Elisha raised a hand with a hesitant, almost nervous smile. "Hi."
Henry stopped dead in his tracks. He stared at him in utter disbelief, his eyes narrowing. "You again?"
Elisha immediately walked closer, closing the distance between them across the parking lot.
"I’m sorry for showing up again." He said, but I couldn’t go to the office knowing you were still mad at me," Elisha said, his voice softening with rare vulnerability. "Even though you said it was fine, I know you too well. I know you’re still angry with me. Please, Henry, forgive me."
Henry looked at him, his expression tight. "I told you I forgive you. And the company parking lot is definitely not the place to talk about this."
"I know," Elisha said, his eyes searching Henry’s face. "I just want to be sure you’re really not mad at me. Please, Henry."
Henry closed his eyes and let out a long, heavy sigh. He ran a hand over his face before looking back at him. "Fine. I forgive you. Truly."
A flicker of relief washed over Elisha’s features. "If you forgive me, then can you go out with me tonight?"
Henry shook his head. "Not tonight. Maybe next time, but I don’t have the time tonight."
Elisha hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. I’ll pick you up tomorrow night, okay?"
"Alright," Henry said, checking his watch. "I have to go now. I have things to do."
"Yes," Elisha murmured, stepping back slightly.
Henry turned on his heel and started walking toward the glass doors of the building. He hadn’t even taken three steps when Elisha called out behind him.
"Henry."
Henry stopped and turned around with an exasperated sigh. "What now?"
Elisha gave him a soft, genuine look. "I just wanted to say you look really good this morning."
Henry blinked, caught off guard. "Is there ever a day when I don’t look good?"
"No, never," Elisha admitted quickly, a faint smile touching his lips. "But this morning... you look extra handsome."
A sudden warmth rushed to Henry’s cheeks. He immediately turned around, lowering his head slightly to hide the smile threatening to spread across his face. After composing himself, he turned back, forcing his voice to remain cool.
"Alright, I’m really going now. You should head back to your office. Bye."
Elisha smiled warmly. "Bye, Henry."
Henry gave him one last look. "Fine. Go now."
He turned and walked briskly into the building, his driver following closely behind him.
Once inside the quiet lobby, the elevator doors opened. Henry stepped inside, and the moment the doors began to close, he could no longer hold it back. A wide, pleased smile spread across his face.
I know I look good, Henry thought, but damn... it feels way too good to hear it from him.
He let out a chuckle, completely unable to keep a straight face. His driver noticed the bright, happy look on Henry’s face and quietly smiled to himself.
Meanwhile, Elisha sat in the back seat of his own car as his driver navigated through the morning traffic toward his company. He couldn’t help smiling either. It was a strange, warm feeling he couldn’t quite put into words, but after the heavy tension of the morning, it felt wonderfully light.
Elisha pulled out his phone and quickly typed a message to Henry.
What would you like to eat for lunch? My treat. I’ll send the order straight to your office once you tell me.
At Henry’s office, his phone buzzed in his pocket just as he settled into his executive chair. He pulled it out, saw Elisha’s name flashing on the screen, and tapped to open the message.
As he read it, a soft giggle slipped from his lips. He set the phone on his desk and playfully spun his chair around, shaking his head.
"Henry, you shouldn’t let this get to you," he whispered to himself, his expression turning slightly stern. "You’re supposed to be cold toward him, not smiling like a fool..."
He paused, biting his lower lip as a grin broke through anyway. "No. I’m allowed to enjoy this moment."
Henry picked up his phone again and typed his reply.
Order my favorite. I don’t need to tell you... You already know what I love.
Inside the car, Elisha’s phone buzzed. He read the message, and a deeply fond smile touched his lips. He quickly typed a reply.
Okay. I’ll have it delivered to you before lunchtime.
Henry’s phone buzzed almost immediately. He glanced at the screen and replied simply, "Okay."
Elisha sent one final text. Have a nice day ahead.
Henry looked down at the screen, his chest warming just a little more. You too.
With that, their text conversation came to an end. It was a simple exchange, but somehow, it gave both of them the little spark they needed to get through the rest of their busy workday.
Just as Elisha was about to slide his phone back into his pocket, the screen lit up again.
Jasmine calling.
Elisha immediately answered. The moment the call connected, Jasmine didn’t even give him a chance to speak.
"Elisha, you are the worst boyfriend I have ever had!" she shouted through the phone, her voice shrill with anger.
Elisha said nothing, staring blankly through the tinted window of the car.
Jasmine continued, her voice shaking with rage. "I told you I was at your house waiting for you last night! Yet you didn’t come home, you didn’t even call to check on me, and when I called you several times, you didn’t pick up or reply to any of my messages!"
She barely paused before continuing.
"What am I to you? Do you even care about me? Do you even love me at all?"
Elisha rubbed the bridge of his nose, his voice flat. "Wait... I forgot you were waiting for me. I’m—"
"You forgot your girlfriend was waiting for you?!" Jasmine shouted, letting out a harsh, bitter scoff. "I’m damn sure you spent the night at your damn best friend’s house! That man looks feminine and ugly, yet you’re so obsessed with him. Why would you even care about having a girlfriend when he’s always on your mind?"
That was the exact line that made Elisha snap.
His expression hardened instantly.
"Don’t you ever call him ugly or speak about him that way again," Elisha warned, his voice dropping into a dark, dangerous tone. "Who the hell do you think you are to talk about him like that?"
Jasmine shrieked through the phone, "I’m your girlfriend! Why is he so important to you, Eli?! He’s just a friend, and I’m your girlfriend!"
"I’m sorry for not coming home, but don’t bother going to my place tonight either, because I won’t be there," Elisha cut her off, his patience completely gone. "And don’t call me. I’ll call you if I have anything to say to you."
"Elisha, you—!" Jasmine began, but before she could finish, Elisha ended the call.
He tossed the phone onto the seat beside him and leaned back against the headrest, closing his eyes as he let out a long, exhausted breath. His chest was still rising and falling from the sudden burst of anger.
Not long after, the car smoothly pulled into the private parking lot of his company and came to a stop. His driver immediately got out and opened the rear door for him.
Elisha stepped onto the concrete, his expression settling into a cold mask as he walked straight into the building and headed toward his office.
Once he settled into his office, Elisha sent Henry a quick message to let him know he had arrived safely.
I’m at the office.
Henry replied simply:
Alright.
With that, they both turned their attention to work. Despite his heavy workload, Elisha made sure Henry’s favorite meal was ordered and delivered to his office right on schedule. When the package arrived, Henry sent him a short message to thank him.
The rest of the day passed quietly as both men buried themselves in their respective duties.
As evening approached, Prince Raphael messaged Henry, asking what time he should come to pick him up.
Henry replied, "Pick me up at 8:00 p.m."
Raphael answered: Alright.
Elisha left his office early that evening and instructed his driver to wait near Henry’s company building, positioning the car where he could keep an eye on the entrance.
Not long after, at exactly eight o’clock, Prince Raphael’s luxury convoy arrived. Security vehicles flanked the front and back, with Raphael’s sleek car in the middle. The convoy pulled directly up to the main entrance of Henry’s building instead of heading into the parking lot.
The rear door opened, and Prince Raphael stepped out. He remained beside the vehicle, waiting patiently for Henry to come down.
As employees and passersby streamed out of the building, murmurs quickly turned into gasps and excited whispers as people recognized the royal figure. Phones came out almost immediately, with several people discreetly taking pictures.
Moments later, Henry walked through the glass doors. The moment he spotted Prince Raphael waiting for him, a bright, polite smile crossed his face.
"Your Highness," Henry greeted smoothly
Raphael’s face lit up with a warm, genuine smile. Instead of offering a formal handshake, he stepped forward and pulled Henry into a brief, friendly hug.
"It’s so good to see you again, Henry."
From where Elisha’s car was parked, he watched the embrace, his grip tightening painfully around the leather armrest.
Around the entrance, the whispers grew louder. Everyone in the city knew Prince Raphael was openly gay, so seeing him share such a warm, public embrace with Henry immediately sparked excitement and speculation among the onlookers.
Raphael stepped back and gently guided Henry toward the car. He opened the rear door himself and waited until Henry slipped inside and settled into the back seat. Raphael then walked around to the other side, where one of his bodyguards opened the door for him. Raphael climbed into the back seat beside Henry, and the bodyguard closed the door behind him.
From inside the parked car, Elisha’s driver watched the scene unfold, a soft smile tugging at his lips. He let out a quiet chuckle. "Aww, Prince Raphael is such a gentleman."
Elisha’s sharp gaze snapped toward him, fixing a murderous glare on the back of his driver’s head through the rearview mirror.
The driver caught Elisha’s terrifying expression in the mirror. His smile vanished instantly, and he froze, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.
"Such a gentleman, my foot," Elisha hissed, his voice dripping with venom. "Tell me, what exactly did he do that I couldn’t have done myself?"
The driver didn’t dare say another word. He stared straight ahead at the road.
"Don’t you ever make a sound like that again," Elisha warned in a low, harsh voice.
Outside, Prince Raphael’s convoy rolled forward, pulling away from the curb and heading down the street.
Without missing a beat, Elisha leaned forward, his eyes locked on the disappearing taillights.
"Follow them," he ordered his driver. "Don’t lose them."