I Can Comfort You

"This is Dupont territory; you shouldn't be here," Xavier Dupont's voice was devoid of warmth as he spoke, his gaze fixed outside the window, ignoring the sadness in Richard's expression.

Perhaps Xavier knew exactly how Richard was feeling but chose to feign ignorance deliberately.

Xavier Dupont and Richard had known each other since their school days, though they had little interaction back then. After graduating and taking over their respective family businesses, the two found themselves on opposing sides.

Xavier Dupont's business responsibilities overlapped with Richard's, leading to frequent clashes between their subordinates, eventually escalating into direct competition.

Initially, Richard was merely curious about Xavier Dupont and wanted to toy with him to see if he could evoke any emotions other than coldness. However, the more Richard observed Xavier, the deeper he fell in love with him.

But Xavier Dupont always kept Richard at arm's length, refusing to get involved with the enemy of his family.

Everything changed ten years ago when Xavier Dupont was forced into an arranged marriage by his father. After a futile struggle, he was dragged to the wedding altar. That night, he abandoned his new bride and sought out another business rival, engaging in a brutal fight.

After fighting until he was utterly exhausted, lying helpless in the rain, Xavier finally let his rival go. Meanwhile, Richard watched from his car, witnessing Xavier's rage and despair, feeling heartache but unable to intervene.

Xavier Dupont's marriage pained Richard more than anyone else. In his despair, he even considered throwing himself into a fling with a stranger to numb the pain. But when he learned that Xavier had impulsively sought out a fight, he hurriedly drove to find him.

Richard didn't get out of the car to help Xavier. Instead, he waited until Xavier, having vented his anger, stormed off and drove away. Only then did Richard follow him.

Xavier didn't return to the Dupont estate. Instead, he parked under a bridge, stepped out into the rain, and repeatedly tried to light a cigarette, kicking his car door in frustration.

Suddenly, a lighter was offered to him, accompanied by an umbrella shielding him from the rain. Xavier looked over and saw Richard standing there, looking sad but saying nothing.

Xavier didn't speak either. He took the lighter, lit his cigarette, and handed the lighter back to Richard.

Richard accepted it, his hand lingering in the air for a moment before he finally pulled it back, tightly clutching the lighter in his hand.

After a long silence, Richard asked, "If you don't have anywhere to go, would you like to come to my place?"

Xavier paused mid-drag, exhaling smoke as he turned to look at Richard, as if questioning whether Richard knew what he was saying.

"Don't worry, it's a villa I bought myself—it's not under the Van family's control," Richard explained.

Xavier remained silent, simply turning his head to continue smoking, his expression unreadable.

Richard, receiving no response, lowered his head in silence, biting his lip slightly.

*You're enemies; why would he ever come to your place, Richard?*

Richard scoffed at himself. He handed Xavier the umbrella and, with a heavy heart, trudged back to his car in the rain, driving away.

Xavier watched the car disappear into the distance, exhaling another puff of smoke.

Despite his initial intention to ignore Richard, Xavier found himself quickly closing the umbrella, getting into his car, and slamming the door shut.

As he drove, tears welled up in Richard's eyes. The person he loved had gotten married, and the bride wasn't him.

When he arrived at his villa, Richard walked through the courtyard like a ghost, the rain pouring down on him.

He fumbled with his house keys, but his vision was blurred with tears, and he couldn't get the door to open.

Just as he was on the verge of breaking down in sobs, a large hand took the keys from him and easily opened the door.

Richard looked up in shock, his eyelashes wet with tears, only to see Xavier Dupont standing there, his expression impassive and completely drenched.

"What, this isn't your house?" Xavier asked coldly when Richard just stood there, staring at him in shock.

"Y-Yes, this is my house," Richard stammered, nearly losing his voice, stunned that Xavier had followed him.

"Turn on a light. I'm going to take a shower," Xavier said, shaking the water from his hair as he spoke.

Richard managed a small "oh" before rushing into the house to turn on the lights, then directing Xavier to the bathroom.

Xavier didn't say anything as he walked to the first-floor bathroom. Soon, the sound of running water could be heard.

Richard stood dumbfounded outside the bathroom, unable to process what was happening.

It wasn't until Xavier opened the door a crack and asked, "Do you have a bathrobe?" that Richard snapped out of his daze.

"Wait a moment," Richard said, rushing to his room to grab a new bathrobe, which he then handed to Xavier.

"Thanks," Xavier said, closing the bathroom door.

"N-No problem," Richard mumbled, though the door was already closed. He was still in a fog, unable to believe what was happening.

*Am I dreaming?*

Richard asked himself, still disoriented. After all, how could Xavier Dupont be in his house if this wasn't a dream?

"Do you have any alcohol?" Xavier asked as he emerged from the bathroom, now dressed in the bathrobe and drying his hair.

"Yes," Richard replied automatically, nodding. But instead of getting up to fetch it, he just stood there, staring up at Xavier, who was a full head taller than him.

*He... he's really in my house.*

Xavier paused in drying his hair, looking down at Richard.

Richard was naturally beautiful, with long dark hair, red lips, and delicate features that exuded a certain frailty and allure. It was hard not to be captivated by his beauty.

As their eyes met, the atmosphere between them grew strangely charged. Perhaps it was the effect of one being wet and the other in a bathrobe, but the air between them suddenly felt heavy with unspoken emotions.

"I... I can comfort you," Richard blurted out after a moment of hesitation, his voice a little rushed.

He nervously gripped his clothes, fearing Xavier would reject him.

At that time, Richard was only twenty-three, with no real experience in such matters, so he was both scared and hopeful that Xavier would accept his offer.

Richard thought that even if it was just once, even if it was only for one night, being held by Xavier would be enough to satisfy him.

Perhaps because Xavier really did need comfort, he hesitated but ultimately didn't refuse, and he reached out to touch Richard.

What Xavier didn't realize was that this one time would lead to a ten-year-long affair, a clandestine relationship that would bind them together inexplicably.

"Why do you always try to get rid of me?" Richard demanded, his voice and expression filled with pain as Xavier Dupont continued to blow smoke out the window.

"Don't think I don't know you've been scheming against Alex. Pack your things and get out before I lose my temper," Xavier Dupont snapped at him.

"You're angry at me but not at that brat for instigating Rick? Why don't you do something about him instead?" Richard's voice quivered as if he were about to cry, his eyes red with emotion.

"That's your business; it has nothing to do with me," Xavier responded coldly, still not looking at Richard.

Richard's heart bled at Xavier's words. For ten years, he had endured being nothing more than Xavier's secret lover, and in the end, he found himself less important than a nephew.

"Ha... haha, I really am a joke! I actually thought you would take my side," Richard laughed bitterly, his voice filled with a sorrow that threatened to break him apart.

"Of course, the Duponts only ever care about themselves. Why would they consider an outsider like me?"

"God, I'm so pathetic, running to you like a lovesick fool, only to get turned away again," Richard ranted, fury overtaking him as he pushed himself off Xavier's lap and slammed the car door, storming off.

After Richard left, Xavier Dupont finally let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing his temples as if in great pain. But he had refused to show any of this to Richard.

Xavier knew deep down that his relationship with Richard had no future, which is why he constantly tried to keep Richard at a distance, hoping Richard would eventually leave on his own. But no matter what Xavier did, Richard remained by his side, never wavering over the past ten years.

Xavier deeply regretted that fateful night when he first touched Richard, feeling as if he had ruined the younger man's life. Richard could have found someone better, someone who could give him the love and care he deserved.

"Why are you so determined to cling to someone like me?" Xavier murmured, exhaling another sigh as the weight of his guilt bore down on him.

Xavier had never approved of the relationship that had developed between them. But each time he saw Richard's sad face, he couldn't bear to push him away, always allowing things to continue as they were because he couldn't stand seeing Richard cry.

He had considered divorcing his wife to be with Richard many times, but he had never succeeded.

As long as his father was alive, Xavier's sham of a marriage would never end.

Frustrated, Xavier stubbed out his cigarette and got out of the car, striding toward the elevator, leaving the underground parking lot behind.

Meanwhile,

 in his own car, Rick had witnessed the entire interaction between his brother Richard and Xavier Dupont. He sat in the driver's seat, utterly stunned.

"No, I must have seen that wrong. There's no way that's possible," Rick muttered to himself, holding his head as he tried to convince himself it wasn't true. But there was no denying what he had just seen: his brother, who should have been fiercely loyal to their family, was secretly involved with Xavier Dupont?

Rick was utterly bewildered. His brother, who had always been so proud and unattainable, was willingly playing the role of a third party?

"I didn't see anything. That's right, Rick, you didn't see a thing," Rick mumbled, trying to numb himself as he scrambled to grab some fresh clothes from the back seat, hastily leaving the car.

Even after returning to his room, Rick was still shaken, his mind consumed by thoughts of Xavier Dupont and Richard.

"What the hell is going on?" Rick groaned, raking his hands through his hair in frustration.

He was terrified that his brother was only getting close to Xavier Dupont as part of some scheme to take down the Dupont family. Rick had always been deeply afraid of his brother, with nothing but fear in his heart.

But Rick was wrong. For the past ten years, Richard had been expanding his own territory not just to gain power but to become a dominant figure capable of standing against Xavier Dupont's father.

Richard wanted to free Xavier and live a normal life with him. But standing against Xavier's father was a monumental task, which is why Richard was so desperate to gain control of Rick's grandmother's assets, hoping to increase his power and influence.

Xavier had also tried to stand up to his father, but the result was Richard nearly losing his life.

Five years ago, when Xavier found Richard lying in a pool of blood, unconscious for over a month before waking up, Xavier realized that no matter how hard they fought, they would never be able to topple his father.

That's why Xavier began to distance himself from Richard, hoping that Richard would leave him on his own. But despite everything, Richard remained steadfast, and they both seemed trapped in a vicious cycle—Xavier pushing him away, yet unable to let him go.

Xavier himself had suffered greatly. His mother had been forced into the role of a mistress, her family exploited until they went bankrupt, and she eventually succumbed to despair and died.

Xavier had also been unable to escape his father's clutches, forced to marry the daughter of a business partner as a way to consolidate power, losing his freedom in the process.

"How many times do I have to call your name before you respond?"

Howard's voice suddenly snapped Rick out of his thoughts.

Rick, who had been lost in thoughts of his brother's situation, hadn't even noticed Howard had returned until he saw Howard's long legs standing in front of him.

"You're back," Rick said, quickly standing up and throwing his arms around Howard, burying his face in Howard's neck as if seeking comfort.

Given everything that was happening, Rick was completely at a loss, his mind a whirlwind of confusion.

Howard didn't know what had happened to Rick but didn't push him away. Instead, he adjusted his glasses and said, "Let go. I need to take a shower."

Having spent several hours at the hospital, Howard couldn't stand the lingering smell of disinfectant on his clothes.

"Alright," Rick agreed, then without warning, scooped Howard up in his arms and carried him straight to the bathroom.