Ren's Pov....
When Ren's parents first told him about the arranged honeymoon, he expected Evan to refuse, or at least protest. But instead, Evan accepted quietly, as if it didn't matter to him.
It made something in Ren's chest ache.
Their plane ride was silent. The sky outside was beautiful, painted in shades of pink and lavender, but neither of them said a word. Ren stared at the clouds, occasionally glancing at Evan, wondering why this man always felt like an unsolvable puzzle.
When they were kids, they used to play together. Evan was never overly warm, but he was never this distant either. Somewhere along the way, that closeness faded. Evan began acting like a stranger. Now, sitting next to him felt like sitting beside a wall. Unreachable. Unmoving.
When they landed on the Vallen family's private island, a butler greeted them with a polite bow. "Master Evan, Young Master Ren, welcome."
The butler led them through lush gardens and along white-sand pathways to a grand villa that sat right at the edge of the sea. The waves lazily kissed the shore, the salty breeze tugging gently at Ren's hair. It should've been romantic. It should've been exciting.
But his heart felt heavy.
Inside the villa, the butler showed them their couple's suite—one massive room, one large bed, and a soft lingering fragrance of fresh flowers.
Ren noticed it immediately.
Something about Evan changed. The cold mask slipped. His posture softened, his brows relaxed, his footsteps lost their usual heavy sound.
But Ren was exhausted. He didn't want to chase answers anymore. He didn't want to try.
He brushed past Evan, dropped his bag, and went straight to the bathroom without saying a word.
When he came out, he was towel-drying his damp hair, wearing a black silk shirt that clung to his collarbone and loosely framed his body. The shorts barely reached mid-thigh, revealing his soft, fair legs.
He was so focused on rubbing his hair dry that he didn't notice the small figure sitting at the edge of the bed—until he heard it.
Sniffles.
Ren paused, lowering the towel.
Evan was sitting there, his head down, shoulders trembling.
"What are you doing now?" Ren sighed, annoyed but also slightly concerned.
Evan slowly looked up with wide, glassy eyes, tears streaming down his face. His lips trembled as he whimpered, "Why don't you love me anymore? Did I do something wrong?" His voice cracked in the middle, making him sound absolutely pitiful.
Ren's eye twitched.
Oh no.
Not again.
Another one?
"Come on—what's this now? Who are you supposed to be?" Ren crossed his arms.
"I'm…..I'm Liam," he sniffled. "I just wanted to be close to you. But you keep pushing me away. You didn't talk to me on the plane. You won't even look at me now."
Liam's tears fell faster. "Do you… hate me?"
His desperate, snotty face was doing things to Ren's already exhausted patience. "No, I don't hate you! I just can't keep up with you!"
"Really?" Liam's eyes sparkled with hope. "Then, can I… hug you?"
Ren groaned but relented, dropping his towel. "Fine, just don't overdo it—"
Before he could finish, Liam bolted up and wrapped his arms tightly around Ren's waist, his face pressing against Ren's silk shirt, trembling as if he'd been starving for this touch.
"I missed you so much!" Liam whispered against his chest.
The sudden warmth, the way his body clung desperately to him—it caught Ren off guard. "W-Wait, hey, that's enough hugging—"
But Liam pulled back, just enough to look at Ren's face. His tear-streaked cheeks were flushed pink, his lips trembling.
Then, suddenly, he leaned up and kissed him.
Soft at first. Gentle. Like Liam was terrified Ren would disappear if he wasn't careful. But soon, the kiss deepened—eager, clumsy, desperate.
"H-Hey, Liam, wait—" Ren stammered, breath hitching, but Liam wasn't stopping.
His hand gripped the back of Ren's silk shirt, pulling him closer, as if Ren might vanish at any moment. The sweet scent of the ocean mixed with the intoxicating warmth between them.
When Ren finally managed to push him back, both of them were panting. "Enough! You can't just do that! I'm still mad!" he snapped.
Liam's lip wobbled. His hands trembled as he rubbed his eyes. "Y-You hate me again! I knew it!" He sniffled harder, fat tears rolling down his face.
Ren pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh, for crying out loud—fine! Fine! Do whatever you want! Just… just stop crying, okay?! But after this, don't bother me again!"
He meant for it to sound like he was scolding him.
But he didn't expect Liam's watery eyes to suddenly brighten as he leaned in again.
And that's when the kiss turned into something else entirely. Something that made Ren's knees weak and his mind race.
He didn't even remember how he ended up in bed, but now he lay there, flushed and vulnerable, with Evan pressed tightly against his back, one strong arm wrapped around his waist in an undeniably intimate hold.
His face was buried into the pillow, muffling his shaky breaths, while Evan's chest was warm against him, the rhythm of his heartbeat echoing through Ren's spine. Evan leaned in, gently nibbling his right ear, clearly trying to distract him from what was coming next.
Ren tensed the moment he felt the blunt tip of something pressing against his entrance. His body instinctively tightened, but it did little to stop the slow, deliberate push.
A sharp pain shot through him, and a cry escaped his lips—raw and involuntary. Evan hushed him softly, his lips trailing kisses along Ren's neck and shoulders as he slowly pushed deeper, allowing Ren time to adjust, refusing to rush.
His free hand gently brushed through Ren's hair as he stayed still for a moment, letting Ren feel his presence—his size, his heat—letting him adjust to the overwhelming sensation.
"You are doing good," Evan whispered against his ear, his voice low and coaxing.
Ren clenched his eyes shut, trying to focus on the rhythm of Evan's breathing instead of the dull ache between his legs. But the way Evan held him—so firm yet tender—made his heart flutter in confusion and need.
And somewhere in the back of his head, a dangerous thought whispered:
How many more husbands do I have left?