Chapter 129 129: Baby-haunting
Cassian lingered for a second longer, glancing between Saint and Baby before letting out a low whistle.
"Damn," he muttered. "You really screwed that up."
Saint didn't respond.
He just stood there.
Watching Baby walk away.
Again.
And this time—
He knew.
This wasn't distance.
This was war.
"I saw it, Cassian..." Saint murmured.
"Yeah, I saw it too," Cassian replied.
Saint snapped his head to Cassian, "You did?"
Cassian nodded, "Yep. Saw how he looked irritated by your bugging and wanted to get as far away from your crazy self as possible—"
"No, no, you fucking dimwit... I saw it. Baby's eyes never lie. He's lying to me!" Saint exhaled, shoving a hand in his pocket.
Cassian stared at Saint for a while before he went and placed a hand on Saint's shoulder.
"Here, here, easy... you're just seeing things you want to see. That guy right there..." he shook his head slowly, "was nothing like a man looking at his ex-lover."
He straightened. "I think you should stop, Saint. Before he gets a restraining order." Cassian said and turned away.
Saint chuckled darkly, "Let him get a restraining order on me... it'll prove exactly what I think is true." He murmured.
Cassian simply ignored him and moved toward the exit, "I'll go now—"
"You want Cam, don't you, cousin?" Saint suddenly asked behind him.
"Nah, was just messing with the dude. I knew it was a dare and he was drunk. Come on, who falls in love on his first kiss with a stranger?" he asked, leaving the gym.
Saint scoffed, "Been there, done that, didn't end well. I know you want him. I can help you."
"How?" Cassian suddenly paused and turned.
Saint smirked, "I knew it."
Cassian narrowed his eyes, "I'm curious, how exactly are you going to get the guy who beat you to a pulp and hates your very existence to listen to you, let alone date your cousin..." he lifted his hands to stop Saint from speaking.
"Say you magically convince him. Do you really want to psychologically torment Baby by hovering the shadows of his past over him? If you really think he's pretending, then he automatically hates me, too. Saying his friend would cause more harm than good... no." He finished and resumed walking.
Saint groaned and followed him, "Come on, man. You're my only key to getting close to Baby. Trust me, I just want to apologise and Cam has already banned me from visiting Baby, but if it's you, I'm sure he'd let us in—"
"You're truly stubborn," Cassian muttered, heading into the elevator.
"Please, I just want to apologise one last time, and until Baby gives me an audience, you just pretend to flirt with Cam... keep him as busy and as distracted as you can. You're here to help me, right? This is the only help I want. I'll leave Baby alone for good after I've apologised." He explained, watching Cassian's face closely.
"This is risky. For you, and for me," Cassian said.
"I don't want to be caught in your web of mess, but... anything for my baby cousin—"
"You're just two years older," Saint groaned.
"Exactly... walked the earth before your conception... baby cousin," Cassian winked, patting Saint's head.
"Fuck off," Saint pushed Cassian's hand away, smiling.
'Game on, Baby.'
'Two can play this game.'
He was about to see how far Baby was willing to go before his charade cracked... if it's actually a charade.
If it wasn't, Saint knew he'd be broken for life, because it would hurt more than the first time he learnt about it.
He was giving himself hope, imagining things as Cassian suggested, but deep down, he prayed to be right.
He prayed for Baby to actually remember him... them.
He might sound selfish, but Baby remembering would actually lift a lot of emotional weight from him.
Now, he was officially Baby-haunting.
"Maybe you should just tell him to go fuck himself," Cam said as they drove toward their usual nightclub.
Baby shook his head, "No, I love watching him squirm. I deserve some fucking revenge, Cam. So, don't try to advise me." His grip tightened on the steering wheel.
"I know, Baby. But I'm worried about you. Your nightmares have gotten worse, you space out more, and I don't fucking feel safe sitting as your passenger..." Cam sighed.
"Saint is affecting you, and the only way to stop him is to shove the truth in his face. Trust me, it'll hurt more to learn that someone purposely erased you from their life. Right now, it seems like you're hiding behind a lie... face him, Baby, it'll hit harder—"
"And we've arrived. Let's get wasted," Baby muttered and pushed his door open, leaving Cam in there alone.
Cam sighed and watched Baby walking into the club.
He was worried for his best friend.
He had seen Baby almost crack in front of Saint earlier that day.
He hated Saint more for making Baby suffer so much.
He did not deserve to be forgiven... out of the question.
His actions were unjustifiable, unacceptable... no matter whatever his reasons might have been... he went too far.
"Yo!"
"Jesus Christ!" Cam gasped, almost jumping out of his seat.
"Wong! What is wrong with you?!" He asked, glaring at Wong through his window.
Wong smirked, "Ah, I see what you did there, mate. Smart." He pulled the door open, stretching his hand to Cam, "May I be your escort into the night of wild alcohol?" He asked gently.
"No." Cam pushed Wong's hand away and got out of the car.
"You hurt my feelings, man. I was trying to—"
"Shut up, Wong," Cam pinched Wong's lips together, pulling him along.
Wong smacked Cam's hand away the second they were inside the club.
"First of all," he muttered, rubbing his lips, "don't ever do that again. I'm not your child."
Cam didn't even react.
His eyes were already scanning the crowd.
Searching.
Wong noticed immediately.
"Relax," he said, leaning closer so his voice could cut through the music. "He just walked in. He can't disappear in five seconds."
Cam exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair.
"You didn't see him earlier," he muttered. "He almost broke."
Wong's expression shifted—just a little.
That got his attention.
"…That bad?" he asked.
Cam nodded once.
Wong clicked his tongue, glancing toward the dance floor.
"Then tonight… we don't let him think," he said. "We drown it."
Cam huffed. "That's your solution to everything."
"And it works," Wong shot back.
Before Cam could reply—
"There he is."
Rode's voice came from their left.
Both of them turned.
Baby sat at the bar, back straight, drink in hand.
Calm.
Too calm.
A girl leaned close to him, laughing at something he said, her hand resting lightly on his arm.
Baby smiled.
Easy.
Charming.
Detached.
Cam's jaw tightened.
"That smile," he muttered.
"Yeah," Wong said quietly. "That one's fake."
They walked over.
Baby glanced up as they approached, his smile shifting—more real, but still… controlled.
"Took you long enough," he said, tapping the counter twice for another drink.
"Had to babysit this one," Wong jerked his thumb at Cam.
"Shut up," Cam muttered, sliding into the seat beside Baby.
Baby didn't look at him immediately.
He took a slow sip of his drink.
Then—
"You good?" he asked, casually.
Cam blinked.
"Me?" he scoffed. "You're asking me that?"
Baby shrugged slightly. "You've been tense since the gym."
Silence.
Brief.
Loaded.
"I'm fine," Cam said.
Lie.
Baby didn't push.
Instead, he leaned back, letting his gaze drift across the club.
"Tonight's for fun," he said lightly. "No Saint. No drama. Just vibes."
Wong raised his glass. "Now that's what I like to hear."
Rode slid in beside them, already holding two shots.
"To bad decisions," he said.
"To worse outcomes," Wong added.
Baby smirked faintly, lifting his glass.
Cam hesitated for half a second—
Then joined them.
Glasses clinked.
They drank.
The music pulsed louder.
Bodies moved closer.
The night blurred just enough to feel good.
For a while—
It worked.
Baby laughed.
Talked.
Even danced.
But every now and then—
Just for a split second—
His eyes would drift.
To the entrance.
To the corners.
To shadows that didn't exist.
Cam noticed.
Of course he did.
And just when he was about to say something—
"Hey, Baby."
A familiar voice.
Smooth.
Annoyingly confident.
Oliver.
Baby turned, brows lifting slightly.
"Well, look who decided to show up uninvited," he muttered.
Oliver smirked, stepping closer.
"Miss me?" he asked.
"No."
"Liar."
Baby rolled his eyes but didn't move away when Oliver leaned in slightly.
"You look good," Oliver added, voice lower now.
Baby huffed a quiet laugh. "I always do."
"True."
Oliver's gaze lingered.
Too long.
Too deliberate.
Cam shifted in his seat.
Wong noticed that too.
"Oh boy," Wong muttered under his breath. "This is about to get messy."
And like the universe was listening—
The club doors opened again.
A subtle shift in the air.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
But noticeable.
Rode glanced over first.
Then Wong.
Then Cam.
"…No way," Wong whispered.
Cam's head snapped toward the entrance.
And there—
Standing under the dim lights, dressed in black, face still faintly bruised but eyes sharp as ever—
Saint.
He hadn't come to party.
He hadn't come to drink.
He came for one thing.
And his eyes—
Locked instantly.
On Baby.
Across the room.
Baby didn't turn immediately.
But something in his body stilled.
Like he felt it.
That pull.
That presence.
Slowly—
He looked.
And their eyes met.
Again.
No distance.
No rink.
No crowd.
Just them.
And this time—
Neither of them looked away.