***

"Luke, if you choose a horror movie then I will have to stay over at your house. I can't sleep alone after watching a horror movie." Fred pouts.

Like ruffles Fred's hair "Then you can sleep over. Who is stopping you?"

Fred shakes his head "No, what if brother Ben misunderstands?"

Luke rolls his eyes. He selects the tickets for evening show. "Did you forget he is in his stupid cook show ?"

"Don't call it stupid. Brother Ben is trying hard. Also with the recent rumours..."

Luke's face sours "That's the problem Fred. I don't know why he is dealing with all these bullshits. Why can't he just give up? I can earn for both of us. He can help my mother in her restaurant.

Then we can get married, go to holiday trips once a year and live our life happily. Sometimes I feel like he doesn't even care about me."

Fred's face darkens with the mention of marrige and trips. He looks at the glass wall of the restaurant opposite the movie theatre. He has seen Ben as soon as he entered the mall. Ben is there with a man.

That man had his back towards him so he couldn't see his face. But he is sure Ben is here on a date.

"Luke, is it possible.. someone else is influencing brother Ben's decisions in life ?"

"Who would?"

"I don't know ..." Fred adds hurriedly "I think I just saw brother Ben entering the restaurant with someone right now."

Luke chuckles "you must have mistaken it."

"But I am sure, it was brother Ben. Why don't we have a look ?"

"But the movie is about to start." Luke hesitates.

"It's ok, we will be back soon."

***

Alan calls his PA as soon as he reaches the isolated section of the restaurant.

The call connects after a while "yes sir !"

"Send someone to the villa to get Ethan and bring him to the Acropolis mall. I am waiting here. "

"Right now ?"

"Yes."

***

Ben was looking around the restaurant with a bored expression when he heard a familiar voice.

"What are you doing here?"

Ben looks at the entrance hearing Luke's voice. His eyes instantly fell on Fred who was standing beside Luke.

He had this feeling inside his head for a while that Luke is cheating on him with Fred. But he dismissed that idea because he thought Fred would choose Luke over Mr. Scott. Now that, he knows Mr. Scott doesn't love Fred and they have no romantic relationships, could it be possible that Luke and Fred ?

"I asked you, what are you doing here ?" Luke walks in the restaurant with a rage.

"I am here to eat dinner. What do you want ?" Ben asks casually.

Luke looks around the restaurant "Are you cheating on me ? Who is here with you?"

"Shouldn't I ask this question?" Ben asks eyeing Fred. "You are the one who came  here with another man."

Luke frowns. Only then he realises Ben is asking about Fred. "I am not here to eat."

Ben raises his eyebrows calmly "Then, what are you doing here? Don't tell me you two met here accidentally."

Fred was busing in finding the man who was with Ben. But when he couldn't find the man, he shifted his gaze back to Ben "brother Ben, don't scold Luke. I just saw you with someone in black suit. That's why we came here .."

"Who was here in black suit ?" Luke asks with clenched fist.

"What are you doing here with Fred?" Ben asks back.

"Fred just wanted to watch a movie. I am accompanying him as a friend."

Ben nods "My friend wanted to eat a continental dish. So I am just accompanying him as a friend."

Luke hits the table with his palm "Ben don't push my limits. Who is your friend? Where is he?"

Ben shrugs "I don't know. He had an important call so he left."

Fred frowns at Ben "He left you here all alone?"

"Told you, just a friend and I don't cross my limits with my friends." Ben retorts. "By the way, does Mr. Scott know you are here ?"

Fred looks at Ben with a challenging tone "of course, he knows."

"Very good then. Because I just saw Mr. Scott in this mall few minutes ago."

Ben observes as a panic suddenly flashes in Fred's eyes. He turns his eyes at Luke. Luke also has a panic expression on his face.

Ben takes in a sharp breath. So, he was right. Luke's affair partner in Fred.

Fred controls his emotions first "He must have came here to find me. After all, he is really worried about my well being."

Ben smiles. "Must be. Why don't you call him and let him know that you are here ?"

Fred's fake smile falters "Brother Ben shouldn't worry."

Luke clears his throats finally. He doesn't know why he felt a little guilty in his heart. "Since, your friend has left you.. come with me. There is a new horror movie released today. We can watch it together."

Ben smiles casually "No need. I will leave after dinner. I have my shoot tomorrow. I need to go back early. You two enjoy."

Luke hesitates "I knew that you had shoot. That's why I didn't ask you. But you are already here. Come with me, I will drop you after the show."

"my hotel and Fred's apartment is in two different directions. You can't just drive back and forth in the middle of the night. Can you?"

Fred wouldn't be going h...." Luke stops in the middle.

Ben smiles. "Fred is staying at your place tonight? Interesting."

Luke shakes his head "no, no .. why would he stay in our place. You just said Mr. Scott is here. He will be going back with Mr. Scott."

Fred bites his inner cheeks and glares at Ben in frustration.

Luke in the meantime walks past Fred and holds Ben's hand "let's go..."

Ben releases his hands casually "I can't. I am avoiding rumours right now. You two should leave."

Fred catches Ben's reply "how can you avoid rumours when you came here with another man?"

"That man has a fiance. A so called fiance arranged by family."

Luke's face relaxes a little hearing Ben's reply. "Oh then, avoid entangling with such person. You know the stories of evil finances getting jealous and attacking anyone.."

Ben tilts his head "Fred has a fiance too. What if Mr. Scott gets jealous and attacks you?"

"I have nothing to do with Fred. Fred is like a little brother to me." Luke hurriedly explains "He even helped you, remember?"

Ben looks at Fred who is boiling in anger. Little brother , huh ?

Ben smiles calmly again. His cheeks hurt with excessive fake smiling "I get it, Luke. Go and enjoy the movie with your little brother. I will leave after having dinner."

***

Ben pokes his food with a sad face. Luke left with Fred to watch their movie. Even though Ben tried to be tough and ignore them together. He felt a tug in his heart.

How the one who cheats, always ends up with a new lover, happy and loved. While the one who stayed loyal ended up all alone in a restaurant, unloved and abandoned.

He lost his appetite. Why Mr. Scott ordered so much food when he was in a hurry to leave? Mr. Scott didn't even inform him when he left.

Whatever, Mr. Scott's loss. He wouldn't offer another dinner to Mr. Scooty and he will pack all the delicious foods right now. Then he will eat them all alone.

"Wowww pizzaaaa !"

Ben comes out of his thoughts. He looks at the front. A kid of six or seven years is sitting in front of him ,looking at the pizza.

Ben blinks "uhh ... Whoa re you ?"

The kid looks at Ben for the first time "Is this pizza for me ?"

Ben shakes his head a little "no?"

"Why? Didn't you order for me?"

"Who are you ?" Ben asks again.

"Ethan." The kid smiles with his gummy teeth. "Uncle told me, I can anything from this table. Can I have the pizza ?"

Ben gives the kid an awkward smile "what? Where ... is your uncle ?"

"Outside. Talking with my driver. I love pizza. Do you also love pizza ?"

"I .. do ?"

"Then can we share."

Ben chuckles finally. "Wouldn't your uncle scold you, if you eat from a stranger's plate ?"

"He said this table is ours. He ordered this food. Look, table no 4. I can count."

Ben was about to reply when he sees Mr. Scott sitting beside the kid with a smile. Ben blinks "Mr. Scott ?"

Alan looks at Ben "yes. Sorry, I made you wait."

Ben looks at Mr. Scott first then he looks at the kid who is eating pizza already. "Is this kid ?"

"My nephew. Ethan Scott." 

"Oh!"

"You wanted a kid to visit escape room and he needs an adult to play with." Alan continues. "I am busy and my mother can't keep up with him."

Ben nods in understanding. He stole a glance towards the escape room. His mood lifts suddenly.

***

"Let's go , let's go." Ethan jumps happily holding Ben's hand.

"Wait , let your uncle collect the tickets first." Ben tries stop Ethan's jumping.

But Ethan continues to jump.

Ben smiles. He is excited too.

Alan comes back with three tickets. "Let's go. Ethan if you run around inside and leave us behind... You will be trapped here forever. No one will come to rescue you. And after one day a monster will come to kill you."

Ethan stops jumping. "I will not run. I hate monsters. Gramma said they killed my parents."

Ben stops his steps in shock. He looks at Ethan's serious face before looking at Mr. Scott. He didn't know Ethan doesn't have parents. When Akan said  he is too busy to play with Ethan, Ben thought Alan's parents are busy too.

Alan smiles at Ethan "then be a good boy. We will defeat allthe Monsters together , collect the clue and escape. Ok ?"

Ethan jumps again "okkkkk !"

Ben, Alan and Ethan enters a long dark hall after a security checked their tickets. There phones were taken by the guards too.

Ben feels Ethan's grip tightens around his fingers. He slowly bends down to pick Ethan in his arms. He is excited but a little scared too. They really did a good job in creating a sketchy feeling.

He feels his shoulder brush with Mr. Scott. Which gave him a sense of relief. He slowly walks towards the end of the dark hall and enters a big cave.

The opening of the cave is locked with a stone wall. 

"We need to move the stone to escape." Alan looks around the cave.

There is a locked suitcase , two stone like structure of cements which will also open with codes and a locker with a sun shaped whole in it.

"There is design on the stone." Ethan chimes from Ben's arms.

Ben looks around "Mr.Scott, why is this cave so empty? Where are others?"

"I booked this for us. Why there will be anyone else?"

"You booked this entire game ?" Ben asks shocked.

"Yeah .. there are five other escape rooms.. I just booked this cave one." Alan shrugs casually.

"But .. why did you do that ? It would've been easy with more people."

"Then what's the meaning of joining the escape room if others find the clue for you."

Ben looks at Mr. Scott in disbelief.

"Are we going to use this designs ? A moon, a leaf and a star." Ethan points at the carved stones.

"Where should we use the design ?"

"That cement box." Ben runs towards the box with Ethan.

Soon they opened the box. "Key ! We found key."

"That suitcase." Alan opens the suitcase.

"The sun for the locker." Ben almost jumps in excitement.

Ethan puts the sun in the locker like a puzzle piece. The stone wall moved slowly.

"Yeah, we escaped." Ben stepped out of the cave only to stumble on a big stone.

Ben hurriedly grabs Alan's suit in reflex. But Alan wasn't paying attention either. So he loses his balance too.

Ben opens his closed eyes as his back hits on the rough surface of the floor.

Alan looks at Ben's face in amusement. He is now on top of Ben. "Now I know why they doesn't allow adults without kids ?"

Alan's hot breath hits Ben's cheeks. Ben's cheeks turn red. "I am sorry .."

Alan smirks "You need to give me another apology dinner for this."

Ben slowly moves to avoid Mr. Scott's hot breath. He feels goosebumps all over his body. "Mr. Scott always pays.. in the end."

"Do I ?" Alan whispers.

Ben nods slowly. He tries to calm his heart down. What will Mr. Scott think if he hears Ben's heartbeat?

"Then apology dinner isn't working. Mr. Ben have to apologise in another way."

Ben was about ask when Ethan shouts.. "Stop sleeping, you two. I found another clue. Hurrryyyyy !"

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First cave ! 

2nd cave !