18. Daniel house

After riding for a few minutes, the bicycle in front of him came to a stop, and Karel pressed his brake as well, parking his bike.

His eyes scanned the six-story apartment building that looked familiar. The paint on the walls was starting to fade, and some of the windows had tattered curtains.

"Isn't this Tristan's apartment? No wonder he ended up being Daniel', subordinate in the novel."

After making sure his bike was locked, they continued their way up the stairs to the fourth floor, just one level below Tristan's unit.

"Come in, come in!"

Patricia turned on the living room light.

The room wasn't big, but it was well-organized. The furniture was simple, a small sofa tucked in the corner.

Even though the apartment complex looked rundown from the outside, the inside was spotless. Everything was neatly arranged, showing that someone took great care to keep the place clean.

Arthur, still holding a plastic bag filled with fresh vegetables, stepped inside and turned to Patricia "Where should I put this?"

"Oh, over here, let me take it. Thanks for going through the trouble."

Arthur simply nodded and handed over the vegetables without saying much.

"Go ahead and take a seat. I'll be cooking for a bit, and Daniel should be home soon" Patricia added as she walked to the kitchen.

Karel let out a relieved sigh before sinking into the small sofa, rubbing his hand lightly. His legs felt a little sore after pedaling for quite a while.

His eyes wandered around the room, noticing small details he had overlooked before. Seeing the condition of this apartment complex made him wonder how a wealthy conglomerate's daughter like Patricia could stand living here for years.

Suddenly, he felt an intense gaze directed at him. Lifting his head, he found Arthur still standing nearby, staring at him with a serious expression.

"What?" Karel raised an eyebrow in confusion. "

"Sit down. Aren't you tired?" Without thinking much, he reached for Arthur's wrist and gently pulled him to sit beside him.

"This is Daniel's place?" Arthur asked, his voice slightly lower than usual.

"You seem to know Daniel pretty well—well enough to even know his mom"

Arthur continued in a flat tone, but Karel could sense a hint of displeasure in his voice. His expression grew stiffer, clearly waiting for an answer.

Karel looked at Arthur, then suddenly gave a small smile. Oh, so he's jealous.

"I ran into Daniel's mom at the hospital by chance. I also promised I'd drop by," he murmured softly, deliberately using a coaxing tone so Arthur wouldn't keep making that face.

Karel wrapped his arms around Arthur's upper arm, resting his head on the man's broad shoulder. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the warmth he always enjoyed from this position.

There was a familiar scent from Arthur, a faint mix of soap and his natural skin that somehow felt comforting.

"You really have nothing to do with Daniel?"

"Yeah, nothing. We just friend."

Arthur furrowed his brows, finding those words oddly familiar. Where had he heard them before?

"Oh, right! I forgot to tell you" Karel lifted his head from Arthur's shoulder, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"I just got a call, stocks from the company I invested in went up!"

His voice was filled with enthusiasm, barely able to hide his joy. It was his first time investing, and he had already made this much profit. And that was just one company, what about the others? He was only going to get richer.

"Even if I cheated a little" he thought to himself.

Seeing Karel's excitement, Arthur couldn't help but smile, his gaze softening.

Slowly, he raised his hand and ruffled Karel's short black hair, feeling its smooth texture—just slightly longer than before. Arthur made a mental note: Adrian's doing a good job. I should raise his salary.

"So that's why you're treating me?" Arthur asked teasingly.

Karel nodded quickly, his face glowing like the world was on his side today.

"But we're eating at someone else's house, and you didn't spend a dime" Arthur said, frowning in mock confusion.

Karel clicked his tongue, pouting in frustration. "Yeah, yeah, I'll treat you tomorrow."

Seeing Karel's sulky expression, Arthur chuckled softly. His large hand ruffled Karel's slightly longer hair again, playful yet gentle, making Karel let out a small huff.

Suddenly, a voice from outside the door broke the warmth between them.

"I'm home."

Karel instinctively scooted away from Arthur, as if afraid of being caught in a moment of intimacy.

Meanwhile, Daniel, who had just returned from work, looked exhausted. Sweat still clung to his forehead, and his dress shirt was slightly wrinkled from the long day.

His eyes widened at the sight of Karel in his home. He blinked several times, making sure he wasn't hallucinating.

"Am I dreaming about Karel again?" he thought, still standing at the doorway, unable to believe what he was seeing.

o0o

"Come on, let's eat," Patricia placed the last dish on the table and then sat beside her son, who had just returned home.

"Thank you, Mrs. Ashford. The aroma makes me even hungrier," Karel praised as he scooped some soup and placed it on his plate. His words brought a gentle smile to Patricia's face.

Make no mistake—when it comes to giving compliments, he's an expert. In the past, he was used to speaking with his patients or their families, carefully choosing the right words to comfort and reassure them.

Yet, as he tasted the warm broth, what had started as a mere pleasantry for the soon-to-be billionaire now sounded more genuine.

Meanwhile, Daniel, sitting directly across from Karel, unintentionally noticed the amusing expression on Karel's face as he enjoyed his meal.

Karel's cheeks puffed slightly as he chewed, his eyes gleamed with satisfaction, and his lips occasionally curled into a small smile. The sight warmed Daniel's heart, though he didn't dare look for too long, afraid his feelings would become harder to control.

Arthur, who had been silently observing their interaction, slowly exuded an air of hostility. His eyes narrowed slightly as he assessed Daniel, who kept sneaking glances at Karel. He was absolutely certain—Daniel had feelings for his partner.

As Daniel ate, he suddenly felt an intense gaze. When he looked up, he was met with the terrifying glare of his math teacher. His shoulders stiffened, and he quickly lowered his head again.

The dining table fell into silence, with only the occasional clinking of spoons and forks breaking the stillness.

"Thank you for the meal."

Arthur, eager to end this gathering as soon as possible, wiped the corner of his mouth with a pristine white handkerchief.

"This was just a simple dinner. Thank you for coming."

Arthur rose from his chair, followed closely by Karel, who stood beside him. "Well then, we'll be heading out now."

"Take care on your way. It's already late," Patricia said warmly, escorting them to the door with a kind smile.

Daniel remained seated at the table, his head lowered, yet his eyes never left Karel's retreating figure. A sense of reluctance filled his chest, but all he could do was grip his spoon tightly, trying to suppress his emotions.

Once the door closed and Patricia returned inside, only Karel and Arthur remained, walking side by side down the steps.

"It seems Daniel was looking at you differently," Arthur finally voiced his thoughts.

Karel raised an eyebrow, confused by Arthur's comment. "Different how?" he asked, glancing at his boyfriend.

He fell silent for a moment, recalling their earlier interactions. "I don't think I did anything wrong," he thought to himself, puzzled.

"It's nothing. I was just speaking carelessly," Arthur sighed tiredly. Deep inside, he became even more certain—his partner was truly oblivious when it came to people looking at him with hungry eyes.

As they reached the ground floor, Karel squinted when he saw several small children gathered around a sleek black car that stood out in this neighborhood. Their tiny hands touched the car's gleaming body with curiosity.

The driver, who had been sitting at a nearby food stall sipping coffee, immediately put down his glass when he saw his boss approaching. He quickly ran over. "Sir, the car is ready."

Arthur gave a slight nod. Before dinner, he had already contacted his assistant to send the car. There was no way he would let Karel ride a bicycle back to the park, especially this late at night.

"Hand me the keys. Take those bikes back to the city park," he ordered, pointing at the two striking pink bicycles parked nearby.

"Understood, sir."

"Let's go."

Arthur opened the car door, signaling Karel to get in.

Karel nodded lightly and sat in the front passenger seat, his eyes immediately scanning the luxurious interior. He recognized this car as one of the exclusive models he had seen at a luxury car exhibition. If his memory was correct, only three units of this model existed in the world.

"Damn, do teachers make this much? Should I just become a teacher?" he muttered under his breath, half-joking, half-impressed.

His thoughts, however, were abruptly cut off when he realized how close Arthur's face was to his. The warmth of the man's breath brushed against his cheek, making his heart race slightly.

"Don't forget your seatbelt," Arthur said softly, expertly reaching over to pull the seatbelt and fasten it for Karel.

The gentle whisper was right in front of his face, making Karel unconsciously hold his breath. His cheeks felt a little warm, and for some reason, the entire atmosphere in the car suddenly seemed quieter.

Seeing Arthur's tender gesture, Karel felt his heart melt. He wished he could live with this man without anyone interfering. But before that, he had to finish all the plotlines in this novel first.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked in a low voice, noticing how Karel had suddenly gone silent.

Karel simply shook his head with a faint smile. Then, without hesitation, he reached for Arthur's arm and rested his head on his broad shoulder. The warmth of Arthur's embrace made him feel so at ease, as if the world outside no longer mattered.

Seeing Karel's sweet gesture, Arthur let out a small smile before placing a gentle kiss on the top of his head. After that, he started the car, driving through the quiet streets of the night.

Karel slowly closed his eyes, trying to etch this moment deep into his memory, hoping he could relive it over and over again in the future.

o0o