[BL] Obsessed with Him, Surrendered to His Voice

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: The Lie That Changed Everything

~Reynold’s POV~

I can’t afford to fall for him, I reminded myself, staring out the window as the trees blurred past. He had made his terms crystal clear, he didn’t want love.

Yet even as I told myself that, I couldn’t stop the quiet, foolish smile from lingering on my lips.

On my way to campus, I stopped by a quiet, sunlit café to grab a quick breakfast, letting the warm coffee and pastries settle my nerves. Afterward, the driver dropped me off a short distance from the main university gates, just as Frederick had arranged.

As I stepped onto campus, my phone buzzed incessantly in my pocket. Julian had called and texted me a dozen times, but I hadn’t been able to answer. Frederick simply hadn’t given me room to breathe all morning.

I found Julian in our first class and quietly took the seat beside him. The moment he turned and saw me, his eyes widened in shock and relief.

”Reynold!” he said, leaning in. ”How on earth did you manage to get out? The police wouldn’t even let me near the desk last night because I’m not a relative. I went back very early this morning, but they said you were already gone! And why weren’t you picking up your calls?”

”I’m sorry, Julian,” I whispered, keeping my eyes fixed forward as the professor walked in. ”I was just... so exhausted that I slept right through them.”

”Where did you even sleep? Did your brother actually let you stay—”

I stopped him, nodding subtly toward the front of the lecture hall where the professor was clearing his throat. ”Let’s focus for now. I’ll explain later.”

Julian grumbled under his breath but turned his attention back to his notebook. We spent the rest of the class taking notes before heading straight to the library to study for our afternoon classes.

A few hours later, after our second class ended, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a message from Frederick.

Hey, little pet... Hope you’re good. Just to let you know, I’ve left for my meetings, but I knew you’d be in class and didn’t want to distract you. Hope you had lunch.

A soft, involuntary smile tugged at my lips as I read the screen. I quickly tapped out a reply:

Yes, I’m fine, Mr. Corvin.

Frederick’s response came almost instantly:

Don’t stay out too late, okay?

Alright, I typed back.

”There’s a nice restaurant that just opened not far from campus,” Julian announced as we packed our bags. ”Let’s go try their food before we head home.”

”Alright, Julian,” I agreed, sliding my phone back into my pocket.

We got into Julian’s car, and he drove toward the city center. On the way, he chattered excitedly, glancing at me from time to time.

”I heard a lot of wealthy elites eat at this place. Keep your eyes open.”

I rolled my eyes, a fond smirk playing on my lips. ”Your obsession with rich people, Julian...”

Julian laughed, completely unashamed. ”I love wealth, Reynold. Even the air in these upscale neighborhoods smells expensive.”

His words immediately brought Frederick to mind, and the lingering cedarwood scent of his cologne that still seemed to cling to my skin. A curious thought popped into my head as I looked over at my best friend.

”Hypothetically,” I started, resting my arm against the door, ”if you could date any billionaire in our country, who would you choose?”

Julian didn’t hesitate for a second. ”Frederick Corvin, Elias Varemont, or Damien Ashford. Even though the three of them run in the same elite circles, I’d choose Frederick over all of them in a heartbeat.”

I perked up, carefully masking my sudden tension. ”Why Frederick?”

”It’s simple,” Julian said, gesturing animatedly with one hand on the steering wheel. ”He’s obscenely wealthy, drop-dead gorgeous, always the center of attention, and most importantly? Absolutely zero scandals. Not a single confirmed relationship.”

I pressed further, testing the waters. ”What if he’s married? He’s thirty-six, Julian. Someone that successful can’t possibly be single.”

”You’re right about his age,” Julian mused, turning a corner. ”There’s always been a persistent rumor that he has someone tucked away, keeping them hidden. But it’s just a rumor—no one has ever confirmed it.”

Maybe Julian is right, I thought, my mind drifting back to the phone call I had overheard that morning. Frederick had sounded so intimate when he whispered, love you, baby, before ending the call.

I swallowed hard, suddenly wondering if there really was someone else in Frederick’s life.

I opened my mouth to ask more, but Julian suddenly pulled into a paved lot.

”We’re here.”

We stepped out of the car and walked into the sleek, high-end restaurant. The interior was modern, bathed in warm lighting, with polished marble floors and the soft murmur of conversation filling the air.

We settled into a private booth near the back and placed our orders, chatting quietly while we waited.

Midway through our meal, a young, strikingly handsome man from a nearby table approached us. He greeted both of us with a charming, effortless smile before turning his full attention toward me. After introducing himself, he smoothly asked for my contact information.

I instantly froze, shaking my head as I tried to refuse. But Julian, seeing nothing but dollar signs and high-society potential in the stranger, practically shoved my phone across the table, making it impossible for me to refuse without causing a scene. Reluctantly, I entered my number into the man’s phone.

To top it off, when we finished eating and asked for the check, our waiter informed us that the handsome stranger had already paid our entire bill before leaving.

Outside in the parking lot, Julian was practically vibrating with excitement.

”Finally! My best friend is stepping into high society. We have to go out and celebrate this.”

I pulled out my phone and checked the time. 6:26 p.m. I had already stayed out much later than I’d originally told Frederick I would.

”Julian, can we not? I really need to get back—”

Julian cut me off, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward his car. ”No way. We’re going for a drink. Come on.”

Before I could argue, he practically dragged me into the passenger seat and drove us to a classic upscale lounge nearby—softly lit, sophisticated, and pleasantly quiet.

At 8:12 p.m., my phone buzzed in my lap.

Little pet, are you back home yet?

A spike of cold panic shot through me. I couldn’t possibly tell him I was still out, let alone sitting in a bar.

Swallowing my anxiety, I tapped out a quick lie:

Yes, just got back.

Then, trying to sound natural, I added:

How was your day? Mr. Corvin

It took an agonizingly long time for Frederick to reply. When he finally did, his message was clipped:

It was fine.

A second later, another text popped up:

Would you mind a video call?

My heart leapt into my throat.

I’m exhausted and want to sleep, I quickly typed back, my thumbs shaking slightly. I’ll text you in the morning.

Frederick:Alright. Goodnight.

I didn’t reply. I shoved the phone back into my pocket and turned to Julian with a firm look.

”I need to start heading back home. Right now.”

Julian sighed, holding up his hands in surrender. ”Alright, fine.”

As we were about to get up from our booth and head toward the exit, the handsome man from the restaurant, Spencer, walked over to our table and stopped beside us with an easy smile.

”Oh, we meet again,” he said, looking pleasantly surprised. ”I just stepped in and spotted you guys, so I decided to come over and say hi. Are you leaving already?”

His gaze lingered on me as he spoke.

I opened my mouth to give him a quick, polite answer, but Julian spoke before I could.

”No, we’re not in a rush. Reynold can stay and chat for a little while longer.”

Trapped by Julian’s matchmaking enthusiasm, I reluctantly sat back down. Spencer pulled up a chair and joined us, and before long, I found myself getting drawn into the conversation. He was effortlessly charming, intelligent, and well-spoken. He didn’t focus all his attention on me either, making sure to include Julian in the conversation.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed myself. It was the kind of easy distraction I hadn’t realized I needed.

By the time I glanced at my watch again, my blood ran cold.

10:26 PM.

”Julian, I have to go. Right now,” I blurted out, standing abruptly.

Julian blinked, noticing the genuine panic in my voice. ”Do you want me to drop you?”

Before Julian could move, Spencer stood up smoothly. ”I’ll drop him. My car is right outside.”

Julian beamed and patted my shoulder. ”Go on. Let him take you. It’s safer.”

I wanted to scream at Julian, but there was no way I could explain the suffocating panic building in my chest. Resigned to the situation, I let Spencer guide me outside to his luxury car.

The entire drive back to the estate felt like slow motion. I stared blankly out the window, my mind racing, barely registering anything Spencer said.

When we finally reached the security gates of Frederick’s estate, I practically scrambled out of the car before it had even come to a complete stop.

”Thanks for the ride. Goodnight,” I rushed out, slamming the door shut.

I didn’t wait for his reply. I sprinted up the sweeping stone pathway toward the grand entrance, my hands trembling as I pulled out my phone.

11:22 PM.

I punched the digital passcode into the smart lock, and the heavy door clicked open. I stepped into the grand foyer, which was completely dark.

As soon as I entered, the lights came on automatically, illuminating the foyer around me.

I slipped off my shoes and headed toward the living room, expecting the house to be empty.

But the living room was still dark.

I took a few steps inside. Then, just as I reached the center of the room, the lights suddenly flickered on.

I was expecting to find the room empty, but when I raised my head, the sight of someone sitting on the sofa and staring directly at me made me freeze. I couldn’t move or say a word.

Frederick was sitting alone on the leather sofa, perfectly still, staring directly at me.

His bloodshot eyes burned with a cold, predatory fury that immediately stole the air from my lungs.

”Welcome home, Reynold,” Frederick said.

His voice was terrifyingly quiet, completely devoid of warmth.

I stood frozen as he leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

”Who the hell just dropped you off outside?” he asked, his voice falling into a lethal whisper. ”And check the time, Reynold. I told you before...” His eyes locked onto mine. ”I hate liars.”

My breath hitched. Shock and terror locked my jaw tight, leaving me unable to find a single word.

Frederick let out a slow, mocking shake of his head...