After having a good conversation, they both left the restaurant, with Rafael feeling fulfilled and beaming with smiles.
When he got home, he was still laughing, unable to wipe the grin from his face. His friend asked him several times when he would stop, but Rafael only laughed in response.
A few days passed, and Rafael was called in to sign the contract. The document detailed his payment method, work schedule, and other important details. It stipulated that he must not reveal the nature of the illness or the treatment method to anyone.
He was required to do everything possible to please the boss and was forbidden from terminating the contract before its expiration. The contract was set to last for a year.
The length of the contract made Rafael both joyful and a bit apprehensive. It meant that if he tried anything like running away, he would likely face dire consequences. But then again, what was there to run away from?
After considering everything, Rafael didn't worry about it any longer and willingly signed the agreement. He committed himself for a year for Marco's protection, and he wasn't the least bit annoyed.
First, he could start the spy mission immediately, and second, he would have the opportunity to meet Marco face-to-face and attempt to cure him.
Rafael felt validated in his comments to Marco's secretary; Marco's previous attempts at self-treatment had been inadequate, and it was good that he had decided to follow a doctor's guidance.
By choosing Rafael over all his other contacts, Marco had entrusted him with a significant responsibility. Rafael promised himself he would do his best to save both his family and Don Marco.
Another clause in the contract stated that Rafael had to live in the same house as Don Marco, sharing an adjacent room and having breakfast with him.
______
A day after his check-up, Rafael received the results: he was clean. He wondered why the check-up had been necessary but didn't dwell on it.
As Rafael packed his clothes meticulously, a certain someone in his room wasn't ready to let it go.
"So, you don't think this check-up is because he wants a taste?" his friend Louise asked with a smirk.
"Louise!" Rafael admonished, his cheeks turning crimson as he turned back to his packing.
"Oh…" Louise said, not backing down as he pointed at Rafael's flushed face, "What's this red stuff on your face? You interested in getting your ass drilled too, huh?" he teased, laughing.
Louise was Rafael's closest friend, which meant he didn't hide anything from him, not even his crush. The guy hadn't stopped teasing him since he found out.
"What about Matthew? Have you ended things with him?" Louise asked, finally broaching a more serious topic that didn't make Rafael blush.
"Him?" Rafael raised an eyebrow as he folded his clothes. "We broke up."
"What?" Louise exclaimed, standing up from the bed in annoyance. "No wonder he looked disheveled yesterday. That's harsh, Rafael."
Rafael scoffed, turning to face Louise. "Harsh? You think that's harsh?"
He added, "Would it be better if I went there to meet my crush and got involved while still being with someone else?"
"Well, you aren't going there to get involved…" Louise said in defense.
"Well, you said it yourself that I was going there," Rafael retorted, mimicking Louise's tone, intent on mocking him.
"Fine!" Louise relented, sitting back on the bed. "You're done with Matthew, and now it's Don Marco."
"Not really," Rafael replied with a grim smile, a hint of sulkiness in his voice.
"What now?" Louise asked.
"I'm not sure if I'll die before our love story even begins. Which will happen first?"
"Fine…fine…it's okay, say no more," Louise said, waving Rafael off. "Spare me from your ridiculous and boring life story."
"Ouch…that's harsh," Rafael joked, clutching his heart. "But it's true."
They both laughed and moved on to more pressing matters before Rafael was seen off. Rafael had made sure to visit the orphanage the day before, so he was prepared and ready to go.
It struck him as odd that Marco's secretary hadn't sent a car to get him. Rafael had thought Marco was eager to meet him and start the treatment, so what was the hold-up?
He had tried calling them, but none of their lines were going through. Was everything alright? His worry motivated him to make his way there anyway.
When he arrived at Marco's house, things only got more complicated. The security was tight, and he was stopped at the main gate, unable to enter the building to even wait inside.
Rafael sat under the hot sun, resting against his bags, cursing himself for coming without confirmation. Since their lines weren't working, he hadn't been able to get in touch with Patrick to explain his situation.
"Good for you," he could almost hear Louise's voice mocking him as he sat there.
He watched as the sun dipped below the horizon, the day shifting into evening as darkness descended. The streetlights flickered on, awakening him from his nap. He looked up at the bright sky, stars beginning to glow.
The clouds grumbled ominously, and he felt a drop of water hit his face.
"Damn it!" he cursed as the sky opened and rain poured down, heavy and relentless.
Rafael had caught a cold the night before, which he had managed to sleep off, but with the way he was getting drenched, he doubted he'd escape it this time.
Suddenly, a car drove up, its headlights flickering in his eyes. Rafael squinted through the rain, his brown hair plastered to his forehead, his clothes clinging to him uncomfortably.
The car door opened, and he saw a tall figure step out. The man wore a sharp suit, and as he walked toward Rafael, he opened a large umbrella, shielding himself from the rain.
He approached Rafael, blocking the downpour with the umbrella, and said with a slight smirk, "So, you're my new toy?"
"Toy?" Rafael echoed, confused, as he looked up at the man but who he was made his heart race uncontrollably.