There was no "baby," no sweet emoji, and no apology for the delay.

In the past, if Matteo took even ten minutes to reply, he would immediately explain himself and apologize for keeping Adrian waiting.

That day, his response consisted of a single, blunt word.

The difference was impossible to miss.

On a regular day, they would text and call each other back and forth, checking in until the workday ended. But on this day, the chat remained completely silent.

Matteo barely replied to Adrian’s messages on time.

It wasn’t until late afternoon that Matteo finally initiated a text, keeping it brief:

I’ll be heading back to the estate early. I already canceled my plans with my friends tonight.

Adrian quickly typed back: Alright, baby.

With his mind completely consumed by the sudden distance between them, Adrian couldn’t focus on his work at the studio. Unable to sit still, he wrapped up for the day ahead of schedule, gathered his things, and hurried back to the estate.

He was hopeful to see Matteo, determined to fix whatever had gone wrong between them the moment he got home.

But when the convoy rolled into the estate’s parking lot, Matteo’s car was nowhere to be seen. Walking into the empty house, the crushing silence only made his anxiety worse.

He had no idea what to do or say. Matteo had never acted this cold toward him before. Desperate for answers, Adrian searched online for advice on how to deal with a partner who suddenly became distant, but the articles were completely useless.

Left with no other options and unable to endure the agonizing silence any longer, he finally called his sister, Maya.

Maya answered on the second ring. "Hello, Adrian," she said.

"Hi, sis," Adrian murmured.

Maya caught the strain in his tone immediately. "What’s wrong?"

Adrian didn’t try to hide his distress. He explained the entire conversation from that morning, the chilling shift in Matteo’s demeanor, and how the silence had persisted throughout the day.

"Maybe I said it wrong, but I didn’t mean any harm," Adrian said. "He’s been so distant since this morning, Maya. I can’t stand the thought of him coming home and acting like this. Please, what should I do?"

Maya didn’t hesitate. "Take him with you," she said firmly. "Let him stay close to you if that’s what he wants."

"What about Elena’s family?" Adrian asked quickly, old fears immediately tightening around his chest.

"What about Matteo’s feelings?" Maya countered gently. "Adrian, you can’t even handle a single day of his silence."

She sighed.

"I understand your concerns about Elena’s family, but it’s not like he’s trying to move into their house. He just wants to stay in a nearby hotel. He wants to be close to you. That’s all."

"You don’t understand, Maya," Adrian said, pacing the floor. "It’s not that easy..."

"Stop making excuses, Adrian," Maya cut in. "Be honest with yourself and admit it. You’re ashamed."

Adrian froze.

"Put Matteo’s reputation aside for a second. What I see is that you’re terrified of Elena’s family finding out you’re dating a man after their daughter’s death."

"And because that man is Matteo, it makes it even harder for you. In your eyes, Elena’s family is perfect. They’ve always carried themselves with dignity and stayed far away from scandals. You’re afraid of what they’ll think when they see you with him.

"But you need to decide who matters more to you now. I’m not going to tell you what to do. You’re an adult, and it’s your life."

Adrian tried to argue, his chest aching. "Maya, wait—"

"Excuse me, Adrian, I still have work to finish up here," Maya said, softening her tone slightly so he knew she still cared. "I’ll call you back when I get home, okay?"

"Alright, sis," Adrian muttered before ending the call.

He sat down on the edge of the sofa alone, the heavy silence of the house settling around him as he stared at the floor, forced to finally make a real choice for himself.

Minutes bled into hours before Matteo’s convoy finally pulled into the driveway.

Spotting the headlights through the living room window, Adrian panicked. He couldn’t just sit there waiting like a guilty child. Before Matteo could walk through the front doors, Adrian rushed out of the living room, hurried upstairs, and darted into their master bedroom to wait for him there.

A few minutes later, the bedroom door opened, and Matteo stepped inside.

Adrian immediately rushed toward him, throwing his arms around his neck. "Welcome home, baby."

Matteo offered a tight, brief nod but didn’t say a word.

Refusing to let the cold shoulder discourage him, Adrian quickly stepped back and began helping Matteo out of his suit jacket—something he had never voluntarily done before.

Matteo stood perfectly still, watching him with an unreadable gaze as Adrian babbled to fill the silence. "You must be exhausted. You should take a warm shower, okay? I already told the chef to prepare your favorite dinner..."

"Thanks," Matteo murmured flatly.

His gaze lingered on Adrian’s face, studying every detail as though he were trying to determine whether the man standing in front of him was really Adrian or merely someone wearing his face.

Adrian forced a bright smile. "You’re welcome, baby." He leaned in, planting a soft, lingering kiss on Matteo’s cheek before stepping back.

Matteo headed straight for the bathroom. When he emerged a while later, a white towel hung loosely around his waist, his broad torso still glistening with droplets of water.

Determined to break the ice, Adrian turned up the charm and slipped into full dramatic mode.

"Oh my God, my baby looks so hot," he gasped.

Grabbing a fresh towel, he hurried over and gently dabbed the remaining water from Matteo’s chest. Then he guided him toward the edge of the bed.

"Sit down," Adrian said softly. "Let me take care of you."

Once Matteo sat, Adrian climbed onto the mattress behind him, gently using the towel to dry Matteo’s dark hair.

Matteo blinked, looking around the master suite as if he had accidentally walked into the wrong room. Adrian was normally a beautifully stubborn, utterly spoiled brat who expected to be pampered, not the other way around.

Adrian didn’t give him a chance to question it. He immediately scrambled off the bed and began looking around the room.

"Wait here," he said hurriedly. "Let me grab the hair dryer so I can finish drying your hair properly."

Without waiting for a response, he darted off in search of it.

As Adrian rushed around the room, Matteo watched his every move. The truth was, he had already been trying to get over the hurt from their conversation that morning. Adrian had apologized, and that should have been enough.

But seeing him go to such lengths to make it up to him?

That was new.

A faint flicker of amusement...