From Villain to Virtual Sweetheart: The Fake Heir's Grand Scheme(BL)-Chapter 602: I Have His Back

Clyde wrapped his arms around Micah, closing his eyes. He had agreed, he had uttered the word trust....Not because he understood, but because he’d seen the look in Micah’s eyes when he spoke. Pain, grief, exhaustion layered so deeply it felt dangerous to touch. Clyde knew that if he pushed too hard, something fragile would shatter.

If he wanted, he could pry. He was sure Micah would slip eventually.

But Clyde refused to resort to something so low.

He wanted Micah to choose to tell him. The same way Micah had chosen him, over and over again, across lives Clyde could barely comprehend. For now....Micah’s explanations were perfunctory at best. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Most importantly, Micah hadn’t blamed him. Had not held him accountable for failing to help him. For always arrive too late.

That alone was enough. Clyde held him tighter.

Time passed in silence.

Then Micah unlocked his phone and scrolled through his contacts absently, thumb slowing when he reached Darcy’s name.

His expression shifted, subtle, but noticeable.

Clyde noticed immediately.

He lowered his head slightly, chin brushing Micah’s hair as his gaze flicked to the phone screen. "He doesn’t know," Clyde said quietly. It wasn’t a question. "Right?"

Micah’s face went blank.

"Of course he doesn’t," he replied, his tone even. "Do you think he could remember everything and still act normal around me?"

Clyde’s mouth tightened. He didn’t respond. Micah had never explained everything to him. Not really. But apparently, he wasn’t the only one.

Micah shifted slightly in his arms, then tapped the call button.

The phone rang twice before Darcy picked up.

"Hey," Darcy said immediately. "Where are you? Are you feeling better?"

Micah bit his lower lip.

"Yeah," he said after a brief pause. "I’m fine."

He forced the answer, and suddenly lost the courage to continue.

He squeezed his eyes shut for a second, memories flickering through his mind, panic, blood, the pain he’d put Darcy through without meaning to.

"I’m with Clyde," Micah added softly.

"Good," Darcy grumbled. "At least he’s useful for something."

Micah smiled instead of bristling.

Darcy always spoke like that. Rough edges hiding genuine concern. Even now, there was no real malice in his voice, just conflicted feelings he didn’t know how to sort through.

That conflict was new.

In this life, Darcy’s feelings toward him weren’t purely fraternal anymore. The realisation still unsettled Micah. He didn’t know whether to mourn it or be grateful for it. Either way, it had brought them closer, in its own complicated way.

"Mmm," Micah hummed, clearly pleased.

Darcy paused on the other end of the line, finding his reaction odd. "Well, what’s up?"

"I have a favour to ask," Micah said. His tone shifted, becoming careful. "And if you’re uncomfortable with it, you can say no. No pressure."

"Since when are you polite with me?" Darcy cut in. "Just spit it out."

Micah chuckled. "I need your hacking skills."

Silence.

Absolute, dead silence.

"I am not doing anything illegal," Darcy said slowly.

Micah laughed. "No, no. I’m a very good law-abiding citizen."

"Sure," Darcy muttered. "And I’m an idiot for believing you."

"Anyway I need you to hack the auction CCTV tonight," Micah said calmly.

"What?" Darcy snapped. "Didn’t you tell your dad you weren’t going? Why would you need CCTV footage?" He asked incredulously.

"I’m going," Micah replied. "Just... incognito."

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end. "Huh? What? Are you nuts? No, wait...Did you remember something? What are you planning? Does that man know?" Darcy fired off question after question before stopping abruptly. "You know what? Put him on speaker. I don’t trust your judgment at all."

Micah rolled his eyes. "Are you calling me mentally unstable now?"

"What else then? You suddenly call me asking about hacking Francis’s organisation," Darcy shot back. "You reek of bad decisions and impulsive choices."

Darcy refused to agree right away. He didn’t even pretend to consider it.

"I want to talk to Clyde," he said flatly through the phone. "Before I say yes to anything."

Micah stared at the screen, then let his head fall back against Clyde’s chest with a long, helpless sigh. The ceiling lights blurred for a second as he closed his eyes.

This version of Darcy, the hyper-alert, suspicious, worrywart Darcy, was still unfamiliar to him. In his memories, Darcy had always been reckless in his own way, charging forward with blind loyalty and little thought for consequences. This Darcy, however, had learned caution the hard way.

Micah couldn’t even bring himself to be annoyed.

"...Fine," he muttered.

He lifted the phone again, thumb hovering for half a second before he deliberately switched to speaker mode. With a sharp, annoyed motion, he turned and shoved the phone toward Clyde’s face.

"Here," Micah said. "Talk to him."

Clyde blinked, before he could say anything, Darcy’s voice came through the speaker.

"Hey, old man," Darcy snapped. "What nonsense is he saying now?"

Clyde’s eyebrow twitched.

Just once. Barely noticeable. But Micah caught it immediately.

He let out a short laugh, shoulders shaking as he leaned back into Clyde’s chest, clearly enjoying this far too much.

Clyde shot him a warning look that Micah ignored entirely.

"Watch your tone," Clyde said calmly, though there was a sharp edge beneath the composure.

Darcy scoffed on the other end. "Can’t hear the truth? Face it. You even sound way too old for someone like him, let alone match his image."

Clyde didn’t rise to the bait. He adjusted his hold on Micah instead, one arm firm around his waist, locking both of them.

"Do what he wants," Clyde said evenly. "I have his back."

Micah tilted his head slightly, glancing up at Clyde with a faint smile, clearly pleased.

There was a pause on the line.

Then Darcy sighed, long and irritated. "It’s exactly your indulgence that makes him this daring and crazy."

Micah grinned. "You wound me."

"No one asked," Darcy shot back.

Another brief silence followed, heavier this time. Micah waited, fingers tapping lightly against Clyde’s arm, already knowing Darcy was weighing his options.

Finally...

"Fine," Darcy said. "Change of plans. I’m not going tonight."

Micah straightened slightly. "You’re not?"

"No," Darcy snapped. "Don’t get ideas though. I’ll make sure to watch your every move!"

Micah huffed.

"Install the app I’ll send you," Darcy continued briskly. "Once you’re near the venue, connect to their Wi-Fi. I’ll handle the rest remotely."

Micah’s smile softened. "Thanks, little brother," he said shamelessly.

"Tsk," Darcy clicked his tongue. "I don’t have a dumb brother."

The line cut abruptly.

Micah stared at the dark screen for a second, then laughed.

It wasn’t loud. Just a soft, breathy sound, full of something warm and unspoken. He didn’t take offence. He never did. Darcy’s concern had always been wrapped in barbs.