Arthur didn't reply to Ake's message.
He kept it unopened, undisturbed, like a wound he refused to scratch. But that didn't stop the ripple it caused. It was modest at first—a flash of unease in Arthur's chest when his phone buzzed, a hesitancy before unlocking his screen. Nick noticed. Of course he did.
"Are you okay?" he inquired one morning as they ate breakfast in their bright kitchen, the city humming quietly beyond their window.
Arthur gave a warm smile. "I'm fine just thinking about work."
But he wasn't. He was thinking about Ake—about the way he used him. About the regret in Ake's eyes the day he stopped things, acknowledging that it had never been just fake for him. And suddenly he was back, begging to meet. Why now?
Arthur had hardly stepped out of his office when his phone rang again. Ake. This time, he answered.
"Hello?
"Arthur," Ake's voice was silky, too smooth, confident and familiar in a way that aroused uneasiness "So you're still in Bangkok."
"I am. And I'm married now, Ake. I hope this isn't going where I believe it is."
A short pause, and then Ake chuckled. "You always did get straight to the point. I'm not here to stir anything up. I just thought… we should catch up. It's been a while."
"There's nothing to catch up on," Arthur replied, firm. "That part of my life is over."
"You sure about that? " Ake said, and Arthur swore he could hear the smirk in his voice. "Because I remember a time you said I made you feel things Nick never could."
Arthur froze. That was a low blow—and a lie. One he said in a moment of pain and recklessness, trying to provoke Nick during one of their worst fights.
"That was manipulation," Arthur said quietly. "I never meant it. I was trying to hurt him. Not love you."
"You think words don't leave scars? " Ake's tone shifted, darker now. "I cared about you. Maybe still do. And seeing you run back to the guy who never trusted you—it's hard to believe you're really happy."
Arthur felt something twist in his stomach. "You don't get to say that."
"I do, Arthur. I saw you before he did. I stood by you when he left you drowning in grief. Now you're wearing a ring like it erases everything that happened."
Arthur hung up.
But it didn't end there.
The next day, he received flowers at his gallery. White orchids—his favorite. No name, just a card: "We always belonged together."
Nick saw them, of course.
He picked up the card, reading it twice. "Secret admirer? "
Arthur stiffened. "It's from Ake."
Nick's jaw tensed. He set the card down with practiced calm. "He's trying to start something."
"I know."
Nick leaned on the counter, arms crossed. "Did you meet him? "
"No," Arthur said instantly. Then paused. "He called. I answered".
"And? "
Arthur sighed, pressing his palms against the cold marble. "He's trying to pull me back in. But I swear to you, Nick, I told him I'm married. I told him it's over."
Nick nodded slowly, but Arthur could see it—the crack. The ghost of a doubt lingered in his eyes.
Later that night, Arthur lay in bed, staring at the ceiling while Nick worked late in the study. The space between them in the apartment felt like a void widening with each passing hour. Ake's voice echoed in his head: "You're making a mistake."
**
Two days later, Arthur left the gallery to find Ake waiting by his car.
"What the hell are you doing here? " Arthur demanded, glancing around the parking lot.
Ake smiled, unbothered. "Just thought I'd offer you a ride. Like old times."
"There are no old times."
Ake leaned closer. "You don't look happy, Arthur. You look tired. Like you're pretending everything's perfect."
Arthur stepped back, putting distance between them. "Go home, Ake. This obsession of yours—it's pathetic."
But Ake wasn't fazed. He pulled a photo from his coat and handed it over. Arthur's blood ran cold. It was a candid shot of him leaving the gallery—taken yesterday.
"You're stalking me now? "
"I'm protecting what's mine," Ake whispered. "You think he'll stay with you after everything? Once I tell him the truth about what we had? "
"There is no truth. I used you. And I've apologized. You were the collateral damage of a broken man trying to survive."
Ake's eyes flashed. "You think that makes it okay? "
"No. But I'm not doing this with you." Arthur's voice dropped. "You're not the victim here anymore. You're the villain."
Arthur turned and walked away, heart hammering in his chest, but he could still hear Ake call after him.
"I'll see you again soon."
**
When Arthur got home that night, Nick was already there, pacing.
"I got a message," Nick said without preamble. "From an anonymous number."
He handed Arthur his phone. Arthur read the message aloud:
"You don't know the whole story. Ask him about how long they were together. Ask him what he promised me."
Arthur's face drained of color.
Nick's eyes searched his. "Arthur. What happened with him—was it more than you told me? "
"No," Arthur said firmly. "Nick, I swear to you, it was never real. He had feelings, yes. But I never returned them. I only pretended for one reason—to make you jealous. It was cruel, and I regret it. But I never loved him."
Nick looked away, jaw clenched. "Then why does he seem to think otherwise? "
"Because he can't let go. And because we gave him too much power in the past."
Nick was quiet for a long moment. "If he's trying to break us… we can't give him the satisfaction."
Arthur crossed the room and touched Nick's arm. "Then don't let him make you doubt me. Please."
Nick's guard softened—slightly. "Just tell me everything, Arthur. Even the ugly parts. Don't leave anything out."
Arthur nodded, his throat tight. "I will. All of it."
**
But in the shadows, Ake was already working.
Weaving whispers, planting seeds.
And Arthur and Nick's perfect beginning was already starting to fracture.