’s smile vanished the moment Lucas disappeared down the corridor.

"What the hell are you doing?" she hissed under her breath.

"I didn’t say anything," Jack whispered. "He just—he looked at me like he knew."

Olivia turned fully toward him now, fury flashing in her eyes.

"Because you are sloppy," she snapped. "And scared and that combination gets people killed or exposed."

"I didn’t expect Alexander to survive like this," Jack muttered, voice cracking. "And now father—"

"Enough," Olivia cut in sharply. "You are done doing anything."

"Listen to me very carefully, Jack," She leaned closer, lowering her voice. "No moves, no reactions and no heroics. You maintain a low profile and you let things cool down."

Jack nodded, sweat beading at his temple.

"If you do anything else," Olivia continued coldly, "you won’t need Benjamin to destroy you."

She released his arm and straightened. "Because I will destroy you."

"Understand?"

Jack swallowed. "Yes."

Olivia glanced once in the direction Lucas had gone, unease flickering beneath her composure.

"This game just got dangerous," she murmured. "And you are not as clever as you think."

Jack stood frozen in the hallway long after she walked away—heart racing, fear clawing at his chest.

.....

[Hospital]

The room was brighter than it had been the night before.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, softening the sterile white walls, warming the space just enough to make it feel less like a place where fear had lived hours ago.

Evelyn sat beside Alexander’s bed, carefully adjusting the pillow behind his shoulders.

"There," she said. "If you complain again, I am telling the nurse you are being dramatic."

Alexander smiled faintly. "I nearly died."

"That doesn’t excuse whining."

She reached for the cup of water on the side table, holding it steady while he took a careful sip. Their fingers brushed, lingering just a second longer than necessary.

"You are hovering," he said quietly.

"I am allowed," she replied without hesitation. "You scared everyone. Especially me."

His gaze softened. "I know."

Before either of them could say more, there was a knock.

Lucas stepped in.

He looked fine, casual and relaxed in the way he always was.

But Alexander felt it immediately and something shifted in his chest.

.....