Chapter 43: You’re Playing With My Heart

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: You’re Playing With My Heart

As the gates receded into the dark, Elisha pulled his phone from his pocket, his hands still shaking from the confrontation. Without a second thought, he unlocked the screen and dialed Henry’s number once more.

The phone rang against his ear, the steady sound stretching through the silence.

Click.

It went straight to voicemail.

Elisha lowered the phone, his thumb hovering over the screen. For a moment, he considered telling the driver to take him straight to Henry’s house. But he stopped himself.

If he showed up at Henry’s house that same night, after Henry had just gone to take Eloise home, Henry might think he didn’t trust him. It could seem like Elisha had gone there just to check on him or question him about Eloise and what happened at the lounge. He didn’t want to create any unnecessary misunderstanding between them, especially when everything else in his life was already falling apart.

Instead, Elisha ended the call and scrolled through his contacts until he found the household maid’s number. He pressed call.

The line connected after a couple of rings.

"Hello, Mr. Edmund?" the maid answered, her voice polite and slightly sleepy.

"Sorry for calling this late," he said, keeping his voice steady despite the adrenaline still running through him. "I just wanted to check... is Henry back home yet?"

"Yes, sir," the maid replied softly. "He came back a little while ago."

Elisha’s shoulders relaxed slightly, a small wave of relief washing over him. "Did he come back alone?"

"Yes, sir. Just him."

"Alright. Thank you," Elisha said. "Sorry to disturb you this late."

"Not a problem at all, sir. Have a good night."

The call ended.

Elisha placed his phone on the leather seat beside him and stared out the window as the city lights blurred past.

Knowing Henry was safely home was enough for now. At least he knew Eloise wasn’t there with him. He could wait until morning.

When the car finally pulled up to Elisha’s private residence, the gates opened, and his driver pulled into the estate. Elisha stepped out in silence and walked through the quiet foyer, heading straight upstairs to his room.

He didn’t bother turning on the lights. He quickly stripped off his clothes and climbed into bed, pulling the sheets over himself.

Exhaustion finally caught up with him, and within moments, he drifted off to sleep.

The morning sun filtered softly through the curtains as Elisha stirred, blinking against the light. The events of the previous night came rushing back to him, but one thought quickly pushed everything else aside. He rolled over and reached for his phone on the nightstand, hoping to see a message from Henry.

He unlocked the screen. There was no missed call from Henry. Instead, his notification tray was filled with missed calls and angry messages from his parents. Elisha scoffed and swiped them away without a second glance.

But when he opened his chat with Henry, his expression changed. There was still no reply.

Why hasn’t he called back? Elisha frowned as he sat up. Henry is always glued to his phone.

He tapped Henry’s name and called him. The phone rang for a few seconds before going straight to voicemail. Elisha frowned and quickly typed out an urgent message before sending it.

Minutes passed.

No reply.

A familiar thought crossed Elisha’s mind. Henry always acted like this when he was upset, he would shut down, ignore his calls, and keep his distance. Elisha went over everything that had happened between them the night before, trying to figure out what could have upset him. But nothing came to mind. Whatever it was, Henry was clearly angry about something.

Elisha couldn’t just sit there and wait. He called his driver and told him to get the car ready. Then he tossed the phone onto the bed and threw off the blankets.

"I need to go see him," he muttered.

He quickly got out of bed, took a shower, and dressed in a sleek all-black outfit, a pair of black trousers and a fitted black shirt. He ran his fingers through his hair, giving it a quick, messy sweep.

His mind was completely occupied with Henry.

When he stepped outside, his car was already waiting. The driver opened the rear door, and Elisha slid into the back seat.

"Drive," he instructed.

As they drove, Elisha had the driver pull over at a high-end florist.

He stepped out briefly and returned with a lush, vibrant bouquet of flowers. He tucked a small card into the arrangement and scribbled a quick Good morning, pretty boy across it.

He didn’t write an apology note because he still wasn’t entirely sure what he was apologizing for, but he hoped the gesture would soften the tension between them.

After securing the flowers in his lap, Elisha settled back into his seat and let the driver continue toward Henry’s residence.

They arrived shortly afterward. Elisha stepped out, clutching the bouquet, and entered through the front door using the familiar passcode.

The housekeeper immediately hurried out from the hallway and gave him a polite bow. "Good morning, sir—"

"Morning," Elisha tossed back over his shoulder, not breaking his stride as he headed straight toward the grand staircase.

He quickly climbed the stairs and walked down the familiar corridor to Henry’s bedroom. He knocked once before pushing the door open.

The room was dim when Elisha walked in with the bouquet in his hand. He went straight to the window and opened the curtains, allowing the warm morning sunlight to spill into the room. Then he turned and approached the bed, climbing onto the mattress beside Henry.

Henry was tangled in the sheets, completely naked, his hair tousled against the pillow and his face relaxed in sleep.

Elisha leaned over him with a soft, affectionate smile. "Good morning, pretty boy."

Henry slowly opened his eyes. When he saw Elisha beside him, he simply stared up at him with heavy, tired eyes, saying nothing.

Elisha’s smile faded as concern filled his eyes. "Come on, Henry... I’ve been worried about you since last night. I tried calling you, I sent you messages, but you didn’t answer any of them. You had me worried sick. What’s wrong, are you mad at me, pretty boy?"

Henry gave a slow, barely perceptible nod.

Elisha frowned and moved closer. "What have I done wrong?" He shifted the bouquet in his hand, intending to give it to Henry, but when his other hand brushed against Henry’s bare shoulder, he suddenly stopped.

Henry’s skin was burning hot. Elisha quickly pulled his hand away, his expression filling with concern.

"Oh, my God, Henry... you’re burning up. Are you okay?"

Henry’s voice came out weak and raspy. "I’m... I’m not okay."

Instantly, all of Elisha’s impatience disappeared. He placed the bouquet on the duvet beside Henry, and a few loose petals scattered across the sheets and Henry’s chest. Elisha looked down at him, his expression filled with concern.

"What’s wrong? Tell me."

"You’re playing with my heart," Henry murmured...