When Eric said to his dad that he was seeing someone, of course, that wasn't true.

And when he added that his lover was a man, well, that was even less true. He's not even gay in the first place.

The truth was, Eric had run out of options to prevent his father from forcing his will on him. Cornered and desperate, he said the first thing that came to mind—the biggest, most dramatic lie he could ever think of.

Yes, a lie.

That lie was also part of his brilliant (maybe a bit ridiculous) plan. He planned to break up his engagement by claiming that he already had a lover, and that lover was a man. After all, if there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that nothing would make his father more furious than discovering his only son was dating a guy.

The only problem is that it wouldn't be easy to convince his father without solid proof. And right now, he doesn't have that evidence yet, only an enormous lie.

"You're...what?"

"You heard me right, Dad! I'm already in a relationship," Eric said to his father as he tried to force a confident smile even as his heart pounded in his chest like crazy. "So...yeah. Guess what? I'm gay!"

Robert Vale just stared at his son. His silence was so deafening that even Emil, who was usually expressionless and calm, looked visibly uneasy. He tried to shift his weight from one foot to the other and glanced carefully between his masters, hoping that he could break the tension between the two.

"Lord Robert..." Emil was clearly worried about how his master would respond to Eric's shocking confession. But he could have even asked his master to calm down; however, he was immediately preempted by his master without taking his eyes off Eric.

"Emil, did you know about this?"

"Oh, no. No, my lord," he said quickly, then he immediately straightened himself and said, "I'm sorry, my lord. I had no idea about any of this."

And that was the truth.

Emil had no clue what Eric was talking about, especially about the young man's claim about having a male lover. If he had known, he would've done everything in his power to stop the young master from saying something so reckless that could not only ruin his reputation but also cause Lord Vale's blood pressure to spike.

Unfortunately, it was far too late for that now.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence, Mr. Vale spoke to his son and asked.

"So, are you saying you're gay?"

Eric simply swallowed and forced himself to respond.

"Yes. Definitely gay. Very...very gay."

"And you honestly expect me to believe that?"

Even after hearing his son's so-called shocking confession, Robert Vale didn't even flinch. His expression remained perfectly composed, though there was a faint twitch in his eyebrow, suggesting that his self-control was working overtime. Without another word, he calmly stood up and adjusted his cufflinks, almost preparing to leave the table.

"Emil," he said as if nothing dramatic had just happened between him and his son. "You'll take care of Eric and Annette. Make sure the two of them have enough time to discuss their upcoming engagement and marriage."

Emil immediately bowed. "As you wish, my lord."

That was not the reaction Eric expected. He was utterly dumbfounded. His father wasn't shocked. He wasn't angry. He wasn't even mildly curious about the dramatic confession Eric had just dropped.

He was just...leaving?

Just like that?

Not even a question or a lecture or...whatsoever?

"Wait, is that it?" Eric immediately called out before his father could take another step. He stood up in his chair so fast it screeched against the floor. That's when Eric's frustration finally spilled over. "Can't you at least consider that your son might actually like someone else and doesn't want to get married?!" he demanded along with his rising voice. "Are you really going to keep forcing me to that stupid engagement, even after I just told you I'm already seeing someone?!"

That's when Mr. Vale's suppressed anger finally sparked.

"That's enough!" the old man's voice thundered throughout the garden, along with his eyes blazing with controlled fury as he faced his hardheaded son. "Listen, even if you stand there and keep bragging about being gay, my decision remains the same—you will marry Annette! And if you dare to defy me again, Eric, then prepare yourself, because I will make sure nothing in your life comes easy from this point on."

Eric was shocked at the sheer audacity of what he'd just heard, to the point that he could barely even form a coherent thought or even a better response to at least defend himself. While Eric's father was already walking away with his hands clasped behind his back.

"I'll expect a full report by tomorrow, Eric. Don't you even dare to disobey me."

The moment the garden door shut behind his father, Eric slumped into his chair with a groan, burying his face in his hands as he mumbled to himself, "Damn it!"

Emil stayed quiet by his young master's side. He somehow felt a pang of sympathy for the young man, but he knew there was nothing they could do while Mr. Vale had made his decision. Still, he couldn't help but admire his young master's courage. Eric bravely stood up to his father and remained faithful to his words of refusing to be controlled, which was something only Eric could do. But despite his admiration, all Emil could offer was a small measure of comfort and...somehow...urged Eric to follow his father's orders for now, even if it went against every ounce of his will.

"Hey, it's okay, Master Eric," Emil said gently to his young master as he gave him a light tap on the shoulder. "I know this is frustrating. But sometimes, the best way forward is to play along for now and look for a chance to turn things in your favor later."

Eric rubbed his face. He felt both drained and trapped simultaneously. "I guess...I really don't have any choice but to obey."

A little while later, while Eric was still recovering from his exhausting argument with his father, another servant suddenly appeared and quickly bowed, carrying a hint of urgency and importance.

"Excuse me, sir, but Miss Annette has arrived."

"Wait! Already?" the young man muttered anxiously under his breath. Before he could even get up from his chair, the garden doors opened with a soft creak, and Lady Annette stepped in gracefully, followed by her maid.

"Sorry if I'm late," she said politely, offering a small, courteous smile as her gaze met Eric's. The sunlight spilled through the open doorway, catching a glimpse of her soft, chestnut-brown hair and the delicate shimmer of her pale blue dress. The young lady carried herself perfectly with quiet confidence, which is far too proper for someone like Eric who looks like he just got out of a big mess.

And in that instant, Eric felt his stomach twist.

He already knew this was going to be worse than he'd imagined.

And somehow, deep down, he also knew...

There was no turning back now.