Playing The Victims [BL]

Chapter One Hundred & Fifty-Nine | Fifth World

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There was a still silence the moment the unassuming ring was tentatively slid across the small table dividing the two men. Fahren was having a sip of his drink when his date for the evening plucked up the courage to finally reveal the reason they were both there. To any onlookers, who spotted the nervous-looking young man who had showcased a ring, they would think it was some lacklustre proposal.

After all, they did have the best table in the restaurant. Overlooking the docks where all the boats belonging to wealthy owners proved to be a scenic backdrop. But the mood at the small table couldn't have been any further from the opposite of people's imaginations.

With a tap of the glass as it was set back down on the table, Fahren didn't look remotely surprised. Nor did he rush to grab the ring before it could disappear again. In fact, he didn't even touch it. Deciding to instead focus his attention on the man who had barely spoken three words since they had sat down.

"So it was you."

There was a time where Fahren would have considered Luis Bennett attractive. Perhaps it was the man's confidence that had intrigued him the most, because as he looked at him now, he couldn't quite recall what it was that made him stand out from the rest of the leeches.

But it didn't matter how full the man's lips were, or that he looked after himself, because Fahren's tastes had sufficiently changed. His version of maturity displayed him as nothing but a child in comparison to the man who Fahren was completely enamoured with. Not to mention, Luis who was now considered a child in Fahren's eyes, was continuously looking at him like he was a ghost.

If everything System and their boss was telling him was the truth, and they truly wished for a more efficient selection process when people reach the end of their lives, then Fahren actually pitied the young man in front of him who put on a good show of having a hard exterior. There's no way he would survive what Fahren had gone through— and his was the equivalent of an easy level.

"I'm not the only one to have taken some of your belongings, but it's clear that I took what meant the most to you. For that, I apologise." Luis took a leaf out of his father's book and spoke formally.

An apology which meant nothing at the same time. In fact, to Fahren, it sounded a lot like he was just apologising for being caught. Intent on shining a light on the fact that other people had also entered his home and taken what didn't belong to them. How very political.

It frankly pissed Fahren off. Mostly because he was thinking about all the other things he could be doing instead of wasting his afternoon with a wretch from his past.

"I'm going to give you one more opportunity to convince me that you're truly sorry." Fahren announced as he sat back in his seat and crossed one leg over the other. The seats were designed to provide comfort along with a fine-dining experience. So Fahren was able to rest against the leather arm and prop his head in his hand, demonstrating how he could fit into any setting. Fixing Luis with an unflinching look.

Luis dared to look around, conscious of their surroundings even though it was he who had selected such a place to meet. His own drink had barely been touched, aware of what excessive drinking could reveal in such a tense situation.

He decided the best course of action was to lean forward, resting his arms on the table. He looked at Fahren from under thick, dark eyelashes. The odd loose strand of his matching dark hair came tumbling down the side of his face and showcasing a boyish charm. His full lips, which most likely twisted in one way rather than the other when things went his way, pressed into a straight line before opening and closing as words evidently struggled to come out of them.