Episode 20

"I'll be back, but don't hesitate to call me if something goes wrong," Cedric said as he hugged Adrien tightly.

The night before, he had promised not to interfere in his life or judge his decisions. Of course, he was aware of his own feelings and couldn't bear to witness Adrien and Carlo's reconciliation. He wouldn't be able to handle seeing him happy in the arms of another.

Perhaps it was a bit selfish of him, but he really wished that Carlo would be much more awkward and miss the opportunity Adrien was giving him.

"It's okay." Adrien broke free from the hug and gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll let you know when the cafeteria is completely finished so you can come to the opening with me."

Cedric nodded.

Well, at least they had something more intimate that united them. Something that Carlo didn't have.

"Well, I'm going."

Adrien nodded and gave him one last hug before watching him disappear into the crowd of people returning to the United States. After making sure he was out of sight, he turned and left the international airport.

The day was beautiful, sunny, fresh air, and a perfect temperature. Or maybe he just saw it that way because of the happiness he harbored inside.

Everything seemed to be back on track. His relationship with Carlo seemed to be heading in the direction he had always wanted, his friendship with Cedric had been restored, and, for the moment, work was going great.

Life was finally smiling on him. What could go wrong? He was finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, a light full of happiness waiting for him.

He got into his car, and seconds after putting on his seatbelt, his personal phone rang, announcing a message. He looked at the screen, and his face lit up as he saw the name in the notification bar.

"Sorry, I was very tired yesterday and forgot to charge my cell phone. I hope you slept well. I'll bring you a coffee and a croissant, so don't buy anything."

It was the message Carlo had sent. After reading it, he felt comforted and almost cried with happiness. He wrote a quick reply and set off. He hadn't been this happy to go to work in a long time.

...----------------...

"Good morning." The friendly secretary greeted Adrien with a greeting and a radiant smile. Adrien returned the gesture, surprising the secretary who was not expecting such a cordial response from him.

"Has Carlo arrived yet?" asked Adrien, stopping before entering his office. The secretary shook her head.

"No, he hasn't arrived yet."

"Good. By the way, everything I said before about forbidding him from entering if it's not important and all that, it's not important anymore. Things will be like before."

She nodded. "I'm glad to hear that the restrictions have been lifted."

Adrien nodded gratefully and entered his office, leaving the secretary on the verge of emotion. The tense and stifling atmosphere that had reigned between them seemed to dissipate, and the secretary felt palpable relief knowing that things were returning to normal.

A few minutes later, Carlo's voice echoed down the hallway, causing the secretary to sit up straight in her chair with an expectant smile.

"Good morning," Carlo greeted as he entered, receiving a friendly greeting in return.

"Good morning, Mr. Carlo. Adrien arrived a few minutes ago," the secretary informed.

Carlo nodded and headed for Adrien's office. As he entered, he found Adrien hanging his jacket on a coat rack and approached with a warm smile on his lips.

"Hi," Adrien greeted with a mixture of surprise and genuine joy at seeing Carlo.

Carlo placed the coffee and croissant on the desk and approached Adrien, wrapping an arm around him as he placed his lips on his in a soft, comforting kiss. Adrien let himself be carried away by the gesture, feeling a current of affection and complicity in each touch.

The kiss was different from all the previous ones. Now, Carlo radiated warmth and tenderness in every caress and gesture. Adrien could sense the change in his demeanor, as if something had changed in him, as if he had finally found the peace he so longed for.

As they melted into that kiss, Adrien felt renewed, as if all the tensions and worries were dissolving in that intimate contact. Carlo was no longer a block of ice, but a source of genuine affection and connection that Adrien was eager to explore further.

The kiss continued, enveloping them in an atmosphere of complicity and love that Adrien had longed for for a long time. Carlo's hands tenderly explored Adrien's back, while their lips moved in perfect harmony.

For the first time in a long time, Adrien didn't feel overwhelmed by uncertainty or doubt. There was something about the way Carlo hugged him and kissed him that gave him a sense of security and inner peace. It was as if he had finally found a refuge in the midst of the storm.

When they separated, their eyes met, and in those eyes of Carlo, Adrien saw something new, something he had never seen before. It was as if there was a spark of hope and renewal, as if Carlo was ready to leave the past behind and start anew.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking about us," Carlo confessed, gently stroking Adrien's cheek. "And I think it's time to leave old wounds behind and build something new together."

Carlo's words resonated in Adrien's heart, filling him with a warm emotion. It was exactly what he had been hoping to hear but never dared to expect. The thought of having a second chance with Carlo, this time under more mature and sincere conditions, was like a dream come true.

"I've been thinking about it too," Adrien replied, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders. "I think together we can overcome any obstacle and be truly happy."

Carlo nodded with a smile, and together they sat down at the desk, sharing the coffee and croissant as they talked about their future plans. There was a new sense of complicity and understanding between them, and Adrien couldn't help but feel excited about what the future held for them.

The day passed in an atmosphere of renewed hope and love. Adrien and Carlo pledged to leave behind the mistakes of the past and work together to build a future full of happiness and complicity. It was the beginning of a new stage in their lives, and both were determined to make it work.

...----------------...

The secretary, noticing the tension in the atmosphere, bit her lower lip and looked with concern at the two people in front of her, feeling guilty for the words that were not yet coming out of her mouth.

"Are you going to say something or not?" questioned Adrien wearily, his voice echoing in the quiet office.

"I... I'm sorry to ruin your plans, but there's no way you can meet on Saturday or Sunday. You both have important events scheduled," the secretary explained with a mixture of fear and apology in her tone.

Carlo and Adrien looked at each other sadly. The thank-you dinner was still on, but due to their busy schedules, they had decided to postpone it until the weekend. However, their plans had just been dashed. They realized how naive they had been to think that, in the midst of the elections and their commitments, they could have a quiet day together.

In the end, they both sighed in resignation, accepting the reality of their situation.

"Can't they wait or what?! We have lives too!" Adrien exclaimed, raising his voice in frustration. He felt disappointed and overwhelmed by the circumstances.

"I-I'm so sorry," the girl whispered, feeling the weight of responsibility and fear of her boss's reaction.

"Go on, I'll take care of this," Carlo intervened, taking Adrien's hand to convey calmness. The secretary nodded quickly and ran out of the office.

Carlo set aside his reading glasses and approached Adrien, gently kissing his knuckles. The gesture was a sign of affection and reassurance.

"Easy, we'll go next week. I'll have time to arrange something much more special for us," Carlo said tenderly, trying to calm Adrien's disappointment.

Adrien's heart was racing. He had never seen such a loving side of Carlo before, and in that moment, he loved him more than ever. However, he also felt a slight fear of losing himself in that love and being abandoned again. Despite this, he decided to leave his fears behind and trust Carlo.

"I'm calm now," Adrien replied with a smile, resting his head on Carlo's shoulder and closing his eyes. His next words reflected his deepest feelings, "This between us still seems unreal to me. It's like I'm in a beautiful dream that's coming true."

Carlo smiled tenderly at Adrien's words. Although the past had left scars and regrets, he was determined to do things right this time.

"It's not unreal, Adrien. I'm real, this is real, 'us' is real," Carlo said with conviction, looking at Adrien sincerely. "I know it's early to fully trust, but I want you to know that I will strive to earn your trust again."

Carlo's words resonated in Adrien's heart, instilling hope and confidence in the future. Although there were still doubts and fears, Carlo's sincere gesture and gaze made him believe that this time things would be different.

"Yes, I trust that things will be better. Together we will be better," Adrien affirmed with determination and a hopeful smile.

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