In the morning when Willy woke up, as usual, Tim had already ordered a hot breakfast for him. Tim always took care of him with quiet, effortless precision.
Tim smiled from the small dining table. "Good morning, sweetheart. Everything is prepped and ready. We can leave right after breakfast."
Willy stretched, a soft, content smile touching his lips. "Good morning, thank you... I'll be ready in just a few minutes." He slipped out of bed and went straight into the master bathroom.
The moment the bathroom door shut, Tim pulled out his phone, remembering he hadn't sent a confirmation message to his grandmother. They were scheduled to visit her estate tomorrow, and he needed to establish a few strict boundaries beforehand.
Tim:My Queen, tomorrow my important guest and I will visit you. He knows nothing about my past, and you shouldn't tell him anything about it. When the right time comes, I'll tell him everything myself.
He soon received a reply:
Queen:You made us so incredibly happy, my sunshine. We will be waiting for you both tomorrow. Don't worry at all, we won't utter a single word about the past.
Tim let out a relieved breath just as Willy returned from the bathroom, his hair damp and his frame completely refreshed. The moment Willy sat down beside him, Tim suddenly pulled him into a tight, fierce embrace.
Willy blinked, completely caught off guard. "What's going on?"
Tim wrapped his arms securely around Willy's neck, leaning in to press a deep, lingering kiss against his lips. "I missed you, darling."
Willy let out an amused huff, his cheeks flushing slightly. "You literally slept cuddled up against me all night."
"So what?" Tim countered, his dark eyes melting with unyielding devotion. "I still miss you. I would miss you even if you step away for a single second."
Willy stared into his eyes, his heart doing a sudden, breathless flip. "When I first met you, I never would have imagined you could act like this."
Tim's lips pulled into a soft, arrogant smirk. "This side of me is reserved exclusively for you, my love. No one else on this earth has ever seen it. But I know why you thought that most people are terrified of me."
Willy studied his sharp, handsome features. "I'm curious about that other side of you, too."
Tim's gaze darkened slightly, a heavy shadow passing through his dark eyes. "I think you'll see it soon enough."
After finishing breakfast, they packed their specialized gear and luggage and went downstairs to check out. After saying goodbye to the attentive hotel staff, Tim walked Willy to the passenger side, opening the car door for him before carefully securing their bags in the trunk.
As they merged onto the coastal highway, Tim checked the navigation layout. "We'll be at my place in about two hours."
Willy leaned back into the leather seat, watching the passing scenery. "Are we going to your grandparents' estate tomorrow?"
"Yes, I already informed them," Tim nodded, keeping one hand steady on the steering wheel. "It's actually just a few minutes' walk from my house."
Willy realized this was a golden opportunity to understand Tim's background better. "Will you tell them about us?"
Tim's grip on the wheel softened. "They've supported me in every single choice I've ever made. I'm certain they'll be overjoyed to hear about us, but I won't utter a word if you prefer to keep it quiet. I don't want you to feel overwhelmed or embarrassed."
Willy glanced down at the polished platinum band on his finger, a wave of absolute trust filling his chest. "You can tell them, Tim. Of course I'll be a little nervous before meeting them, simply because they're your family."
Tim smoothly reached across the center console, bringing Willy's hand to his lips and pressing a soft kiss against his knuckles. "As long as you're right here by my side, everything will be perfect. Meeting my parents... now that will be terrifying. But if we ever have to face them, I promise I will do everything in my power to shield you."
Why on earth is their relationship so utterly broken? Willy thought silently, his chest tightening. "I was a little scared..."
"Don't be afraid," Tim said, his voice turning fierce and protective. "Even though they won't approve of us and will try everything in their power to tear us apart, they will still do whatever I command because they owe me far too much."
Willy wanted to push further about Tim's parents, but he recognized the sharp boundary. Whenever the subject arose, Tim subtly retreated. One day, when you're ready, I know you'll share it all with me, Willy thought.
Attempting to lighten the heavy atmosphere, Willy asked, "Why don't you stay with your grandparents if their estate is so close?"
Tim let out a sharp sigh, a cold, distant shadow flickering across his expression. "They have no idea I bought a residence here. When we relocated to this province years ago, my grandparents offered to take me in, but my father flatly refused. Shortly after, they shipped me off to an elite private boarding institution. It felt more like a fortress because I was confined there twenty-four hours a day. But don't worry, I engineered my way out soon enough. And then I purchased this house. I wanted to be near my grandparents... I used to watch them from afar as they walked along the coastline in the mornings. That's the entire reason I bought the property."
Willy sat in profound silence, his chest aching as the pieces finally began to assemble. He understood now why Tim wore such cold, impenetrable armor. "I can only imagine how suffocating that must have been for you."
Tim reached over, gently patting the top of Willy's head. "Look at my handsome husband worrying about me. I had zero desire to live under my parents' thumb. I'm glad I'm far away from them. My only regret is that I couldn't spend more time with my grandparents. They've endured far more hardship than I ever have, which is probably why we understand each other so well."
Willy offered a warm, reassuring smile. "Your grandparents mean the world to you. Now I completely understand why we're going to see them."
"You're right, my love," Tim whispered, his gaze softening completely. "I don't know when I'll have an opportunity like this again. I want to introduce my other half to the only people who truly matter to me."
The vehicle eventually pulled to a stop near an isolated stretch of coastline. Despite the crisp autumn air, the afternoon sun was bright and clear.
Tim turned in his seat to face him. "Shall we take a short walk along the shore, darling?"
Willy stretched his legs, letting out a long, refreshing breath. "That sounds amazing. I'm exhausted from sitting for two hours."
The coastline was pristine and completely deserted. There was no one else around, just Tim and Willy walking side by side over the cool sand, the rhythmic crashing of the tide creating a serene backdrop.
After walking for a while, Willy looked around the open stretch. "Should we head back to the car?"
Tim smirked, pointing toward a magnificent, modern glass estate perched dramatically atop the cliff overlooking the ocean. "Are you tired already, clever boy? We've already arrived. Do you see that estate up there? That's my house, and this entire stretch of shore is my private property."
Willy froze in his tracks, his eyes wide as he stared up at the massive, private architectural marvel. "Wait... are you absurdly wealthy, Tim?"
Tim burst into a loud, delighted laugh, the sound echoing across the water. "Oh, wow! Are you suddenly deeply interested in your husband's assets and net worth, darling? Say the word, and I'll have my private assistant forward you the complete asset registry and bank portfolio right now."
Willy's mind completely stalled. A private assistant? The sheer mystery surrounding Tim's life was dizzying. "Forget it! You just spend money like it's water, that's why I asked."
"Don't drain your brain over it, sweetheart," Tim chuckled, wrapping his arm tightly around Willy's waist as they continued walking up the private path. "I have more than enough wealth to last us lifetimes. And since you're officially my husband, half of everything I own already belongs to you anyway."
Willy shook his head, thoroughly bewildered. "Where did you even get that kind of capital?"
Tim raised an eyebrow, an amused glint in his eyes. "You own a private residence, a custom vehicle, and spend freely on your friends without blinking. Why are you so stunned that I have resources too?"
Willy sighed, looking down at the sand. "That's my father's fortune. My parents allocated ten million to each of us siblings, but the trade-off is that we're obligated to work for the family enterprise the moment we graduate from the university."
Tim's expression went instantly flat, his tone dropping into a cold, sharp register. "That sounds utterly suffocating. So you have zero true freedom and are forced to execute your parents' commands for the rest of your life. Don't you have your own personal dreams, Willy? Hand that money straight back to them and pursue whatever your heart desires. From this moment on, I am right by your side, and I will fund and support every single thing you want to do."
My own dream? Do what I actually want? Is that even possible for me? Willy thought, his mind completely reeling from the concept.
Tim reached up, placing his hand firmly behind Willy's neck, forcing their gazes to lock. "Look at me, Willy. I don't care how you were raised or what expectations your family shoved down your throat. From now on, you are completely free. I will back every decision you make. Your freedom is more valuable to me than anything else in this world. Even if... even if one day you decide you no longer want to be with me, I will still stand behind you and protect your freedom."
The sheer weight and absolute sincerity of those words struck Willy directly in the heart. Without a second of hesitation, Willy lunged forward, wrapping his arms fiercely around Tim's neck and burying his face into his shoulder. The words touched the deepest, most hidden part of his soul. It felt as though he had spent his entire life waiting for someone to grant him permission to simply exist for himself.
"Thank you... thank you for coming into my life, Tim," Willy whispered, his voice thick with raw emotion as tears welled in his eyes. "I am so deeply grateful for you. I love you."
Tim wrapped his arms tightly around Willy's waist, holding him flush against his chest. "I love you too, my sweet boy. I am the one who is grateful you completely transformed my entire world."
Tim pulled back slightly, his thumbs gently wiping away the warm tears from Willy's cheeks. "Tell me your absolute greatest wish, darling, and I will personally ensure it comes true."
Willy let out a soft, breathless laugh, trying to break his own emotional intensity. "If I ask you to pluck a star out of the sky, how on earth are you going to manage that?"
"I can buy a documented star system right now and name it directly after you, Mr. William," Tim stated with absolute, unbothered seriousness.
Willy frantically grabbed Tim's wrist, laughing out loud. "I was joking! Don't you dare buy a star! The only thing I want is for you to stay right here with me."
Tim smiled softly, his dark eyes brimming with unconditional love. "That's the easiest task you could ever assign me, because I am going to stay by your side forever. I belong entirely to you."
How could I ever want anything else when being with you is the only time I'm truly happy? Tim thought silently.
Forever with you... It sounded like the most beautiful reality Willy could ever imagine, because Tim had handed him his life back. For the very first time, Willy had found someone who truly saw him for who he was. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to hold a dream of his own, but standing on this shore, he realized he could finally make his own choices and build the life he actually wanted.
Willy felt so overwhelmed with happiness that his physical exhaustion completely evaporated. "Let's stay out here on the shore for a little longer."
"We can stay out here as long as your heart desires, my love," Tim smiled warmly.
They sat side by side on the sand, watching the crystal-clear tide roll in against the coast.
Willy murmured softly, "I want to watch the sunset over the water."
"Of course, but let's drop our gear inside the house and rest up first," Tim said, standing up and pulling Willy effortlessly to his feet. "We'll come straight back down before the sun dips below the horizon."
Willy smirked, brushing the sand off his pants. "You know, sometimes you act like you're much older than me."
"That's only because you occasionally act like an absolute child, handsome," Tim teased, lightly flicking Willy's ear. "You constantly forget to take proper care of yourself."
Willy smiled softly, stepping close into Tim's space. "I don't need to worry about it, because you take care of everything for me. I have the best husband in the world."
Tim beamed with unadulterated pride, his chest swelling. "I couldn't possibly disagree with that statement."
Willy playfully nudged his shoulder. "Do you really love it that much when I call you the best husband?"
"No question about it, my love," Tim beamed happily.
Willy extended his hand, his fingers open. "Alright then, my dear husband... lead the way home."
Tim leaned down, pressing a deep, passionate kiss against his lips before grasping his hand tightly. "As you command, my absolute world."
Willy shot him a mock-annoyed look, though his blushing cheeks gave him away completely.
"Alright, alright, honey. I won't push my luck and make you angry," Tim chuckled softly, wrapping a strong arm around Willy's shoulders as they walked up the winding path toward the estate.