The sharp echo of door opening and closing behind Leo made him stiffened. His shoulders hitched up toward his ears, his body locking into a defensive freeze as if a predator had just stepped into his territory.
Adrian didn't glance at him right away. He calmly loosened his silk tie as his sharp eyes flicked over the extravagant, unused wedding decorations.
"You can sleep in the guest room today. I will call the cleaners tomorrow to clean all this mess."
Leo didn't reply and merely squeezed his eyes shut for a brief second. Keeping his head ducked low so his messy bangs hid his face, he turned on his heel, preparing to slip away into the shadows of the hallway.
"Wait."
Leo halted mid-step. He shrank slightly into himself, his fingers subconsciously tugging at the oversized sleeves of his sweaters, a nervous habit he didn't even realize he had, making him look tiny and swallowed up by the heavy fabric.
Adrian rubbed his temple, feeling a sudden headache brewing. He looked at his new husband, taking in the trembling frame, and sighed. The silence in the room felt suffocating as Leo waited for Adrian to speak further.
"Listen to me," Adrian began in a strict tone. "This marriage is strictly for business purposes. It satisfies the alliance our families needed, nothing more. I hope you don't get any foolish ideas or get your hopes up about us like my mother wants."
Leo slowly turned, raised his chin just enough to meet Adrian's gaze, his large, bright eyes wide with quiet understanding. He gave a single nod. He was well aware. He knew his place and that he was just a silent pawn in a corporate game, he had no illusions of a fairytale romance.
"Good," Adrian said coldly, though a tiny part of him felt a strange prick of discomfort at how easily his little husband accepted the harsh truth. He sighed again, leaning back against the door. "We will visit my family tomorrow evening for the official post-wedding dinner. Go rest now."
Leo nodded once more, quickly stepping backward out of the room like a frightened ghost, carefully pulling the door closed behind him.
Once he was alone, Adrian didn't hesitate. He tore down the satin ribbons with a flick of his wrist, sweeping the remaining decorative clutter off the nightstand onto the floor. He didn't care to sort it out.
Turning off the lights, he threw himself onto one side of the massive king-sized bed, leaving the other half entirely untouched, and closed his eyes.
The next morning, the bitter scent of espresso didn't greet Adrian as he descended the staircase. Instead, the aroma of freshly made breakfast filled the ground floor.
Adrian paused as he watched the meticulous dining table. Standing right beside the head of the table was Leo. He was wearing an apron that was clearly too big for him, the straps sliding off one of his narrow shoulders. He had his hands folded neatly in front of him, standing at attention like a nervous waiter waiting for a harsh critic.
When Adrian walked into the dining room, Leo flinched slightly, his posture straightening even further.
"Sit down," Adrian commanded softly, pulling out his own chair.
Leo hesitated, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his wide eyes darting from the chair to Adrian. He was clearly terrified of doing the wrong thing, yet the idea of disobeying his husband scared him even more. Cautiously, he pulled out a chair opposite Adrian and sat on the very edge of it.
Adrian, noticing how frozen the younger man was, didn't sit immediately. He made sure Leo was completely settled before taking his own seat. Seeing that Leo hadn't touched a single utensil, Adrian reached across the table, grabbed a plate, and served a generous portion of fluffy eggs, toast, and fruit onto it. He pushed it toward Leo, then served himself.
"Eat," Adrian ordered simply.
Leo nervously picked up his fork.
Adrian also took his first bite. The food was undeniably incredible. The eggs were velvety, the seasoning was precise, and the flavor profile was exquisite. Leo was clearly an exceptional cook. Yet, as Adrian chewed, a strange sense of dissonance settled in his chest. Something felt off. Something was missing from the quiet morning routine, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.
Everything seemed fine on the surface...until he heard the nibbling sound coming from the other side. Adrian froze, his fork pausing as he looked up.
Leo was staring blankly at the wall, completely lost in his own world, absentmindedly nibbling on a piece of dry toast. His cheeks were slightly puffed out, his front teeth working fast like a tiny, preoccupied hamster storing food for the winter. He was so completely absorbed in his quiet little ritual that he was entirely oblivious to how ridiculous and undeniably adorable he looked.
A breathless chuckle escaped Adrian's throat before he could stop it.
Ah, that was what was missing. The silent house finally had a sound, and it was the quiet chewing of a tiny hamster.
The sound of Adrian's laughter startled Leo out of his trance. The younger man gasped, his eyes going wide as saucers. He instantly stopped chewing, his cheeks still puffed with food, looking terrified that he had somehow offended his cold husband.
Adrian instantly caught himself. He slammed his stoic mask back into place, clearing his throat loudly to cover up his slip-up.
"It's nothing," Adrian said sternly, leaning back. "Keep eating."
Leo slowly swallowed, his face flushing a deep pink as he ducked his head, taking much smaller, incredibly cautious bites.
"You will stay at home today and rest," Adrian declared, breaking the silence again as he wiped his mouth with a napkin before giving Leo a warning glare. "I will send Aaron in the evening to pick you up for the family dinner. And do not do any chores. The home cleaners will arrive soon to take care of everything. Do you understand?"
Leo blinked, his head tilting slightly in confusion. He looked at the vast, spotless kitchen, then down at his oversized apron. He nodded, though the slight furrow in his brow made Adrian heavily doubt if the boy would actually sit still all day.
"Good," Adrian murmured and stood up, adjusted his suit jacket, and walked out without another word.
Twenty minutes later, Adrian's black car pulled up to the entrance of the corporate skyscraper.
The rear door was instantly pulled open by Aaron, his always energetic personal assistant. Aaron practically bounced on his feet, leaning forward eagerly to peer into the back seat.
"Good morning, Boss! I hope the second day of married life—" Aaron stopped mid-sentence. His bright smile melted away, his face dropping in visible disappointment when he saw the empty leather seat beside Adrian. "Where's Leo?"
Adrian stepped out of the car. He halted in his tracks, turning his head slowly to scan Aaron from toe to head with an icy, lethal glare that could freeze a volcano. Aaron swallowed hard, suddenly remembering who he was talking to. He cleared his throat nervously, taking a quick step back.
"I-I mean...didn't you bring him today, Boss? What if the kid gets scared all alone in that huge house? He doesn't know the place yet, and..."
"Aaron," Adrian cut him off, his voice dripping with danger. "I haven't forgotten your foolish antics from yesterday. If you spend another second meddling in my personal affairs, your relocation to our sub-branch in the Arctic will be finalized by noon."
Aaron blushed red in sheer embarrassment, zipping his lips tightly and bowing his head. "Understood, Sir. My apologies."
Adrian turned and began walking. Aaron quickly fell into step half a pace behind him, opening his iPad to recover his professionalism.
"Today's schedule is relatively light in the morning, Boss," Aaron recited briskly, his voice professional once more. "You have the budget review at ten, followed by the signing with the overseas directors at two. However..." Aaron paused, glancing up from his screen as they reached the private executive elevator. "...your cousin is already waiting for you inside your office."
The moment Adrian unlocked the door to his executive office, a blur of motion lunged toward him. Before he could react, a pair of arms threw themselves around his neck, nearly knocking the breath out of him.
"Adrian! You're finally here!"
Adrian's eyes narrowed to cold slits. Without a second thought, he seized the person by the shoulders and pushed him back with an uncompromising force. He stepped inside, smoothing down the front of his custom suit jacket. "Learn some manners, Tristan. You are in a corporate building, not a playground."
Tristan—his younger cousin, and undeniably the most spoiled child in the extended family pursed his lips into a dramatic pout. He stomped his designer shoe against the plush carpet.
"Why are you always scolding me?" Tristan whined, folding his arms over his chest. "I'm already having the worst week, and you just have to make it worse!"
Ignoring him, Adrian walked past him and took his seat behind the desk. "Why are you here?"
Tristan's pout vanished instantly, replaced by a sweet, overly convincing smile. He shuffled closer, leaning against the edge of the desk. "Well...I was thinking my favorite cousin might want to help me out. I just need to borrow a small sum of money. Just a tiny loan! I'll return it soon, I promise!"
"You haven't returned the last sum," Adrian stated plainly, his sharp gaze locking onto the younger boy. "Or the one before that."
Tristan's cheeks flushed a bright, embarrassed red. Caught red-handed, he immediately defaulted to his usual weapon: acting spoiled. "That wasn't my fault! Mom went completely crazy and took away all my cards! Every single one! Adrian, you have to help me. I'm literally broke!"
"I can't," Adrian replied, his voice devoid of pity. "Your mother specially called me last night and explicitly forbade me from giving you a single cent."
Tristan groaned loudly, burying his face in his hands. It was the truth. Aunt Evelyn respected Adrian immensely,often viewing him as the golden standard of the family and desperately wanted her foolish, airheaded son to mature and become just like him.
Realizing logic wasn't working, Tristan squeezed his eyes shut and forced out a pathetic fake sob. "You're so heartless! How can you watch your own blood suffer? I'm going to starve on the streets!"
He peeked through his fingers to check Adrian's reaction, but Adrian merely stared back with an unblinking, utterly unbothered expression. Realizing his antics weren't gaining a shred of sympathy, Tristan instantly stopped his fake crying, wiping away non-existent tears with a sigh.
"Fine, be like that," Tristan leaned back, crossing his arms. "Are you even coming home tonight for the family dinner? Or are you going to hide in your office like always?"
"I'm coming," Adrian said cleanly.
Tristan's heart practically skipped a beat. His eyes went wide, and he jumped up from the desk, his energetic nature instantly bouncing back. "Really?! You're actually coming?!"
Adrian rolled his eyes, resting his chin on his palm. Kids these days are ridiculously energetic.
But as he stared at Tristan's vibrant, bouncing form, a quiet and unexpected thought crept into his mind. Another boy flashed across his memory, the quiet, skittish soul he had left back at the house just an hour ago.
Leo was around the exact same age as Tristan. Yet, they couldn't be more different. Tristan was loud, expressive, spoiled, and brimming with unrefined life. Leo, on the other hand, was a ghost in his own skin, silent, terrifyingly cautious, and hiding behind oversized sleeves.
Adrian's chest tightened slightly. If Leo hadn't been abused by his family...would he be as energetic as Tristan? How would he look if he laughed loudly, or pouted, or demanded things without fear? What would Leo be like then?
The uncharacteristic stream of questions nagged at the edge of his cold mind, lingering longer than he cared to admit.
"Hey! Earth to Adrian!" Before Adrian could react, Tristan suddenly lunged across the wide desk, cupping Adrian's face between his hands.
Adrian froze, completely stunned by the audacity.
"Are you finally ready to show up with a girl?" Tristan asked funnily, his face inches away, grinning like a mischievous imp. "Or are you finally ready to just die under the collective nagging of the entire family?"
Adrian felt instantly suffocated by the sudden, intense closeness. Kids these days are entirely too confident, he thought, irritation spiking through him.
He gripped Tristan's wrists firmly, shoving his cousin's hands away from his face. "Focus on your studies. Or I will personally call your mother and inform her of your current GPA."
Tristan visibly shivered at the threat, taking a swift step back with wide horrified eyes. "You wouldn't!"
"Try me," Adrian deadpanned. "Now leave. I have work."
Tristan huffed, turning toward the door. "Fine! But I'll see you at night, cold-hearted monster!"
Adrian watched the door click shut, finally plunging the office back into a blissful silence. He let out a slow breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose, before diving into his mountain of paperwork.
By noon, the high-intensity morning meetings were wrapped up. Adrian leaned back in his leather chair, pulling out his phone to call Aaron.
"Boss?" Aaron's voice came through instantly.
"Go to the house now and pick up Leo," Adrian instructed smoothly. "And make sure you bring the custom garment bag resting in my private lounge. It contains the suit I had prepared for him. Ensure he is dressed appropriately before you bring him down to the venue."
"On it, Boss!"
Adrian hung up, getting ready himself in his private suite adjoining the office. He swapped his daytime work blazer for a dark dinner suit. Once ready, he took the private elevator down to the VIP underground parking garage.
His driver opened the rear door of the executive sedan. Adrian stepped forward, slipping inside and froze dead in his tracks.
Sitting quietly in the opposite corner of the back seat was Leo.
The custom tailored suit fitted him impeccably. His messy bangs had been neatly styled back, revealing his bright, expressive eyes and the soft, breathtaking symmetry of his face. He sat with his hands neatly folded in his lap, looking like a tiny, fragile doll made of precious glass.
He looked extraordinarily beautiful. Delicate, elegant, and entirely breathtaking.
Adrian found himself breathless, his cold composure momentarily shattering as his eyes swept over his quiet husband. Leo, feeling the heavy, intense gaze on him, blinked nervously. He shrank back slightly into the leather seat, clutching the hem of his jacket, terrified that he had somehow dressed wrong.
Adrian quickly cleared his throat, snapping his mask of stoicism back into place as he pulled the car door shut. He sat down beside Leo, the faint scent of fresh vanilla washing over him once again.
"You look..." Adrian paused, his voice gruff, refusing to let his heart betray him. "...acceptable. Let's go."
Leo sat stiffly, his knuckles turned stark white as he clutched the edge of his sleeve. Every turn of the wheels brought them closer to the Hale family estate, and every second made his chest tighten just a little more. Back at his own family's house, "family gatherings" meant cruel words, sharp corners, and harsh punishment. He didn't know how to exist in a world where family didn't mean danger.
Beside him, Adrian didn't look up from his tablet, the harsh white light illuminating his unbothered profile. Yet, despite his icy demeanor, Adrian's keen eyes picked up on every micro-movement, the rapid rise and fall of Leo's chest, the slight tremble in his lower lip, and the way he tried so hard to make himself look as small as possible.
Adrian let out a quiet breath, turning off the tablet screen.
"Stop trembling. You have no reason to be nervous. My family is not bad."
Leo slowly turned his head to look at Adrian.
They aren't bad?
Leo gave a hesitant small nod. Strangely, as he looked into Adrian's steady gaze, the fierce beating in his chest began to ease. It was silly, naïve, even but Leo's heart simply chose to believe whatever his husband said. If Adrian said he wouldn't be hurt, then Leo felt, for the very first time in his life, that he might actually be safe.
Absorbed in his newfound relief, Leo unconsciously let out a long sigh. Without realizing it, he leaned his head slightly to the side, his hair brushing against Adrian's shoulder, and snuggled his nose into the collar of his suit like a tiny kitten seeking warmth. It was completely involuntary, a purely instinctive gesture of trust.
Adrian's breath hitched. He stared down at the small head resting against his arm. His muscles locked up, entirely unsure of how to react to such unprompted, effortless affection. Before he could decide whether to push the boy away or let him stay, the car came to a gentle halt.
Leo snapped back to reality, realizing what he had just done. His face flushed a brilliant crimson. He violently pulled back, bowing his head repeatedly toward Adrian in silent apologies, his hands fluttering in panic.
"Enough," Adrian grunted, though his voice lacked its usual sharp edge as he adjusted his jacket and opened the car door. "Let's get out."
The moment Leo stepped foot onto the gravel driveway of the massive Hale manor, a figure burst through the grand entrance gates.
"My sweet child!"
Before Leo could even register the sudden movement, Madam Hale swept forward. She didn't bother waiting for them to walk up the steps, she swooped in and engulfed Leo in a bone-crushing hug.
Leo squeaked silently, his body instantly going rigid with shock. He had his arms pinned to his sides, trapped in the smothering affection of a woman who looked far too excited to see him.
"Oh, look at you! You look absolutely radiant!" Madam Hale gushed, pulling back just enough to cupping Leo's flushed cheeks with her gloved hands. "I am so, so happy to see you again, darling!"
Leo stood completely helpless, his cheeks puffed out slightly in utter confusion, blinking rapidly like a confused puppy caught in a trap. Adrian rolled his eyes. Stepping forward, he reached out, grabbed the back of Leo's suit collar, and casually pulled the smaller boy backward, tucking Leo firmly behind his broad back.
"Stop smothering him, Mother," Adrian commanded coldly. "And stop acting like he's your daughter-in-law. For God's sake, Leo is a man."
Madam Hale instantly dropped her hands, making a dramatic, offended face at her son. "Oh, shush, you icy wooden block! You have zero romance in your soul!"
She immediately bypassed Adrian, stepping around his tall frame with a blindingly sweet smile directed straight at the timid boy hiding behind him.
"Ignore him, Leo dear. Come along with me. I am going to introduce you to absolutely everyone tonight! The aunts, the cousins, the—"
Before her hand could touch Leo's wrist, Adrian sidestepped smoothly to place his tall body directly between his mother and Leo once again. He blocked her path completely.
"Ease up," Adrian warned, glaring down at his mother. "Please do not overwhelm him as soon as he gets here."
Leo peeked out from behind Adrian's broad shoulder, his small hands lightly tugging on the hem of Adrian's suit jacket for comfort. He didn't even realize he was using his cold husband as a human shield, but the subtle trust in the gesture didn't escape Madam Hale's sharp eyes. She smirked, clearly amused by her son's subconscious protectiveness.
"Oh? Is my big, scary son worried about his little husband?" Madam Hale teased, raising an eyebrow.
"I am stating a fact," Adrian replied flatly. "If you drag him around the entire estate right now, he will—"
"Adrian!" A bright, high-pitched, cheerful voice suddenly cut through the air, echoing across the front lawn. Before Adrian could even turn his head, someone threw themselves straight at him. "I can't believe you're finally here!"
It was his childhood friend.
Leo's eyes widened. Hiding just behind Adrian, he froze completely, his small fingers still clutching the fabric of Adrian's jacket as he watched the gorgeous, lively girl wrap herself around his husband.