Chapter 19

Dragged Into the Plot

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Today, Robert's plan was simple: take his 90-year-old grandmother, Madame Victoria Vale (better known as Madame Vicky), to her personal appointment.

Yes, that was the plan.

The problem was, Grandma Vicky still hadn't said where they were going.

"Did Grandma tell you where we're going?" Robert whispered to Emil once they were in the car.

"No, my lord," Emil said. "She didn't say anything about it."

Then, all of a sudden, they noticed an attendant loading a large, suspicious-looking bag into the carrier at the back.

Robert frowned.

Yeah. This was definitely not "just an appointment." He didn't want to jump to conclusions, but knowing his grandma, he was pretty sure this was anything but a regular outing.

"Are you two ready?" Grandma Vicky said, practically bouncing in her seat across from her two very confused grandsons. "Oh my! I'm so excited to introduce you to my friends!"

Emil quickly—and a little awkwardly—looked out the window, doing his best to avoid seeing Robert's face. He didn't even need to see him; he could already picture the look on Robert's face, especially how the older man's forehead creased, as well as his eyebrows practically colliding in annoyance. It's just that Emil didn't want to make things worse, so as long as he could stay out of their business, he would. It was the safest option he had.

"Just to remind you, Grandma," Robert said in his usual serious tone, "... we're not going along with... whatever it is you're thinking or planning. This is about your health. You should be resting, not wandering around!"

"Oh, come on! Stop treating me like a sick old woman!"

"But you are a sick old woman," Robert shot back. "Can't you see I'm just worried about you? And here you are, still insisting on going out and doing things your doctors specifically told you not to!"

"If you're really that worried about me," the old woman said, "you wouldn't keep me locked up in the mansion just to lie there all day and wait for my illness to finish the job. Is that what you want for me?"

Of course not.

All Robert wanted was what was best for his grandmother. The problem was, they had very different ideas of what "best" meant, and in an argument like this, what advantage did he really have over her grandmother's stubborn reasoning?

In the end, he was the one who lost.

"Fine. Do what you want," Robert said at last, crossing his arms and looking away. "But if we need to go home or to the hospital, that's not up for debate. I won't tolerate any stubbornness about that. Is that clear, Grandmother?"

Grandma Vicky huffed and crossed her arms too, almost perfectly mirroring Robert, while her lips puckered in an exaggerated pout. Then, she turned sharply toward Emil, who was busy staring out the car window, and asked, "Is this how Robert always treats you, Emil?"

Emil immediately turned to Grandma Vicky and blinked. He was entirely caught off guard by the old woman's sudden question.

"Well...I—"

"Honestly, I'm impressed you've managed to put up with this grandson of mine," Grandma Vicky said, cutting Emil off before he could even respond. And just like that, any argument between Grandma Vicky and Robert seemed to disappear. She was back to her cheerful self, humming and looking out the car window as they drove toward their destination. Robert and Emil didn't say a word either; they just exchanged tired glances. If only Grandma Vicky knew that everything they were doing was basically part of a contract to keep her happy—there was no way her mood would have been this good otherwise.

About an hour later, they arrived. The car pulled up in front of a tall, ten-story studio building that seemed to overlook the sea. It was the first time Robert and Emil had been there, and neither of them had any idea what awaited inside.

Until...

"Madame Vivi!!!"

A tall, thin man in a fitted black dance top came running up to greet Grandma Vicky.

"Lui, my dear!" she exclaimed, and the two shared a dramatic kiss on the cheek, as if they hadn't seen each other in a year, even though they'd just had tea there three days ago.

"I'm so sorry, I'm late! You know how it is with my knees and back," she joked, laughing. "Your grandma is definitely getting older!"

"Oh, come on, Grandma Vivi, look at you! People say you don't even look 90. And who would've thought you had cancer, right? You're even more agile than I am! Haha!" the man joked, giving the old lady a playful nudge. "And we want to keep that energy, madame! Don't worry, we'll make you even stronger and livelier when practice starts later," he added with a grin.

"Wait...practice?!" Robert blurted out. His reaction immediately catches the attention of both Grandma Vicky and Lui.

"Oh! Before I forgot!" Madame Vicky immediately grabbed Lui's arm, tugging him over to introduce her grandson, who was frowning again, and Emil, standing calmly beside him.

"By the way, this is my grandson, Robert."

"Oh!" Lui sized Robert up from head to toe, flashing a charming smile and a twinkle in his eyes. "So you're the proud grandson of our Madame Vivi, huh? You're quite handsome, sir..."

"Can you believe he's fifty-one? Still looks young for his age, doesn't he?" Grandma Vicky boasted proudly.

"Oh!!!" Lui turned to Robert, practically bouncing with excitement. "I thought you were in your thirties or something! And your body's in great shape too, sir!" He grinned and held out his hand. "Nice to finally meet you. Grandma Vivi has told me so many wonderful things about you!"

Robert didn't respond to the gesture. Not even a word. He was too puzzled by the man in front of him...this...Lui—and the way he carried himself, like an overexcited teenager who just spotted a muscular basketball player on campus.

"I'm definitely not safe with this guy," Robert thought to himself with an apparent unease settling in. And since Robert didn't respond to the handshake, Emil quickly reached out and took Lui's hand so the gesture wouldn't go to waste.

"Nice to meet you too, sir..." Emil said. Lui, on the other hand, was genuinely surprised by the man's quick reaction. He had intended to shake Robert's hand, but Robert had clearly dodged on purpose and was caught by this guy.

"Oh! I'm Lui. And you are...?"

"I'm Emil Weiss. Please forgive Robert's reaction—he's just not used to the sudden... overwhelming presence of other people—"

"—no, I'm not?! I—" Robert started to protest, but Emil shot him a sharp look that clearly said, "Don't say another word, I've got this."

Robert froze and went silent after receiving Emil's sharp look.

"Oh, I see...I guess I was a bit overwhelming for Mr. Vale. Wait—are you his...?"

"Oh..." Emil hesitated for a moment. But since they were in the middle of keeping up the pretense, he had to play along. "I'm...his lover."

Lui's eyes went wide in disbelief. He immediately turned to Grandma Vicky, searching for any confirmation.

"He's right, Lui," Grandma Vicky said with a smile. "He's my grandson's boyfriend. Isn't they a good match?"

"Oh my god, yeeeesss!" Lui clutched his chest, practically vibrating with excitement. "I didn't think your grandson was gay, either! I mean, his whole aura screamed I'm straight... and yet here he is, already swooning over Mr. Weiss!"

While Madame Vicky and Lui happily exchanged stories and greetings, Emil and Robert just stood there, staring. It was like they'd been shoved to the sidelines, watching their grandmother fangirling over her equally flamboyant friend.

"Can I speak now, Emil?" Robert whispered to Emil. His voice was low and husky, clearly showing how long he'd been holding back.

"You're the one who said we had to go along with whatever happens on this trip while Madame Vicky is around, remember? Just be a little more patient," Emil said calmly.

"I just want to clear up one thing," Robert said flatly but with emphasis in his tone. "I'm not gay."

"I know," Emil replied calmly. "But at this point, you just have to go along with it, okay?"

Robert let out a slow, frustrated breath.

Somehow, without even trying, he'd been dragged straight into the middle of something he thought he'd mentally prepared for—but clearly hadn't. And the effort it took just to keep up was already wearing him down at its finest.