Chapter 5 THE MAN I SHOULDN'T WANT

Caleb showed up at noon the next day. Asher's office was every bit the shrine to power and wealth he'd imagined.

Asher stood by the window, suit jacket off. "I could've just had you pitch via Zoom."

Caleb smirked. "But then you wouldn't have gotten the full experience. I figured an in-person pitch would make a stronger impression.."

Asher turned, eyes dark with something deeper. "Bravo."

Caleb looked away, the heat behind Asher's gaze too intense. "So... the logo concepts..."

But Asher crossed the room slowly, stopping only inches away.

Asher leaned in, his eyes slowly trailing down Caleb's frame before settling back on his face. "You're dangerous in a suit," he said, voice low and rich. "Too put-together. Too composed. Makes a man curious what's underneath all that polish."

Caleb looked up, startled by the change in tone. "Thank you. That's... kind."

His hand moved deliberately on Caleb's thigh, up to his butt, and came to rest. "You strike me as the type who works hard."

May I kiss you?" he asked.

But he didn't wait for an answer. He leaned in, closing the space between them.

Caleb tilted his head back slightly, pulling away.

Asher exhaled, stepping back like someone burned. "You're right. I'm sorry. I just... God, Caleb, I haven't felt like this in years. You walked in and I forget who I'm supposed to be."

Caleb's breath caught. "You're my client. My boyfriend's father."

"Caleb I love you," Asher said softly, stepping back, hands raised. "Forgive me. I was just... overwhelmed."

"Its fine," Caleb whispered.

"I'm not trying to complicate things," Asher said, voice low, "but I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

Caleb stood too, tense but calm.

"I know. I'm sorry." Asher muttered, hands raised. "I was... caught up. I respect you, Caleb. This wasn't meant to be manipulative. You have every right to walk out and never speak to me again."

Caleb was already heading for the door, but halfway there he stopped and turned. "Asher... I don't think you're a bad man. I wish I could give you what you want, but I can't."

And with that, Caleb left, the door clicking shut behind him.

Asher's hands dropped to his sides slowly.

He sat down heavily in the chair Caleb had just vacated, burying his face in his hands.

---

That night, Caleb drove to Henry's place, using the spare key Henry had once given him.

He hadn't called ahead. He just needed to talk, to tell him everything about what his father had done, what he'd said.

As he stepped inside, he called out quietly, "Henry?" but there was no response, only the faint, rhythmic creak of movement from upstairs.

Caleb's stomach tightened. He ascended the stairs slowly, each step heavier than the last.

He opened the bedroom door and froze. A guy was on top of Henry, riding him hard and moaning his name.

Henry's eyes snapped open and, in a panic, he shoved the guy off, revealing Jaden.

Jaden tried to turn away, to hide his face, but there was nowhere to go. "Caleb..." he whispered.

Caleb stared at him, pain twisting his features, tears welling in his eyes.

"You," he said, voice cracking, "are my friend."

Caleb stumbled back a step.

"Please, Caleb," Henry called, scrambling for his boxers and pulling them on in a rush. He chased after him. "It's not what it looked like. I swear.

He just showed up, I didn't invite him. It all happened so fast. I know I messed up."

Caleb turned, his expression shattered. "Yeah. You did."

Henry reached out again, desperate. "He's my ex, okay? Jaden's my ex. I was going to tell you after the party, but I didn't know how. He forced his way in, I didn't want this, I swear."

Caleb shook his head slowly, his voice trembling. "You let him into your house, your bed, your body. You let this happen."

Tears flowed down his face. "And if you can do it once, you can do it again. I don't ever want to see you near me. Not again."

He turned and walked out sobbing as Henry followed behind, his voice cracking and pleading on the edge of breaking himself.

---

Caleb didn't step outside for three days.

He ignored Henry's visits, Asher's calls, text and voicemails.

Each day, Derek showed up with arms full of takeout, a quiet presence, throwing out dumb jokes like darts, hoping one might hit the mark.

---

"You want me to kill him?" Derek asked flatly one afternoon. "Because I will. Just say it."

Caleb let out a broken laugh, sharp and hollow. "He's not worth it."

Derek exhaled hard, eyes shadowed. "You are. You didn't deserve any of this."

"I thought he was different," Caleb murmured.

"Everyone does, until they're not." Derek held his gaze. "Stop tearing yourself apart over this. It wasn't your fault," he said, pulling Caleb into a warm embrace.

---

Derek, fiery as ever, showed up at Jaden's house a few nights later, his knuckles rapping hard on the door. The moment Jaden opened it, Derek pushed him backward with a forceful shove, slamming the door shut behind them.

"You knew," Derek snapped, driving Jaden back until he was pinned against the corner wall. "You knew exactly what that would do to him."

Jaden averted his eyes, shame creeping in. "I didn't mean to hurt Caleb."

"Bullshit," Derek hissed, eyes blazing. "You better go talk to him."

"Caleb?" Jaden repeated, startled. "I... I can't. He's not in his right state of mind."

Derek's lip curled. "Oh, like you were in yours when you gave Henry a goddamn cowboy ride?"

Jaden stiffened, his face paling.

"Yeah," Derek said, voice low and cold. "He told me everything."

Jaden's throat tightened. The weight of his actions hit him like a crash. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I know nothing I say will justify it. I just... I couldn't get over Henry after that night. After the party, I thought I could handle it, but I didn't."

Derek's stance eased just slightly, though his eyes remained sharp. "We all screw up. But Caleb's still our friend. I believe he might forgive you if you stop running."

Jaden swallowed hard. "What if he doesn't?"

"Then you face that," Derek said. "But I'll go with you. And I'll ask Will to come too. You won't have to do it alone."

Jaden looked away, guilt dragging his shoulders down. "Alright," he whispered.

Asher called. Again. And again.

It wasn't until a quiet afternoon that Caleb finally answered.

"...Asher," he breathed, barely above a whisper.

Asher didn't hesitate. "I've been trying to reach you. You haven't answered any of my calls. If this is about what happened the other day, I swear, it won't happen again."

There was a pause.

"What about dinner tonight?" Caleb asked softly.

Silence stretched between them.

"A dinner date?" Asher echoed, surprised.

"Asher?" Caleb's voice wavered.

"Yes," Asher said at last, gentle but unwavering. "It would be my pleasure."

"I'll text you my address," Caleb murmured. "Come pick me up."

"I'll be there," Asher replied.

Caleb ended the call without another word.

---

Weeks later, Asher and Caleb stood before a quiet judge.

The only sounds were the click of a pen signing the license and the slow, deliberate words of the justice of the peace, who barely looked up from the paperwork.

They held hands, locked in each other's gaze, smiling softly.

When the ceremony ended, they walked out together, their footsteps echoing steadily down the marble hallway.

---

"What the hell, Caleb?" Derek's voice crackled through the phone. "You married him? Please tell me this is some performance art piece I don't understand."

"It's not what you think," Caleb said, his voice calm but strained. "He loves me."

Will looked furious. "You married your ex's dad, Caleb. Who the hell does that?"

Caleb didn't blink. "Yeah, I do."

Mia gave a dry chuckle, disbelief in her eyes. "This isn't funny, Caleb."

He stayed silent.

Mia moved closer, concern softening her tone. "We're not saying he doesn't care. But Henry's father? You could've chosen anyone else."

Asher's good to me," Caleb said. "He's kind. He sees me."

Will shook his head. "You're missing the point. This feels like revenge."

"Exactly!" Derek said, Mia nodding beside him. "Like you're trying to prove something."

Caleb scoffed, his eyes cold. "Yes, I'm doing this because Henry tore me apart. He slept with Jaden, my friend. Our friend." He shook his head slowly, bitterness creeping into his voice.

"So yeah, maybe I do want him to know what it feels like. To be gutted. To be replaced. To watch someone you love fall into the arms of someone you trusted like a brother."

He nodded, smiling. "I want him to feel it, every sickening second of it. And I will make sure he does."

The door opened, and all eyes turned as Jaden walked in, eyebrows raised. "What's going on?"

"I'll catch you all later," Caleb said, standing and walking past him.

"Caleb," Jaden called, but he paused only for a second before continuing out the door.

Jaden turned to the others. "Seriously. What happened?"

Derek's glare cut like a blade. "Don't you dare act clueless. This? All of this, is your fault."

---

Four days after the wedding, Henry walked into the house unannounced.

What he saw stopped him cold.

Asher had his arms wrapped around Caleb from behind, swaying gently to a slow song as he pressed a kiss to Caleb's neck. Their fingers were intertwined, matching wedding bands gleaming in the soft light.

Henry stood frozen, his eyes locking on the rings clutched in their hands.

Caleb looked up at the sound, his body going still as his gaze locked with Henry's.

For a long, tense moment, no one spoke.