Clara's smiled as her voice softened. "You do not have to thank me, Elliot. I care about you, and I want you to be happy. But we need to be smart about this. No more useless risks, okay? No more public outings, no more sneaking around. You and Jonah need to lay low until after the wedding. That is clear?”
Elliot clenched his jaw, the power of Clara's words settling heavily on his shoulders. "I know. It is just, it is not as easy as it sounds, Clara. I hate hiding. I hate lying to everyone. Jonah is not going to like this either, it is going to destroy the little progress we just made."
"Well, I am fully aware of these," Clara said gently. "But it is the only way to protect yourselves right now. Once the merger is done, we can figure out a way to make this work. But for now, you and he have to play the part. PERFECTLY"
Elliot sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter. "You are right. I just hope we can hold out that long."
"You will," Clara said firmly. "You are stronger than you think, Elliot. And you are not alone in this. I've got your back."
Elliot felt a small flash of hope hearing Clara's words. Despite everything, he knew he could count on her. "Thanks, Clara. I mean it."
"Anytime," Clara said. "Now get some rest, and let me know if anything else happens. We will get through this, Elliot. I promise."
Elliot ended the call, feeling a little lighter but still burdened by the weight of their situation. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table, his mind racing with thoughts.
Elliot sat comfortably at the kitchen table scrolling through his phone, sipping his coffee, his mind still reeling from the conversation with Clara. He knew they had to be more careful, but the thought of cutting off even more of his time with Jonah was unbearable. He was about to get up and check on Jonah when he heard the soft chime of a phone notification from the bedroom.
Jonah stirred awake, groaning softly as he reached for his phone on the nightstand. The screen lit up with a message from an unknown number. His heart skipped a beat as he opened it.
Unknown Number
"I know everything. Meet me at the old pier tonight at 9 PM. Come alone, or else..."
Attached to the message was a photo a grainy image. Squinting his eyes in confusion, he looked closer. His eyes widened in realization. It was an unmistakable image of him and Elliot kissing in the dim light of Elliot's living room. Jonah's breath caught in his throat, his hand trembling as he stared at the screen.
He quickly deleted the message, his mind racing. 'Who could this be? How did they get their hands on this picture?" His stomach churned at the thought of someone having proof of their relationship. If this got out, it would not just ruin Elliot’s life it would destroy everything they had been fighting for.
Jonah’s first instinct was to tell Elliot, but he hesitated. Elliot was already under so much pressure with the wedding, the merger, and the constant scrutiny from his family. If Jonah told him about this, it would only add to his stress. Elliot was one to crack under pressure. If he told him, it might push him away. That could make things even worse. Jonah would not be able to live with that.
No, Jonah decided. He would handle this himself. It could be a scammer for all he knew. Maybe he even saw wrongly. The image was not even clear. He needed to figure out who was behind this and what they wanted before dragging Elliot into it.
“Jonah?” Elliot’s voice called from the kitchen, pulling Jonah out of his thoughts. “You okay in there?”
Jonah quickly composed himself, forcing a smile as he walked out of the bedroom. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just woke up a little weak.”
Elliot studied him for a moment, his brow furrowing. “You sure? You look... off.”
Jonah waved him off, trying to sound casual. “Just tired. Long night, you know? I said I was weak.”
Elliot nodded, though he still looked concerned. “Yeah, I get it.
Listen, I was thinking maybe we should lay low for a while. Clara thinks someone might be watching us, and after last night, I think she’s right.”
Jonah’s stomach dropped. 'Someone is definitely watching us,' he thought, but he kept his expression neutral. “Yeah, I mean if you want to.” Jonah was not happy with being in the shadows anymore. He wanted the truth to be out.
Elliot smiled, though it did not quite reach his eyes. “Thanks for understanding. I know this is not easy, but we are so close to the wedding. Once the merger is done, we will try to sort everything out. I promise.”
Jonah nodded, his heart heavy. “Yeah. We’ll figure it out.”
**Later That Night**
Jonah waited until Elliot was asleep before slipping out of the house. He left a note on the kitchen counter, just in case Elliot woke up and wondered where he was.
"Went for a walk to clear my head. Be back soon. - J"
The old pier was eerily quiet, the sound of the waves crashing against the wooden pillars the only noise in the darkness. Jonah stood at the edge, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his heart pounding in his chest. He had no idea who he was meeting or what they wanted, but he knew he could not ignore this.
A figure emerged from the shadows, their face obscured by a hood. Jonah tensed, his body ready for anything.
“You came alone,” the figure said, their voice low and menacing.
Jonah swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady. “I did. Now tell me what you want.”
The figure chuckled, a cold, hollow sound. “What do I want? Oh it is not personal, I am just low on cash and I have to do what I have to do. I got bills to pay you know? You can't blame me.”
Jonah’s gut turned uncomfortably, but he forced himself to stay calm. “You are disgusting. Preying on people and making money out of taking advantage of them.”
The figure stepped closer, their voice dropping to a whispe.”Like I said it is nothing personal. I just need the money."
Jonah’s heart raced, his mind scrambling to make sense of the situation. “And you think I have any money?”
The figure did not answer. Instead, they handed Jonah a small envelope. “Open it.”
Jonah hesitated, then slowly opened the envelope. Inside was a single photograph a picture of Elliot and Jonah at Jonah's house laughing and having fun. On the back of the photo was a handwritten note: "The truth will come out. Be ready."
Jonah looked up, his confusion growing. “What is this? What are you trying to say?”
The figure stepped back, their voice cold and final. “Remember when I said I was low on cash?"
Jonah nodded.
"Well I have curated a special package just for your poor parents." The figure said in a mocking voice.
"What package are you talking about?" Jonah asked
"Well how would Susan and Gregory feel when they find out their son is gay and actively having sex with a man?" The figure said
"Wait how do you know my parents names. Plus you can't actually do that." Jonah said
"First of all that is not your business. Secondly I can. You can't stop me." The figure said menacingly.