Author's Preface
- Present Day, Lang Industries HQ -
Lang Industries didn't just exist in the city-
it ruled it.
A silver-and-glass empire cutting into the skyline like a blade, the kind of building people looked up at with awe and fear. Forty floors of precision, money, and quiet control. Inside, the air always smelled faintly of expensive coffee, polished marble, and ambition.
And at the very top of it all sat the President's floor.
Nathan's office wasn't just a "cabin."
It was a kingdom disguised as a room.
Dark wood, clean lines, floor-to-ceiling windows, a desk that looked like it could sign away nations-and a silence that always felt deliberate. Even the sunlight entering here seemed filtered, tempered... obedient.
And yet right now, that polished silence was being ruined.
Beautifully.
Knight Lang was lounging on Nathan's lap like it was his rightful throne, one arm slung around Nathan's shoulders, the other lazily tracing over the collar of Nathan's shirt.
Nathan didn't push him away.
He didn't even pretend to.
He simply kept reading a file with the calm focus of a man reviewing quarterly reports-while Senior Vice President of the company sat on him like a sin.
Knight pressed a kiss to Nathan's cheek.
Slow. Familiar. Possessive.
Nathan didn't look up. "You're in the way."
Knight's lips curved. "That's the point, Honey."
Nathan turned a page, unbothered. "Your point is poorly executed."
Knight leaned closer, mouth brushing Nathan's ear. "Mm. Tell me that again."
Nathan's pen paused for half a second.
Then resumed.
Knight chuckled, eyes glinting. "Ice Prince pretending he doesn't melt."
"I don't melt," Nathan replied smoothly.
Knight's fingers slid under Nathan's collar, teasing just enough to be war. "Then why is your pulse betraying you?"
Nathan finally lifted his gaze.
Calm. Cold. Dangerous.
Knight smiled like he'd just been praised.
"Good boy," Knight murmured.
Nathan's expression didn't change. "Get off."
Knight didn't move. "Make me."
And the air-God, the air shifted. Like the room itself suddenly remembered what Fire did to Ice.
Nathan's hand settled on Knight's waist, firm and controlled, thumb pressing into skin through fabric as if measuring exactly how much power he could hold without breaking anything.
Knight's breath hitched-just slightly.
Then he smiled wider, like he liked losing control more than he liked winning.
A knock came.
Three sharp taps.
Both of them didn't move.
Then the door cracked open.
A junior employee stepped inside holding a file folder like it was a shield. "Sir, I-I have the-"
And froze.
Dead.
Because Viktor-President of Lang Industries-was sitting at his desk like a statue carved from Ice.
And Lucian-Senior Vice President-was sitting in his lap, kissing his cheek like he was home.
The employee's soul visibly left his body.
Knight turned his head lazily, still seated like royalty. "Close the door."
The employee swallowed. "S-sir-"
Knight smiled. It was beautiful. It was lethal.
"We're busy," Knight said pleasantly, then tilted his head, voice dripping. "Unless you want to stand there and watch."
The employee's eyes widened in horror.
Nathan didn't even blink. "Drop the files."
The employee nearly threw them. "YES, SIR!"
Knight added softly, "And next time, knock before coming in."
The employee nodded so fast it looked like his neck might snap. He bolted out.
The door shut.
Silence returned.
For exactly one second.
Then Knight's laugh spilled out. "Look at that. We just traumatized another one."
Nathan flipped the file open without looking. "They'll recover."
Knight leaned back against him smugly. "We're great for workplace morale."
"You're a menace."
Knight hummed. "You like it."
Nathan's hand slid up Knight's side. "I tolerate it."
Knight's eyes narrowed. "That's not what you were doing last night."
Nathan's gaze flicked up.
Knight grinned like a devil who enjoyed walking into traps.
Nathan said evenly, "You're talking too much."
Knight's voice dropped, smoky. "And you're pretending you don't want me to."
Nathan set the file down with deliberate calm.
Knight's smirk widened-until he noticed Nathan's fingers tightening at his waist.
Knight's breath stuttered.
"Uh-oh," Knight murmured. "That look means you're about to do something irresponsible."
Nathan leaned in, voice quiet enough to feel like a touch. "You're sitting in the President's lap in broad daylight."
Knight's eyes sparkled. "And? I manage everything anyway."
Nathan's mouth twitched-barely. "You love stealing the crown without wearing it."
Knight kissed the corner of Nathan's jaw. "Because you look prettier with it."
Nathan's fingers tightened again. "You're insufferable."
"You're obsessed."
Nathan's voice went softer. Colder. "You're distracting."
Knight's grin turned wicked. "Say it like that again."
Nathan's eyes flicked briefly to the door, then back to Knight.
"...Lucian," Nathan murmured, not loud-just enough to stab.
Knight blinked.
Then burst out laughing. "OH? We're using the corporate names now? In private?"
Nathan's gaze stayed steady. "Move."
Knight didn't. "Make me, Viktor."
Nathan's hand slid behind Knight's neck-firm, controlling. "You're playing with Fire."
Knight's eyes brightened. "No, I'm sitting on it."
Nathan stood.
In one smooth motion, he lifted Knight like he weighed nothing-and set him on the desk.
Knight made a pleased sound, shirt riding up just enough to be obscene.
Nathan stepped between his knees, calm as ever... but closer now. Too close.
Knight's fingers hooked lightly in Nathan's tie. "Is this you disciplining your Senior Vice President?"
Nathan leaned in. "This is me reminding you who you're sitting on."
Knight's grin went slow. "And here I thought you didn't like being the face."
Nathan's hand gripped Knight's thigh. "I don't."
Knight's voice dropped. "Then let me handle it."
Nathan leaned closer-mouth almost against Knight's.
Knight's pupils dilated.
And then-
The door slammed open.
"BROOOOOOO-"
Nathan didn't even flinch.
Knight didn't even blink.
Chen Rang stood there with a coffee cup in one hand and chaos in his eyes like a walking disaster wrapped in designer clothes.
He was twenty-three and still somehow managed to look like he'd been born to cause noise.
Sharp jaw. Bright eyes-mischief incarnate. Hair styled up like he'd fought it into submission, sides clean, the top messy like it refused to be tamed. One small hoop earring catching the light.
He looked expensive.
He looked handsome.
He looked like a problem.
And he was grinning like he just walked into his favorite show.
Chen stared at Nathan hovering over Knight on the desk.
Then he gasped like a dramatic aunt at a wedding.
"Oh my GOD," Chen whispered reverently. "I just walked in at the BEST PART."
Knight didn't move. "Get out."
Nathan didn't move. "Leave."
Chen shut the door behind him with his foot like he lived here. "NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT."
He marched in dramatically, pointing between them. "You two are insane. INSANE. I'm sorry-are we doing office romance again?"
Knight deadpanned. "We're doing murder if you don't leave."
Chen ignored him completely. "You were this close." He held his fingers an inch apart. "THIS CLOSE to kissing. IN FRONT OF THE DESK. ON THE PRESIDENTIAL FLOOR."
Nathan's voice was calm. "Chen."
Chen slapped a hand to his chest. "DON'T 'CHEN' ME. I just caught two of you again like we are in a romance novel."
Knight's eyes narrowed. "Ryder."
Chen spun to him. "DON'T USE MY CORPORATE NAME LIKE IT'S A THREAT!"
Nathan's voice didn't rise. Didn't soften. "Why are you here."
Chen's eyes widened with fake innocence. "Wow. No 'good morning, Bro'? No 'how are you, Bro'? No 'thank you for blessing this company with your presence, Ryder-my beloved brother-in-heart'?"
Knight's tone went sharp. "Stop scaring employees away."
Chen gasped and pointed accusingly. "ME? I'M scaring employees away? I JUST SAW SOMEONE RUNNING OUT OF HERE LIKE HE SAW GOD."
Knight smirked. "He did."
Chen stared at him. Then he turned to Nathan. "DID HE SAW YOU TWO FIRST?"
Nathan said flatly, "Yes."
Chen clutched his chest. "BETRAYAL."
Knight leaned back on the desk, casually adjusting his shirt. "Get to the point before I throw you out the window."
Chen grinned. "You can't. Bro needs me."
Nathan's eyes didn't change. "Not that much."
Chen leaned in, whispering dramatically. "Bro. You can't do this to your favorite, hot and most intelligent brother."
Nathan and Knight, in perfect sync: "You aren't."
"I AM THE FAVORITE," Chen declared proudly.
Nathan stepped closer to Knight again, voice calm. "Why are you here."
Chen blinked twice.
Then slowly grinned like a criminal.
"Oh." He set his coffee down like he was about to commit a felony.
"NOW we're talking."
He took one step forward-
toward Nathan.
And launched.
He dove like a missile, arms wrapping around Nathan's leg with the devotion of a man pledging loyalty to a king, cheek pressed dramatically against Nathan's thigh like it was holy ground.
"BROOOO-" Chen wailed, voice echoing off glass and marble. "MY FUTURE. MY DREAMS. MY CHILDREN."
Knight didn't even blink. "Get off him."
Nathan looked down at him like he was observing an aggressive, emotional housecat. "Chen."
Chen tightened his grip. "DON'T 'CHEN' ME. I am a man on the edge. A genius. A visionary. With a department to run-"
Knight's mouth twitched. "Also Junior Vice President," he corrected flatly.
Chen snapped his head up. "YES! And also Head of R&D. The backbone of innovation. The spark of tomorrow. The reason this company hasn't become a museum of spreadsheets and sadness-"
"You're also the reason the fire alarms have trauma," Nathan said calmly.
Chen gasped, offended. "WOW. Attacking me in my time of need."
Knight leaned forward, voice silky with menace. "Last week you blew up the whole lab."
Chen froze. Then gave them the most innocent smile known to mankind.
"It was a sacrifice for science."
beat
" For my glorious purpose. "
Knight's eyes narrowed. "You detonated a prototype. The ceiling almost collapsed."
Chen held up a finger. "Technically, it was a rapid unscheduled structural deconstruction."
Nathan's lips almost-almost twitched. "You lost your project approval power because you tried to test 'self-heating metal' beside the chemical storage."
Chen slapped a hand to his chest. "BRO. That's called science."
Knight snorted. "That's called arson."
Chen scooted closer on his knees, still clinging to Nathan. "Listen. I am a simple man. I am not asking for much. Just a small-tiny-itsy-bitsy budget approval for a very safe and very responsible R&D initiative."
Knight leaned back. "You're not telling us the plan."
Chen smiled wide. "Because you'll misunderstand it."
Nathan's voice went colder. "Chen."
Chen panicked instantly, clutching tighter. "OKAY! OKAY! It's a harmless project! A peaceful project! A project that will bring joy to humanity and definitely not explode-"
Knight lifted a brow. "That's what you said before the lab started smoking."
Chen pointed dramatically at Knight. "And did it explode again after that?"
Nathan sighed speechless.
Knight shot back, "Because you weren't allowed back in."
Chen clapped his hands like that was irrelevant. "WHICH IS WHY I NEED APPROVAL NOW. My department is starving. My scientists are suffering."
Knight stared. "You have the largest department budget in this building."
Chen's eyes watered instantly. "Money isn't enough. They need hope. They need love. They need to know their Junior VP believes in them."
Nathan deadpanned. "You're emotionally blackmailing us."
Chen nodded proudly. "YES."
Knight sighed and looked at Nathan. "He's doing the thing again."
Chen whipped around, dramatic whisper. "BROOOO. Don't let him resist. You know I'm your favorite."
Nathan's gaze stayed calm. "You're the loudest."
Chen whispered with awe, "He called me loud... it's his love language."
Nathan exhaled once, defeated in the quiet way only Nathan could be.
Then, without looking away from Chen, he said to Knight, "Approve it."
Knight blinked. "Nate-"
Nathan's tone sharpened slightly. "Approve it."
Knight stared for a long second-then snatched the file, signed with a vicious flourish, and shoved it toward Chen. "If anything explodes again, I'm revoking your oxygen."
Chen's face brightened like he'd been resurrected.
He sprang up instantly, releasing Nathan's leg like it had never happened.
"BEST BROTHERS EVER!"
Before either of them could react, Chen grabbed them both-one arm around Nathan, one around Knight-crushing them together into a forced hug.
Nathan didn't move.
Knight looked like murder.
Chen squeezed harder. "I LOVE YOU BOTH. I WOULD DIE FOR YOU. I WOULD-"
Knight shoved him away. "Out."
Chen saluted like a soldier. "YES, SIR!"
He snatched the approval papers, spun toward the door, then paused dramatically.
"Also," Chen added, eyes shining, "try not to traumatize employees today. HR is making a support group."
Then he bolted out.
The door shut.
Silence returned- slowly.
Knight rubbed his temple. "He hasn't changed a bit."
Nathan's gaze drifted to the closed door. "Not even slightly."
Knight leaned in, smirking faintly. "Your fault. You keep approving him."
Nathan's eyes flicked back to him, calm and unreadable. "He's ours."
Knight huffed. "Unfortunately."
Nathan didn't answer-only turned back to his desk, opened the diary again with precise hands, and let the pen hover...
"Chen is chaos with a heartbeat- loud, reckless, impossible.
But he's the laughter that keeps Fire from burning too hot, and Ice from freezing too cold.
He doesn't just belong with us.
He holds us together."
The ink bled smoothly across the paper as Nathan paused, his pen hovering for a moment as the memory returned sharp and vivid.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───
Next in Then Came The Chaos
Every chaos has a beginning.
They didn't plan to find him.
They didn't plan to keep him.
But it started-
Next Stop: When Chaos Found Its Name
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───