Damon walked unhesitatingly to a corner of the restaurant, choosing a seat with a clear view of Dean. What unsettled Dean the most was that Damon didn’t order anything. He rested his hands leisurely on the table, his eyes fixed unrelentingly on Dean. That gaze wasn’t hostile, nor was it provocative; it carried a deeper weight—an intense scrutiny mixed with an almost unsettling focus. The restaurant staff, clearly intimidated by Damon's commanding presence, kept their distance, none daring to approach or interrupt him.Dean’s mind raced, a torrent of thoughts flooding through him. He had no idea what Damon’s next move might be. Would he suddenly make a scene and forcibly drag Dean away? Or worse, was Leo somehow working with Damon and had lured him into a trap? The invisible pressure bore down on him, every muscle in his body taut with tension. But Dean knew he couldn’t afford to panic. He needed to stay composed and craft the perfect response, and quickly.Leo’s voice broke through hi
Leo hesitated visibly at Dean's request, a flicker of unease crossing his face. His gaze wavered as though weighing his thoughts carefully. Finally, he spoke, though his voice carried an unmistakable note of caution and worry."Dean," he began, the words measured and deliberate, "I can’t make decisions on Damon’s behalf. To be honest, I’m not even sure what’s on his mind right now. Maybe these attacks he orchestrated aren’t just about finding you—" He paused abruptly, uncertain whether to continue, the weight of his own speculation visibly holding him back.Dean’s eyes never left him, sharp and probing, silently pressing Leo to go on. Leo took a deep breath, as though steeling himself, before pressing forward."Actually," he admitted, his voice lower now, "I’m worried Damon might have his own agenda. You know... Ch—" He caught himself mid-word, visibly startled by his own slip. He had been about to utter the name "Chen" but swiftly corrected course. "That man," he continued carefully,
Hearing this, Damon turned to Leo, a flicker of puzzlement crossing his eyes. "You’re really hungry?" His tone carried a hint of impatience, as though Leo’s suggestion had disrupted the rhythm of his thoughts.Leo froze for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Just as he was about to speak, Damon cut him off, calling out to the waiter with a commanding voice: "Waiter, bring out all the cooked food you have. The kid’s starving." His words were blunt and forceful, radiating an unmistakable sense of authority that felt almost oppressive.Meanwhile, Chen wasn’t idle. Turning to the waiter, he said gently, "Could you please bring this gentleman a cup of hot chocolate?" His words, though brief, were imbued with warmth and genuine care. Dean, noticing Chen’s considerate gesture, felt a faint sense of comfort, though it starkly contrasted with Damon’s cold and domineering demeanor.As Chen’s quiet act of kindness played out, Damon’s expression darkened even further. His brows knitted tightly,
Dean took a deep breath, steeling himself before addressing Leo. “It seems we’re not getting anywhere here,” he said decisively. “Leo, how about this—you come to stay with me. No, scratch that, go stay at Chen’s place for a few days. We’ll get some time to catch up.” His tone carried a certain finality, as though this was the only viable solution. Dean’s true aim was clear: to get Leo out of this tense environment, even if temporarily, and to carve out some uninterrupted time to reconnect.Leo glanced at Chen nervously, his unease plain to see. “I… I’ll be safe there, right?” he asked hesitantly. There was a flicker of doubt in his voice, betraying his uncertainty about Chen’s intentions and whether staying at his place would truly offer refuge or plunge him deeper into danger.Dean rolled his eyes with exasperation, his patience wearing thin. Standing up, he reached over and gave Leo a light pat on the head, a gesture somewhere between reassurance and admonishment. “If it wasn’t safe
When they arrived at the new residence, the butler was already waiting outside. The house was even more refined and peaceful than the one Dean had stayed in before, with an understated elegance that immediately put him at ease. It was clear that this place had been chosen with thought, as if it was designed for a temporary sanctuary, for moments like these when Dean needed refuge.Under normal circumstances, Dean knew they would have taken time to show Leo around, to let him get a feel for the place. But Chen, without missing a beat, immediately handed Leo off to the butler with a few curt instructions before briskly ushering Dean inside. Leo looked a little taken aback by the sudden shift but didn’t question it. He simply followed the butler into the house, leaving Chen and Dean to retreat into the quiet of the residence.Dean was still hesitating, unsure whether it was appropriate to bring Leo along, and had just instructed the butler to call for him. As he pondered whether this was
Leo let out a deep breath before answering, his tone carrying a hint of something complex, perhaps even unease. "Chen carried you back to your room," he said, his words weighed down by the emotion in his voice. Noticing the confused look still on Dean’s face, Leo continued, his voice a little more tentative. "I was worried that Chen might take advantage of the situation, so I followed him, just to see if he’d do anything strange."A faint, awkward smile appeared on Leo's face as if he were trying to justify his actions. But the smile quickly faded as he became serious again. "But when I saw him, he just made sure you were settled and then left your room almost immediately. He didn’t do anything. So, I went back to my room and went to sleep, relieved."Dean listened carefully to Leo’s explanation, trying to piece together the fragments of his own memories from the night before. Chen carried him back to his room. He couldn’t remember that at all. But, from Leo’s description, and the fac
As Damon snapped back to reality, his expression darkened instantly. He shot a sharp, warning glare at Chen, his voice low and menacing. "Don't push it." His tone carried an unspoken threat, the kind that hinted at something far more dangerous beneath the surface.Chen shrugged indifferently, his tone calm and casual as he continued, “Why not? It’s simply my way of entertaining guests.” His gaze held a hint of mockery and challenge as if deliberately provoking Damon.Seeing Damon’s face darken with anger, Chen seemed to find it all the more amusing, a playful gleam in his eyes. With a chuckle, he added, “Don’t say I’m being disrespectful to you as a guest. If you don’t mind, I could have a tent set up in the yard for you to spend the night in. You can wait there until my three distinguished guests—the dog, the cat, and the pig—leave, and then you’ll be able to take their place.” His voice was laced with clear amusement, as though he was eagerly watching Damon’s reaction, enjoying the
Damon's transformation was unmistakable. His touch no longer carried the forceful urgency it once did. Instead, a newfound gentleness and patience were imbued with a warmth that surprised Dean. It reminded him of Chen—steady, soothing, and disarmingly calm. For a fleeting moment, Dean felt disoriented, as though the Damon before him wasn’t the same person he had known. The soft glide of Damon’s fingers along his cheek seemed to seek something unspoken, a subtle response. His deep voice murmured close to Dean’s ear, "I can really change for you." The words sent Dean’s heartbeat into an erratic rhythm, a strange warmth swelling in his chest.But then, the kiss began to shift. The earlier tenderness gave way to a growing intensity, each touch of Damon’s lips deepening with unspoken longing. Dean could feel the heat radiating from him, the soft graze of hands on his back becoming more deliberate, more searching. Damon’s actions hinted at a growing hunger, his body pressing closer, the spa
The room was steeped in silence, broken only by the unhurried ticking of the wall clock. Dean carried a bowl of steaming porridge to Shawn’s bedside, every movement deliberate and cautious, as if a single spilled drop might shatter the fragile peace.Shawn leaned against the headboard, his brows faintly furrowed and his complexion still pallid, yet his eyes held a glimmer of warmth, a subtle hint of expectation that softened the stark lines of his face.“It’s time to eat something,” Dean murmured, his gaze fixed on the bowl in his hands, too hesitant to meet Shawn’s eyes.Shawn’s lips curved into a faint smile, and he gave a soft nod. “Alright, but today, you’ll be the one feeding me. That doesn’t sound too bad, does it?”Dean didn’t reply. Instead, he quietly scooped up a spoonful of porridge, gently blew on it to cool it, and then held it out to Shawn. Shawn opened his mouth and ate slowly, his eyes never leaving Dean’s face, a playful smile tugging at his lips.“Eat slowly—it’s hot
Ted seemed to sense the weight of Dean's silence and sadness. He knew that dwelling on it would get them nowhere, so he quickly decided to shift the conversation, hoping to lighten the mood a little."Hey," Ted said, reaching over to gently shake Dean's arm. With a playful grin, he turned his head, offering Dean a glimpse of the back of his own head.Dean looked at Ted in confusion, his mind oddly still, as if untouched by any real emotion. He couldn’t understand why Ted was doing this, and for a moment, all he felt was a quiet sense of bewilderment. ‘Why is he doing this all of a sudden?’When Ted noticed Dean’s lack of response, he repeated the motion, shaking his arm once more before turning his head to show the back of it again."What are you doing?" Dean couldn't help but ask, his voice laced with confusion.Ted gave a small smile, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll let you hit the back of my head. Once isn’t enough? Well, I’ll make it tw
"Dean, boss told you not to go down," Ted's expression was unusually calm, but there was an undeniable edge of tension in his voice."What's going on?" Dean asked, confusion evident in his tone, as he tried to move past Ted to see what was happening downstairs.Ted's brow furrowed slightly, he hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he chose to reveal the truth. "That bastard Ben showed up."Dean froze for a moment, then quickly picked up on the subtle shift in Ted's words. "That bastard"—Ted no longer referred to Benjamin Winston as "Uncle Ben." It hit Dean all at once: perhaps Ted knew more than he had let on."Is... is he here to see me?" Dean asked softly, his voice carrying a trace of numbness.Ted nodded, but quickly added, "Yeah, but don't worry, boss will protect you."Dean gave a bitter smile, as though he found little comfort in the words. He raised his gaze to meet Ted's, a questioning look in his eyes. "Will he?" he asked, the doubt unmistakable.Ted looked at him with a s
Dean kept his head lowered; his voice eerily calm. "It’s my fault," he said flatly. "I didn't remember. If I had remembered sooner, I could have said something. It was me—when I saw Ben, I froze. I followed Dr. Parker instead. It’s not Dr. Parker’s fault, it’s not your fault. It’s mine... I deserve to be punished."Hearing those words, Shawn’s heart felt like it had been sliced open. He lifted his head, his eyes red, tears tracing down his cheeks. Standing up, he seemed to lose all strength, and his legs buckled beneath him, causing him to collapse to his knees in front of Dean. He buried his face deeply into Dean’s lap, gripping his hands tightly, his body wracked with sobs. "It’s me... It’s my fault. I’ve done this to you, I’m so sorry..."Dean looked down at Shawn kneeling before him, an unfamiliar emotion stirring. He knew Shawn’s remorse was genuine, but deep down, he felt that no guilt could change the past, nor could it heal the fractures within him. Gently, he withdrew his han
Shawn carried Dean back to the villa, his steps slower than usual. His arms held Dean tightly, as though afraid that the slightest loosening of his grip would cause this person to vanish completely from his life. He made his way straight to his own room, carefully placing Dean on the soft bed.The moment his body touched the bed, Dean immediately stiffened. His gaze fixed on the familiar bed in front of him, and an overwhelming sense of resistance and fear surged within him. He remembered Ben's words: “For others, a bed is for sleeping, but for you, the bed’s purpose is to let a man pin you down.” The words lingered in his mind like a curse, preventing him from coming near the bed. Even sitting on it felt like unbearable torture, every inch of the bed was a reminder of the pain he couldn't escape.But more than the bed, Dean feared the person standing in front of him. Shawn wasn’t just his captor; he was a powerful figure who could effortlessly harm those around him. And now, what wei
As he stepped out of the bathroom, his eyes immediately landed on the bed in the center of the room. The white sheets, the soft pillows—what should have been a place of comfort now felt like an abyss, pulling him back into the memories of shame and helplessness. His throat tightened, and even breathing became a struggle.He instinctively took two steps back, his eyes fixed on the bed. He tried to convince himself that it was just an ordinary bed, but Ben's voice echoed in his mind once more: “One could even say that as long as there’s a place for you to lie down, that's all that matters because all you need to do is lie there, while the rest, men will do for you.” The words clung to him like a relentless curse, leaving him no way to escape.Dean felt a tightness in his chest, as though a massive weight were pressing down on him. He turned to look around the room, searching for a place to hide, but every corner seemed to carry the same dark shadow. He picked up the pillow, glancing aro
"Yes, but you can take your time," Ted said gently. He didn’t push or hurry him, merely supporting him as they walked into the villa, their steps unhurried yet resolute. Though Dean was fully aware that today marked the beginning of yet another chapter of confinement, at this moment, Ted offered him a rare kind of warmth—the rarest type of warmth before pain.Dean obediently stood, though his leg still throbbed faintly from the earlier wound. He made no sign of discomfort, his resolve already steeled—he knew this moment was inevitable.With Ted leading the way, they arrived at the entrance to the basement. The heavy iron door loomed before him once again, and, as always, its presence felt like staring into an abyss, pulling him into darkness."Boss is inside. Go in when you're ready," Ted said, his tone brimming with heartfelt sorrow, his eyes filled with boundless care for Dean.Dean took a deep breath, his heart sinking as though it had been plunged into the depths of the ocean. In
Dean snapped back to reality, only to realize that he hadn't been given a chance to respond. The man seized his arm with such strength that it effortlessly drew him closer, pulling him into his grasp and that hand showed no hesitation whatsoever, firmly holding him in place, began moving him up and down, to continue the previous intimacy.It was as though time itself came to a standstill in that moment. The air in the car thickened, and the rhythm of breathing grew frantic and disordered. Dean could feel every second tugging at the edges of his sanity. His body seemed to have lost all strength to resist, whether it was resisting the man before him or the growing desire within himself, he could no longer control either.The atmosphere inside the car seemed to have transformed entirely; everything outside had blurred into a haze, leaving only the man's hand in sharp focus, only the sound of his own breath, heavy and uneven, and only the overwhelming force of the collision, continuously
This strange sensation began to erode the defenses within Dean, slowly weakening his resolve. His vision was taken away, and with it, his other senses grew acutely heightened, every touch, every breath, intensifying the experience. Each kiss seemed to magnify the sensation tenfold, sending jolts of electricity through his nerves, as though every touch was a spark igniting something within him.Dean struggled to remind himself not to be deceived by this feigned gentleness, trying to hold onto the walls he had built around himself, but as those nauseating memories were slowly replaced, his body seemed to relax, inch by inch, despite the resistance in his mind. He unconsciously let out a quiet gasp, then quickly bit his lip, attempting to suppress his reaction, struggling to regain control."Okay, this side's clean now." The man suddenly stopped, lifting his head to speak. He took hold of Dean's hand, guiding him to touch the spot where his lips had just been, he asked softly, "Feel it f