After Iris left Adrian’s office and he finished eating, he stayed back for a while, trying to relax while checking through so remaining work inside his office.
Not long later, Charles suddenly sent him a ssage.
He explained that there was going to be a workers’ holiday the next day, so nobody would really be going to work.
Because of that, he asked if it was possible for them to co over that sa night instead.
He admitted he honestly didn’t care about staying long. He just wanted the chance to have a proper conversation with Mark and after that, he could leave peacefully.
Adrian honestly didn’t even know there was going to be a workers’ holiday the next day, so he quickly confird it himself first.
And after confirming it was true, he slowly realized Charles’s feelings for Mark had already beco far more serious than he originally admitted for him to suddenly want to co over that sa night instead of waiting until the next day.
At first, Adrian honestly didn’t know how to answer him since Friday had originally been the plan.
But eventually, Adrian simply replied that he would get back to him because he needed to speak to Matteo first.
Charles imdiately replied:
"Alright. I’ll wait for your response."
A mont later, Adrian texted Matteo and explained the sudden change of plans.
Matteo replied almost imdiately that it was fine.
He admitted that he hadn’t inford Mark yet because he originally planned to tell him after getting ho later that night that Charles would be coming the next day.
And now that the plan had changed to that sa night instead, Matteo ntioned that he should probably call Mark quickly to inform him.
But the mont Adrian read that ssage, he imdiately replied and told Matteo not to say anything.
He wanted it to be a complete surprise.
And that was how the original plan for the next day suddenly changed to that sa night instead.
While Mark stood there looking completely shocked.
The smile on his face slowly disappeared.
His entire expression froze slightly from surprise.
Because clearly, he hadn’t been expecting to see Charles there at all.
The look on his face instantly said everything.
For a few awkward seconds, neither of them even greeted each other properly.
The atmosphere beca strangely tense afterward.
Thankfully, Matteo imdiately stepped in before things could beco even more uncomfortable.
He turned toward Selene calmly.
"Take Frank and Charles to the guest rooms," he instructed.
Selene nodded imdiately before leading them upstairs.
A mont later, everyone headed upstairs together.
Frank and Charles eventually settled inside one of the guest rooms while Matteo and Adrian returned to their own room.
The mont the bedroom door closed behind them, Adrian imdiately turned toward Matteo with amusent written all over his face.
"Why did Mark look that shocked?" he asked while laughing softly.
Matteo instantly sighed.
"You just pushed directly into trouble," he muttered.
Adrian laughed even harder afterward.
Matteo walked further into the room before continuing. "Mark hates unexpected situations. Especially situations involving people he wasn’t prepared to see."
Then he glanced back at Adrian. "And definitely not soone like Charles."
Matteo rubbed his forehead. "Now I’m going to be the one to suffer for this," he complained. "Because once Mark starts yelling at later, I’ll be the one receiving all the scolding."
That instantly made Adrian burst into laughter. "So you’re actually scared of your brother?" he teased.
Matteo imdiately answered without sha. "I might not be scared of anyone else in this world," he admitted, "but when Mark gets angry... I’m definitely scared."
Adrian stared at him in disbelief. "So you actually have people you’re scared of?"
"Yes," Matteo answered. "There are actually two people I’m most scared of right now."
Adrian raised a brow. "Your father and Mark?"
Matteo shook his head once. "No. Not my father."
That instantly caught Adrian’s attention. "Then who’s the second person?"
Matteo looked at him for a second before replying. "First, I need to go talk to Mark before he starts planning my funeral."
Adrian laughed.
"After that," Matteo said, "then we can talk about the second person later."
Adrian murmured. "Alright."
And with that, Matteo left Adrian in the room before heading back downstairs.
By the ti he got there, Mark was nowhere to be seen. One of the bodyguards imdiately inford him that Mark had already gone back to his room.
Matteo sighed before making his way upstairs again.
When he reached Mark’s door, he knocked once before pushing it open. Mark was sitting on the edge of the bed.
But the second he saw Matteo enter, he imdiately stood up.
The atmosphere inside the room instantly beca tense.
The two brothers stood facing each other in silence.
Both tall.
Both carry almost the sa intimidating presence.
But unlike Matteo’s calm expression, Mark’s face was tight with barely controlled frustration.
"I don’t like what you just did," Mark said coldly.
Matteo nodded imdiately. "I know."
"No, you don’t," Mark snapped.
He stepped closer, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Because if you actually understood what you did wrong, you wouldn’t have done it in the first place."
Matteo stayed silent.
Mark let out a sharp breath, trying to control himself.
"You brought soone here unexpectedly without even warning first," he continued. "Not even a proper conversation. Not even a simple ssage saying, ’Mark, Charles is coming over.’"
Mark stared at him in disbelief. "You just let see him standing there like so kind of surprise."
Matteo rubbed the back of his neck.
"I know," he admitted quietly. "I handled it."
Mark scoffed. "You wouldn’t tolerate that if it were you," he fired back instantly. "If soone suddenly brought a person you weren’t ntally prepared to see into your space without warning you first, you wouldn’t take that shit either."
Matteo didn’t even argue.
Because Mark was right.
"I know," Matteo admitted. "I really don’t have any excuse to justify what I did."
That softened Mark slightly...
Matteo took a step closer.
"I’m sorry," he repeated. "I don’t want you getting angry over this."
Mark finally sighed heavily afterward before sitting back down on the bed.
The anger on his face remained, but it wasn’t as intense anymore.
Matteo quietly walked over and sat beside him.
For a few seconds, silence filled the room again.
Then finally, Mark spoke.
"It’s not even the fact that he ca here," he admitted. "What annoyed most was the fact that nobody inford beforehand."
Matteo nodded instantly. "I know," he murmured. "And I’m sorry for that."
Mark stayed quiet.
Then after a mont, he asked. "So why exactly did Charles suddenly co here tonight?"
Matteo explained. "Normally, Adrian and his friends spend ti together often," he said. "And recently, things have been difficult and stressful. I didn’t want Adrian staying alone at his place for now... because of safety reasons, so I suggested inviting his friends here instead."
Mark listened.
"That’s the reason they’re here," Matteo finished.
Mark said. "It’s fine," he muttered. "I just honestly didn’t know how to react when I saw him."
Matteo chuckled.
"Relax. By tomorrow the awkwardness will probably disappear. You’ll both greet each other properly and talk normally."
Mark sighed before nodding once.
"Alright."
After that, the tension between them faded away.
The conversation naturally shifted toward business matters and other family discussions for a while before Matteo eventually stood up again.
"I should head back to my room," he said.
Mark simply nodded.
And with that, Matteo finally left the room.
The mont Matteo stepped inside the room, Adrian imdiately jumped up from the bed and walked closer to him.
"Did Mark get angry?" he asked quickly.
Matteo instantly sighed dramatically before walking further inside.
"He nearly beat your man," he teased. "I almost lost my life in there."
Adrian imdiately gasped in fake shock.
"Good thing he didn’t beat you," he replied. "At least you’re still standing here alive. But seriously... is he still angry?"
Matteo stopped walking imdiately and stared at him.
"I just told you your boyfriend almost got beaten up," he said in disbelief. "And you don’t even care about ?"
Adrian rolled his eyes.
"Stop being dramatic," he muttered. "Just tell if he’s still angry or not because Charles is worried after seeing the way Mark reacted downstairs."
Matteo narrowed his eyes afterward.
"So now you care more about your friend than your own boyfriend?"
Adrian crossed his arms imdiately.
"I knew them before I knew you," he replied. "And obviously my friend is worried."
"Wow," he muttered. "I understand now. You don’t actually love . You love your friends more."
And with that, he purposely walked over and sat down on the sofa dramatically without answering the question.
"Baby..." Adrian murmured.
Matteo ignored him.
Adrian walked closer and climbed directly onto Matteo’s lap.
"Baby," Adrian murmured, wrapping his arms around his neck. "Okay, fine. I’m sorry."
Matteo looked away stubbornly.
Adrian imdiately beca dramatic.
"Oh my God," he gasped loudly. "Why would Mark try to beat my poor innocent baby because of Charles?"
Matteo’s lips twitched slightly.
Adrian continued dramatically, "Yes, we brought Charles here unexpectedly, but Mark didn’t have to overreact like that. Baby, don’t mind him, okay?"
That was the exact mont Matteo finally broke and chuckled.
"Fake," he muttered while shaking his head. "You’re so fake."
Adrian placed a hand against his chest.
"No, seriously," he continued while trying not to laugh. "I’m genuinely angry at Mark right now. Why would he scold my man?"
That only made Matteo laugh harder.
Eventually, he finally gave up the act and explained properly that Mark...
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