Chapter 64: Frederick’s Warning & His Rules

Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Frederick’s Warning & His Rules

~Reynold’s POV~

I couldn’t believe my eyes, my ears, or the sheer audacity of how calmly he was sitting there explaining everything to me as though we were discussing business portfolios.

My heart pounded furiously, a dangerous mix of embarrassment and heat rushing through me.

I stared at the open case filled with sleek, intimidating devices, my voice coming out in a defensive squeak. "Why would you get all of this for me? I didn’t ask for any of it, and I definitely don’t need them."

Frederick looked at me, his gaze steady and completely unbothered by my flustered state.

"I got all of this for you because I’m thoughtful," Frederick said calmly. He paused, his gaze holding mine. "But more importantly, I don’t want you to ever feel tempted to sleep with someone else just because I’m busy or unavailable. You’re mine for the duration of this five-year contract, Reynold. I expect you to be faithful to me throughout it. So don’t ever make the mistake of thinking that my absence gives you permission to be with someone else."

His expression grew more serious.

"Reynold, I’m telling you this because I need you to understand how serious I am. If you ever sleep with someone else, that will be the absolute end of us. I’d rather buy you these toys and let you use them whenever I’m unavailable than have you turn to someone else."

A shiver ran down my spine at the quiet coldness in his voice. I shook my head, my face burning. "Why would I do that? I can always wait for you. I don’t need these."

"Reynold, sometimes I get very busy," Frederick said, his voice softening slightly as he moved closer. "As you know, I have several companies and businesses to manage. There will be times when you want me and I simply won’t be available. When that happens, these will be there for you. You don’t need to feel embarrassed about using them."

"I’m never going to cheat on you," I insisted stubbornly. "And I don’t want the toys."

"Just keep them," he instructed smoothly, packing them back into the case. "I already bought them for you. You can either use them or keep them."

I didn’t want to keep arguing with him, so I decided to let it go. "Alright," I mumbled.

Frederick reached out and tilted my chin up, making me meet his dark, piercing eyes. "I’m doing everything I can to make sure you never lack anything and never have a reason to look for someone else. So don’t ever make the mistake of cheating on me, Reynold. It would irritate me beyond measure, and if you ever did it, you’d see a side of me you really don’t want to see. So be careful."

I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat and nodded. "Alright. I promise."

He closed the case with a soft click and set it aside. "I’ll have to leave soon. Lily will be back by tonight, and she flies out tomorrow evening, so I need to go back and be there for her."

"I understand," I murmured quietly.

He leaned back against the headboard, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And about your friend, if you truly don’t trust him, you should stay away from him."

"I do trust him," I argued immediately. "Julian is a good friend, and I trust him completely. I only hesitated earlier because he likes you, and I wasn’t sure how he would react if he ever found out about us." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

Frederick let out a low hum and crossed his arms. "Reynold, I’m not saying he’s a bad person. But a good friend should make you feel safe and comfortable. Look at my inner circle, especially Damian and Elias. Even though I keep you a secret from the rest of the world, I still let you meet them because they’re the people I trust most. If you don’t feel that same sense of trust and safety with Julian, then maybe you should keep your distance. I want you to be careful. I’m not saying you should stop having friends, but if you already have doubts about his intentions, you need to pay attention to those feelings."

I gave him a small, reassuring smile and shook my head. "You’re right about some things, but you don’t have to worry about Julian. He’s always been there for me, even when nobody else wanted anything to do with me."

Frederick held my gaze for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "I still want you to stay away from him."

"Why?" I asked, frustration creeping into my voice.

"Because you don’t know how he’ll react when he finds out about us," he replied simply.

"I trust him, Mr. Corvin. You really don’t have to worry about that."

Frederick sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Alright. Then find a way to test his reaction or tell him about me before he hears about us from someone else. And when you do, let me know exactly how he reacts. Understood?"

Alright," I mumbled.

"And remember," he added, his tone turning strict again, "never go anywhere without my permission, and never stay out late."

I took a deep breath, swallowing my annoyance. What is with all these rules? I’m not a baby. I can take care of myself. Still, I kept my thoughts to myself and simply nodded. "Okay."

"Oh, that reminds me," I said, shifting on the bed. "Julian mentioned something today. He said there’s a rumor going around that you’re dating a young boy."

"That’s exactly why you need to be careful," Frederick replied. "There will always be rumors, no matter how careful you are. And from everything you’ve told me about your friend, I still don’t trust him."

"Mr. Corvin, you really don’t have to worry about Julian. He’s a very kind friend to me. But what are you going to do about the rumors?"

Frederick didn’t even blink. "Don’t worry about the rumors. Just be careful about the people around you. As for the rumor..." A faint smile crossed his lips. "It won’t be a rumor for much longer. I’ll make sure they get their confirmation themselves."

"What do you mean?" I asked, staring at him in confusion.

"There’s a high-profile gala coming up soon, and every major media outlet will be there. You’re coming with me. I’ll make sure we’re seen together, but I won’t give them anything beyond what they can observe. Let them speculate. By the time the night is over, they’ll have enough to keep the rumor alive without knowing the truth behind it."

My eyes widened in panic. "Wait—but you said you wanted us to remain a secret!"

Frederick gave me a calm look, as though my concern were unnecessary. "And we will. I’m not going to announce anything or give the press an official statement. You’ll simply accompany me as my guest. If reporters see us together, they can draw whatever conclusions they want, but without confirmation from me, it remains speculation."

He pulled me closer and gently patted my head. "There’s a difference between being seen and being exposed. I know exactly how to keep the two separate. So don’t worry about it. Just focus on your studies."

I nodded slowly, still too exhausted to fully understand what Frederick was trying to do. "Alright."

After that, we both lay back down together. The rest of the afternoon passed quietly, with Frederick talking to me about life, safety, and boundaries. I listened to everything he said, knowing that, beneath his stern words, there was a possessive kind of care.

Eventually, he got up and changed back into his sharp business attire. Once he was fully dressed, I changed into something comfortable and followed him downstairs.

The waiting car was idling in the driveway, and the driver immediately stepped out to open the rear door. Before getting inside, Frederick turned to me. He caught me gently by the waist, pressed a tender kiss to my forehead, then kissed both of my cheeks before finally capturing my lips in a deep, lingering kiss.

"Be good for me," he murmured against my lips.

"I will," I whispered.

He stepped back and climbed into the car. The driver quickly closed the door before walking around to the driver’s side. As the engine came to life, Frederick lowered the tinted window slightly and gave me one last look and a small wave.

I waved back with a small smile as the luxury car pulled away, its tires crunching softly over the gravel driveway before disappearing through the estate gates.

Taking a deep breath, I turned around...