Warning: This chapter contains cursing and mature themes concerning homosexuals, which might be triggering. Reader discretion is advised.
Aiden picked up the call from an unknown number and heard the person say, " Come to my office now," and hang up. He recognized the authoritative tone too well and got up from his seat to go to Dylan's office. Aiden didn't expect much from his conversation with Dylan, but he wanted to know what Dylan actually wanted from him.
Dylan was sitting on his seat staring outside the window when Aiden entered his office. " Why did you want to meet me?" Dylan asked, still not looking at Aiden.
" D-Did you meet Noah's father?" Aiden asked.
" Yes."
" Why?"
" Don't you know why?" Dylan asked, looking at Aiden from the corner of his eye.
" I-I can't understand what you would achieve by talking to Noah's father. "
" You didn't agree to leave him. So I had to take another route."
" I-It's my personal matter. Y-You..." Aiden wanted to say not to interfere but stopped himself when Dylan glared at him.
" What did you say?" Dylan seethed. " Personal matter?" Dylan got up from his seat and approached Aiden. " Previously, you always agreed with whatever I asked you to. Why do you always defy me now?"
" W-We were kids then," Aiden stuttered.
" No," Dylan screamed. " I don't want to hear your excuses. After meeting you again, I thought everything would be back to normal, but you seem to be distant now. We must have grown up, but that doesn't mean our relationship would change. I just want the previous Aiden back."
" T-This is normal. W-What you want is not. You have everything you need; money, power, a beautiful girlfriend..."
" I need you."
" W-Why? Why do you need me now? Don't you have so many people around you who would do anything at your bidding?"
" They are working for money."
" W-Why does it matter? Your job is done, and you have no shortage of funds."
" It's not enough for me," Dylan sneered, holding Aiden's arms. " I don't feel the sense of achievement when they do my bidding. They are just workers who are merely doing their job, but you were with me since we were kids. I have trained and molded you according to my requirements, then how can you back out now?"
Aiden was shocked and scared by Dylan's words. " Y-You are talking as if I-I am an object, not a human."
" Come on, Aiden. I was always like this; it's you who has changed. The cause of that change is your boyfriend, and I cannot allow a third person to ruin what we have."
"W-What we have?" Aiden asked, raising his brow. He just couldn't handle this absurdity anymore. " What am I to you? Am I your brother? Are you, my boyfriend?"
Aiden was about to say, 'Who the hell are you to order me around?' but his words got stuck in his throat when Dylan squeezed his arm so tight that he felt his arm would fall off. " Y-You are hurting me," he cried out.
" So are you implying you will listen to me if you are my boyfriend? Do you want me to be a queer like you?"
"N-No," Aiden panicked. Dylan had taken a completely different meaning to what he was trying to say. " I-I didn't mean that," Aiden stuttered, trying to get away from Dylan's grip. " C-Can you leave my hand?"
Dylan twisted Aiden's hand behind his back, earning a yelp from him. " Why did you obey me earlier? I never thought of you as my brother; then why did you do it?"
When Aiden was adopted, he had been told this would be his new family and was ordered to listen to them. Later on, when he knew he was merely a servant, he obeyed them out of fear. " I-I didn't know what else to do," Aiden said, frustrated. " I was alone without any support or family. Obviously, I would not dare to defy you, but now, it's different. I can take care of myself."
" Support and family?" Dylan snorted. " Do you mean this job and that boyfriend of yours? With a snap of my fingers, you will have nothing left with you."
" I-I am ready to quit this job," Aiden said in fear.
" Did you think if you leave here, you will be able to get a job elsewhere? I will make sure you won't. As for that boyfriend of yours, I will ruin him and his family as well."
" What has Noah ever done to you? Why must you wreck him and his family?"
" Because he is spoiling you. He turned you into a freak."
"I-I am not a freak," Aiden said, gritting his teeth. " I am gay, and it's not because of Noah. I knew about it before meeting him."
" Did you know it when you stayed with our family?"
"Y-Yes."
Dylan stared at Aiden and recalled the kiss he shared with him and the weird thoughts he had been having for the past few days regarding Aiden. " So, is that why you were trying to seduce me? Did you try it earlier too?"
" Please stop it," Aiden said, annoyed. " Being gay doesn't mean I will jump on every guy I see. I have never tried to seduce you."
" I know the likes of you. Any man would do," Dylan snickered.
" I don't understand your logic. You being straight, you're never being judged for wanting every woman; then how can you judge us?"
" Then why did I feel good when I kissed you?" Dylan roared. " I am not a queer like you, then why? Obviously, it must be you."
" What?" Aiden was shocked. The conversation was not going in the direction he had expected. He shuddered when he saw Dylan looking at him with an unknown expression. He had to escape right now as he didn't want a repeat of last time. Luckily he got his team leader's call, and he said, " I-I got to go now. I will talk to you later." Before Dylan could say anything else, Aiden rushed out of the room.
For the next few days, there was no news from Dylan, so Aiden thought things had cooled down, but he was wrong. Noah's publishing company was in shambles. Many authors had broken off their contracts with them, and their editors were quitting as they had supposedly got a better offer from other companies.
Aiden was sitting with Mr. Wright, who had a crestfallen look on his face. " I don't know what to do, son. This company was Noah's father's dream. Before his death, I promised him I would take care of his company and his son, but it looks like I failed in both. "
" Mr. Wright, it's not your fault. You are a great dad, and I am sure Noah agrees with that."
" I don't know anymore. When your adoptive brother approached me to trade my son's happiness for the sake of the company, I was confident about my decision. But now, when I see the company on the verge of closure, I don't know what to do. "
Mr. Wright ran his hands through his hair and looked at Aiden sadly. " I have no heart to ask my son to leave the person he loves, nor can I lose this company which also belongs to Noah. So Aiden, you tell me what I should do?"
Though Mr. Wright didn't say it aloud, Aiden could see the accusation in his eyes, and he couldn't even blame him because Aiden was the reason for his predicament. Speaking to Dylan seemed useless, as he always misunderstood his words, but what choice did he have? Was breaking up with Noah his ultimate option? " D-Do you want me to b-break up with Noah?"
" I am not saying that, Aiden. You should know better what to do. This situation was caused by your family, and I think even you don't want my son to suffer."
" I-I love him, Mr. Wright," Aiden said desperately.
" I love my son too, that's why I want to solve this problem. Do you think Noah would be happy knowing the company his father built was ruined because of the person he loved?"
Those words were like a slap to Aiden. " I-I will see what I can do," Aiden said, holding back his tears and getting up to leave.
" I hope you don't tell Noah about this conversation," Mr. Wright remarked.
" Don't worry, Mr. Wright," Aiden said and left. Once he was out of the building, he couldn't hold back his emotions any longer. He ran off to a secluded park, unable to stop the tears. Why did Dylan have to come back into his life? Why did he want to destroy the only good thing he had? Could he ever find happiness?