A Messy Romance (MxM)

CEO's son

Cade fastened his neatly pressed shirt sleeve and tied his tie before spritzing on some Dior perfume. He slipped on his rings and watch, taking a final glance in the mirror before heading out of his room. He strode down the stairs with a confidence that made this everyday action feel special.

His meal was already set for him when he arrived at the table. While eating, he scrolled through his phone, never really paying much attention to table manners. He reviewed the budget that his personal assistant had sent over for the new Italian restaurant they were planning.

Once he finished eating, he grabbed his jacket, got into his Mercedes, and drove off to work. As the COO of ST Building and Construction, Cade had a lot on his plate, but he loved it. He enjoyed coming up with new ideas and strategies to elevate his father's company.

Cade didn’t just want to be 'one of the best'; he aimed to be 'the best.'

He believed that this new Italian restaurant would be a major success, and he was determined to make it happen. His drive to work was anything but ordinary. As soon as he stepped out of his car, his assistant was right there with him, ready to brief him on the meetings scheduled for the day, including topics and everything else on his agenda.

As he walked to the elevator, he noticed several people subtly nodding their heads in respect out of the corner of his eye. Even though he was the CEO's son, he knew that his hard work had earned him their admiration.

After completing his business management degree, he quickly pursued a master's degree and gradually climbed the ranks to become COO, learning from those he worked with along the way. While some might say there was favoritism because of his family ties, no one could deny that he put in the effort.

When the elevator doors opened, everyone inside fell silent as he entered with his personal assistant. Cade had never really understood why they went quiet around him; a small part of him suspected it was due to his status as the CEO's son.

He stepped off on the 11th floor and made his way to his spacious office, which was just how he liked it. It featured a large couch, a TV, a coffee machine, and a small shelf. His desk was cluttered with documents that needed his signature and deals that required his attention. His assistant settled onto the couch to sort through new emails while he opened his MacBook to tackle the unfinished emails from the previous night.

His day had officially started.

«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«»«

"What's on the agenda for today?" Cade asked his assistant as he shut his laptop, leaned back in his chair, and ran his hand through his buzz cut. He had already been to eight meetings and sifted through countless emails, but this was just another day for him; he was used to it.

"We need to visit the Italian restaurant. A site view is required today. The investors and everyone will arrive in 20 minutes," she replied, glancing between him and her notepad.

Cade checked his watch—it was already 4 PM. The day had flown by. "Will Mr. Stone be there?" he inquired. During work hours, he referred to his dad as 'Mr. Stone.' He had also insisted that his father call him by his name instead of 'son,' which his dad used at home. He preferred it that way, although sometimes his father still slipped up.

"Yes, he'll be there. The Mayor will join us too," she answered.

"Figured as much," he muttered under his breath. "I shouldn't keep them waiting." With that, he stood up and headed out.

As soon as he got into his car, he set off to his destination, taking a different route than the one he used this morning. While driving, he enjoyed the cool air against his skin. As he looked around the bustling city, his gaze landed on a building with 'Arlen's Sweets' written on it, and a frown appeared on his face.

Arlen. He recognized that the owner of the café was the same Arlen he knew. Although they had met before, he distinctly remembered when Justin introduced him to their group. Arlen usually stayed quiet during their hangouts, mostly chatting only with his brother and Justin, which reminded Cade of their childhood.

Arlen often tagged along with his brother Nick when they were younger. Back then, Arlen seemed almost invincible, rarely engaging with them or socializing—just lost in his own thoughts.

Cade thought Arlen was cute back in their teenage years. But now, he found him annoying and unlikable.

They were never really close, even as teens; they just didn’t click. Cade sometimes asked Nick how Arlen acted at home and sensed that Arlen always seemed tense around them. Now, that curiosity had faded entirely; Cade didn’t even want Arlen to join their group anymore.

Most of Cade's feelings towards him came after Justin introduced Arlen as his boyfriend. Cade found it hard to believe that Arlen was in love with Justin, and even more so that Justin felt the same way about Arlen. Days after their announcement, Cade still couldn't wrap his head around the idea that Justin had feelings for Arlen. He was shocked to realize he had completely misinterpreted Justin's actions toward him.

"Did Arlen really not know I liked Justin?" Cade thought at the time. He understood it was silly to feel like Arlen should have turned him down just because Cade had feelings for Justin first. Still, he couldn't shake off those thoughts, which lingered for days and nearly impacted his work—almost.

Now, he simply avoided them whenever they hung out together, even when they flaunted their relationship in front of him. Cade couldn't help but scoff at times; he didn't understand what Justin saw in Arlen. Sure, Arlen was attractive and polite, of average height, smart, diligent, and...

Cade's frown deepened further. Arlen seemed almost perfect, and part of him wished the boy would suddenly show a bad side that would cause Justin to lose interest in him.

He desperately wanted them to break up.

Cade parked his car with a sigh and grabbed his phone from the passenger seat where he had left it. He needed to move on and forget about both of them. Since he couldn't bring himself to wish them happiness together, this was the least he could do.

He stepped out of the car and gazed at the large building in front of him. Right now, all he wanted to focus on was this restaurant project. He hoped it would turn out to be a big success.

Meanwhile, not far from Cade's parking spot, his father and the mayor were having a conversation. “Have you thought about what I mentioned?” Mr. Preston asked Mr. Stone.

“Were you really serious?” Mr. Stone replied, still surprised by what had been proposed last week.

The mayor grinned, “You know I am.”

“You think we’d be crazy to arrange a marriage between our sons?” Mr. Stone questioned, although he found the idea of connecting their families appealing.

"I don't think so. Besides, those two have shown interest in men before, so it's not an unreasonable idea."

"You're right; Cade is currently single."

"Well, Arlen hasn't introduced anyone to me," the mayor replied.

"But would they actually agree to marry each other?"

"We could use this restaurant as a cover. You know, to strengthen our 'partnership,' he said with air quotes. It would be the perfect excuse that he hoped the kids would believe.

"I have no objections to this plan. We just need to try hard enough to convince both of them. Plus, they're not exactly strangers," Mr. Stone said.

"I'll talk to Arlen when I see him tomorrow."

"I'll inform Cade."