Star nodded, her smile warm. "Yeah, you deserve this, Cal," she agreed. Then, a playful light entered her eyes as she added, "And Ivan doesn't need to marry that girl anymore!"
She jumped up, clapping her hands in excitement. The sound was infectious, and soon Callistus found himself laughing along with them, the worries of the past few weeks melting away in the light of their joy. For a moment, everything was perfect—just him, his lover, and their friends, all together in this new chapter of his life.
As they walked downstairs, Star looked at her brother. "When will you tell Dad?" she asked.
Ivan sighed, glancing at her. "I'll see when," he replied, his tone uncertain, as if he hadn't quite figured it out yet.
"How much longer until that wedding?" Mia chimed in.
"Four months," Ivan answered.
At that moment, Callistus felt like the floor had shifted beneath him.
"Four?" he repeated, his voice edged with disbelief.
He hadn't realised how much time had passed since he made the deal. Two months—gone in the blink of an eye. The memory of that moment played on a loop in his mind: the photograph, the money, and the deadly outcome.
Ivan immediately noticed the change in Callistus's expression. The colour drained from his face, and his eyes seemed distant, lost in thought. Ivan squeezed his hand gently, trying to pull him back.
"Callistus?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Callistus snapped back to the present, blinking as if he had just woken from a bad dream. "Huh? What did you say?"
"Are you okay?" Ivan pressed, his eyes searching Callistus's face for answers.
Callistus forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm fine," he reassured Ivan, but the words felt hollow.
Mia and Star soon said their goodbyes, leaving the couple alone in the quiet house. As the night deepened, they settled into bed, lying side by side. Ivan drifted off to sleep almost immediately. But Callistus lay wide awake, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing with thoughts he couldn't control.
The reality of his situation weighed heavily on him. If he were to cancel the deal, the client would just find someone else to carry out the hit. And then, it wouldn't just be Ivan who was in danger—Callistus himself would become a target as well. The idea of someone else coming after Ivan sent a cold shiver down his spine.
A notification buzzed on his phone, snapping him out of his spiralling thoughts. He reached for it with a trembling hand and unlocked the screen. It was from the client.
The message was simple, but it made Callistus's blood run cold: Another 2 million had been transferred into his account, bringing the total to 10 million.
The client was determined—he wanted Ivan dead, and he was willing to pay a huge sum to make it happen. The reason was clear: Ivan's death would secure the client company's future, a future without Callistus standing in the way.
Callistus stared at the message, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on him. If Ivan were to go through with the marriage, it would save him from this deadly deal. But Callistus couldn't bring himself to let that happen. He couldn't stand the thought of losing Ivan to someone else, even if it meant saving his life.
His heart raced as he thought about his choices, none of them good. Cancelling the deal could lead to disaster, but going through with it would destroy the happiness he'd found. As he lay there, the darkness felt like it was closing in on him, suffocating him.
He looked over at Ivan, who was peacefully sleeping beside him. Callistus reached out, before he stopped.
Maybe loving him was a mistake.
He thought, pulling his hand back, turning away and eventually drifting off to sleep.
—
"Callistus? Callistus!" Ivan called out, searching the house.
When he woke up, Callistus was already gone from the bed. At first, Ivan didn't think much of it on a Saturday morning, but as he searched the house—upstairs, downstairs, in every room—there was no sign of him.
Worry set in as Ivan continued to look, running around in circles and calling him with his phone. Then, he noticed the backyard glass door slightly open behind the curtains. Ivan walked over and pulled them back. Outside, in the middle of the flower field, was Callistus, sitting with his back facing towards the house, staring out into the yard.
Ivan felt a wave of relief, but he could tell something was on Callistus's mind. He quietly opened the door, letting Callistus have his space, though he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
—
"Tomorrow?" Callistus asked, surprised. "I have to meet your parents tomorrow?!"
"We need to tell them," Ivan said. "The sooner we do, the sooner we can cancel all the wedding preparations. Are you okay with that?"
Callistus nodded, even though he was nervous. Deep down, he wanted to meet them. He wanted Ivan and was willing to fight for him, even if it might come at a high cost.
The next day arrived faster than Callistus expected. In the morning, Ivan pulled up to a semi-detached house with two other cars parked out front. When they got out, they were greeted by Star and a handsome man standing by the door.
"Who's this?" Callistus asked Star.
"My boyfriend," Star replied.
Callistus gave a small wave before Ivan walked up, sizing up the man. Star's boyfriend was nearly as tall as Ivan, and they both had a similar muscular build.
Star led the way inside, with her boyfriend following close behind. Callistus and Ivan trailed after them.
In the living room, a couple in their early 50s sat on the couch. Callistus hesitated, letting the others go ahead. The older couple lit up with delight when they saw their children.
"My children!" the woman exclaimed, standing up to hug Ivan and Star. "What's with the sudden announcement you had to make?"
As Star and Ivan stepped back from the hug, Star spoke up. "Ivan wants to talk about the wedding."
Their parents looked at Ivan with curiosity as everyone sat down.
"I'm not marrying into CloudWave Vapours," Ivan said firmly.
His father's eyes widened with surprise, but a smile began to form on his face. "You found someone else?" he asked, a hint of excitement in his voice. His mother looked just as eager, waiting for Ivan's answer.