Chapter 224

Slater hadn't expected things to go this way, and the blunt rejection left him stunned.

Simon's voice·wasn't just cold-it carried an unshakable finality.

The response rattled Slater, and inside he cursed furiously. What the hell? Wasn't Simon supposed to be into men? Wasn't his type exactly what Simon liked?

He had thrown himself forward with confidence,yet Simon's reaction was beyond strange. Was this all an act of false restraint?

Remembering the bold confidence he had flaunted when Isaac assigned him this mission, Slater tightened his fist with renewed resolve.

There was no turning back now. Isaac had trusted him with this, and he'd see it through no matter what.

Driven by that thought, he called out quickly, "Hey,hold on a second!"

As Simon walked away without the slightest pause,Slater shoved down his revulsion, hurried after him, and caught his hand. He forced a bashful smile as he mumbled, "If you don't mind,could you give me your number? I just want to connect... nothing else,just as friends."

The contact sent Slater's mind into chaos. For all his years, he had never once held another man's hand,and the sensation felt unbearably awkward.

If his friends ever learned of this moment,they'd laugh him into the ground.

Despite the turmoil raging inside, he kept his face composed, feigning shyness with practiced ease.

The sudden grip made Simon halt in his tracks.

When he turned, the sight of Slater's coyness and strange, hopeful gaze churned something unpleasant in him. Revulsion rose fast, seeping into every nerve.

He ripped his hand free with sharp finality,the movement sharp and merciless, leaving no doubt about his disgust.

Slater froze, staring at his own hand left hanging midair, confusion clouding his eyes as he searched Simon's face for an explanation.

Strength radiated from Simon's movement, far more than Slater had expected. The look Simon gave him was cold, every trace of it drenched in disdain.

His reply came short and cutting. "No. I can't."

Without another glance, he strode off, each step quicker than the last, as though fleeing something filthy.

Left behind, Slater just stood there, dumbstruck,watching the man's back fade into the distance.

A nurse soon pushed a wheelchair out from the hall,her tone kind as she asked, "Sir, do you need a wheelchair?"

Words failed him, so he only nodded.

Lowering himself into the seat,he leaned back,rubbed his chin, and tried to make sense of what had happened.

He had been bold, practically throwing himself out there,yet it had fallen flat.

That didn't make sense. WVasn't he good-looking enough?

Confidence had always been his shield, and within moments,his brief self-doubt shifted into frustration.

No, the problem wasn't him. From Simon's expression, it was obvious this wasn't simply about disinterest.

A man who truly liked other men wouldn't recoil that violently, even if he didn't find the person attractive.

Whether it was pushing away Slater's attempt at contact or recoiling in disgust when asked for his contact information, Simon's responses came off as openly hostile and deeply repelled.

The way he carried himself was no different from a straight man who felt cornered by unwanted advances from another man.

Clicking his tongue in frustration, Slater muttered under his breath, "Did Isaac mess this up? That guy's supposed to like men, but he's acting straighter than Bobby ever did."

...

From a hidden spot not too far away, Bobby had watched the whole exchange, his eyes narrowing as he pieced it together.

Something about the situation gnawed at him, though he couldn't put his finger on what felt wrong.

Once he caught sight of Simon slipping out of the hospital,he hurried after him. He kept close, following Simon all the way down to the underground parking garage, figuring he'd watch the man leave by car.

But Simon's next action threwv Bobby for a loop.

Simon reached the parking lot, shrugged off the jacket Slater had touched, and tossed it into a nearby trash bin with zero hesitation, like the thing was contaminated.

Without missing a beat, he made his way to the restroom tucked into the corner of the garage.

Bobby straightened his collar, trying to look relaxed while tailing him.

He wandered over and gave Simon a casual glance,clocking the fact that Simon wasn't inside a stall.Instead, he was hunched over the sink, furiously scrubbing his hands under blasting water.

It was the back of Simon's left hand that caught Bobby's attention. The skin was raw and flushed,thanks to how hard he was scrubbing-Slater had grabbed that hand earlier.

As Bobby strolled past, Simon murmured, "Hell no.That guy is definitely into men. That's just messed up."

The words made Bobby stop for a beat, surprise flickering across his face.

He pushed onward and ducked into a stall, acting like a passerby.

After a couple of minutes, once the sound of rushing water faded,Bobby stepped out with his hands shoved in his pockets.

He watched as Simon disappeared down the corridor,his eyes clouded with uncertainty.

Hadn't Slater said Simon was into men?

Simon never would have looked so rattled if he was just dealing with some random admirer.

It hit Bobby all at once. The only explanation was that Simon had absolutely no interest in men.

...

Slater had pushed the envelope as far as he dared.

The assignment wasn't about seduction, just gauging Simon's reaction, exactly how Isaac had laid it out. By that measure, the job was done.

Both Bobby and Slater hung around in Isaac's office,waiting for the verdict.

Roughly thirty minutes crawled by before the meeting wrapped up and Isaac entered his office.

Seeing his brother, Bobby could hardly contain himself. He shot forward, blurting out, "Isaac, you won't believe what happened today-"

With a quick wave, Isaac silenced Bobby and signaled his staff to exit the room.

The office emptied out,leaving only the three of them.

Taking his spot behind the desk, Isaac glanced Bobby's way. "You decided to jump in, too?"

The words sounded easygoing, but Bobby instantly worried he'd overstepped. He shot Slater a look,quietly pleading for backup.

Catching on to the signal, Slater quickly spoke up."Isaac,please don't fault Bobby for stepping in. I was the one who asked him to lend me his thoughts. You know how sharp he is and how he's always brimming with clever plans. We managed to finish this task only because of the strategies he came up with."

Isaac's gaze lingered on Bobby, but a smile finally crept in. "That much I know."

Relief washed over Bobby and he broke into a wide,satisfied grin.

The smile slipped from Isaac's face as he focused on the issue at hand. "So, tell me-how did Simon react?"