(BL) A Regretful Revenge

Chapter 9: Chapter 9 : The mask of ambition



The nights began to blur into a rhythm neither of them acknowledged aloud.

Almost every evening after the office had emptied, Micheal would find himself drawn to the top floor, to the corner office with tall glass windows and a man whose presence had become oddly addictive.

Ken no longer needed to say anything.

A glance. A slight nod. The door closing behind Micheal was all it took.

They would come together with quiet urgency, not always rushed, but always intense. Their bodies had learned each other, and with each meeting, something deeper was exchanged… though neither dared name it.

To the outside world, they were merely superior and subordinate.

Inside that locked office, they were something else entirely.

Micheal always left before dawn, fixing his shirt, adjusting his tie, and walking out as though nothing had happened. As though his skin didn't still burn with the memory of Ken's hands. As though his heart didn't beat louder than it should.

But he reminded himself, each time:

This is a plan. A mission. Not a mistake.

One night, as rain tapped gently against the windows and the city glowed beneath them, Micheal rested shirtless on the couch while Ken leaned against his desk, sipping wine.

They had just finished another wordless, breathless evening.

Ken watched him quietly, eyes thoughtful, different from his usual unreadable gaze.

"Micheal," he said slowly, "have you ever considered taking on more responsibility here?"

Micheal turned his head lazily. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Ken stepped closer, his voice low and honest. "You've proven yourself, more than once. Your proposal six months ago saved our overseas division from bleeding out. Your team respects you. Even Raul says you're the best hire we've had in five years."

Micheal sat up, the compliment striking something inside him he didn't expect. Ken placed the glass down and looked at him with something close to sincerity.

"I think it's time you considered moving higher up. You're wasting your talent at your current level."

The offer was tempting.

Dangerously so.

But Micheal smiled faintly, shaking his head. "No."

Ken raised a brow, clearly surprised. "No?"

"I don't want to climb because of this," Micheal said, gesturing subtly between them. "I want to earn it through my own merit, not because I've… gotten close to the CEO after hours."

Ken looked taken aback at first, not offended, but stunned by Micheal's bluntness. Then he chuckled, a genuine sound.

"You're rare," he said. "Most people would've taken that offer without hesitation."

Micheal shrugged. "I've worked hard. I want it to matter."

Ken nodded slowly, walking over and ruffling Micheal's hair affectionately, a gesture that, oddly, warmed Micheal's chest.

"Then I'll support your climb. But don't take too long. I don't want to lose you to another company."

Micheal smiled, his eyes dropping to the floor for a moment.

What Ken didn't know… what he couldn't know…

Was that Micheal did want power.

He just didn't want it handed to him.

He wanted to take it.

Earn Ken's trust.

Make Ken depend on him.

Then rip everything away.. the same way his father's company had been taken.

This was more than revenge.

This was a slow, calculated dismantling.

And now, with Ken charmed by his humility and impressed by his principles, Micheal knew he was one step closer to Ken lowering his final guard.

But there was a part of him, buried and quiet, that twitched every time Ken laughed at his jokes.

Every time Ken reached for him in the middle of the night and whispered his name like it meant something.

And that part… that weak, dangerous part… was what Micheal feared the most.

Because for this plan to work, he couldn't afford to feel anything real.

Not now.

Not ever.


Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.