The room was cool and quiet. The only sound was the steady hum of the air conditioner and the rhythmic breathing of the man lying next to him. It was 4 AM. The frantic, desperate energy of the night had faded, leaving behind a heavy, deep stillness.

​Julius lay in the crook of Harrison’s arm, his head resting on the man’s chest. He felt exhausted, but his mind was clear for the first time in weeks. Harrison’s skin was warm against his, and the scent of him was everywhere—no longer an intrusion, but a comfort.

​Harrison shifted slightly, his fingers tracing slow, idle patterns over Julius’s shoulder. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the top of Julius’s head.

​"Are you alright, baby?" Harrison whispered. His voice was a low rumble that Julius felt in his own chest.

​Julius adjusted his position, wincing slightly as his muscles protested. "Yeah. My body feels like it went through a blender, but I’m okay."

​"I tried to be careful while I was cleaning you up," Harrison said. He pulled the blanket higher around Julius’s shoulders. "You fell asleep the second we hit the pillows."

​"This feels nice," Julius admitted. He closed his eyes, listening to Harrison’s heart. "Just being here. No cameras. No shouting. No Helen."

​"I know," Harrison said. He was silent for a moment, his hand stopping its movement. "I guess you should see the news now."

​Julius opened one eye. "The news? It’s four in the morning, Harrison."

​Harrison reached for his phone on the nightstand and handed it to Julius. The screen was bright, making Julius squint. He scrolled through the first few headlines, and his heart skipped a beat.

​Market Crash: The VOID Company Collapses Overnight.

Helen Miller’s Father Files for Emergency Bankruptcy.

​Julius sat up, ignoring the ache in his back. He looked at Harrison, who was watching him with a calm, steady gaze. "You did this? In the middle of the night?"

​"I started it weeks ago," Harrison said. "Tonight was just the final blow. I pulled every investment. I called in every debt. By the time the gala ended, they had nothing left but the clothes they were wearing."

​"Why?" Julius asked. "I thought we were using them for the merger."

​"I see no use for that family anymore," Harrison said. He sat up too, leaning against the headboard. "They were a tool to keep the enemies distracted while I got close to you. But they got greedy. They started thinking they could actually have you. I decided it was time to crush them."

​"And Helen?"

​"She’s a distraction you don’t need," Harrison said. "I’m not letting you go back to that house, Julius. Not as a pawn for a failing family."

​Julius looked down at the phone. He saw twenty missed calls from Helen. She must have been panicking, watching her world fall apart while her "date" vanished into the night. There were also ten calls from his mother.

​"She’s going to be hysterical," Julius muttered, thinking of his mother.

​"Let her be," Harrison said. He took the phone from Julius and set it aside. "It’s time for the truth, Julius. You asked for it."

​Julius turned to him, his face serious. "No more lies."

​"That photo you found," Harrison began. "The one of our fathers. It wasn’t just a business partnership. They knew things were getting dangerous back then. The people who wanted the Vane assets were the same ones trying to take down my father. They made a pact. A blood oath, really. To protect their sons at any cost."

​"The accident wasn’t just an accident," Harrison said, his voice dropping. "It was a massive car hit, You saw things, Julius, our fathers died instantly, my mother died, only your mum survived it."

Julius felt a wave of nausea hit him. He thought about the months he had spent with Helen, the dinners, the talk of a future, and the merger.

"I nearly married a devil," he whispered, his voice shaking with sudden emotion. "I was standing at the altar with a woman whose family was just waiting to bleed me dry. I was so blind, Harrison. I felt like I was doing the right thing for my company, and all the while, I was shaking hands with people who hated me."

"They didn’t just hate you, Julius," Harrison said, his voice turning cold. "They wanted to own you."

"Why can’t I remember anything about the past?" Julius asked suddenly, turning to face him fully. "If they were so dangerous, why is it all a blank?"

Harrison looked away for a second, his jaw tightening.

"I’ll tell you that later," Harrison said, meeting Julius’s eyes again. "It’s too much for one night, and you’re already carrying enough."

"Harrison—"

"Listen to me," Harrison interrupted. "The Millers were just the front. They are small players. There are people out there who planned the whole thing twenty-five years ago. People who are still watching. The Millers were just a tool they used to get close to the Vane assets. I crushed them because they were a distraction, but the real enemies are still in the shadows."

Julius felt the weight of it all crashing down. He wasn’t just a businessman; he was a target in a war he didn’t even know was happening.

"Stay here," Harrison said, reaching out to take Julius’s hand. "Don’t go back to the estate. I have a penthouse a few blocks away. It’s secure. You’ll be safe there. We can figure out the company from there."

Julius was torn. He looked at the door, then back at Harrison. He wanted to stay in this bubble. He wanted the safety and the heat of this room. But he knew that by staying, he was officially declaring war.

He stood up, his legs shaking as he moved toward his discarded clothes. His body ached, a constant reminder of how Harrison had claimed him only hours before.

"Where are you going?" Harrison asked.

Julius picked up his ruined shirt and threw it aside, reaching for a spare one Harrison had left out. He pulled it on, the clothe smelling like Harrison. He looked at the man on the bed—the man who had been his shadow for two decades.

"I’m not hiding anymore, I know you plan on fighting them alone." Julius said. He looked at Harrison, his jaw set. "If I move into your penthouse, it’s not to hide. It’s to stand with you. If the people behind the Millers want to come for us, let them. I’m done being the only one who doesn’t know what’s going on."

Harrison stood up, walking over to Julius. He wrapped his arms around Julius’s waist from behind, pulling him close.

"Are you sure, baby?" Harrison whispered. "Once we step out of this room, there’s no going back."

Julius leaned his head back against Harrison’s shoulder. He felt the power of the man behind him, and for the first time, he wasn’t fighting the bond. He was leaning into it.

"I’m sure," Julius said. "Let’s give them something to really talk about."