Falling | Mxm (Completed) Chapter 41

edited

Aiden was losing his mind. So many things had happened in the previous week and he didn’t know how to deal with all of it anymore. Why did all of them have to just come down on him at the same time? They weren’t hard occasions, not that bad, but when they all collided together, they created a storm in Aiden’s mind. One he couldn’t handle for much longer.

First, he had gotten a call from the company the morning after the party while he was staying at Edwin’s house. Going there, he found out that they wanted him to be involved in a dating rumor with an actress. An ACTRESS! The reason? Publicity! They wanted some articles concerning the singer. He had refused as he never ever wanted to date a girl, not even in his dreams, and he wasn’t going to play their game either. He didn’t want to be a liar. He loved his fans and his honesty too much for that. Eventually, they had started a fight and Aiden had said he would leave the company if they pushed him further and had rushed out of the building. Luis had called him many times, saying he had no idea the CEO had such plans or he would try to stop them, but that didn’t change Aiden’s mind. He wasn’t going to do it. He could easily change his label. He was famous and so many companies wanted to work with him already. But there was a fee to pay in case of breaking the contract, a huge one, and he didn’t want to pay the company for what they did wrong.

And then there was the other company, Ian’s. One of the extensive projects that he had worked on in the past was in big trouble, and the company’s reputation was at risk. Some newbie had messed a program up, and now they didn’t seem to be able to solve it easily. He had heard it from Joe cos Ian still didn’t want to have him around that much — and he himself didn’t want to be around his ex because of the emotions he was still trying to get rid of — but in the end, he had called Ian and offered help. Because of the sensitivity of the situation, the man had gladly accepted and even thanked Aiden for it.

So the day the person who Aiden had assigned to search for Christian called, he was in the middle of re-programming and because he cared too much for Vincent, he took a few hours to take his long-lost lover back to him.

He even had to dye his hair because he had to have meetings with government personas and he couldn’t be looking like a playboy for it. Not if he wanted his word to have enough impact. So he did it black after years of having colorful hair. And it had worked as they gave them a chance to solve the problems instead of taking the rights from them.

Working with Ian indeed brought back so many memories and thoughts. And he could not take a certain conversation they had during the past week out of his head.

They had just solved a major bug in the program after three days of nonstop work, basically solving most of the problem they were dealing with, and they decided to take a break. Sinking down on the couch in the office with beers in hand, they started talking.

“So… you and Edwin, huh?” Ian had been the one to break the ice. Sure, Joe had told him with much concern that he had got together with Ian and asked him if he was okay, and he said he was, but he still wasn’t that okay with the whole situation, but he didn’t own them. They could do as they wished. He had just been keeping his conversations to a minimum with Joe somehow without even realizing it himself, ignoring Ian completely, although they had seen each other a few times during the party and at the company these past days.

“There’s nothing between us.” He replied with a cold voice. He was tired. He had got back from tour to lock himself in the studio, not to face Joe, Ian or Edwin just to be dragged to a party with all of them there and later on, under pressure from two companies for different reasons. He felt like dying being that close to his first love. Sometimes he wanted to just jump and kiss him, and at that exact moment, he could see a blue-haired Edwin in front of his eyes.

“Oh please, Den! I saw the way you looked at him. And the way he looks at you! He’s totally into you. Plus, he’s a good kid.”

“Exactly,” Aiden said, taking a sip.

“Huh?”

“He’s a good kid. He’s too good and has an innocent soul. It’s like you said, Ian. I can’t ruin anyone else. The plot is still the same. I like him, very much, but I can’t do this to him.”

Ian looked at him in awe. “You don’t like him, you idiot. You love him! You’re head over heels for him. Look at you!” Ian slapped his bicep, but Aiden didn’t react and took another sip.

“Come on, let’s finish this so I can go deal with the other company.” He stood up and went to the laptop.

Ian looked at him for a couple of seconds and did the same. “I know the plot is the same, but he is already in love, Den. You’re gonna hurt him like this as well. At least talk to him. Not facing the problem won’t solve it.”

“I know. That’s why this project is having difficulty right now.” He pointed at the program he was fixing.

Ian snorted, shaking his head. “Cheesy as ever.”

After that, they were drowned in their own heads with lines over lines of coding.

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Edwin was dancing at the school with Brad. The older guy had asked him to work on a choreography with him, something they had to perform at a show later on, and he had agreed cos he had nothing against it. While they were taking a break, Joe came by.

“So, is the CEO insisting on the rumor still?” Brad asked as they sat to have a drink.

“Yeah, I don’t even know where this whole thing suddenly came from. They never forced rumors on the artists before. Man, you should’ve seen Den. He was as angry as when he found out about me and Ian. And you know he rarely gets that angry!” Joe answered while gesturing with his hands.

“What did Aiden get angry for?” Edwin asked upon hearing his name.

“The publicity rumor?” Joe lifted an eyebrow at him.

“What rumor?” Edwin felt dumbfounded.

“Really? You don’t know about it?” Brad asked, surprised. “His label is forcing him to be involved with an actress in a fake dating situation.”

“WHAT?! Why would they want that?!” Edwin’s blood was boiling.

“Dunno, but he says he won’t do it, and he’s actually this close to leaving the company altogether. If he leaves, I’ll leave with him. The new CEO can be a piece of shit sometimes. He even had me editing some rookie producer’s songs for fucking free!” Joe paused. “But you really didn’t know? I thought you guys were close.”

“Apparently not!” Edwin’s tone was bitter.

Brad patted his shoulder. “He’s just having a rough week, Edwin. He’ll come around. He tends to lock himself away when he’s stressed. You should know him by now.”

Edwin couldn’t help getting slightly worried. The singer didn’t have a good reputation for staying at home alone, so he decided to check on him. When he got there, he rang the bell, but no one answered. He rang it a couple more times, but nothing happened. He got worried but didn’t want to just enter the passcode, so he decided to call him first. As soon as he dialed the number, the elevator door opened and Aiden came out of it, holding his phone in his hand, looking at the screen. His phone was ringing, and he was about to answer when he saw the person who was calling him standing in front of his door. There was a middle-aged woman behind him as well, but Edwin thought she was just from the other apartment.

“Why didn’t you go inside? I haven’t changed the passcode.” Aiden told him in a low voice and entered the pass, going inside immediately without looking behind once. Edwin watched as the woman went in after smiling at him. The house was dark, all the curtains were closed unlike the usual when you could see the whole city from the glass wall. No one talked, so the silence added to the darkness and it formed a very thick atmosphere.

Aiden threw his key chain on the counter and went to the bedroom. Taking his coat off and throwing it on a chair, he started undoing the buttons of his shirt. He was dressed in very formal clothes, and that was a first for Edwin to see the other like that. After changing into a t-shirt and sweatpants, he walked to the kitchen and turned the coffee machine on. Tapping his fingers on the counter as he waited for the cups to fill. While he was at it, the woman started talking all of a sudden.

“All I’m asking is for you to visit at least once a month. I think I’m entitled to ask that much as your mother.”

Aiden frowned but remained silent, looking at the machine.

“I… think it’s best if I go. I’ll come back later.” Edwin felt like he shouldn’t be there, so he stood up to leave.

“Sit back down.” Aiden said without lifting his head or any other movement. His voice was deep and demanding. It was a little intimidating, so Edwin decided not to annoy the already angry Aiden further and sat back down. The older put a cup in front of him on the counter and then handed one to the lady sitting on the couch. He then opened the curtains and stood there, looking at the view while sipping on his drink. Edwin had never seen him do that before.

“Don’t you wanna talk? For how long are you gonna keep quiet and not respond when I ask you why you don’t visit?” The lady looked nice. She sounded like she really cared and was hurt by the fact that his son wouldn’t visit her.

“I don’t wanna talk about it.” Aiden said calmly.

“Why not?”

The man turned his head to look at his mother upon that question. His face showed real anger with how the veins were showing, but he was holding it in. Drinking the last sip, he made his way to the kitchen and placed the empty cup on the counter, leaning against it. They were a mere meter away from each other now.

“I doubt you really wanna know. I mean, sure, you’re this heartbroken mother who just wants his son to visit, but nah! You just like to feel miserable. You don’t really care.”

This kind of anger was the worst kind in Edwin’s mind. The kind that one was so angry that they appeared to be calm. It was the scariest type and Edwin had decided at that moment that he never wanted to be at the receiving end of that.

“I’m your mother. Of course, I care!”

“Oh, you do?” Aiden chuckled. “Mhm, thanks for telling me that. I’m so relieved. Can you leave now? I’m really tired and wanna sleep.”

“I didn’t raise you to be like this, Aiden. You are being very disrespectful. Toward me and toward your father.”

This seemed to be the last straw for Aiden as he raised his voice this time. “He is NOT my father.” He exhaled harshly. “I don’t have a father. I never had one. I thought I had a mother, but that changed over time. I don’t have a family. I only have people who can decide to leave me at any second they want. Don’t act all innocent. It disgusts me.”

The lady seemed so shocked at his son’s outburst. All Edwin could do was just sit there without moving an inch, pretending as if he wasn’t there.

“What did I ever do to you for you to hate me that much?”

“I don’t hate you! I just- I just don’t feel anything. Your husband’s a good guy. But I don’t trust him. I don’t trust anyone so I can’t- I can’t visit you as often as you want.”

“Why don’t you trust him? He has done nothing wrong to you. He really cares for you. Like a real father. He thinks of you the same as Max, although all you do is ignore us.”

“Ignoring you is my last attempt at staying respectful and not saying all the things that are eating me up. I told you, it’s not just him that I don’t trust. It’s everyone.”

“You call this being respectful? You know I could just dump you on your father like so many other people? But I didn’t. Because I loved you.”

Edwin’s head got blown up at that. It was such a wrong thing to say. He turned his face to look at Aiden immediately, to see his expression. The look in his eyes were painful to watch.

“Yeah… You’ve told me that many times already. Thanks for kindly giving me a home to sleep at.”

“Your tongue can only throw venom. Why don’t you ever talk like a decent human being? You just turn people to ash.”

“Would you listen if I talked to you? Or would you go into your defense mode because of all your ego?” He paused and swallowed hard. “Please leave, mom. I’m too tired for having this conversation right now.”

His mother shook her head and made her way toward him. Standing right in front of him, she suddenly slapped him hard. The voice echoed throughout the whole place. Edwin’s eyes widened as he froze and Aiden… He just had no emotion on his face.

“Feeling better now that you’ve finally hit me? You can’t hold the ‘I’ve never hit you in your life’ card anymore.”

“I’ve never hit you because I don’t wanna hurt you.” The lady screamed at him.

“You have hurt me so much, this little slap doesn’t even count!” He chuckled bitterly. “You hurt me when you didn’t do anything when you saw that bastard being touchy with your kid. You hurt me when you didn’t even bother to ask what the fuck he was actually doing while you walked in on us. You hurt me when you dated a man who had a wife and kids and your excuse was his wife wasn’t a good person! You hurt me when you didn’t ask how I was, although you saw me breaking down. Until this day, you haven’t asked how I am feeling, not once. Your beloved husband asks more than you. He got me to that hospital. If it was up to you, I’d just die in my own misery while you would sit in a corner and cry silently as to why you have such a son without doing anything about it. All you ever did was pretend and lie. You lied and lied until you took the ability to trust completely away from me. And yes, you said you did me a favor by keeping me, but isn’t that what mothers do? If you asked me, I never wanted to be born. But you made me and then you put me through hell. So much that I had to learn something professionally, be good enough so that I could escape and go far away. You care. I don’t question that. But you care to create situations that you’d feel most self-pity at. Like right now. Go, mom. My friend here has heard enough ugly things for one day.”

“After everything I did for you to have a roof above your head, this is how I’m rewarded.” And then she left.

Edwin didn’t know what to do. Aiden told him to order something while he took a shower. He wanted to bring it up, but he knew the other wouldn’t talk unless he wanted, but still, he had to ask. Ordering their favorite dishes, he waited for the older to come out.