Chapter 22: Curious Hearts

As soon as they stepped into the spacious master bedroom, Kayden moved toward the bed, letting himself fall onto the soft mattress with a sigh of contentment. Thaddeus closed the door behind them and quietly joined him, leaning against the headboard.

After a short silence, Thaddeus turned slightly, his voice calm but laced with curiosity.

"Kayden, I want to ask you something… but if you're uncomfortable answering, you don't have to say anything."

Kayden turned his head to look at him, brows slightly raised.

"It's okay, you can ask."

"Before me… have you ever had sex with anyone?"

Kayden's expression didn't change much, but he took a second before answering.

"Not really… I mean, before I came here, I used to go out sometimes. Bars, a few drinks... I've had girls flirt with me, and I've gone home with some. But the truth is, I never actually slept with any of them.

I won't lie though, I did let someone, like… give me oral, once or twice. But I've never gone all the way in with any girl or guy."

Thaddeus nodded slowly, thoughtful.

I had the feeling. That first time we... you know... I was a little tipsy, and everything was a blur. But even then, something about it stayed with me.

Afterward, when I thought about it... Your body felt different. You were still so soft, so unguarded. That's how I knew I was your first. It wasn't just the way you moved… it was the way you let me in, like no one had ever touched you like that before."

Kayden sat up slightly, looking at him curiously.

"What do you mean by 'soft'?

Thaddeus didn't respond right away. Instead, he leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Kayden's forehead.

"It just means... You were untouched. Gentle. I don't know pure, maybe. And that's not a bad thing. It made me want to be careful with you."

There was a silence between them again, this time warmer, more tender.

Thaddeus softly "I've always wanted to ask… do you get sore after? Do you feel any pain? You never complain. I just want to know, so I can take care of you better."

Kayden gave him a shy but sincere smile, resting his head lightly on Thaddeus's shoulder.

"Not all the time. You're always gentle with me, even when you don't say it. I think that's why it's never too painful. I just… feel safe."

Thaddeus exhaled slowly, pulling Kayden closer until their bodies were wrapped in a quiet embrace.

Soon, Thaddeus drifted off to sleep, peaceful. But Kayden stayed awake a little longer, eyes open in the dim light.

What did he mean… I'm still soft?

The words echoed in his thoughts, not in a way that worried him, but in a way that made his heart flutter. He smiled faintly to himself, burying his face in Thaddeus's chest as he finally allowed sleep to take him.

The morning sun filtered softly through the sheer curtains, casting golden stripes across the bed. A phone buzzed on the nightstand, its persistent vibration finally waking Thaddeus from his light sleep.

He groaned, reaching for it with one hand, rubbing his eyes with the other.

"Elisa," he mumbled into the phone. He glanced at the time. "7 AM."

Elisa's clear voice crackled through. Good morning, boss "I know it's early, but the board meeting was moved to 9. We'll need you here by 8:30, and Mr. Greaves is requesting a quick brief before it."

Thaddeus sat up and sighed. "Alright, I'll be there. Have the files sent to my tablet and get me a coffee ready when I arrive."

"You got it, sir."

"And Elisa?"

"Yes?"

"Please... no bitter blend today. I want the hazelnut one."

He ended the call with a small chuckle, stretching his limbs as he slid out of bed. He moved with quiet grace, careful not to disturb the peaceful figure still curled up under the covers.

After dressing in a crisp navy suit and fixing his tie in the mirror, Thaddeus turned back toward the bed. Kayden's bare shoulder peeked from beneath the sheets, his hair a mess of soft curls. A tiny snore escaped his lips.

Thaddeus leaned down, brushing his fingers gently through Kayden's hair.

"Good morning, Kayden," he whispered against his ear.

"Mmm…" Kayden murmured, pulling the blanket over his head. "Too early, I wanna sleep more."

Thaddeus laughed under his breath and tried again, this time rubbing his back softly.

"Come on. The sun's up. You're not a vampire."

"Five more minutes," Kayden mumbled like a grumpy child.

Seeing he wasn't going to win this battle, Thaddeus sighed playfully. "Fine, I'll let you be."

He reached for a notepad from the side table, scribbled a quick message, and placed it on Kayden's pillow.

"Good morning, Kay. I'll pick you up after work. T."

With one last glance, Thaddeus headed downstairs, where the aroma of freshly made meals greeted him. He had a quiet, quick breakfast in the sunlit dining room, reading over his notes, then slipped out the front door.

As soon had the door closed, the quiet hum of gossip sparked in the kitchen like a match to dry leaves.

"I swear, boss might look young in the face, but he's pushing forty," said one maid, pouring herself tea.

"What? No way, he doesn't look a day over thirty-five!"

"Thirty-five? Girl, please. That man will be forty soon if he isn't already."

"Nah, I overheard someone last time. He's thirty-nine. But still, either way, he's aging like fine wine."

Another maid chimed in with a dreamy sigh. "He's rich, he's powerful, and have you seen him in that suit? Women should be lining up just to breathe the same air as him."

"I mean… why's he still single though? All this money and not even a girlfriend? If I were him, I'd have had three babies by now."

"Maybe he's just waiting for the right person. Or maybe…" She leaned in dramatically. "He's still heartbroken after that last relationship."

A hush fell.

Then came the whisper.

"I've been noticing something weird lately. Don't you think it's odd, how close he's gotten with Mr. Ryland's son?"

A gasp. "You don't mean… Kayden?"

"I'm just saying. Think about it. The age difference. It's like he's a father figure to him."

"Ugh! Will you stop? You don't even live upstairs. You're just making up stuff."

"But..."

"No but. Just shut your mouth before you start nonsense again."

Just then, a dry cough sounded from behind them. The maids turned slowly, frozen in place like guilty children.

Kayden stood in the doorway in loose grey sweats, arms crossed, hair tousled, eyes heavy with sleep. But his expression? Completely unreadable.

The silence was thick until he finally spoke.

"Serve my breakfast, please."

He walked calmly to the dining table and sat without another word, ignoring their frantic bows and anxious movements as they scrambled to serve him. Every one of them avoided his gaze, their faces a mix of fear and embarrassment.

The maids quickly served his breakfast without another word. Kayden sat down calmly, his expression unreadable as he ate in silence. Though he acted indifferent, their earlier conversation lingered in the back of his mind.

After finishing his meal, he stood up, excused himself politely, and went upstairs to prepare for school.

Once dressed and seated in the car, the quiet hum of the engine became background noise to the thoughts replaying in his head. The maids' voices echoed faintly in his memory:

"He's probably almost forty now..."

"No, I heard he's thirty-nine. Either way, it's time he settled down."

"He's so handsome and rich. Women should be throwing themselves at him."

"But after that last relationship? I doubt he even wants another."

"Something's off between him and the boy..."

"You're crazy. He's old enough to be his father!"

He closed his eyes for a second, sighing quietly as the car pulled out of the driveway.

They think they know everything…

But it wasn't just the gossip that bothered him. It was how close they were to the truth.

When Kayden arrived at school, he was surprised to find the main gates open, but the classrooms were empty. A quick check on the bulletin board confirmed it. Classes had been cancelled for the day due to an emergency faculty meeting.

With nowhere else to go, he headed to the library. The room was quiet, sunlight pouring gently through the tall windows, casting golden patterns over the shelves. Kayden settled into a seat in the far corner, isolated and calm, yet his mind was far from it.

He rested his chin in his palm, eyes gazing blankly at the pages of an unopened book. His thoughts were loud. The maids' gossip. The way his body still reacted to certain memories. The confusion he couldn't shake off.

A familiar voice broke his silence.

"Hey, man. Are you okay?"

Kayden blinked up and found Ariz standing there with his usual calm energy, wearing a half-smile as he slid into the seat across from him.

"You've got that look again," Ariz added, leaning on the table slightly. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Kayden didn't bother deflecting. He liked Ariz for a reason. He was open-minded, mature, and never judgmental.

"Can I ask you something personal?" Kayden said.

Ariz raised a brow but nodded. "Shoot."

Kayden hesitated, then leaned in slightly and lowered his voice. "Are you a top or bottom?"