Sprouts of love

Ecstasy club

Carlos downed the entire contents of his glass in one gulp. Despite the law firm's release of a statement proving his innocence in the previous incident, it didn't erase the fact that he had spent the night with two other men as the oblivious marks on his body flashed across the headlines.

Former colleagues at the law firm, who had once been quick to flatter him, now turned their backs, sneering and mocking behind his back. Case assignments dwindled, and even previously agreed-upon clients demanded a change in attorneys to handle their affairs.

The reputation he had painstakingly built over years of hard work lay in ruins in the wake of a single night. Moreover, he begged and kneeled to Gloria to alleviate the situation. Thinking of the things he did to calm her down made his blood boil in anger.

"All of this happened because of that damned man with silver eyes. If I ever saw him again, I swear I'd strangle him to death," Carlos muttered bitterly.

As he finished his drink, he pushed himself up from the stool and stumbled his way toward the restroom. Along the way, he accidentally bumped into someone. Groggily, he looked up, only to be shocked by the familiar face before him.

"Mr. Oswald," Frederick greeted the man, surprised to see him there.

"Ah, Frederick," Mr. Oswald replied, patting the young man's shoulder.

As much as Carlos detested his mother, he found her son tolerable. The boy seemed to take after his father, naive and clueless, completely unaware of his mother's true nature. What a pity!

"What are you doing here?" Carlos questioned him.

Fredrick hesitated for a moment before replying, "A friend of mine works here, so I just came to see him."

"Is that so? And who might that be?" Carlos wondered, not particularly interested in the boy's life but recognizing the potential usefulness of the information in dealing with Gloria.

As much as Carlos detested his mother, he found her son tolerable. The boy seemed to take after his father, naive and clueless, completely unaware of his mother's true nature. What a pity!

"What are you doing here?" Carlos questioned him, his tone sharp.

Fredrick hesitated for a moment before replying, "A friend of mine works here, so I just came to see him."

"Is that so? And who might that be?" Carlos wondered, not particularly interested in the boy's life but recognizing the potential usefulness of the information in dealing with Gloria.

Fredrick scratched his head, then glanced up toward a secluded corner where a slender man served drinks at a table. His silver hair stood out amidst the crowd, resembling a sun shining through dark, misty clouds.

Carlos followed Fredrick's gaze and felt his eyes widen as he recognized the silver-haired man - the same individual he had been desperately searching for since that fateful night. He clenched his fist tightly, his anger bubbling to the surface.

Unaware of the shift in Carlos's demeanor, Fredrick made his way over to Sam, who had taken their order at the table and was now clearing plates at the bar counter. After exchanging contact information, they had started chatting regularly and developed their relationship from a chance encounter to a genuine friendship. However, Fredrick always found himself initiating their conversations.

He couldn't deny his desire to hear Sam's soothing voice. It was the first time he had experienced such feelings, leaving him bewildered. He never expected to feel such sincerity and warmth towards someone of the same sex. He wants to develop this friendship into something more.

Sensing someone's gaze, Sam turned to see Fredrick approaching him. He smiled warmly and waved. Fredrick's heart raced as he drew closer.

"Did you finish your work?" Fredrick asked Sam.

"Yeah, almost. Are you alone? Where's your girlfriend?" Sam inquired, noticing Fredrick's solitary presence. He was used to seeing him accompanied by either his friends or the girl who had slapped him last time.

Fredrick sighed, patiently explaining, "Cassie and I are just friends, nothing more. I've told you that already."

Sam chuckled, "I was just teasing you, Fredrick." He playfully bumped his fist against Fredrick's shoulder.

Fredrick felt a jolt as if electrified, a warm, tingling sensation spreading across his skin despite the layers of clothes covering his shoulder.

Fredrick smiled, introducing Sam to Carlos. "Sam, this is Mr. Carlos Oswald, one of the best lawyers in our law firm."

Upon noticing Carlos standing nearby, Sam's expression shifted to one of shock. His body trembled, and fear filled his eyes as he struggled to breathe. Seeing Sam's distress, Fredrick panicked and embraced him, patting his back.

"Sam, what's wrong?" Fredrick asked, concerned.

Carlos seethed with rage as he observed the scene. It was unbelievable to him that the same man now trembling before him like a scared cat was the one who had almost ruined his career. Fredrick, too, felt bewildered, unsure of why Sam was behaving this way.

"You motherfucker! I am going to kill you today" the enraged Carlos launched towards Sam to land a heavy punch. But before his fist could touch his face a hand caught his wrist.

"Mr. Oswald, whatever the issue is, we can talk it over," Fredrick stated calmly, though his eyes betrayed his anger at the thought of someone intending harm to his beloved. He tightened his grip on Carlos's wrist.

Carlos, trained as a lawyer who fought with words rather than muscles, felt at a loss when faced with Fredrick's refusal to let go. He struggled to free his hand from Fredrick's grasp but found himself unable to match the younger man's strength.

"Fredrick, you don't know what he did to me. All the mess happened because of him!" Carlos shouted, drawing the attention of onlookers.