All Chapters of A Love Mess: Who loves who?: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Arlen got out of bed and stretched before turning on the light. The clock on the wall, a housewarming gift from his father, read 7:30 AM. His room was small, just how he liked it. Everything was neatly organized against the white walls, with only the essentials. On his nightstand sat a framed photo of himself, Nick, and their father at the opening of his café, one of the few pictures of the mayor he kept on display. He walked over to the mirror to check his messy appearance. He spent several hours yesterday, reflecting on the conversation he had with others, shivering at the memory. Justin had pushed him to go to the party, even though Arlen didn’t want to attend. Besides feeling uneasy around so many strangers who were too loud for his taste, he knew Cade would be there, and he wanted to avoid that. Arlen couldn’t recall when or why the tension between him and Cade started; he only knew it existed. It hung in the air whenever they were together, something uncomfortable that they

Cade and his father shook hands with the Japanese business mogul as he prepared to leave, accompanied by four men in suits. They had just finalized a deal worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The evening felt great, but something about it seemed off to Cade. Just two hours earlier, his father had called to let him know he would be joining him to wrap up the deal, which felt unusual. While his father, still an active CEO, always oversaw significant deals, he usually trusted Cade completely when it came to signing off on transactions involving millions. Moreover, this particular deal was straightforward since both sides were happy with the terms; it was practically finished and only needed final signatures. Cade couldn't figure out why his father wanted to "join" him for this meeting. However, he decided not to ask questions and would wait for his dad to explain when he was ready. Mr. Stone glanced at his son, who was also focused on the menu. He felt unsure about how to bring up

Justin frowned when he opened the door and found Arlen standing there. He had been ignoring Arlen's calls because he didn't want to talk to him, yet there was Arlen at his doorstep. No amount of pretense could hide the displeased look on Justin's face. "I called you several times but you didn't answer," Arlen said, his heart racing. "Oh, I didn't realize where I had put my phone. Is something wrong?" Justin asked, hoping he'd leave soon. He didn't have time for more affectionate actions. "Yes, there is a problem. My dad has arranged a ridiculous marriage for me with his friend's son," Arlen blurted out. "What?" "My dad wants me to marry his friend's son," Arlen repeated. Marriage? Justin struggled to suppress the grin that was threatening to appear. This meant he was finally free. Arlen would get married, and Cade would be all his. This was the best news he had received all year so he turned away slightly to conceal the smile on his face. "Come in," he said as he stepped aside.

The main hall inside the ST building was set to host a press conference. It was already crowded, with whispers echoing off the walls as reporters and TV stations gathered. No one knew what the announcement would be, and every TV station wanted to be there to cover it. Arlen was dressed in a suit, waiting in the hallway to be called into the main hall. He had spent the night at Justin's house for comfort, holding him tightly while wishing the day would never come. Justin had reassured him that they would get through it together and that he would be by Arlen's side. Arlen clung to those words, hoping his father would eventually let go of his issues with Justin's family. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Justin over this ridiculous marriage. But as Arlen left Justin's house that morning, he realized something that bothered him. He hadn't told Justin who he was marrying. It seemed strange that Justin hadn't asked. Arlen had expected him to be curious, maybe even offer to accompa