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I had to listen as Theodore was dragged away, deeper into the house, and I could only imagine what was going to be done to him for his perceived infraction.

Guilt churned in my body but what could I do? It’s not like I could storm through a millionaire’s house and steal his son.

But the matter wouldn’t leave my mind even after we left the mansion behind.

“I think investing in construction materials could be a good opportunity,” I said to Tristan a few days later, trying to be casual.

He shot me a surprised look. Usually, I avoided the economic part of the business like fire.

“Sure, we can do that,” Tristan nodded.

“Wait, just like that?” I blinked at him. “You would invest in a new venture just because I said so?” I had a whole speech prepared to convince him and it turns out I didn’t need it?

“Matthias, it’s your money as well,” Tristan said with exasperated fondness. “I always welcome your suggestions on what to do with it. But I admit it would help to know why you have this sudden interest in construction materials?”

“Just... I had a conversation with Mr. Feliciano’s son about them? I would be interested in learning more. So, I thought you could talk with Mr. Feliciano about investing in his company...”

Tristan’s gaze pierced me until I was sweating. I didn’t want to tell him about Theodore until I had a better measure of the situation. A grown man wasn’t a puppy I could just bring home.

“Very well, I will see what I can do,” Tristan agreed and I nearly sagged with relief.

Mr. Feliciano was a busy man, so it took a while for Tristan to insert himself into his schedule, but a month later there was another party we had been invited to.

As before, Theodore gave a beautiful performance, this time on a violin instead of a piano, and Mr. Feliciano boasted eagerly about his son’s musical talent. When the man and his son took to the floor to schmooze I observed from afar. Theodore smiled and laughed and praised and listened with wide-eyed interest. He was a picture of a perfect socialite.

I knew it was a mask when I approached him and his smile faltered only for a second before it was back in full, the wide stretch of his lips masking fear as his father patted his back proudly when Tristan mentioned how lovely the violin concerto was.

Using the fact Feliciano was drawn into a business conversation with Tristan, I gave the excuse of being hungry and dragged Theodore to the hors d'oeuvre table with me.

I grabbed the first little morsel I saw and gestured for Theodore to do the same.

“Thank you, but I’m not hungry,” the blond man responded with that fake smile. Maybe I would have believed him if his stomach hadn’t made a gurgling noise at that moment.

“Here, try this, it looks good,” I scooped up a little tartlet and pushed it at him.

His eyes flared with want. It was more than a mere hunger of someone who was slightly famished. He was starving.

Still, he put his hands together, one over the other, the position mirroring the pose he was bade to hold the last time we met, and shook his head.

Blue eyes flickered to the side for just a moment but it was enough for me to know Theodore was worried about his father’s reaction. Something clicked in my mind then.

“You won’t eat because youcan’t,” I said. “He forbade you from eating.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Theodore said with that fake smile. His eyes begged for me to drop it.

I laughed as if he told a joke and threw a friendly arm over his shoulder, positioning us with our backs to the crowds so that no one could tell what we were talking about.

“Listen, I can help you,” I hissed in a furious whisper. “If you need to run, I know some guys, all right?”

“No, you don’t understand,” Theodore responded, his voice frantic. “Running only makes things worse. Leave... leave me alone.”

He shrugged off my arm and waved to a group of young ladies, power-walking in their direction and calling out greetings. I was pretty sure forcing my presence and causing a scene wasn’t going to help the matter so I stayed away and hoped I could catch him alone when he left the party. But, at the end of the evening, he was escorted out by his father and when I tried to follow them I was stopped when I reached the family wing.

Defeated, I skulked back to Tristan.

Tristan

“It’s not really about construction materials,” Matthias blurted out when I was driving us home.