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Chapter 4
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Caged for Him, Crowned by Another Chapter 7
Later, I learned the truth—Ian's so-called terminal illness had been nothing but a lie. He had taken medication to make himself weak and relied on makeup to create the illusion of being gravely ill. In reality, he was healthy and strong. It had all been a performance, a desperate ploy to marry Luke.Eventually, Luke discovered the deception. The two quarreled bitterly, and he demanded a divorce. Ian, having schemed so hard to secure the marriage, naturally refused. What followed was endless fighting, their household descending into chaos.One day, while shopping at the mall, I ran into them by accident. It happened to be Ian's mother's fiftieth birthday, and Luke had been forced to accompany him to buy a gift. Yet throughout the trip, he sat in a corner glued to his phone, offering no opinions, no interest at all. Inevitably, the two of them began arguing again.I had no intention of interfering, but the moment Luke spotted me, he rushed over."Adam, you're shopping too?" His
Caged for Him, Crowned by Another Chapter 6
The weekend came again, and Jonathan said he wanted to take me somewhere.Every time he said that, I couldn't help but look forward to it. Wherever he brought me, it was always a surprise—either a meal perfectly suited to my taste, an activity I loved, or a place worth seeing.But this time, I overheard him on the phone with his assistant, telling them to postpone a meeting.I didn't want him to delay his business for me, yet he insisted he wasn't doing it for me, but for himself—because being with me made him happy.I froze for a moment, struck by the subtle but undeniable difference between him and Luke.Luke would never cancel work or skip a gathering with friends for my sake. In his world, there was always room for many things—but somehow, never for me. I had grown used to waiting: waiting for him to finish his business, waiting for him to end a dinner, waiting for him to wrap up work. I lived in constant fear that showing up uninvited would burden him, disrupt his career, h
Caged for Him, Crowned by Another Chapter 5
A few days later, Brian Connerty, a mutual friend of Luke and me, called."Adam, you just got out of prison, and immediately, you ran off with another man? Luke's wasted himself drunk here. Come get him."I frowned. "You dialed the wrong person. You should be calling his partner, not me.""Aren't you his partner? Don't tell me your marriage was fake." Brian sounded leisurely."A month ago, on the day I was released, Luke made me sign divorce papers so he could marry Ian. Am I cheating if I look for someone now that I'm single, Brian?" I smiled thinly."Oh my goodness, Luke's such an idiot. Sorry to bother you." He hung up, and I deleted every trace of Luke from my phone.That night, I dreamed I was back in prison, being bullied and abused. I woke with a start, drenched in sweat, tears still wet at my eyes, panic flooding my chest. Jonathan patted my back gently. "It's okay. Don't be afraid. I'm here."I clung to him like a castaway clutching driftwood, desperate for safety. Th
Caged for Him, Crowned by Another Chapter 4
Seeing Jonathan struggle in pain, I finally gave in.The next day, my body ached from head to toe; I felt as if my bones might fall apart. Jonathan, however, acted as if nothing had happened—bright-eyed and by my side until I woke. I expected awkwardness after what had passed between us, but to my surprise, he showed no hesitation at all. Instead, he entwined his fingers with mine and whispered in my ear, "Adam, what do you think of me?"I frowned. "Aren't you straight?""So what if I've always liked men?" Jonathan answered, completely unfazed—no blush, no stammer.I laughed. Later, I learned he'd never been in a relationship before; after his release three years ago, he found himself thinking of me until he realized he loved me. Maybe he'd been straight once and I bent him, or maybe meeting me simply awakened something in him. In any case, he was certain: he liked me.His sudden confession left me a little stunned. Besides, my divorce wasn't finalized yet—I was, technical
Caged for Him, Crowned by Another Chapter 3
I steadied myself, then went shopping after work to cook Jonathan a proper dinner. Since I was living under his roof and had agreed to handle the housework, I couldn't slack off.At the table, Jonathan's family praised my cooking until I felt embarrassed. Later, Jonathan told me his company was holding its annual gala and invited me to attend. That's when I learned the renowned Brooke Group belonged to him — and the convenience store where I'd just started working was one of his businesses.Jonathan had been framed by relatives and spent three years in prison. He could have gotten out sooner, but he used that absence to conceal his strength. While different branches of the Brooke family tore each other apart, he waited in the shadows, then reemerged to collect the spoils and eventually unify the whole group. That he was the one behind the empire stunned me.I had not expected to run into Luke at the gala. I arrived with Jonathan at my side, and my presence set tongues wagging.
Caged for Him, Crowned by Another Chapter 2
Staring at the sprawling, intersecting roads, I felt utterly lost. I had no idea where to go.Then something occurred to me. I pulled a scrap of paper from my bag; a phone number was scribbled across it. I borrowed a passerby's phone and dialed the number. To my surprise, it connected.Half an hour later, Jonathan Brooke appeared like an answer to my prayers. He took me to buy a new phone, new clothes, and even found me a job. He walked me through, in minute detail, how the outside world had changed over the past five years and urged me to adapt.When it came time to find a place to live, he brought me to a high-end apartment complex in the city center. I assumed we were looking for rentals—until he told me this was his home. I had known, vaguely, that the cellmate who'd helped me had a decent background, but I had never expected such wealth. This neighborhood was expensive—every inch counted.Jonathan insisted I stay. He knew I wouldn't accept charity, so he put me in charge
