Mark straightened up, his expression turning cold and stubborn.

"As far as I’m concerned, the only way Kevin walks out of here is if he’s ready to apologize to Adrian. He needs to face him, own up to everything he did, and prove he finally understands the damage he caused... how his jealousy and obsession drove him to kidnap Adrian, drug him, and try to destroy a relationship that had nothing to do with him."

Mark shook his head.

"I refuse to let him walk away from this without facing what he’s done. If he’s genuinely sorry and ready to apologize, fine, he can leave. If not, he stays locked up until he’s had enough time to reflect on his actions."

Tony let out a low whistle, a smirk playing on his lips. "Alright, boss," he teased, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

He knew exactly where Mark’s fierce stance was coming from. Mark had once been a kidnapping victim himself, and there was nothing he hated more than seeing someone put another person through that same nightmare.

"Alright, I’ll get to work," Tony said.

With that, he pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. He headed down the hallway toward the room where Kevin was being held.

A few minutes later, he stopped in front of the door and pushed it open.

Kevin looked up from where he sat, his appearance disheveled and exhausted.

Tony stepped inside and looked down at him. "You’re being released," he announced, his voice devoid of emotion.

A flicker of hope flashed across Kevin’s face.

Tony’s expression remained cold. "But only on one condition."

"What condition?" Kevin asked, his voice strained with bitterness.

Tony looked down at him without a trace of sympathy.

"You apologize. To Adrian. To Matteo. You own up to everything you’ve done and admit the damage you caused. Then you apologize for kidnapping Adrian and putting him through hell."

The moment the words left Tony’s mouth, Kevin’s expression darkened.

"Apologize?" he repeated with a harsh, disbelieving laugh. "Never. I’d rather rot in this room."

His eyes burned with stubborn resentment.

"I’ve already paid for what I did. They got their revenge. I don’t owe them anything anymore."

He looked directly at Tony, his jaw clenched stubbornly. "If an apology is the price of freedom, you can forget it. I’m not giving them one."

Tony sighed, completely unfazed by the outburst.

"Fine by me," he said coolly as he turned toward the door. "Enjoy your stay."

He paused and glanced back over his shoulder.

"If that’s your final answer, then you’ll stay locked up in here until you realize the damage you’ve caused, regret your actions, and understand why an apology is the least you owe them."

Tony didn’t wait for a response. He turned on his heel and walked out.

The door closed behind him with a heavy bang, leaving Kevin alone in the dim room, surrounded by silence and his own thoughts.

Tony returned to the dining room and updated Mark on Kevin’s stubborn refusal to apologize.

Mark didn’t even bother looking up from his laptop. "That’s fine," he said flatly. "Let him rot in there until he comes to his senses."

Meanwhile, back at the secluded estate, Matteo headed upstairs to his home office to handle some paperwork while Adrian relaxed in the living room below.

For the past few days, Matteo had been fighting a silent battle against his drug cravings. He was doing everything he could to stay clean, but the withdrawal symptoms were slowly catching up to him.

His hands trembled occasionally, a cold sweat often gathered at the back of his neck, and a restless anxiety lingered beneath his skin. Several nights of insomnia had left him exhausted, making his temper shorter and his emotions harder to control.

Despite it all, he kept every symptom hidden from Adrian. The last thing he wanted was for his boyfriend to worry about him.

Whenever the cravings hit, Matteo buried himself in work or stayed glued to Adrian’s side, using his presence as a distraction. But the moment he was left alone with his thoughts, the temptation came roaring back, louder than ever.

It was a constant battle between what he wanted and what his body was demanding. And with each passing day, that battle was becoming harder to win.

Fighting through the haze, he finally finished his paperwork and headed back downstairs, desperate for a distraction.

When Matteo stepped into the living room, he found Adrian curled up on the sofa, talking to his sister, Maya, on the phone.

Maya was excitedly gossiping about a relative’s upcoming wedding. Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, she dropped a not-so-subtle hint about her own future wedding and immediately launched into a dramatic complaint about how she couldn’t wait to get married herself.

"Don’t worry," Adrian said with a chuckle. "I’m sure your fiancé is already planning it."

"I know, but I don’t know why it’s taking so long!" Maya complained on the other end.

Adrian smiled gently. "Just be patient, Maya. It’ll happen."

Matteo walked over and sank onto the sofa beside him. The moment Matteo settled into the cushions, Adrian naturally leaned back against his chest, finding his usual comfortable spot.

"Once you finally get married, you’ll start making babies," Adrian teased into the phone.

"Oh, absolutely," Maya squealed happily. "I can’t wait!"

"Me neither," Adrian replied, his voice softening. "I can’t wait to meet my niece or nephew."

Hearing how genuinely happy his sister was brought a warm smile to Adrian’s face. Spotting Matteo’s heavy gaze on him, Adrian decided to wrap things up. "Alright, sis. My baby is here now, so I have to go."

"Oh! Tell him I said hi! Wait, put me on speaker," Maya demanded.

Adrian tapped the screen, and Maya’s voice immediately filled the living room.

"Hello, Matteo! I hope you’re doing well. And thank you for taking such good care of my brother."

Matteo cleared his throat, wrapping his arms securely around Adrian’s waist.

"You’re welcome, Maya. Taking care of Adrian is something I genuinely enjoy, so it’s never a burden. And I’m doing well. Adrian takes very good care of me too." Matteo smiled softly. "How have you been? Everything good on your end?"

"Everything’s great!" Maya replied happily. "Thanks for asking, Matteo."

"You’re welcome, Maya," Matteo said, looking down at Adrian with a smug smile. "Besides, your brother loves me so much. He’s completely obsessed with me."

Adrian immediately sat up straighter.

"Lies! Maya, don’t listen to him," he protested. "He’s the one who’s obsessed with me."

Matteo let out an offended gasp. "Me? Obsessed? Baby, you practically live attached to my side."

"Because you won’t leave me alone!"

"See? That’s exactly what an obsessed person would say."

A pleased hum came from the other end of the call as Maya listened to the two of them argue.

"I’m glad to hear that," she replied warmly. "Just keep loving him, okay? He acts tough, but he’s actually very sensitive."

"Maya!" Adrian protested.

"What? It’s true!"

Matteo chuckled, tightening his hold around Adrian’s waist.

"Don’t worry. I know exactly how sensitive he is."

"Good," Maya said with satisfaction. "Then I’ll leave my brother in your hands."

Adrian groaned dramatically while Matteo smiled.

"Take care of yourself too, Maya," Matteo said.

"You too. Lovebirds." Maya said.

They exchanged a few more pleasantries before Maya finally ended the call.

When the room fell quiet, Adrian turned around in Matteo’s arms.

Adrian was about to complain about Matteo telling Maya he was obsessed with him, but the words died on his tongue.

The moment he looked closer, he noticed the slight strain in Matteo’s eyes, the tension in his jaw, and the way his shoulders seemed unusually rigid

"Babe, Is everything okay?" Adrian asked softly, placing a hand on Matteo’s cheek.

Matteo leaned into the touch, exhaling a breath he felt like he’d been holding for hours. "Yes. I just need you closer to me."

"I’m right here," Adrian murmured, adjusting himself so they were flush against each other.

Matteo held him tight, seeking comfort in his warmth. Trying to shake off the lingering edge of his cravings, he looked down at Adrian and asked, "What about us, baby? How many babies should we have?"

Adrian blinked, caught entirely off guard. He looked at Matteo with an amused, skeptical expression. "How exactly are we going to go about that? We’re both men, Matteo. We can’t exactly..."

"A surrogate," Matteo answered instantly, a small smile breaking through his exhaustion.

"Oh." Adrian blinked again, a flush creeping up his neck. "That’s true. I almost forgot about that." He tapped his chin thoughtfully, leaning into the fantasy. "Well... I want two boys and one girl."

Matteo chuckled, his chest rumbling against Adrian’s. "I want twins. Cute twins who look just like Mark and me did when we were kids."

Adrian smirked, leaning back proudly. "Well, if the girl looks like me, she’ll be the most beautiful girl in the world. Let’s be honest, if I had been born a girl, I would’ve been absolutely stunning. The competition wouldn’t even stand a chance."

Matteo chuckled, his mood instantly lifting as he began teasing him. "Oh, really?"

"Yes, really!" Adrian nodded righteously, tossing his hair back with dramatic flair. "I know I’m beautiful. I’m definitely better-looking than Maya. Just imagine if I were a woman, every single man would be fighting to be my husband."

Matteo’s playful expression instantly shifted into a possessive frown. "I don’t want that," he grumbled, tightening his grip. "I love you exactly as you are—as a man, and as my only man."

Adrian grinned, loving the reaction. He leaned in close, his voice dripping with mischief.

"I’ll let you in on a secret, Matteo. Back in our university days, you could ask Frank and Charles...