Chapter 6

"By the way, I was planning to visit you sometimes. Where are you renting now?" Lady Rosell expressed an inquiry since she wanted to know where Caruss temporarily dwell.

However, the moment halted in a short time when Caruss couldn't think enough on how to respond to his stepmother, since, he doesn't found any location to live yet.

"Uhm...the t-truth is," he gulped and was stammered as he said. "I'm still searching for an apartment to settle in," then he had a grimacing face.

"Oh, dear," Lady Rosell exhaled an excessive sigh. "Why don't you just accept my offer instead of making it hard for yourself to find an apartment? You know, settling in a luxurious and classy condo that you will be able to live comfortably for sure," she tried to convince Caruss while she was being alarmed too.

"You shouldn't do this, Mama. I don't want you to get involved in whatever nonsense I've done," Caruss insisted since he truly didn't want to involve his family in the embarrassment he had caused.

"Caruss, I couldn't be quiet if you don't accept what I had proposed to you. I couldn't be bothered as well whenever I think you're not safe. Oh, son. Just accept it," Lady Rosell begged him and even dared in caressing his hands.

"But Mama, how about Papa?" Caruss was worried when he asked. It can be discerned through his eyes how much he truly cared so much about his father.

"Don't just even think about your father. I'm the one who wants this, my son." Lady Rosell demanded.

Caruss didn't know what else to say, so, he just proceeded to eat with any of his food. But right after they had eaten, he broke the silence and asked about his ailing father.

 "By the way, how was him?"

Lady Rosell took a low and thick exhalation. "His liver condition has worsened. So I will be the first to take part in his work with the company," she expanded.

"Oh," Caruss was saddened by what he heard. "Are there still no updates about his liver transplant?" He made a reply with a question right after he remembered about the transplant.

"I haven't asked the doctor yet. I hope there's an update somehow," Lady Rosell conceded with a downcast of her eyes.

 "By the way, I tried to convince your Papa about your bank accounts but he seemed didn't want to talk about it," she even heightened.

"Ma, that's enough. You're worried about me too much," Caruss said with a very noticeable voice as his lips were being pouty.

"No, it's alright. Hey, just accept this too," Lady Rosell smiled as she handed something to Caruss.

"What is this?" Caruss accepted it with the wrinkling of his brow in confusion.

"Just one of the gold cards I have since your father can trace me up whenever I use a black one,"  Lady Rosell pleaded with him again whereas she doesn't want to be rejected in the first place.

"Ma, I can't accept this," Caruss refused as he returned the golden card to his stepmother's hand.

"I still insist. Don't mind me if you don't want to use it yet. I will only be fine if you just accept this. I can't be bothered when my offers are being rejected, you know that," Lady Rosell explained and forcing him to just accept the offer.

Caruss just sighed since he couldn't resist her. Later, after they had talked, his stepmother has a needed meeting to catch up while Caruss was left for some tea, then he just decided to take a break first.

While he seized his rest at the cafe, he also entertained himself by searching vacant apartments all over the internet as well as checking his emails for employment too. 

However, it was a sudden thunderstruck when the incident earlier has gushing to his sight after he saw different posts in the media.

"What the fuck? Why we had even traced up? This can't be!" He spilled the tea by shock, as his jaw was being slack. He also had widened eyes and a loosened hang-open mouth.

"No! No, way! What will they think of me now? Ugh, crap! Greg's name was further tarnished because of me again. Shit!" He added and even managed to clench his head.

Everyone at the cafe was confused because of his unprecedented reaction as they were gawking at him.

Caruss managed his actions back as he behave formally. He also peeked around maybe someone else will be going to recognize him. 

Eventually, he just could not shift his legs since he was being terrified when there's a very familiar face that unexpectedly burst open into his sight.

"Oh my gosh!" A big 'O' on his mouth shifted when he saw it. 

"Is this for real? Or I am just having hallucinations to see Gregory Wayle for the second time around?" A tension filled him, thinking it might be his last-minute since he was being cornered at the cafe. 

"Damn! What was he doing here? Why do we even need to meet here?" He whispered to himself. 

There was an immediate commotion inside when the paparazzi came closer to Greg and take some statements like other typical things that fans do. 

For Caruss, it was the only chance to run off from him, but one moment did change everything.

 As he hurried cloak himself with the hood to vacate, the nervousness and paranoia he felt after seeing Greg made him trip over and fall off the ground.

 Then, it even made a mess that gave rise to rumble all over the cafe and everyone around was glancing at him, including Greg.

Caruss became hesitant, thinking over about something bad is surely going to happen. He was then confused on how to leave the cafe out of embarrassment.

Luckily, someone, in a rush, came to the rescue while Caruss was blasted to see the shoes in front.

"Are you alright, sir?"

 A very deep audible breath has shown in relief when only one of the staff just appeared.

Caruss's sweat poured forth liberally. When he dared turn peek behind, his stares were even in wonder-struck when he saw Greg who's coming too. 

He then stood up without the least uncertainty to finally leave the cafe but someone just intruded on him to deter.

"Wait up!" An intense male voice from behind was shaken him entirely.

A moment ahead before the incident happened, Greg arrived at the cafe first. People haven't noticed him yet since he directly went inside the kitchen where his cousin, Sandy, was baking.

"It's a good thing that you have finally shown up to me, huh? Did you know that my image was affected too because of the spreading news?" Sandy greeted Greg with a sermon as she was busy preparing the frosts.

"I just got right here then here's what I heard from you?" Greg rolled his eyes and took some bites of the cupcakes.

"Ugh, why don't you just avoid this mess? I think you shouldn’t show the public that you were affected by what Caruss did," Sandy said bluntly after Greg was being faced.

"I'm sorry. You shouldn't be involved in the mess that jerk Caruss had made," Greg apologized while busy ascertaining the flavors he was eating.

"Oh, don't blame that jerk. If you were to be careful in the first place, the situation would not get worse. If you didn't interfere with the spreading tape, it wouldn't be like this, Greg. Though you were now the hot topic, you also have the bad record," Sandy raw her smile as she explained and even caressed Greg's back.

"Ugh!" Greg sighed and ignored her sermons. 

"Why don't we just celebrate my arrival? Aren't you happy? We'll only meet once and then you're acting to me like this? Maybe I shouldn't have gone through here and just went straight home," he seemed to be sulking while he was pouting his mouth.

"Ugh!" Sandy just took a deep breath, crossing her arms and leaning back. "I just don't want you to hit back to Caruss since I knew you. It will only get more chaotic," she expanded.

"Eh, what do you want me to do? I will just let it go, while I'm not at peace with what he did?" Greg was shortly confused with a high-pitched voice. 

He was being surprised by Sandy, didn't expect her to protest his plan. "I will not be going to neglect that. My name here is at stake and I still have a lot of dreams to reach."

"Uhm...J-just..." Sandy stammered as she still thinking about how to answer him. "Just let the people get upset," she then sighed.

"Hey, why would I do that? Caruss has to pay me!" Greg yelled and insisted. He made sure that Caruss need to pay the chagrin committed in his name.

"Yeah, I know...but how? Are you going to sue him, huh? What reason you will be going to file him a case?" Asked Sandy as she extended her hand gestures.

Greg paused for a moment and thought about what she had said. Then, he suddenly chuckled when he just think of a plan.

"I will not be going to use the law. I will just give him the taste of the rivalry he wants," he smiled as if he was killing Caruss in his mind. "He needs to prepare for what I'm going to do, because otherwise..."

"Stop, Greg. Will you just let your name be even tarnished in your father's eyes, again?" Sandy still wants to restrain him while Greg's eyes widen as he remembered his fuming father.

"I have just thought that you want his heart back to you? Don't let your vengeance make your father even enrage at you," Sandy reminds him since he has done as much foolishness, and he wanted to make up for it.

Greg fell silent while his thoughts deepened. "No, I have to show him that I can straighten up my predicament with my own."

Sandy shook her head and didn't know what else to advise. "Hopefully you can get him back, Greg."

"Yeah. I hope so," Greg just smiled at her.

 "Hey, haven't you heard anything about him at home?" He expanded.

"Uhm...Nothing. You know your father doesn't care about your foolishness. Why?" She chuckled and asked even for more.

"Nothing. I just need to go home. See you next time," he answered and hurried to leave while Sandy was left in astonishment.

"What's happening to him? Is there anything wrong with my cupcake for him to be like that?" Sandy was confused.

When Greg was about to leave, he went through the dining area to exit but everyone who dined suddenly came closer to him when he was being noticed. 

There was an immediate commotion inside as someone takes statements to him while others did typical things that fans usually do.

But just a minute after, the surprise scenario has dumbfounded him while he was being stupefied when he just heard a very loud rattling sound like the dishes clattered on the floor. 

People looked into it near the exit while he also saw something that made him curious.

As he swiveled his sights, he saw the man in a hoodie jacket who was slipped as being helped by the other crew member. He didn't know that the one he saw was already Caruss, who keeps avoiding him.

"Are you alright, sir?" A very deep audible breath of a crew member asked.

As Greg approached, he was alarmed when he noticed the guy in the hoodie jacket has stood up without the least hesitation and was rushing outwards from them.

"Wait up!" Greg yelled.

Caruss didn't restrain in propelling his feet.

"The jacket he was wearing seems very familiar to me," Greg think sensibly, and the moment he remembered the scene when he was drunk, which pulled him to prove something more.

As Greg noticed the phone on the floor, he chased Caruss to return it. 

"Hey, wait up! I think you forgot this!" Greg yelled as he tried handing over the phone.

Caruss decided to cease his feet after he heard Greg yelling beneath. His heart palpitated even more as his chest throbbed, to think that he has nothing to do instead to confront his hunk idol.

Greg unexpectedly withdrew the phone in handed it over while Caruss turned around to face him. 

Then, both of their eyes were surprised after they see each other's faces and they went insane when they finally had met.