EPISODE 19
1500 Words
ASTOR CONGLOMERATES & ORION GROUP – THE GROWING BOND
For weeks, Leo and Julian D’Argento worked closely together on the project. The more time they spent in each other’s company, the more natural their interactions became. Meetings that once felt rigid and professional slowly took on an air of familiarity.
Leo sat across from Julian in the grand conference room of Astor Conglomerates, reviewing blueprints for their joint venture. The table was cluttered with documents, laptops, and empty coffee cups.
Leo: “The layout looks good, but I feel like we can improve the integration of sustainable materials. The design is modern, yes, but it lacks a unique signature—something that makes it stand out.”
Julian tapped his gloved fingers on the table before speaking.
Julian: “You’re looking for a statement piece. Something that doesn’t just impress but leaves an imprint.”
Leo nodded, pushing his chair back slightly.
Leo: “Exactly. I want people to remember this project years from now, not just because of its scale but because of what it represents.”
Julian tilted his head slightly, the dim conference room light reflecting off his ever-present mask.
Julian: “Then let’s not settle for what’s expected.”
Leo smirked.
Leo: “I like the way you think.”
A moment of silence passed between them before Julian spoke again.
Julian: “We’ve been working for hours. It’s almost 8 PM. Let’s have dinner.”
Leo glanced at his watch, surprised at how much time had passed.
Leo: “Again? We had lunch together too. People might start thinking we’re attached at the hip.”
Julian chuckled softly, a rare sound that sent an odd warmth through Leo’s chest.
Julian: “Would that be such a bad thing?”
Leo opened his mouth to respond, but something in Julian’s tone made his breath hitch.
What was happening to him?
They had dinner again, as they had so many times before, exchanging quiet conversations between bites of gourmet dishes. But that night, as Leo drove home, he found himself gripping the steering wheel tighter than usual, his mind in chaos.
---
Leo’s Realization – A Night Out for Clarity
Leo leaned back against the plush seating of an upscale bar, a glass of whiskey in hand. The dim lighting cast warm shadows over the room, but the tension in his shoulders refused to ease. Across from him sat his longtime friend, Ethan Pierce, a well-known corporate lawyer who had seen Leo through many ups and downs.
Ethan: (raising an eyebrow) “So, let me get this straight—you’re confused because you’re starting to feel something for Julian D’Argento?”
Leo exhaled sharply, swirling the whiskey in his glass.
Leo: “It doesn’t make sense, Ethan. I thought I still had lingering feelings for Julian West, my childhood best friend. But then he disappeared again, and now I find myself…” (pauses, struggling to find the words) “…thinking about another Julian.”
Ethan smirked.
Ethan: “So, two Julians? That’s not confusing at all.”
Leo shot him a glare.
Leo: “Not funny.”
Ethan leaned forward, resting his chin on his palm.
Ethan: “Okay, let’s break it down. What is it about D’Argento that’s getting to you?”
Leo hesitated, his fingers tightening around his glass.
Leo: “I don’t know. Maybe it’s the mystery? The way he carries himself, like nothing can touch him. He’s guarded, but when he speaks, there’s a quiet intensity behind his words.” (he sighs, rubbing his temples) “And despite that damn mask, I feel like I’m seeing parts of him no one else does.”
Ethan watched him for a moment before chuckling.
Ethan: “Leo, you’re falling for him.”
Leo scoffed.
Leo: “That’s ridiculous. I barely know him.”
Ethan smirked.
Ethan: “You’ve spent weeks working together, eating together, talking about more than just business. When was the last time you looked at someone like this?”
Leo stayed silent, his mind racing.
Ethan: “Exactly.”
Leo sighed and took a sip of his drink.
Leo: “So what the hell do I do?”
Ethan leaned back with a knowing smile.
Ethan: “Figure out what you really want… and whether you’re ready to risk it.”
---
Julian D’argento – Out As Julian West
That same night, Julian D’Argento walked into the very same bar—except this time, he wasn’t behind the mask.
Dressed in a sleek black turtleneck and tailored slacks, his dark hair neatly styled, he looked nothing like the enigmatic businessman known to the world. To those who knew him before, he was simply Julian West.
He spotted his old friend, Adrian Sinclair, at a private booth near the back. Adrian, a former journalist turned novelist, grinned as Julian slid into the seat across from him.
Adrian: “Look at you, out in the open like a regular person. I was starting to think you’d never step into the world again without that mask.”
Julian chuckled, taking a sip of his wine.
Julian: “It’s been a while since I let myself be just… me.”
Adrian studied him for a moment.
Adrian: “So? How’s the business empire?”
Julian: “As exhausting as ever. But I found an interesting business partner—Leo Astor.”
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
Adrian: “The Leo Astor? He’s got quite the reputation.”
Julian smirked.
Julian: “So I’ve heard.”
Adrian narrowed his eyes.
Adrian: “You sound intrigued.”
Julian leaned back, tapping his fingers on the table.
Julian: “Maybe.”
At that moment, across the bar, Leo laughed at something Ethan said—completely unaware that the very man he was trying to figure out was just a few feet away.
---
Julian West & Adrian Sinclair – A Laughter Hiding Pain
Julian West leaned back in his seat, a glass of red wine in his hand, as Adrian Sinclair smirked at him across the table. The dimly lit bar buzzed with chatter, but their conversation was far from lighthearted.
Adrian: (grinning, but his eyes sharp) “So let me get this straight—you only met Leo after you became Julian D’Argento?”
Julian huffed out a laugh, shaking his head.
Julian: “Of course. I mean, before that, he had no idea who I was.”
Adrian feigned an exaggerated gasp, clutching his chest.
Adrian: “Wow. And here I thought childhood friends stayed in touch. Guess you’re just another stranger to him now.”
That was when they both lost it. Laughter spilled between them, a little too loud, a little too forced—two people pretending that the weight of reality wasn’t pressing down on them.
But as their laughter faded, Adrian’s expression softened.
Adrian: (gently) “How are you holding up, Jules? Working this close to him, seeing him every damn day?”
Julian exhaled slowly, staring into his glass.
Julian: “It’s easier as D’Argento. Behind the mask, I can control the situation. I can be unreadable, distant. But as Julian West? God, it’s torture.”
Adrian sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.
Adrian: “And yet, here you are. Right back in his orbit.”
Julian chuckled bitterly.
Julian: “Guess I’m a masochist.”
Adrian frowned.
Adrian: “No, you’re just in love with a man who doesn’t know how to hold onto you.”
Julian stiffened at those words but said nothing. There was nothing left to say.
Leo’s Dilemma – Julian West’s Return
Across the bar, Leo swirled the last of his whiskey in his glass, his mind still tangled in the conversation he’d just had with Ethan. His growing attraction to Julian D’Argento had thrown him into chaos, and now, as if fate was playing the cruelest joke on him, Julian West—his Julian—was here.
Then he heard it.
A loud, familiar laugh.
His head snapped toward the sound, and there he was.
Julian.
No mask. No pretense.
Just Julian West, sitting across from a man Leo vaguely recognized, laughing like he didn’t have a care in the world.
Leo’s grip on his glass tightened. What the hell was happening?
Leo: (muttering to himself) “This is insane.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
Ethan: “Something wrong?”
Leo wet his lips, shaking his head slightly.
Leo: “Julian West. He’s here.”
Ethan followed his gaze, then let out a low whistle.
Ethan: “Damn. Talk about bad timing.”
Leo clenched his jaw.
Leo: (muttering) “Or perfect timing.”
Ethan tilted his head.
Ethan: “What are you going to do?”
Leo exhaled sharply.
Leo: “Face him.”
- Writer
