جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

Lucien left for Tokyo on a Tuesday.He kissed Milo at 5 AM at the elevator, suitcase in hand, and said, "Three days. That's it. I'll call you every night at 9 PM your time. That's 11 AM my time. Okay?"Milo nodded, wearing Lucien's biggest hoodie, trying to be brave. "Okay. Three days. Easy."It was not easy.Day 1:Milo cleaned the entire penthouse. Twice.He organized Lucien's suits by color. He organized Lucien's ties by how much he liked them on Lucien (most liked = the ones that made Lucien look taken). He took 112 photos of the empty bed.At 9 PM, Lucien called."Hi," Milo said, picking up on the first ring."Hi, my love," Lucien's voice, tired, from a hotel room in Tokyo. "Did you eat?""Yes," Milo lied. He hadn't. "Did you?""Yes," Lucien lied too. Lena was in the background saying "He hasn't eaten since the flight."Milo pouted. "Lucien Beaumont, you eat right now or I will fly to Tokyo and feed you myself."Lucien laughed. "Yes, sir."After the call, Milo ate two bites of to

It was 3:12 AM.Milo burned the pasta again.It wasn't even complicated pasta. It was from a box. Boil water, add pasta, add sauce. Milo somehow made it smoke.The fire alarm beeped once and then stopped, because even the fire alarm was tired of Milo.Lucien walked into the kitchen in his sleep pants, hair messy, no shirt, and saw Milo standing over a smoking pot, holding a spatula like a weapon, looking close to tears."I'm sorry," Milo whispered. "I wanted to make you midnight snack because you worked late and— and I burned it."Lucien didn't say anything. He just turned off the stove, threw the pot in the sink, and opened the fridge."Bread. Cheese. Butter," he said, listing.Milo sniffed. "What?""You burned the pasta, my love. So I will make grilled cheese. My specialty. My mom taught me when I was 8 because I burned pasta too."He made two grilled cheeses. Golden, perfect. He put them on a plate and sat Milo on the kitchen counter, standing between his legs.Milo was still in Lu

Milo saw Daniel first.He was at the coffee shop near campus, editing photos for his new Tokyo campaign — because now Milo Chen had a campaign, because his boyfriend was a billionaire who believed in him.And there was Daniel. Same hair. Same smile that used to make Milo do anything."Milo? Holy shit," Daniel said. "You look... wow."Milo froze. His old hoodie suddenly felt too big. His lip piercing felt stupid."Hi," Milo said, small.Daniel sat down without asking. "I saw Page Six. Billionaire boyfriend, huh? Beaumont Corp? Damn, you upgraded."Milo didn't know what to say. Old feelings — shame, smallness — came back fast."I was a dick," Daniel said. "I know. I cheated and you... you deserved better. I heard you threw wine on Alex? That's very you."Milo's hands shook around his camera.Before he could answer, the coffee shop door opened and cold air came in.Lucien.Lucien Beaumont in a $5,000 coat, scanning the shop, eyes finding Milo instantly. He had been tracking — not in a cr

Milo had a plan.It was a bad plan, according to his Google search history at 2 AM:how to be sexy possessive boyfriendhow to seduce billionaire bfis it hot if i sit on his lap during zoomHe had never tried to be sexy possessive. He was always whiny possessive, or wine-throwing possessive, or 3 AM phone-checking possessive. But Lucien had been possessive for him at the coffee shop with Daniel, and Milo had thought it was so hot that he couldn't sleep.So now it was his turn.Lucien was working from home on Friday. Important Zoom. Beaumont Corp Japan final approval. Lena said "DO NOT INTERRUPT HIM, Milo, he will literally lose $10 million if you interrupt."Perfect.Milo took a shower. He put on his blackest black jeans, the ones with the rips that showed his freckled knees. He put on Lucien's white dress shirt — the expensive one, too big, first three buttons undone, so his collarbones showed. No hoodie. He put on his lip piercing, cleaned it. Black nails fresh. Hair messy on purpo

They had never fought before.Not real fight. Bickering, yes. "You stole my hoodie" / "You stole my heart" kind of fight. But not real, cold, hurt fight.It happened on a Thursday.Milo had a gallery offer. A small gallery in Brooklyn wanted to show his Tokyo photos — not because Lucien called them, because they saw his Instagram and liked his freckles and his eye.Milo was so excited he ran all the way home and shouted, "Lucien! Lucien! They want my photos!"Lucien was on a call. Important call. He held up one finger — wait.Milo waited. One minute. Two minutes. Five minutes.Lucien's call went on. CEO voice, cold numbers, "the Tokyo deal is not stable."Milo's excitement got smaller and smaller. He sat on the couch, camera in lap, like that first rainy day.When Lucien finally hung up, an hour later, Milo said again, quieter: "I got a gallery—""That's amazing, love," Lucien said, but he was already typing on his laptop, distracted. "We will celebrate tonight, okay? I have to finish