Page 7 of Chasing After You

“I’ll tell them. Everything.”What was he talking about?Daniel went eerily quiet for a second or two.

He spoke slowly, “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I would. I already have it all written up, just waiting to be posted… If you don’t let me see him, I’ll post it. I bet it’ll probably go viral.”

“Dorian, don’t be ridiculous. You’d really ruin our family—ourlegacy—for that broke idiot?”

“Thatbroke idiotis the only family I have. Besides, it would only ruin you and Victoria.”

“And what if he hears what you really are and is so disgusted he won’t even look at you?”

Dorian let out an angry laugh. “I’m sorry to tell you, but most people don’t fucking care. And sure, maybe some of your business partners care, but they’d also never align themselves with someone who gets canceled for forcing their child into conversion therapy!”Conversion therapy?

“I willnotstand by and let you disgrace our family like this!”

“You’re the disgrace! You’re the one who can’t accept that I’m gay! I’m yourson. You’re a pathetic excuse for a father, and the whole world should know that!”

“You—” I heard the sounds of a struggle coming from beyond the door. “Will not—”

The sound of something heavy hitting the floor finally snapped me out of the trance I’d fallen into.

There was a crash—glass, maybe—and then a low, strangled sound, like someone being slammed into a wall and trying not to cry out. My breath caught in my throat.He wouldn’t hurt Dorian, right? He wouldn’t.

“Don’t you fucking touch me!” Dorian snarled, breathless but furious as the struggle continued.

I instinctively stepped forward, hand hovering just above the doorknob. Every muscle in my body screamed at me to go in, to stop whatever was happening, to pull Dorian out of that room and away from the monsters who called themselves his parents.

But I didn’t.

Because I wasn’t supposed to exist anymore.

I couldn’t risk my promised goodbye.

So instead, I pressed my back to the wall and clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms.

“You’re not even worth it,” Daniel muttered after a moment. His voice was now lower, more calculated. “I can’t believe I wasted so many years trying to make something out of you. Useless.”

“What was useless was trying to change me,” Dorian spat. “Tell me where he is. Now.”

A heavy silence followed. It stretched long enough that I feared something terrible had happened.

Then Dorian spoke again—quietly this time. “You don’t own me. And no matter how hard you try, you never will. I’m leaving. And I’m going to fucking ruin you.”

“Stop—” Another crash. But this one was even louder. What was going on?

“Let… go…” Dorian wheezed.

“I’ll fucking kill you, boy, before I let you destroy this family!” Daniel yelled.

I flung the door open, startling Daniel. He was straddling Dorian on the floor, his hands wrapped around his son’s neck. “Why are you—”

I rushed forward, shocked at the scene unfolding before me.

Dorian’s eyes found mine. He mouthed, “Josh.”

I didn’t think. I couldn’t.

The moment I saw his bruised hands tightening around Dorian’s throat, something primal inside me snapped. I screamed his name—“Get off him!”—but Daniel didn’t even flinch. Dorian’s face was turning red, then purple, veins straining in his forehead, his limbs starting to flail more sluggishly.