I shouldn't have married the Crown Prince

Chapter 17- Gilbert's POV

Gilbert watched Eschyle and Cadmael leave with a grin. They were really fun to watch and Gilbert sincerely hoped that they would get together before he left. However, seeing how Eschyle didn't think of Cadmael as a potential partner at all, he doubted that would happen. Nevertheless it was still fun to see Cadmael get all jealous. Gilbert shouldn't make him angry though. He saw the crazy in those eyes and didn't want to finish hanging or even worse.

Just as he was thinking about his future death, he heard someone arrive. Gilbert was very surprised to see Andrew and immediately got into character. However inside his head he was more and more irritated. Why was Andrew always here nowadays? Couldn't he leave him alone for two seconds? He started regretting his act but still managed to cling to Andrew's blazer:

"You're back! I was so worried when you left like that. Please don't be mad at me. Eschyle is really just a friend. I don't want there to be a misunderstanding between us."

For some reason Andrew seemed even more pissed than ever. What was so horrible about Gilbert having a friend? Before, Andrew never even looked at him at school. Did he like the feeling of being in control that much? This was getting out of hand. But just a few weeks left anyway. Gilbert didn't care about what would happen in the remaining time.

"Stop your act! I know that you are lying to me!

-Why would I lie? Eschyle is a really good friend. He helped me when I needed it and I am grateful to him. But you are the only one I love.

-I heard everything! I didn't know that you thought so little of me."

Gilbert thought back to the conversation he just had with Eschyle. Did Andrew hear everything?

"What are you talking about?

-"He is the worst human being on earth" what else am I talking about?"

Gilbert let go of Andrew's shirt and stopped with the whining and puppy eyes. He signed while one hand was fixing his hair:

"Thank god I didn't have to cry this time."

Andrew's face became completely pale in one second:

"So it is true."

Gilbert's face became unbothered and Andrew could only see indifference in his eyes. He never saw Gilbert that way. He saw his sad smile hundreds of times and recently saw his broad smile too. He saw his face lit up by joy and devastated by tears. But it was the first time that he saw such a cold expression. The Gilbert in front of him didn't feel anything towards Andrew.

"s**t. I almost made it till the end. It is reassuring to know that it wasn't my acting that was bad at least. If you didn't hear us you would never have guessed right?"

Andrew was still shocked.

"Was it all an act?"

Gilbert laughed. His face lit up suddenly and Andrew's heart couldn't help skip a beat. Why was this man so beautiful when he smiled?

"Of course it was. Who would cling like this to someone? It's pitiful."

It felt as if he got punched in the stomach. Andrew backed away even paler than before. Soon he recovered and started turning red with anger:

"You lied to me! How could you use me like that?

-Use you? When did I do such a thing?"

Gilbert seemed so innocent that Andrew got even madder. He didn't know what was an act anymore. The first time that someone had been genuinely nice to him, it had all been a lie.

"You said you loved me! You followed me everywhere! You made me dinner... You were always there for me! How could you lie about all of this? You betrayed me!"

Gilbert smiled and his smile didn't look at all beautiful.

"Are you really trying to shame me right now, Andrew? Let me remind you what these last months looked like: I told you I liked you and we signed an agreement to have s*x. What you did was repeatedly cheat on me. I don't care about that but if I really did like you then how could you do this to someone who genuinely had feelings for you? Putting that aside which just makes you an average asshole, you abused me mentally all this time. If I had been a little more sensitive, I would have felt bad. Then you started pushing me and hurting me physically. And you are mad at me because I lied?"

Gilbert laughed so hard he almost choked.

"Don't make that face. You look like the victim here. Poor little Andrew. Do you want to talk about it?

-You didn't love me...

-For the second time, no. I didn't. Do you want me to send it to you by fax?

-But...

-I only wanted your money, Andrew. That's why I told you I liked you."

Andrew's knees felt weak. Why was his heart so painful? He couldn't recognize Gilbert anymore. He didn't know who the man looking at him with those cold eyes was. If he didn't love him then what was he supposed to do?

Gilbert smiled softly before patting Andrew's shoulder:

"Let's forget about all this lying story. Now we can really be only s*x partners."

Gilbert amassed a lot of money but according to the contract he still had to stay for a few more weeks. He wouldn't be able to get more money that he already had because Andrew discovered everything and that was irritating without being tragic.

Andrew watched Gilbert leave bewildered. The following days he couldn't think about anything else but Gilbert and came to find him multiple times. Gilbert didn't pull up the act anymore and told Andrew sincerely that he didn't have time. Andrew started waiting for Gilbert in front of his class which made people talk. Gilbert saw Andrew in front of the classroom door one day and dragged him away.

"What are you doing here again? You look like a zombie. What did that door do to you for you to look at it with those eyes? Want me to yell at it for you?

-I wanted to see you."

Gilbert rolled his eyes.

"Andrew... People will talk if you wait for me every day.

-I don't care.

-Do you have a fever? How could you not care? It is written in the contract that the relationship shouldn't be made public.

-You waited for me too.

-One: it was an act. Two: there were never people around. Well, most of the time. I told you I was busy. Send a text next time, I don't know."

Gilbert left but Andrew continued to come every day. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Gilbert after the few weeks they had left and he desperately wanted things to get back to the way they were. He wanted Gilbert to look for him, to cook for him, to care for him... But Gilbert didn't do any of that anymore. Andrew called him everyday to have s*x but Gilbert only came sometimes being busy with school.

Once again, Andrew was waiting for Gilbert at the gate:

"Why are you here again?"

Gilbert looked at his calendar:

"We are friday. I thought you had a rendezvous with Richards. You will be late if you don't leave now."

Andrew couldn't bear the indifference in Gilbert's eyes. Why couldn't he look at him the way he did before?

"I wanted to be with you."

Gilbert shook his hand unbothered:

"You have a month left."

He started walking away but Andrew grabbed his arm, panicked. Gilbert turned around and looked at his hand his face still cold:

"Don't touch me without my consent."

Andrew immediately retracted his hand. He shouldn't do something Gilbert didn't like. What if he left because of it?

"Sorry.

-It is a really bad habit to grab people. You should learn to ask for consent first. It is something so basic. Repeat after me: could I touch you?"

Andrew looked like a child being scolded which made Gilbert laugh:

"You look horrible by the way.

-Can't you stay? We could start all over again. Write a 80 year long contract."

Andrew finally said what he kept thinking about all these days but Gilbert only laughed.

"I don't know if I'll be alive in 80 years but aside from that, good joke."

He looked at Andrew and froze:

"Oh... You weren't joking."

He lowered his back a bit as if talking to a child:

"Darling, I would never stay with you. Not even with a contract."

Andrew felt devastated. He wanted to grab Gilbert. He wanted to pull him as close as possible and never let go. He didn't care if it was all an act. He needed Gilbert. He extended his hand and wanted to hug Gilbert but he only got punched in the stomach:

"What did I tell you about asking for consent?"

Andrew coughed a few times and Gilbert took the chance to disappear. Tears started flowing from Andrew's eyes. It was too painful and it was all his fault. Why did he realize his feelings so late? Why couldn't he be nice to him before? Would things be different?