That night, Saul arrived home with his friend Mark. Both men were surprised to find Justin there—he hadn't let the household staff announce his arrival.
"Justin, what are you doing here?" Saul asked, irritation in his voice.
"He probably came to make good on his promise—confess his love now that he's made something of himself," Mark added, studying the young man.
"Uncles, it's great to see you both again," Justin said with a smile, his eyes on Saul. "Uncle Mark, you've got it wrong. I'm here to take over my father's company, and since the house isn't clean yet, I figured I'd stay at Uncle Saul's place."
"Justin, don't call me uncle. We're not family," Mark said.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Varvein." Justin shifted uncomfortably.
"What I mean is, you can just call me Mark." He offered a smile to put the boy at ease.
"Don't give him too much familiarity, or he'll never leave you alone with his nonsense," Saul said.
"Uncle Saul, the past is the past. Forgive me for my foolishness—I was immature back then."
"I hope that's true and you won't embarrass me. I also hope you'll respect my space and my girlfriend."
"I won't cause any unnecessary trouble." The words stung.
"Since Saul doesn't want to see you, you can stay at my place while your house is being sorted out," Mark offered.
"I didn't say I don't want to see him. I'm just reminding him that he's an adult now and needs to drop the immature behavior and act accordingly."
"Thanks for the offer, Mark, but I think I'll just go to a hotel."
"A hotel won't be as comfortable. Come stay with me."
"Justin, don't be stubborn. It's late—stay in the guest room tonight and figure out where to go tomorrow." Saul turned to Mark. "Mark, let's head to the study. We still have work to deal with."
Before the two men could leave, Saul received a call from his girlfriend.
"Hi, love. How's the trip going? Have you missed me?" he said as he walked toward the study.
Left alone in the living room, Mark looked at Justin closely, noticing his sadness.
"Are you still in love with him?" Mark asked, seeing how pale the young man had gone.
"Not anymore. The last chance I had disappeared the moment I walked through that door."
"Don't get discouraged. You're a very attractive young man, and you've got your whole life ahead of you. You'll find someone who truly loves you—someone you can give your heart to without hesitation."
"Thanks for saying that, Mark," Justin replied with a sad smile.
"Don't mention it. Go get some rest."
Mark headed to the study to join Saul for work. Justin went to the guest room, set his suitcase aside, and texted his mother to let her know he'd arrived safely. Starting the next day, he would dig into everything related to the company so that within a week, he could step into his role as vice president.
"Is he really that in love with his girlfriend? Would he get jealous if I found someone else? Maybe Mark would be perfect to test Saul..."
He shook the idea from his head and changed for bed. Mark had always been good to him—always there with advice, always ready to console him whenever Saul rejected him.
"He's not someone I should be deceiving or dragging into my nonsense. Better to just focus on work."
The next morning, Justin showered and went downstairs for breakfast. Only Saul was in the dining room, making it awkward to sit across from the man he still loved and not be able to say so.
"I hope your house is ready soon. My girlfriend's coming back from her trip, and she'll be staying here," Saul said without looking at him.
"Don't worry. The house will be taken care of today, and I'll move out before the day's over."
"Good. You mentioned you're taking over your father's company. If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Tell me something—why do you call me uncle?"
"Before I left, you made it clear you only saw me as a nephew. Your friend's son. So I should respect that line, so I don't make you uncomfortable or bring up that stupid past."
After breakfast, Saul left without another word. Justin finished eating, went back for his suitcase, and said goodbye to Maria before heading to a hotel. He didn't want to see the man anymore, let alone keep enduring the same awkward reminder over and over.
"What matters is the work. I've already wasted enough time chasing a stupid fantasy and unrequited love."
Settled into his hotel room, Justin spent the entire day reviewing everything about the company—the employees, the financial reports, the partners, the projects. He buried himself in it all, determined to stay informed and to keep Saul out of his mind. When evening came, he left the room and went to a nearby restaurant for dinner, ordering a meal and a bottle of wine.
"Starting tomorrow, Saul Villar means nothing to me. His life and his love won't matter to me at all."
A few tables away, Saul and Mark were having a business dinner with some partners. At one point, Saul caught sight of Justin drinking a glass of wine.
"He's allergic to beef, and he's eating it anyway," he muttered, unable to take his eyes off the boy.
Noticing Saul's distraction, Mark followed his gaze and spotted Justin as well.
"He's allergic to beef—aren't you going to stop him from eating that?" Mark said to his friend.
"He's an adult now. He should know what he can and can't eat for his own health."
Mark just nodded and turned back to the conversation with their partners. When the dinner wrapped up, both men glanced over at Justin, who was still eating and drinking.
"Mark, go get him. He can't keep risking his health like that, and he shouldn't be getting drunk with nobody looking after him."
"If you're worried about him, why don't you go over there yourself?"
"I don't want him getting ideas in his head and bothering me. I love my girlfriend, and I won't let him interfere with my relationship," Saul said firmly.
"Fine. I'll go get him."
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