Chapter 319: The First Step Toward Healing

Adrian readily wrapped his arms around Matteo’s neck, breathing in the familiar scent of his cologne.

Resting his head against Adrian’s shoulder, Matteo let out a long, exhausted sigh.

"Today was absolute hell, baby. So much paperwork, so many meetings... and it felt like every time I solved one problem, another one showed up."

Adrian smiled sympathetically and pressed a gentle kiss to his hair. "I’m sorry, baby."

"Thank you, my love," Matteo murmured, tightening his embrace. "But listen... next month, I’m clearing my schedule. I want to plan a private vacation for just the two of us so we can finally get away from all of this and relax."

Adrian’s eyes lit up. "A vacation? Really?"

Matteo smiled, his expression softening. "Yes, baby. Pick any country you want, and that’s exactly where we’ll go."

Adrian’s eyes sparkled with mischief. "What if I pick three countries?"

Matteo let out a quiet laugh. "Then we’ll visit all three. That makes the trip even better."

Adrian smiled and leaned down to press a soft kiss against Matteo’s bare chest.

Matteo gently ran his fingers through Adrian’s hair, his expression becoming more thoughtful.

"You know what else I’ve been thinking about, baby? I haven’t made up my mind completely yet, but... maybe after we get married, we should leave Central City and start somewhere new. What do you think?"

Adrian lifted his head and smiled warmly at him. "I’d love that, Matteo. I’d go anywhere with you. Wherever you choose to build our home is where I’ll want to be. As long as I’m with you, I’ll be happy."

Matteo’s heart softened at those words. He looked into Adrian’s eyes before leaning forward to place a tender kiss on his forehead. "Thank you, baby."

Matteo groaned softly, shifting against the pillows.

"God, my back hurts. Going to the office every single day is exhausting. I miss the days when I wasn’t tied down to corporate work... when I actually had time to rest. Now it just feels like endless meetings, paperwork, and one problem after another."

Adrian smiled affectionately as he looked at him, gently stroking his hair. "I’m sorry, baby."

Matteo gave him a small smile and gently squeezed his waist.

"It’s okay, darling. The only silver lining," he continued, his voice softening, "is that people are willing to work with me and trust me despite everything. I’m really grateful for that. The business is doing better than I ever expected."

He let out another weary sigh. "But boardroom politics, endless calls, negotiating deals, and constantly trying to reassure clients... it’s exhausting. Still, I have to keep going. I want to become so rich that I can give my baby everything he could ever dream of."

Adrian couldn’t help but laugh softly. "Baby, you’re already rich."

Matteo smiled, shaking his head. "I want more money."

Adrian laughed again, his heart swelling with warmth at how serious Matteo sounded. "Then I’ll give you a proper massage before we go to sleep tonight, okay?"

Matteo grinned and lifted Adrian’s hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss against his wrist. "I’d definitely appreciate that."

They spent the next hour talking about anything and everything, laughing, teasing each other, and slowly letting the weight of the day melt away.

But as the night grew quieter, so did they.

Their laughter gradually faded, replaced by a comfortable silence that lingered between them. Adrian watched Matteo for a long moment, knowing there was something important he needed to say. He took a slow breath, gathering the courage to finally bring up the conversation Maxwell had asked him to have.

He shifted slightly, lifting his eyes to meet Matteo’s. "Matteo..." he called softly, his voice carrying a hint of nervousness.

Matteo immediately noticed the change in his tone. "Yeah, baby?" he asked gently. "What is it?"

Adrian took another deep breath. "We need to talk about something important."

The warmth in Matteo’s expression disappeared almost instantly. His body tensed, and he slowly leaned back, already bracing himself. "If this is about your work, I already told you it’s under control—"

"It’s not," Adrian interrupted gently. He reached up and cupped Matteo’s cheek before he could pull away. "Please... don’t shut me out before you hear me out."

Matteo closed his eyes for a brief moment and let out a quiet breath. Even before Adrian spoke again, he had a feeling he knew exactly where this conversation was headed.

"Adrian..." he murmured, almost pleading. "Please don’t."

Adrian’s thumb gently stroked his cheek. "I understand why you’re angry with your mother. I really do," Adrian pleaded, his eyes shining with earnest emotion. "I know how much she hurt you, and I know the scars she left behind. But Matteo, please... consider talking to your mother."

Matteo stiffened completely, his eyes flashing with sudden resistance. "I have nothing to say to her. She made her choices, and I made mine. We are done."

"Listen to me," Adrian urged, his voice breaking through Matteo’s walls. "I want to do the same thing, too. I want to face my father and settle things with him."

Matteo stared at him, stunned. "Your father? Adrian, after everything he put you through—"

"Exactly," Adrian cut in softly. "Because of everything we’ve survived. Matteo, think about the future. One day, we’ll have a family of our own. When that day comes, do you want our children to grow up knowing there’s still bitterness and resentment between us and our parents? Do you want them to meet a family that’s still broken? If we don’t try to heal now, when will we ever?"

Silence settled over the room.

Matteo searched Adrian’s eyes. There was no pressure in them, no judgment, only love, understanding, and hope.

The walls around Matteo’s heart didn’t come crashing down, but for the first time in years, they began to crack. He lowered his gaze, drawing a long, shaky breath. "I..." he whispered, his voice trembling. "I don’t know if I can do it."

His eyes slowly filled with tears.

"I hate the fact that she was able to live her life without me. She didn’t speak to me for years, Adrian." His voice cracked with pain. "What kind of mother abandons her own child? What kind of mother can hate her son that much?"

He swallowed hard, struggling to keep his emotions under control.

"If she had fought for me... if she had refused to leave without me, the same way she protected my siblings... maybe I wouldn’t have become the person I am today."

A tear slipped down his cheek. "She really hurt me, Adrian." He closed his eyes for a moment before continuing. "I know I hurt her too. I know I disappointed her... but why did she have to abandon me like I never meant anything to her?"

He let out a broken laugh that held no happiness. "I don’t even know how to face her... I wouldn’t even know what to say if she were standing right in front of me."

Adrian’s expression softened. He leaned forward until their foreheads rested together, gently wiping away the tear on Matteo’s cheek with his thumb.

"You don’t have to figure everything out tonight," Adrian whispered. "I’m not asking you to have all the answers right now. Just take one step at a time."

He smiled gently. "And when you’re ready, I’ll be right there beside you. We’ll face it together."

Matteo closed his eyes and slowly nodded. Without another word, he wrapped his arms tightly around Adrian, holding him as though he were his anchor.

Adrian returned the embrace, rubbing soothing circles over Matteo’s back. "We’ll be okay," he whispered. "We’ll get through this together."

They held each other tight, finally drifting off to sleep beneath the heavy warmth of the duvet.

********

Over the next few days, Adrian’s words refused to leave Matteo’s mind. They echoed in his thoughts during meetings, quiet moments, and sleepless nights. He found himself replaying every part of their conversation, especially the future they dreamed of building together.

He and Adrian had both spent years carrying wounds left behind by their parents. They knew what it felt like to grow up without the love, comfort, and acceptance every child deserved. Matteo refused to let that pain become part of the family they would one day create.

He wanted their future children to grow up surrounded by love, not resentment. He wanted them to witness forgiveness instead of broken relationships, and peace instead of years of silence. Most of all, he didn’t want them to inherit the same pain he and Adrian had carried for so long.

After days of wrestling with his thoughts, Matteo finally made up his mind.

He would meet with his mother.

That afternoon, he picked up his phone and called Mark, explaining everything and admitting that he was finally ready to see her. But there was one condition.

He didn’t want to go as himself.

He wanted to go as Mark.

On the other end of the line, Mark fell completely silent before blurting out, "Are you insane? What if she recognizes you?"

Matteo shook his head. "I don’t think she will. She won’t be expecting me. If she sees you standing at her door, she’ll assume you’re the one who came to visit."

Mark let out a long, stressed sigh. "Fine... what do you need me to do?"

"Call her and tell her you’re coming to visit this weekend," Matteo said. "Tell her to expect you."

Mark rubbed his forehead, already feeling a headache coming on. "Alright... I’ll do it."

Matteo had his reasons. He couldn’t bring himself to walk up to her door as Matteo. What if she refused to see him? What if she slammed the door in his face before he even had the chance to speak? What if seeing him reopened wounds she wanted to keep buried?

Going as Mark felt safer.

It would give him the chance to see her again after all these years, to understand how she was doing, and to gather the courage to reveal himself when the moment finally felt right.

Later that evening, after returning home, Matteo pulled Adrian into their bedroom and told him everything.

He explained the plan in detail, how he intended to visit his mother pretending to be Mark, simply so he could see her from up close after all these years before deciding whether he was ready to face her as himself.

Adrian listened quietly, his heart swelling with pride.

Wrapping his arms around Matteo’s waist, he rested his head against his chest.

"I believe in you, Teo," he whispered with a gentle smile. "You can do this."

Will Matteo’s plan work... or will his mother recognize him the instant they come face to face?