CHAPTER 2

[FAST FORWARD] 

@353 E BONNEVILLE BUILDING

"Ugh. Come on, honey. Let me go. I need to prepare dinner. You're starving, aren't you?" The woman asked Gerald while she was feeling the young man's kisses on her neck. She liked it and wanted it more.

"I'm hungry for you, honey," Gerald whispered between his kisses on the woman's neck until his kisses fell on the woman's chest.

He was lying when he told Chase that his boss wanted him to go to work tonight. He only said that so that he and Chase wouldn't meet him because he had a plan with the other woman. He has been cheating on Chase for almost two weeks. And the truth is, he's not really in love with Chase. He is just using Chase.

"Um!" She moaned and arched her body as she grabbed the man's hair while she was being kissed on her breasts until they got to the thing they always do.

"You're so f*cking sexy," he said, kissing her on the lips after they had sex. He leaned his head on the woman's chest. They are both naked. Their clothes were scattered on the floor.

"Hmm. Then, why don't you break up with that guy? Are you serious about ending your relationship with him? Or are you just playing a joke on me?"

"What? No. Certainly not!" He refused. "I'm only looking for a chance."

"What chance are you looking for?" She slightly raised her eyebrows. "You could've just told him to get lost and never contact you again!" She raised her voice a little in annoyance.

"Okay. Okay. Calm down, honey. Okay? I promise to end my relationship with him."

"Be certain this time." She said. "You've told me that so many times."

Gerald kissed her on the cheeks. "I promise, honey."

"Okay." She kissed him on the lips.

—

@STEAKHOUSE

"Cheers!" They all said it at the same time as they raised their own glasses and emptied their glasses of beer together, except Chase. Chase is not a fan of drinking, so he just tasted a little.

"I'm glad you're joining us today, Sir Chase," Klaire said, one of his coworkers, who had a secret crush on him. Although Klaire is aware that Chase isn't straight, she still crushes him. Chase just merely smiled at her.

"Right. He doesn't usually come with us." Cara agreed. "What's with the sudden change of heart, Sir Chase?" She asked him out of curiosity.

"Ey, Cara, stop asking Chase questions. The important thing is that he came with us. We are all here." Said Ian.

"It's okay." Chase smiled. "I just have time, and this is fun. I should come more often."

"You should, Sir Chase." Klaire agreed with him and giggled. She also seemed to be blushing, and everyone noticed that. Everyone is aware that she is crushing Chase.

"Hey, Klaire. Stop flirting with Chase. You'll never be his cup of tea." Vincent said, which made everyone laugh out loud except Chase. He just laughed a little, enough to make his shoulders move. Klaire looked at Vince and raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up, Vince. I can tell you're jealous because I never look at you."

That made everyone tease them. They continued their teasing while Chase excused himself to go to the comfort room. He turned on the faucet and washed his hands. He uses the tissue to wipe his hands after washing them. He didn't come out of the comfort room first and took his phone from his pants pocket. He checked if there was a reply from Gerald, but there was none. He actually sent his boyfriend a message an hour ago to inform him that he was going to eat dinner with his colleagues.

But he didn't mind that there was no reply from his boyfriend because he knew that his boyfriend was at work. He sent him another message before he decided to exit the comfort room.

After two hours, they decided to go home. But he decided to go to his boyfriend's apartment instead of going home. He knew Gerald would finish his work at 1 a.m. He really missed him, and he wants some comfort from him because these days have been tough for him. He was so sad after visiting his grandmother.

He bought food before going straight to Gerald's apartment. After a couple of minutes, the taxi stopped in front of the Bonneville building. As he was about to exit the taxi, he saw his boyfriend just exiting the building with a girl. His hand is around the woman's waist, looking so happy together. They even kissed on the lips before they both got in the car. 

Suddenly, Chase was left astounded, and tears started to well in his eyes. It was like his body froze, and his world slowly crashed down at what he witnessed. He couldn't believe it. He doesn't want to believe what he saw. He knows Gerald won't cheat on him. He knows Gerald loves him. Gerald promised him that he would never hurt him.

"Sir? The taxi driver called him. "Aren't you getting off?" The taxi driver asked him, but he was so absent-minded that he didn't hear the question.

Is what I saw real? Did I really see Gerald with someone else? Is he really cheating on me? When? Why? Those were the questions that immediately troubled his mind.

"Sir? Are you all right?" The taxi driver asked him again. This time he heard it, but he ignored it. He took a deep breath and wiped his tears.

"I ended up in the wrong place." He said in a whisper. "Please drop me off at any bar."

"Oh. Okay."

—

As soon as he arrived at the bar, Chase walked straight to the front bar and occupied the vacant seat. 

"Give me your most powerful booze," he demanded of the bartender. 

The bartender rushed to fill his glass, and he drank it all without hesitation. He grunts after emptying his glass because he can feel the strength of the liquor in his throat. This was his first time drinking liquor, but he didn't mind. All he wanted to do was drown himself and forget everything, even if only for a short while. 

He kept drinking so much that he didn't realize he had almost drunk twenty glasses, and it was already dawn when he became intoxicated. 

"You're a jerk, Gerald!" he screamed. He didn't remember those words coming out of his mouth because he was already wasted. But he ordered a bottle of whiskey and kept drinking. 

It was 2 a.m. when he decided to go home. He didn't think he could get the liquor bottle he ordered. He was about to call the bartender for his bill when his gaze was drawn to the semi-dark VIP section. 

He had the feeling that someone was watching him, but he ignored it and concentrated on his drinking. Now that he is leaving, he can't help but notice the man sitting alone in the luxurious VIP section. 

A hypnotic sensation washed over him when he noticed the darkest pair of eyes he had ever seen. It was like looking at a starless and clear sky, and he felt like all of his senses were being drawn into him, just like a wormhole. 

The man held himself as if he owned the place, or more accurately, the world. Approximately seven waiters were waiting for his command, and he also observed some men in suits, who were most likely his bodyguards, indicating that he was not an ordinary Joe. Chase couldn't tell what he looked like because he couldn't see his face, but he could tell he was quite attractive from the lines of his face. He is not sure what got into him, whether it was the drink or the man's hypnotic eyes, but he found himself walking towards the enigmatic man, whose attention didn't leave him.

The closer he got to him, the more he could see what he looked like, and he was taken aback when he saw his gorgeous face. But to call him handsome would be an understatement; he's sinfully stunning. Seeing him in the faint light revealed more expressive features, such as his thick, noble-looking eyebrows and deep-set eyes that seemed blacker than the night sky. He has a straight, well-defined, and prominent nose, and goodness, those are the most kissable lips she has ever seen, and just by looking at those lips, it is as if heaven was promised. 

He continued to approach him, flashing him the most seductive smile he could muster. He could never be so brazen in his wildest dreams because he was so anxious most of the time.

The man's bodyguard stopped him in his tracks, as he was only a few feet away from him. "Sorry, sir." He added solemnly, "But this is a VIP-only area."

"Just let him, Will." The husky voice of the enigmatic man says, sending shivers down his spine.

When his bodyguard finally let him go, he walked over to the expensive leather couch where the man was sitting and sat down without waiting for his invitation.

"What's the problem? Why are you all by yourself? A handsome man like you should not be drinking alone." Squinting his eyes, he murmured. He was not sure what had gotten into him, but he found himself confidently caressing the muscles on the man's exposed arm.

"I'm no longer alone," he replied, his voice deep, "now that a gorgeous man like yourself will keep me company."

He didn't notice the passing of time as they flirted because, quite frankly, he found him to be enjoyable company. He is not just handsome, but he is also a natural talker. With him, there was never a dull moment.

"And, by the way, why were you drinking by yourself?" He questioned him, his attractive features showing a hint of curiosity.

"Well, I saw my boyfriend hooking up with a woman." He replied, laughing bitterly. "I guess he is my ex-boyfriend now because I'm breaking up with him."

"Good decision. He is unworthy of your affection."

"Do you think..." He wasn't unable to continue his sentence when he realized one thing. The man didn't even bother to be surprised that he had a boyfriend instead of a girlfriend. "Are you not surprised that I am gay?" He asked the man, curious.

"There is nothing surprising here. Love is love. You can love whoever you want, regardless of your gender."

"So, you don't mind me being gay?"

"I don't mind."

Chase felt relieved after hearing that from the man. He thought it would make him feel gross.

"So, how long have you been in a relationship with your cheating boyfriend?" The man asked him, keeping the conversation going between them.

Chase took a breath before he answered. "We've been dating for two years. It's fun. I didn't expect him to cheat on me. I mean, he said he would never hurt me." He let out another breath at the end of his sentence.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But I guess he didn't truly love you. You can't cheat on someone you truly love. You just can't. You won't. You won't even consider doing it."

Chase was left speechless. He knew that, and hearing those words tore his heart into pieces.

"It's okay. As I previously stated, he is unworthy of your affection."

"Yeah. He is." He agreed, letting out a little smile. "Well, that's a good thing, and I haven't given him mine." He chuckled.

"Are you saying that you're still a virgin?"

He looked around to make sure no one was listening before answering. "Don't tell anyone, but yeah, I'm still a virgin." Suddenly, he observed his eyes darkening, and he was sure it was lust, but it didn't terrify him. Instead, he found it sexy. 

"Well, if you want, we can do something about it." The man added seductively.

"Bring it!" He responded without hesitation. It's as if all rationality in him disappeared in an instant.

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