Raphael gave him a fond, slightly breathless smile, keeping his hands gently on Frank’s waist. "You’re drunk, Frank."
"No, I’m not," Frank muttered defensively, though his heavy eyelids betrayed him.
Raphael smiled softly and continued rubbing gentle circles along Frank’s side. "I’d rather we do this when we’re both completely sober. We should get some sleep now. If you wake up in the morning and still feel the same way, then we’ll know what to do next."
He looked into Frank’s eyes for a moment before adding gently, "There’s no need for us to rush into anything tonight, okay?"
Frank hesitated, the heat of his desire warring with the rare sense of calm and maturity in the prince’s words. Finally, he let out a quiet sigh and gave in. Sliding his arms around Raphael’s torso, he buried his face against his chest.
"Alright. Goodnight, Raphael."
"Goodnight," Raphael whispered.
He wrapped his arms securely around Frank, pulling him close before pressing a gentle kiss into his soft hair.
******
The morning light slowly filtered through the curtains, brightening the room as Henry stirred awake. Reaching over to his nightstand, he blinked against the glare of his phone screen and saw a notification from Elisha.
Good morning, pretty boy. Did you sleep well? I hope you did. I woke up thinking about you and wanted to ask if I could come pick you up for the Aurevane Group meeting today. If you’d rather meet there, that’s alright too. Just tell me what you’d prefer.
Henry blinked, reading the message once, then twice. For a moment, he honestly thought he was still dreaming or simply too tired to think clearly. Is this message actually for me? Elisha is asking for permission before coming to my house? And on top of that, he’s acting this sweet?
Henry frowned at the screen, confused by Elisha’s sudden change in behavior.
I hope nothing is wrong with him.
Not wanting to play along with whatever sudden mood Elisha was in, Henry didn’t bother replying. The whole thing felt far too strange.
Back at his own estate, Elisha stared at his phone, waiting for a response. When several minutes passed without a reply, he frowned and sent another message.
Pretty boy, are you really going to leave me waiting like this? I’m still waiting for your reply. ❤️
Henry squinted at the screen, a bitter scoff escaping his lips.
"What is wrong with him? After spending the night playing house with his precious girlfriend, he comes back here acting like everything is completely fine between us?"
He rolled his eyes and swiped the notification away. Tossing the phone onto the mattress, he was just about to swing his legs out of bed when the screen lit up again with an incoming video call.
Henry groaned as he stared at the flashing display.
"What’s wrong with him? It’s way too early for this nonsense."
He declined the call.
But Elisha wasn’t giving up. A few seconds later, the phone lit up again.
Frustrated, Henry finally swiped to answer. Before he could even complain, Elisha’s voice came through the speaker, warm and impossibly soft.
"Good morning, angel. Can I come pick you up and grab some coffee with you?"
Henry immediately averted his gaze, looking away from the camera. A reluctant smile twitched at the corner of his lips before he caught himself, forced a stern expression back onto his face, and looked at the screen again.
"What is wrong with you?"
"Nothing is wrong, pretty boy," Elisha replied with a soft smile, his eyes bright. "I just thought it would be nice to take my favorite person out for a quick morning coffee before we go sign a multi-million-dollar contract together."
Henry scoffed, shaking his head. "You want us to go celebrate a contract we haven’t even signed yet? Elisha Edmund, what has actually gotten into you?"
"Yes, that’s my man." Elisha beamed, a pleased laugh rumbling softly from his chest. "I love it when you call my full name like that."
"I need to go and prepare for the day," Henry muttered, reaching to end the call.
Elisha’s playful smile softened, his voice gentle and sincere. "Wait, Henry... I know I’ve made mistakes, and I know I’ve hurt you. But I’m really trying to make things right between us. Can’t you at least see that?"
Henry’s jaw tightened. "I didn’t see it. Where is it? Please, I have to go. And don’t come pick me up, I have my own driver. Bye."
He pressed his thumb against the screen, cutting the video feed dead.
Sitting alone on the edge of his bed, Henry scoffed into the quiet room. "Who does he think he is? Is he trying to lure me back to his bed by acting all sweet? No, that is not happening. He suddenly turns sweet out of nowhere? Elisha Edmund, don’t even think about it. I am trying so hard to kill these feelings for you, so stop trying to confuse me, you idiot!"
He ranted to the empty room for a moment longer before angrily kicking off his blankets and marching into the bathroom to get ready for the day.
Miles away in Elisha’s sprawling living room, Elisha slowly lowered his phone, a look of utter defeat crossing his face.
"I don’t think he’s ever going to understand," he groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I’m literally trying to show him how I feel, and he thinks I’m just playing around."
Vanessa, who had been listening to the entire conversation from the sofa, took a slow sip of her juice. She was heavily addicted to romance novels and BL dramas, which was exactly why Elisha had called her over so early that morning. He needed someone who could teach him how to properly woo Henry.
After everything that had happened between him and Henry, Elisha knew his sudden sweetness was difficult for Henry to believe. From Henry’s perspective, it probably looked like another manipulation or some kind of game.
Vanessa rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Eli, you just started. You can’t expect him to let his guard down overnight. After everything you’ve put him through, you need to give him time. Start by earning his forgiveness. Take him out, plan a proper dinner, and show him that you’re genuinely sorry. Once he starts believing that you’re serious about making things right, then you can take the next step."
Elisha slowly lifted his head, a glimmer of hope returning to his eyes. "You’re right. So, when I see Henry today, what am I supposed to do?"
Vanessa immediately leaned forward, her expression confident. "When you see him today, ask him out on a proper date. Take him somewhere nice, make him feel special, and most importantly, show him that you’re serious about him."
"And after I do that, what happens next?" Elisha asked.
"Don’t worry. Leave the rest to me. If you manage to earn his forgiveness and he truly forgives you, then we’ll know where to start from there."
Elisha nodded slowly. "Are you sure?"
Vanessa smiled. "One hundred percent," she assured Elisha. "I know Henry. He’s stubborn as hell, but with enough genuine effort, he’ll eventually see that you’re serious."
"I want him to know I love him," Elisha whispered, his voice filled with sincerity. "Not as a best friend. I want something real. Something serious."
"He’ll know," Vanessa said softly, offering him an encouraging smile. "Just don’t blow it before we even get the chance."
"Thanks, Vanney," Elisha said, standing up from the sofa. "Let me go get ready. I’ll drop you off at your place."
"Alright," Vanessa replied.
Elisha turned and headed upstairs to his room to get ready for the day.
******
The hours passed quickly, with both Henry and Elisha buried in their respective offices, working through mountains of paperwork until it was finally time for the high-stakes meeting at the Aurevane Group.
He was dressed in a sharply tailored charcoal suit that fit perfectly against his slim, elegant frame. He didn’t wear a tie, leaving the top two buttons of his crisp white shirt undone, giving him a relaxed yet polished look.
Elisha froze the moment Henry stepped through the door, his eyes immediately drawn to him.
Across the table, Lawrence, the ambitious son of the Aurevane Group’s chairman, was equally captivated. His eyes widened slightly as he openly admired Henry, a charming smirk touching his lips.
"You look stunning, Henry," Lawrence said.
Henry offered him a polite smile. "Thank you."
He didn’t spare Elisha a single glance. Instead of taking the empty seat beside him as he usually did, Henry walked straight over and sat next to Lawrence.
Elisha’s jaw tightened, a sharp pang of jealousy hitting him, but he forced himself to stay quiet as the remaining executives filed into the room.
The meeting commenced, documents shifting across the polished mahogany table as they worked through the final details of the multi-million-dollar partnership. Hours passed until the morning sun gave way to midday light. Finally, after the last signatures were added, the contract was officially finalized.
Chairs scraped against the floor as everyone stood, exchanging handshakes and corporate pleasantries.
Just as Henry gathered his portfolio to leave, Lawrence stepped closer with a charming smile.
"Henry, are you in a rush? Can I take you out for lunch to celebrate?"
Elisha, standing only a few feet away...