Chapter 5

"Hell, no!" Greg was appalled by what his manager said since it was indeed an eye-opener for him. His eyebrows were raised but only showed more curves than seen in fear while his jaw was also dropped.

"Yeap," his manager chuckled. "There's a lot of paparazzi who seized a scene of you, and Caruss was real with you," his manager added while Greg was restless because of the embarrassment.

"Are you serious, was he really with me last night? How did it happen? Why were we together?" Greg was dumbstruck and his dazed look was in bewilderment. 

He shrugged off his shoulders with his hands up and his inner voice churned in a low as he murmured a rambling sound like not having to make any sense of it.

"You're the only one who could answer that. The reason why I'm sending you here is to ask you why you were together," his manager justified.

"Well, I thought, er...I'm confused too. I also don't know why," he admitted, looking down at his feet and backing out his steps.

"Now, they would like to ask if something that certainly happens between you and Caruss, since there's already a rumor that created a clamor. Besides, he was the one who rescued you, Greg," his manager asserted.

"The fuck! Rescued me from what?" Greg uttered an indignant yelp while his face was contorted with rage. He furthermore hostile his glare, bared his teeth, curled his lip, and even clenched his jaw.

"Huh, you're heavily drunk aren't you?" The manager tapped his shoulder and trying to comfort him.

"Mother of Judas! Are you kidding me?" Greg couldn't believe it as if his world would ruin what he heard.

"What do you think? Am I making fun with you, huh?" The manager answered him with a question.

"So, he was the one who rescued me last night?" Greg wanted to clarify and still trying to remember what had happened.

"I'm sorry to tell you this but, yeah. He rescued you. Besides, you should even thank him because otherwise maybe there's something that happened to you since you were heavily drunk." The manager explained to him.

"Huh? Why should I thank him? I'm not asking for his help in the first place. He should be the one to apologize to me for the nonsense he did. My name was being tarnished because of him." It's a big question mark that sharpened Greg's cranium as he keeps trying to flashback the incidents.

"Another thing, someone caught you that you're wearing pajamas." The manager informed a piece of news and even got to sit on the couch.

"What? How did you know?" Greg's lips were already shuddering from the torrid blood he felt.

"Just fans of you who seized a snapshot earlier when you came out from the condo," his manager explained in an abrupt. "Now, tell me. Does Caruss also dressed you up last night, Gregory Wayle?" He added and at the same time revealed to him the articles on flame.

"The fuck, no! He couldn't be!" With a loud screech, Greg smashed his phone against the wall.

"If you don’t remember anything, you probably don’t even know you’ve been exploited by him. And maybe, there's something truly did happen," he expanded as if convincing Greg to believe.

"Ugh! Fork darn it! Fuck that Caruss Pearson!" The scene became scorched when Greg could no longer control his fury and wrath.

"Your image now is even more shattered throughout Greentown. I told you to be cautious in your actions since, for just a few mistakes, your dreams might be ruined right away," it was an agreeable response of his manager by halting its voice instead quells him from the emotions to overcome the grief.

"Huh! Does he want to play? Fine! Be now prepared, Caruss Pearson," Greg signaled once sitting down as if he was being challenged.

"So what are you going to do? Will you take him back there to his condo, huh?" His manager even asked for more.

"I will give him the sweetest flavor of the rivalry he wants," Greg just answered.

"Oh, Greg. You'd better cool down first," his manager chuckled and attempting to restrain him first.

"I...I can't be bothered. I should end this before my public image will be fully tarnished," Greg reasoned out as if he couldn't wait.

"You are in too much of a hurry," the manager exclaimed.

"I'm going to make sure that Caruss will nip the cruelty and ferocity I carried just for him. I will never cease until I cleared my name," said Greg with a root thriving in his neck while the fists were ready to be thrown into combat.

"Hey, hey. Calm down, okay? I think you need to see your cousin Sandy right now. Why not reach her? She was also looking for you all night. She keeps bothering me because she couldn't find you," his manager recommended him why he had to go to Sandy and trying to calm him down.

"Ugh...darn it! I don't want to reach anyone in my family anymore. They should be out of my business," Greg excused himself.

"But only Sandy can help you right now. You'd better talk to her. You can always lean on her any time since she has not ever let you down," his manager persuaded him.

Greg didn't say a word and decided to move out. When they were done talking, he was slapdash in leaving the office and promptly pulled the car to visit first his cousin Sandy before heading his way home.

"Oh my gosh, Gregory!" A loud woman's voice straightaway greeted him as he called.

"Hey, where are you?" He asked when Sandy was reached.

"Holly gee, Gregory! You've..." she stopped when Greg suddenly interrupted.

 "Hey, just answered me. Where are you?!" Greg asked and seems he was in a hurry.

"Uhm...still here in the old place where I always wasted my time. Why?" A confused manner of Sandy has been released.

"At the cafe?" Greg wanted to make sure.

"Yeap. Hey, where were you last night, huh? Everyone is searching for you, dude," the woman answered with a question.

"I know...Uhm...you know, sorry. Anyways, I'm on my way," Greg stammered, not even knowing what to say then hanged the call-up and resume his driving.

"You’ve oppugned me boldly Caruss Pearson. Now, I will never forfeit the havoc you made again. I will show you how dangerous I am! Get now prepared, jerk!" He said to himself.

***

At a juncture in a condo, Caruss couldn't be bothered as well. He's walking back and forth in the nooks as his heart was worried and blazing. He's being frightened about what might be going to transpire.

"Mothersmucker! Greg had almost caught me, geez! It's still a good thing I handily avoided him otherwise, I'll be embarrassed," he made a puffing sound and the panting deepened.

After cleansing his face, the incident earlier has created heretofore unimaginable possibilities. Caruss knew that he was now in trouble either since Greg might come back for vengeance.

"I do not know what else to do. What if he finds out that I was with him last night? I'm sure he won't tempt me if he doesn't retaliate," with his galore sweat, he also thinks about how to avoid the hunk idol.

"I need to settle right now. If I don't, Greg might even catch up with me here. It's better if I forewent him in leaving, but what am I supposed to do?! Ugh! Bull spit!" A quick brief unforeseen scenario made him pestered as he lifted aloft his face to the ceiling.

Caruss wanted to reach his best friend, but Sheena was still in the shoot, so he decided to pack up his things to finally start looking for a place to move. Also, he didn't miss wearing a disguise as he hurried his way out.

Since Greentown was indeed a metropolis city, he just hopes to search for an apartment through the Internet. 

However, all his bank accounts were held so he had no options instead to walk. He then tracked all the vacant apartments he found on the web and checked it one by one, but even a single had no intention to transact with him.

"Dang! What's wrong with them?! Either their business has nothing to do with what happened to me? Why do they even have to reject me? For what?" he wondered.

Caruss still did not despair to his inquiry. It was already midday when he just wandered down the road, being stranded somewhere and hoping to find a place to finally settle in.

"This I think the better way to do, so that time will not be going to bind us again with Gregory anymore," he talked to himself as he resumed searching. There was an extreme panting too that he has been released when he felt tired. 

Caruss didn't stop even if he felt peckish since he has come a long way. Lucky enough, a female voice rejoices from behind who also called him.

"Caruss?" When their stares had met, the woman abruptly press her arms tightly all over to him. "Oh, son. I know it was you!" 

"Mama? What a coincidence?" Caruss shocking voice blanked the moment.

"What are you doing here? What's going on with you?" This was an immediate question by his stepmother after he was seen having no reluctance to fix himself.

"Nothing, mama," his shy answer made the woman's heart weakened.

"I'd just had a coffee with my friends. Hey, I've heard the spreading scuttlebutt about last night, was it true?" his stepmother was directly asked of him with varied emotions.

Caruss was even more ashamed after what his stepmother said to him, knowing that the news will be going to reach his father, Lord Pearson, again.

"Why don't we talk about that first? How about, lunch?" His stepmother smiled and invited him. However, he just bows in front of her, wanting to keep silent about the issue. And when they finally entered a cafe to dine, they were both talking in a jovial way.

"Caruss, you don't know how much we missed you. I can't certainly be bothered since you left," she said and Caruss chest was being crushed.

"Forgive me, Mama. I have just thought-" he stopped when his stepmother interrupted him.

"Shush shush. You just did the right thing, dear. Though it was hard for me to accept, your father is still mad at you. Flynn wants you back and I can't dare to see you like this too," she added and even held his hand.

"Mama, maybe it's time to prove what I can do without Papa's wealth and security. I also don't want to be a drudgery to everything he wants," Caruss complained, also, he was getting tired of being a servant of his father's wishes.

"But dear, your father only did everything for what's the best for you. Remember that his disappointment ascertains how much he cares about you," his stepmother said and giving him the courage to just understand the lord.

"But he can't accept who I am, Mama. I'm his son who adores both men. I keep aiming to suppress my identity for so long and I think, now is the time for me to be free," he insisted, knowing that he wanted to prove everything.

"I do understand, Caruss. Just don't forget we love you whatever identity you will have. Please, don't believe that your father felt hostility towards you, that he doesn't want to be with you anymore or even loathed you a lot. Our family has a name, he just doesn't want to make anyone a chagrin," his stepmother explained and trying to discern the lord's wrath towards him.

"I know, and I don't want to expand humiliation anymore. I'll fix what needs to be fixed," he replied and determined to do what was supposed to be. 

"As long as you're in need, don't hesitate to call me, okay? I don't want to see you struggling, my son," his stepmother strained with a fake smile, showing how much she was very worried about him.

"Thanks, mama," Caruss felt thankful as he took another sip of the hot soup.