CHAPTER 181: ANNIE & BELLA. (2/2)

Annie chuckled. "You’re more responsible than me, you know that?"

Bella beamed, proud. "That’s because you’re family. Family takes care of each other."

Annie felt her eyes sting a little. She’d lost so much, so many faces fading from her memory—but here was this girl beside her, nursing her through sickness, watching over her like a hawk, and never once asking for anything in return. She pulled Bella into a side hug, careful not to press too much against her belly.

"You’re the best little sister I never asked for," Annie whispered.

"And you’re the big sister I always needed."

Roy pretended not to hear as he turned onto the highway, the Mercedes gliding like a silent beast through Philadelphia’s morning traffic.

In the rearview mirror, he saw Annie rest her head on Bella’s shoulder while Bella kept glancing at her with that same hawk-like protection.

For the first time in weeks, he allowed himself a tiny smile.

They were almost home.

Lukas straightened his blazer in front of the full-length mirror of the suite. The morning had started like any other: a sunrise jog in the high-rise gym, followed by a lavish breakfast delivered to his suite.

But now, the day was in motion.

Class at Princeton had been light, his professors going easier on him than usual—partly because of his rising fame, partly because he submitted his assignments early. As he stepped out of the lecture hall, his phone buzzed. It was Ashmika.

Ashmika: "Lukas, you need to be in the office. Yaho’s prepping the team for a big meeting."

He didn’t ask questions. Within the hour, Jay pulled up in the matte black Mercedes and whisked him off to the Facebook headquarters in downtown Philadelphia. This was the new office that he has never come into; Yaho has done all the work, as she felt like Princeton will hinder many things.

The building stood tall, right beside the Princeton Chase Bank tower, glass reflecting the morning light like a beacon of innovation. It wasn’t just an office—it was a symbol. Inside, the Hugo Agency handled the legal and land contracts, while the Facebook team had claimed the upper floors.

Yaho was already in the conference room, sharp in a slate-gray suit, eyes like razors scanning over financial forecasts. The moment Lukas walked in, she smiled subtly and gestured for him to sit.

"Glad you could make it," she said, tapping the screen behind her.

The presentation began.

"We are currently sitting at a six-million-user cap comfortably handled by our existing servers," Yaho started, pointing to a chart. "But I propose we expand our infrastructure immediately to hold a hundred million active users."

There were murmurs. Lukas sat up straighter.

"Why the rush?" asked one of the board members.

Yaho didn’t blink. "Because Lukas is becoming one of the most recognized names on the East Coast. His name has weight—and his face is viral. If we wait until the IPO, we’ll be chasing the storm instead of surfing it."

Everyone turned toward Lukas.

He looked around, arms folded.

"How much are we talking?"

"Ten million in server expansion. It’ll be phased. We can use your assets for leverage until the IPO, or invest more in the future with cash."

The room was silent for a moment.

Then Lukas nodded. "Make it happen."

The room broke into applause. It wasn’t just about the tech. It was about momentum.

As the clapping died down, Lukas’ phone buzzed again.

Roy: "The girls have arrived. Safe and sound."

He stood up immediately. "The meeting’s over."

Yaho smirked and followed him to the elevator.

"Off to play Prince Charming?" she teased.

He chuckled. "Something like that."

At the elevator doors, she stopped and placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"Good luck. Tell Annie and Bella I’ll drop by the suite when I’m free. Got three more calls with Tokyo this afternoon."

He nodded and stepped into the elevator.

His mind was already drifting to the girls.

Family was waiting.

The moment Lukas stepped through the glass doors of the Hotel Four Seasons penthouse level, the warm hush of luxury surrounded him. But what struck him wasn’t the opulence—it was the pair of familiar figures waiting near the grand lounge.

Annie sat on the plush beige couch, her hands protectively resting on her belly, her eyes flicking up the moment she heard the soft click of Lukas’ shoes against the marble floor. Bella stood beside her, dressed in a casual sky-blue hoodie and jeans, but somehow glowing with a quiet elegance. She was holding a small bag, probably filled with Annie’s necessities, and immediately straightened up at the sight of Lukas.

He froze for just a second. It wasn’t nervousness—it was the quiet awe of something deeply personal returning to him. Annie stood slowly, her hands instinctively reaching out, and Lukas closed the distance in a few long strides.

"You look beautiful," he said softly, his eyes locked on hers.

Annie let out a shaky breath, a smile tugging at her lips. "You look like someone who owns the world, so busy."

Bella watched the exchange in silence, then smiled when Lukas turned to her and opened his arms. She didn’t hesitate. The hug was brief but full of emotion.

"Thank you for taking care of her," Lukas murmured.

"She took care of me too," Bella said. "We’re a team now."

Lukas nodded, a flicker of emotion dancing across his face. "Then the team is home."

He led them inside the suite, where the rich mahogany table had already been set with a light spread of fruit platters, herbal teas, and delicate pastries. Roy, as always, had taken care of the details.

Annie lowered herself slowly onto the cream leather chair, and Bella joined her, letting out a tiny sigh of relief as she sank into the comfort.

"This place is very good," Bella whispered, looking around.

"It’s just the beginning," Lukas said, pouring Annie a cup of warm ginger tea. "I’m glad you’re here. Both of you. I have meetings, pressure, expansions, and a CFO I sometimes want to fire and sometimes want to crown—but none of that matters when I see you two."

Annie gave a tired but happy laugh. "That’s because you’re emotional, and tired, and hungry."

Lukas grinned. "Maybe. But mostly, I’m just lucky."

They spent the next hour talking about little things—how the suite was laid out, the view from the window, how Annie had started craving weird food combinations, and how Bella was obsessed with organizing their walk-in closet. Lukas listened more than he spoke, soaking it in.

Then, as he stood and pulled out his phone, he looked at both of them.

"Tomorrow, we shop for the mansion. I want you both to make it your home. I don’t want it to feel like something I bought—I want it to feel like something we built."

Bella blinked, clearly overwhelmed.

Annie just smiled and said, "Then let’s build it right."

And in that moment, with the evening sun streaming in through the high-rise windows, Lukas felt something rare and grounding. A beginning—not of business, not of empire—but of something far more meaningful: a family home, where even their kids may grow old.