Tycoon Actor C526 (Patreon)

After the concert officially ended, the area around Allegiant Stadium was still packed. Fans lingered, taking photos, buying last-minute merch from the small business booths. The local vendors were making a killing.

Gradually, as the night deepened, people started heading out—especially once word spread that Lucas and his team had already slipped away through a back exit.

At a nearby hotel, Lucas sat in the spacious main suite with Neil, his security, and Jennifer. He looked exhausted. His voice was hoarse, his shoulders slouched. Performing for hours, plus the secret Lucid set? It had taken everything out of him.

"You really pushed yourself tonight," Jennifer said, sitting beside him with a water bottle in hand.

"Yeah," Lucas admitted, his voice scratchy. "Way harder than my first concert back in the day."

Neil leaned forward. "You need to take it easy tomorrow. No rehearsals, no interviews, nothing. Just rest. You've got LA in a few days, and if you blow out your voice now, we're screwed."

"I know, I know," Lucas said, managing a tired smile. "I'll rest."

Jennifer gave him a look. "What were you thinking, sneaking off to perform as Lucid in the middle of your own concert?"

Lucas winced. He'd known this was coming.

"I'm not mad," Jennifer continued, though her tone said otherwise. "I'm just worried. You're running yourself into the ground."

Lucas reached for her hand. "I know. I'm sorry. But it was for the documentary, and I wanted to control how the reveal happened. I couldn't pass that up."

Jennifer sighed, but her expression softened. "You're lucky I love you."

"I know I am," Lucas said, pulling her closer. "How about this—after LA, we take a full day off. Just us. I'll make it up to you."

Jennifer raised an eyebrow. "A full day?"

"I promise."

She smiled. "Deal."

Neil cleared his throat. "Alright, lovebirds, can we talk business for a second?"

Jennifer shot him a look. "You're such a buzzkill."

"It's literally my job," Neil said with a grin. "Anyway, Lucas—where the hell did you find those two artists? Benson and... Oliver?"

"Olivia," Jennifer corrected.

"Right. Olivia." Neil nodded. "Both of them were incredible. Especially for rising artists. Where'd you scout them?"

Lucas smirked. "You want to manage them, don't you?"

Neil didn't even try to hide it. "Of course I do. If I see talent, I'm gonna chase it."

Jennifer rolled her eyes. "You're so greedy. Isn't my husband enough for you?"

Neil laughed. "Hey, I've got other clients, but Lucas is my only real superstar. Adding two more breakout artists to the roster? That's a win."

Lucas shook his head. "I just found them on Spotify. Listened to a few tracks, thought they had something special, and reached out."

Neil stared at him. "You're telling me you found two future stars just by scrolling Spotify?"

"Pretty much."

"Talent scouts would kill for that kind of luck."

Lucas shrugged. "I've got good instincts." He paused. "I'm actually thinking about pulling them into the Warner Bros. Records roster. I talked to them a bit when I invited them to perform, but we didn't get too deep into it yet."

Neil raised an eyebrow. "You're really going all-in for Warner, huh? Even on the music side?"

"They gave me equity," Lucas said simply. "And they've helped me out a lot over the years. I want to return the favor."

Neil nodded slowly, but internally he was still processing it. Sure, Warner had been good to Lucas. But this level of loyalty? It seemed like more than just gratitude. Lucas was actively building up Warner's content across film, streaming, and now music. It almost felt personal.

'Why does he care this much?' Neil thought. 'Even with equity, this feels like more than just business.'

What Neil didn't know was that Lucas couldn't fully explain it himself. He just felt compelled to help Warner Bros. succeed. It was a gut feeling, almost instinctive. Like if he didn't step in now, he'd regret it later. He couldn't pinpoint why—it wasn't based on anything concrete. Just this nagging sense that Warner needed him, and that helping them was the right move.

And he'd learned to trust his instincts.

---◖⁠⚆⁠ᴥ⁠⚆⁠◗---

The next day, Lucas's Las Vegas concert dominated the internet. "LK in Vegas" was the top Google search. Twitter's trending hashtags were flooded with concert clips. YouTube was packed with fan recordings and reaction videos.

It was, without question, the concert everyone was talking about.

And riding that wave were two rising stars: Benson Boone and Olivia Rodrigo.

Record labels were already circling. Signing unknown artists right before they blew up? Smart move.

Unfortunately for most of them, the early birds had already swooped in.

At the hotel where Lucas was staying, Benson and Olivia had been given rooms courtesy of the tour organizers. Now, they sat in a spacious conference room, wide-eyed and nervous.

Across from Olivia sat Taylor Swift—her idol—casually offering her a spot at Republic Records.

"So, what do you think?" Taylor asked with a warm smile.

Lucas sat nearby with Benson at his side, who looked like he might pass out from nerves.

"Are you... serious?" Olivia asked, barely able to process it.

"If Taylor's playing talent scout, she's serious," Lucas said with a chuckle. "This isn't really her job, you know. She's an artist, not an A&R exec."

Taylor rolled her eyes. "I really like her, okay? I want to mentor her. Maybe collaborate."

"This isn't The Voice," Lucas teased.

Watching the two superstars joke around so casually, Benson and Olivia just sat there, overwhelmed. They hadn't expected to even be noticed by these two, let alone get offers to sign with major labels.

Olivia's heart pounded. She squeezed her hands together under the table. The offer was incredibly tempting—especially coming from Taylor herself. Not just joining Republic, but being mentored by her idol? That was a dream scenario.

"Honestly, I feel like a scout today," Taylor said playfully. "My label specifically told me I could bring in new talent if I wanted. Unlucky for you, Lucas."

"Don't pressure her, Tay," Lucas said with a grin. "Let her choose."

Olivia felt the weight of both their gazes. Her nervousness skyrocketed. Benson glanced at her sympathetically—if he were in her shoes, he would've caved already.

"Um..." Olivia swallowed hard. "I really appreciate the offer, Ms. Swift. This is... this is an incredible opportunity."

Taylor nodded, already thinking the deal was done.

But then Olivia continued. "But I think I have to go with Lucas's offer. He's the one who gave me this shot in the first place. He believed in me when no one else did. I feel like... I owe him that loyalty."

Taylor blinked, genuinely surprised. She hadn't expected to be turned down—especially not for Lucas.

"Are you sure?" Taylor asked, trying to hide her disappointment. "I really think we could do something special together. Being at the same label means we could collaborate easily, tour together, build something long-term. I could introduce you to the right people, help you navigate everything. It's just... easier when we're in the same ecosystem."

Olivia hesitated, biting her lip.

"Don't put more pressure on her, Tay," Lucas said gently.

Taylor sighed. "Alright. I get it. You like Lucas's offer better, and I respect that. It's your career. You have to choose what feels right."

Olivia exhaled in relief. "Thank you. Really. It means the world that you even asked."

Taylor nodded, then shot Lucas a look. "You're so annoying, you know that?"

Lucas just laughed. "You're just mad you didn't get there first."

"Exactly," Taylor muttered.

Since Olivia was off the table, Taylor turned her attention to Benson—only to find out he'd already signed with Lucas too.

"Ugh. I feel like I just lost the lottery," Taylor groaned.

"Why are you so upset?" Lucas said, shaking his head with a smile. "This isn't even your job. You're not actually a talent scout."

"Still," Taylor said, slumping back in her chair. "I wanted at least one of them."

Lucas understood where Taylor was coming from. He could see it clearly—she was starting to feel like those veteran artists who took promising talent under their wing. Dr. Dre with Eminem. Jay-Z with Rihanna. Quincy Jones with basically everyone. It was a legacy thing. Taylor had reached that level where she could shape the next generation, and she'd seen her chance with Olivia. But it hadn't worked out.

Looking at Olivia, Lucas knew the offer was incredible—anyone would jump at it. But he didn't think she'd rejected Taylor out of "loyalty" to him.

It was simpler than that. Olivia wanted to grow on her own terms, without being defined by someone else's name. Taylor's offer—mentoring, touring together, constant collaboration—would've made Olivia "the girl Taylor Swift is working with."

Or worse, "Taylor Swift 2.0." That kind of association could overshadow everything she built. Lucas's offer was cleaner: a record deal, support, but room to breathe and become her own artist. That's what she needed.

---ʕ⁠·⁠ᴥ⁠·⁠ʔ---

By late May, Lucas performed his next concerts in Los Angeles—three sold-out nights at SoFi Stadium. This time, Taylor wasn't a guest. Instead, Bruno Mars and Kendrick Lamar showed up on different nights. Either one alone was worth the ticket price. Together across the weekend? Unforgettable.

Lucas's performances were top-notch. Yeah, fans didn't get the romantic finale like in Vegas, but the LA shows had their own energy—hometown pride, Hollywood friends in the crowd, surprise collaborations. It was a weekend people would talk about for years.

Clips from the concerts hit hundreds of thousands of views within hours. Some crossed millions. By the time June rolled around, the Knight Lights World Tour was still trending across every platform. Throughout the month, Lucas hopped from city to city—Seattle, Portland, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, New York. The North America leg was relentless.

It was exhausting. But by the end of June, Lucas had pulled in an estimated $180 million from ticket sales alone—not counting merch, sponsorships, or streaming deals.

That number made headlines.

Billboard: "Lucas Knight's North America Tour Leg Grosses Nearly $200M—Sets New Record for Solo Artist"

Variety: "Knight Lights Tour: How Lucas Knight Became the Highest-Grossing Touring Artist of 2020"

Forbes: "Lucas Knight's World Tour Earnings: Breaking Down the Numbers Behind His $180M Haul"

The internet had opinions.

"Lucas is already a billionaire. Why does one person need $180 million MORE? Give it back."

"Are you serious? Lucas runs a literal foundation. He funded pandemic vaccines. He's done more for people than most governments. He's earned his money."

"No one should have that much wealth. Period."

"He literally donated millions to small businesses during his tour. Y'all just mad he's successful."

"He didn't 'take' the money. People CHOSE to buy tickets. That's how capitalism works. And he gives back more than most."

The arguments raged, but most of the discourse defended Lucas. His charity work, the LK Foundation, his visible generosity—it all shielded him from the worst of the backlash. People could complain about wealth inequality all they wanted, but Lucas Knight wasn't the villain in that story.

---◖⁠⚆⁠ᴥ⁠⚆⁠◗---

The $180 million from the North America leg was insane money, but it wasn't all profit. A chunk went straight to paying down bank loans. Most of Lucas's wealth was tied up in stocks and equity—paper assets he couldn't easily liquidate. He'd been using loans to fund his philanthropy, lifestyle, and various investments.

But when it came to actual liquid wealth? That was his Bitcoin stash—now worth over $5 billion.

He'd sold some off years ago to fund projects, but he'd also been quietly buying more through leveraged loans, accumulating around 500,000 BTC. With Bitcoin's value still climbing, he'd reinvested a portion of his concert earnings into it. The rest went to loan payments and the LK Foundation.

Now it was July. The European tour leg was starting soon, so Lucas used his downtime to catch up on other commitments Neil had scheduled.

Jennifer kept pushing him to rest more, and honestly, Lucas didn't fight it. They spent a lot of time together—though "resting" was probably generous. Most of it was spent in bed, and not much sleeping happened.

Eventually, Lucas made his way to Warner Bros. headquarters to check in on progress.

Tobias greeted him in the executive conference room with a warm handshake. "Lucas! Good to see you, man. How've you been?"

"Busy," Lucas said with a slight smile. "But good. Can't complain."

"I bet. Tour's been incredible from what I've seen." Tobias gestured to a chair. "Coffee?"

"Yeah, thanks."

They settled in, and Tobias poured two cups from the carafe on the table. "Seriously though, congratulations on the North America leg. $180 million in a month? That's insane, Lucas. You're basically a money-printing machine at this point."

Lucas chuckled. "Appreciate it. But you know how it is—most of that goes right back out."

"Still," Tobias said, shaking his head. "It's a hell of a number."

"Thanks." Lucas took a sip of his coffee. "So, what's the latest? How are things moving on your end?"

Tobias leaned back, getting comfortable. "Pretty solid, actually. The Last of Us production's coming along nicely. We've locked in most of the casting—still finalizing a few smaller roles, but the leads are set. Location scouting's almost done. We're on track for a late 2021 shoot."

"Good," Lucas said. "That's right on schedule."

"Yeah, we're feeling good about it." Tobias paused. "What about you? You still eyeing any roles for yourself, or are you sitting this one out?"

Lucas smiled. "I'll pass on this one. Let the cast do their thing. I'm already stretched thin with the tour and everything else."

"Fair enough." Tobias nodded. "Alright, what else you wanna talk about? I know you didn't just come here to hear about The Last of Us."

"Minecraft," Lucas said. "How's that coming along?"

"Ah, right." Tobias grinned. "We're still hammering out the deal with Jack Black's team, but it looks like he's in. Just working through contract details."

Lucas had specifically pushed for Jack Black. In his previous life, the Minecraft movie had done well largely because of him. The guy had the energy and comedic timing to pull it off. But this time, Lucas wanted the film to appeal directly to the Minecraft community—which meant involving YouTubers.

"What about the YouTubers?" Lucas asked.

Tobias leaned forward, looking amused. "That's been... interesting. Almost all of them said yes immediately. There's even this mysterious player who goes by 'Dream.' Apparently, he's blowing up right now—millions of views per video. He agreed to do a cameo."

Tobias clearly didn't fully understand the internet landscape, but he was paying attention to the numbers.

"There's also that number one YouTuber," Tobias continued, squinting like he was trying to remember. "PewDiePie? Did I say that right?"

"Yeah, that's him," Lucas said.

"Well, he's interested too."

Lucas nodded. "Good. Just having these YouTubers in the movie will guarantee it connects with the right audience."

Tobias looked skeptical. "I don't know, man. Their popularity might not translate to ticket sales. YouTube's one thing. Getting people into theaters? That's different."

Lucas just smiled.

Hollywood didn't trust internet stars yet. The industry still saw YouTube as a platform for amateurs—kids filming in their bedrooms, not "real" entertainment. Traditional studios believed box office success required traditional star power. Internet fame felt too niche, too young, too... unproven. Sure, YouTubers had millions of subscribers, but would those people actually buy movie tickets? Hollywood wasn't convinced. To them, YouTube was background noise, not appointment viewing.

"Don't underestimate internet stars," Lucas said. "Their potential's massive. In a few years, they'll be shaking up Hollywood more than you think."

Tobias nodded slowly. He wasn't fully convinced, but he knew better than to dismiss Lucas's instincts. "Alright. I'll trust you on this one."

"And we can use internet stars to give Max an edge," Lucas added.

Tobias's interest perked up. "Yeah? How so?"

"You thinking about bringing them onto the platform?"

"Something like that," Lucas said. "There's a YouTuber blowing up right now—MrBeast. He does challenge videos, gives away money, cars, all kinds of crazy stuff. His following's huge and it's only getting bigger. I think it's worth investing in him."

Tobias frowned slightly. "Internet stars work for Max? I always figured their content was more for... you know, killing time online. Not really the same as TV or movies."

"That's old-school thinking," Lucas said. "The line between internet and traditional media's disappearing. Fast. MrBeast pulls millions of views per video. That's better than most cable shows. If Max can partner with creators like him—exclusive content, original series, whatever—it'll pull in younger audiences that Netflix and Disney+ are fighting over."

Tobias considered that. "Huh. Alright, I'll look into him."

Lucas leaned back. "Actually, MrBeast's been asking to collaborate with me for a while now. He reached out back in 2017, and I've been putting it off. But maybe it's time to finally do it."

Tobias raised an eyebrow. "You? In a YouTube video?"

"Why not?" Lucas said with a grin. "Good publicity. And it'll show you guys I know what I'm talking about when it comes to digital content."

Tobias shook his head, amused. "Man, you never stop working, do you?"

"Not if I can help it."

Tobias took a sip of his coffee, then shifted gears. "Speaking of content, we've been exploring some anime adaptations. Specifically One Piece."

Lucas's interest perked up. "Yeah? How's that going?"

"Slow," Tobias admitted. "We're trying to get both the streaming rights for the anime on Max and the rights to do a live-action adaptation. But the author, Oda, he's... reserved. Really protective of his work. Can't blame him—it's his life's work. But we're trying to show him we'll do it justice."

"That's a tough sell," Lucas said. "Anime fans are brutal if you mess it up. And live-action anime adaptations have a pretty bad track record."

Honestly, he was genuinely impressed. Warner going after anime adaptations was unexpected—and smart.

At first, he thought they'd taken inspiration from his push for video game projects—branching into new entertainment mediums. But then Tobias mentioned Netflix had approached Oda first, and Warner had jumped in to compete for the deal.

So it was a competition play. Netflix made the first move, Warner swooped in to challenge them.

Either way, it was smart. This was exactly the kind of aggressive strategy Warner needed—going head-to-head with Netflix for major IPs instead of letting them dominate unopposed.

---ʕ⁠´⁠•⁠ᴥ⁠•⁠`⁠ʔ---

By mid-July, Lucas touched down at London Heathrow Airport—his first stop on the European leg of the tour.

The moment the plane doors opened and he stepped into the jet bridge, he could already hear it. A distant roar, muffled but unmistakable.

Screaming.

As Lucas walked through the terminal toward baggage claim, the noise grew louder. Security had cleared a path, but it didn't matter—the crowd was massive.

The second he stepped into view, the entire arrivals hall erupted.

Thousands of people pressed against barricades—some had clearly been waiting for hours. Signs were everywhere: "LUCAS WE LOVE YOU", "KNIGHT LIGHTS TOUR UK", "MARRY ME LUCAS". Phones were held high, recording every second. The noise was deafening—screaming, crying, chanting his name.

Lucas's steps slowed. His chest tightened.

He'd dealt with crowds before. Big ones. But this was something else entirely.

When he came to Europe for film work—press tours, premieres, location shoots—it was always quiet. Private entrances. No one knew he was there. But now? Everyone knew exactly when and where he'd land. They'd been waiting.

This wasn't the movie star treatment. This was what happened when you were a touring artist—when people knew you were about to perform live in their city.

Reporters swarmed immediately, cameras flashing, boom mics shoved forward.

"Lucas! How does it feel to finally bring the tour to Europe?!"

"What can UK fans expect from the show?!"

Before he could answer, a girl broke through the security line—tears streaming down her face, shaking so hard she could barely stand.

"Lucas! Lucas, please—" Her voice cracked. "I've been waiting since 4 AM! Can I—can I just get one picture? Please?"

She lunged forward, arms outstretched. Security moved in, but she managed to grab his jacket, her nails scraping his arm as she held on.

"Please! Just one!"

The crowd surged. People screamed louder, pushing against the barricades. Some were sobbing. Others were chanting: "LUCAS! LUCAS! LUCAS!"

"We've been waiting for this concert for MONTHS!" someone shouted.

"Thank you for coming to London!" another voice yelled.

"I can't believe you're actually HERE!"

Jack and Simon immediately flanked him. "We need to move. Now."

They pushed forward. Lucas tried to sign a few things, tried to acknowledge people, but hands kept reaching—grabbing his shirt, his arms, his hair. Someone's fingernails scratched across his neck. Another fan slipped through and wrapped her arms around him in a desperate hug before being pulled away.

The noise didn't stop. It was constant. Relentless.

They finally made it to the SUV. Lucas slid into the backseat, heart pounding.

Neil was already inside, pale. "Christ."

The car started moving, but fans immediately swarmed it—banging on the windows, some throwing themselves in front to block it.

"Move! Please move!" the driver shouted, honking.

Security had to physically pull people out of the way. The car inched forward. Fans chased it down the street, still screaming, still recording.

Looking out the window, Neil shook his head slowly. "I knew it'd be chaotic—fans knew you were coming. But I didn't think it'd be that insane."

"Indeed," Jack said from the front seat. "I've been doing security for you for years now, Lucas. That's the craziest airport scene I've ever seen. It was like watching footage of The Beatles landing in the '60s or something."

Once they reached the hotel, security set up a new perimeter. Hundreds of fans had already camped outside. Hotel management coordinated with local police. Extra guards stationed at every entrance. Lucas couldn't walk through the lobby without being mobbed.

---ʕ⁠·⁠ᴥ⁠·⁠ʔ---

After settling into London, Lucas met up with the artist scheduled to guest at his concert—his former Barbie co-star, Dua Lipa.

The moment they saw each other, Dua lit up and pulled him into a hug. "Oh my god, it's so good to see you again!"

Lucas returned the hug warmly. "Yeah, you too. How've you been?"

Dua stepped back, grinning. "I've been great, actually. After Barbie blew up, way more people started recognizing me. It's been wild."

Lucas laughed. "You say that like you weren't already famous."

"I mean, yeah, but it's different now," Dua said with a playful shrug. "You know what I mean."

She glanced around the room. "Wait, is Jennifer here?"

"Nah, she stayed back in the States. Didn't come with me this leg."

Dua's face fell slightly. "Oh. That's too bad. I was hoping to catch up with her."

The two of them had gotten close during the Barbie shoot—Jennifer had been around set a lot, and they'd hit it off immediately.

"She sends her love though," Lucas said.

Dua smiled. "Tell her I miss her."

"Will do."

Dua's energy shifted back to excitement. "Anyway, I'm really looking forward to rehearsals. Are you finally gonna write a duet for me? You know, like the one you did with Taylor?"

Lucas raised an eyebrow, amused. "You're not satisfied just performing solo? You want a whole duet?"

"Of course I do!" Dua said, crossing her arms with mock indignation. Then, seeing Lucas's face, she waved it off. "Okay, okay, I'm kidding. You don't have to—"

"Well, if you want one, why not? Let's rehearse a new duet right now."

Dua froze. Even the HBO Max crew filming nearby looked surprised.

"Wait—what? You're serious?"

"Yeah," Lucas said casually. He turned to one of the crew members. "Can I get some paper and a pen?"

The staff member quickly handed them over.

Neil, standing off to the side, watched with quiet curiosity. Then his eyes widened slightly. He knew exactly what Lucas was about to do.

Dua stared. "Wait, are you telling me you're gonna compose a song right now? Like, right this second?"

"Why not?" Lucas said, already scribbling. "You want a duet, right? Let's make it happen."

"Lucas, I was joking," Dua said, looking genuinely worried now. "You don't have to—"

She trailed off. She'd heard about Lucas's composing skills—everyone had. But writing a good song on the spot? That seemed like a stretch. She didn't want him to embarrass himself trying to pull something together last minute.

But a few minutes later, Lucas looked up. "Done."

Dua blinked. "Wait, seriously?"

He handed her the paper. On it were vocal melodies, chord progressions, and full lyrics.

"You actually... wrote a whole song? Just now?" Dua looked stunned.

Lucas chuckled. Internally, he thought, 'Compose a song? This is from my previous life. Already a hit.'

But out loud, he just said, "Yeah. Take a look at the lyrics. Let's run through it."

Dua took the paper and started reading. She hummed along with the melody notes, testing the phrasing in her head.

Her eyes widened.

"This is... actually really good," she said, almost breathless. "Like, really good."

"So? You wanna rehearse it now?" Lucas asked.

Dua nodded, still a little speechless.

The sound crew, already set up in the studio, quickly prepped the equipment.

---▼⁠・⁠ᴥ⁠・⁠▼---

A few days later, Lucas and Dua appeared on The Graham Norton Show.

Graham leaned forward with his signature grin. "So, Lucas—welcome back to the UK! How are you finding the tour so far?"

"It's been incredible," Lucas said. "The energy here is different. London especially—people have been amazing."

"Well, they nearly killed you at the airport," Graham said. "I saw the footage. Absolutely mental."

The audience laughed.

"Yeah, that was intense..." Lucas admitted.

Graham turned to Dua. "And you're performing at his London shows. Excited?"

"Very," Dua said. "I mean, it's my hometown. Getting to perform with Lucas in front of a London crowd? That's special."

"You two worked together before on Barbie, didn't you?" Graham asked.

"Yeah," Dua said, smiling. "That was such a fun project. We had a great time on set."

"And now you're reuniting on stage," Graham said. "So what can people expect? Just you doing your hits, or is there something more?"

Lucas and Dua exchanged a look.

"Well..." Dua said, grinning. "There might be a surprise."

"A surprise?" Graham's eyes lit up. "What kind of surprise?"

"Lucas wrote a new duet for us," Dua said. "We're performing it for the first time at the concert."

"Oh, that's lovely!" Graham said. "A brand-new song. When did you write it?"

"A few days ago," Lucas said casually.

Dua laughed. "He's being modest. I joked about wanting a duet—like the one he did with Taylor—and he just sat down and wrote one. Right there. In like five minutes."

Graham's jaw dropped. "Wait, what? Five minutes?"

"I swear," Dua said. "I thought he was joking at first. But he just grabbed a pen and paper and... made it happen."

The audience gasped and applauded.

Graham stared at Lucas. "You can just... do that? Write a song in five minutes?"

Lucas shrugged. "She wanted a duet. So I gave her one."

"Unbelievable," Graham said, shaking his head. "And it's good?"

"It's really good," Dua said. "I was shocked. Like, genuinely shocked."

Graham leaned forward. "Alright, now I'm dying to hear this song. When do we get to?"

"At the concert," Lucas said with a grin.

Graham groaned. "You're killing me! Can't you give us just a little preview?"

"Nope," Dua said, laughing. "You'll have to wait like everyone else."

"Well, lucky for you both, tickets sold out in minutes anyway," Graham said. "So clearly, people are ready for whatever you're bringing."

"We're gonna make it worth it," Lucas said.

The audience erupted in applause.

The concert was just days away.

---(⁠✪⁠㉨⁠✪⁠)---

A week later, the concert finally arrived. Wembley Stadium—90,000 capacity—was packed to the brim. Outside, the scene mirrored what had happened in North America: thousands of fans, vendors, small business booths, security everywhere.

The rising artists performed first. Benson came out and delivered "In the Stars," earning massive applause. Then Olivia performed "drivers license," and the crowd ate it up. Both Warner Records artists were killing it, and by appearing at nearly every stop on Lucas's tour, they were already becoming household names.

After two hours of opening acts, it was finally time.

The lights dimmed. The crowd erupted.

Fans were on their feet, screaming, waving phones in the air.

"Oh my god, this is it!"

"I can't believe we're actually here!"

"Do you think they're doing that new duet?" one girl asked her friend.

"I hope so," her friend said. "But what if Dua was exaggerating? Like, what if Lucas just rushed it?"

"He's Lucas Knight. He doesn't rush anything."

"Still... writing a song in five minutes? That sounds sketchy."

The stage lights came up.

Lucas walked out, acoustic guitar in hand. Dua followed, mic in hand, smiling at the roar of the crowd.

The stadium went absolutely wild.

Lucas sat on a stool, adjusting the guitar. Dua stood beside him, waiting.

Then Lucas started playing. Soft, gentle fingerpicking. The melody was simple but beautiful.

"Do you hear me? I'm talking to you

Across the water across the deep blue ocean"

"Under the open sky, oh my, baby, I'm trying"

Dua came in with her verse, her voice warm and soulful, "Boy, I hear you in my dreams"

"I feel your whisper across the sea"

"I keep you with me in my heart"

"You make it easier when life gets hard"

Then they harmonized together on the chorus: "Lucky I'm in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again"

The crowd went silent, completely absorbed.

The song was simple—just acoustic guitar and two voices—but it hit hard. It was about loving your best friend, about distance making every moment together matter more. The verses were tender, almost conversational. But when their voices came together on the chorus, it shifted into something bigger. Joyful and aching at once.

People started tearing up. Some thought about first loves. Others about best friends they'd had feelings for but never said anything. A few remembered long-distance relationships—late-night calls, counting down days until they could go home.

When the song ended, the stadium erupted. Ninety thousand people screaming, clapping, some still wiping their eyes.

Lucas and Dua stood and bowed together.

Dua grabbed the mic, grinning. "How are we doing tonight, London?!"

The crowd roared back.

"I hope you guys enjoyed that," Dua said, still catching her breath. "Lucas wrote this literally a week ago, and we just finished rehearsing it yesterday."

The crowd gasped, then cheered even louder.

Lucas smiled, shaking his head slightly.

The fans couldn't believe it. A week to write, barely any rehearsal time, and it sounded that polished?

They wanted it recorded. They wanted it on Spotify. They needed to hear it again.

Lucas's talent was unreal.

After that, Lucas performed his usual setlist—hits, deep cuts, crowd favorites. By the end of the night, everyone left happy.

---◖⁠⚆⁠ᴥ⁠⚆⁠◗---

A few hours after the concert ended, clips from Wembley were already flooding social media. Twitter was exploding. Vine compilations of Lucas and Dua's duet were racking up millions of loops.

"I just witnessed Lucas and Dua perform a brand-new song at Wembley and I'm STILL crying. That was perfect."

"Wait, I went to his LA show and he didn't perform that song. Are you telling me late-tour stops get BONUS CONTENT?!"

"Honestly thinking about flying to Europe just to catch another show. Lucas keeps dropping new songs out of nowhere."

"I was at the Boston concert and we didn't get a new duet. This is so unfair 😭"

"Okay but how much are flights to Paris? Asking for a friend who wants to see if Lucas drops another surprise there."

"That song has been stuck in my head for the last two hours. I NEED the studio version NOW."

"Lucas wrote that in FIVE MINUTES. Five. Minutes. And it's already better than half the songs on the radio."

"Dua and Lucas's chemistry on stage was insane. They need to do a full album together."

On Vine, six-second clips of the chorus were going viral—Lucas and Dua harmonizing, the crowd singing along, close-ups of people crying in the audience. One Vine of a girl absolutely sobbing while singing "Lucky I'm in love with my best friend" had over 8 million loops already.

"Taylor's probably so jealous right now lol. Lucas wrote a duet for Dua in FIVE MINUTES and it's already iconic."

And sure enough, Taylor saw the clips.

@taylorswift13: "So @LucasXKnight wrote a whole song for Dua in five minutes? Five. Minutes. Meanwhile some of us had to actually work for our collabs 🙃"

"TAYLOR CALLING HIM OUT I'M DEAD 💀"

"She's joking but also not joking lmaooo"

"She's so petty I love her"

"This is so funny"

"This is the best timeline"

Lucas saw it about ten minutes later and laughed. He quote-tweeted her.

@LucasXKnight: "You literally won an Oscar for Shallow. What are you complaining about?"

Taylor replied almost instantly.

@taylorswift13: "I'm just saying, you stole Olivia AND you can write hits in five minutes? Save some talent for the rest of us."

@LucasXKnight: "You're still not over Olivia?"

@taylorswift13: "I'm VERY over it. (I'm not over it)"

@LucasXKnight: "Noted."

@taylorswift13: "Anyway, the duet song is beautiful. You and Dua killed it. Happy now?"

@LucasXKnight: "Very. Thanks, Taylor."

Fans absolutely lost it.

"This friendship is everything"

"I love that Lucas owns Twitter and still lets Taylor roast him"

@Variety: "Taylor Swift and Lucas Knight's playful Twitter exchange goes viral"

@Billboard: "Swift teases Lucas Knight over rapid songwriting for Dua Lipa duet"

The entire exchange trended worldwide for the rest of the night. #LucasVsTaylor became the top hashtag, with fans posting memes, reaction GIFs, and their own joke arguments.

And while Lucas and Taylor's banter was getting attention, the five-minute song composing claim didn't leave people's attention.

On Reddit:

r/popheads

A user posted: "Okay but did Lucas REALLY write that Dua duet in five minutes?"

The post quickly gained over 1.2k upvotes.

"I'm calling BS. That song was way too polished. He probably had it sketched out beforehand."

Another user replied: "Mozart composed symphonies in his head. If you've been writing for years, you can work fast." (892 upvotes)

"There's a difference between sketching something and writing a hit. That song is already viral." (1.5k upvotes)

Someone claiming industry experience chimed in: "Five minutes for a full song? Unlikely. Five minutes for bones he refined later? Possible. Dua probably exaggerated." (2.1k upvotes)

But a defender countered: "Did everyone forget that one Ellen episode? Lucas literally made up a song on the spot and had the entire audience crying. If he can do that, five minutes isn't hard to believe. The guy's brain just works differently." (2.8k upvotes)

The thread hit over 300 comments before moderators locked it. Users were split roughly down the middle—half thought Lucas was exaggerating for publicity, half believed he genuinely had that level of talent.

---

Meanwhile, Lucas had no idea he was being discussed on Reddit. If he knew, he couldn't exactly tell them the truth—that the song was from his previous life, already a proven hit. That would get him branded as crazy.

So he just focused on the tour, moving from city to city across Europe, letting people believe whatever they wanted.

The debate would continue online for weeks—think pieces, YouTube analysis videos, music theory breakdowns trying to prove or disprove whether someone could write a hit in five minutes. But Lucas wasn't interested in convincing anyone. He had more concerts to perform, more cities to visit, and a tour that was already breaking records.

Whether people believed the story or not didn't change the fact that the song existed, that it was beautiful, and that ninety thousand people at Wembley had witnessed something special. That was enough.

---

Song:

Lucky - Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz