Three Means 1

Chapter 3: Plans

    Dulce quickly distanced herself from the door, her heart pounding as she ran back towards the dining room to inform Pierre that Arthur was right outside. To her astonishment, Angelo was already standing there beside Pierre. His hair was damp, and he wore nothing but a pair of black silk pajama shorts that fell just above his knees. A smirk curled on his lips, and Dulce felt a surge of irritation, wishing she could slap it off his face.

    Pierre, on the other hand, stood with both hands modestly covering his crotch, his face a picture of embarrassment.

"Good God! Do not tell me you called him, you lunatic," Dulce whispered angrily, waving her arms in exasperation.

"I did indeed. I had to deliver something to him. Fortunately, he lives nearby," Angelo replied with maddening nonchalance, as he walked towards the front door.

    A few moments later, Angelo reappeared in the dining room, now accompanied by Arthur. Arthur looked as if he had not left at all, still clad in the same attire.

"Wait here, I need to get it," Angelo said to Arthur before disappearing into the kitchen.

An awkward silence settled over the room, broken only when Arthur spoke.

"What were you all up to?" he asked, a wide smile spreading across his face, a smile that would surely vanish if the truth were revealed.

   There was a tense pause before Pierre finally responded. "Just chatting."

Dulce froze, her mind briefly scrambling the words "chatting" and "cheating," before she managed to nod in agreement, though guilt gnawed at her insides. She wasn't Arthur's girlfriend, but it was clear he was interested in her, and truth be told, she shared that interest.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" Arthur asked, stepping closer to Dulce. She instinctively took three steps back and accidentally bumped into something. Strong hands gripped her arms, pulling her aside, and she quickly realized they belonged to Angelo.

"Actually, Dulce has plans with us tomorrow," Angelo interjected smoothly.

Before Dulce could protest, Arthur spoke up. "Judging by her expression, I highly doubt that. What plans?"

There was a tense pause, heavy with unspoken challenges, but Angelo's confidence did not waver. "Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?" Arthur's tone was clipped with annoyance.

"The party," Angelo replied, a sly smile playing at his lips.

Arthur pressed his lips together, closing his eyes as the word left Angelo's mouth. "Party?" Dulce thought, puzzled. No one had mentioned any party to her.

"Putain," Arthur muttered under his breath, both hands coming to his head, fingers threading through his light brown hair in a gesture of frustration.

"What is wrong?" Dulce asked, her concern growing at Arthur's sudden shift in demeanor.

"Oh, don't tell me you forgot," Angelo added with a tone dripping in false concern.

Arthur began to pace, covering his mouth with one hand while pulling at his hair with the other. His distress was palpable.

"Damn it! Why did you wait until now to tell me?" he shouted, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

"Oh, so now it's my responsibility? You are their son, not I," Angelo retorted, a smile tugging at his lips as though he struggled to suppress his amusement at Arthur's reaction.

    Arthur, instead of replying, wrapped his hand around Dulce's wrist and pulled her towards him. Angelo took a step forward but made no move to stop him.

Dulce, bewildered, looked up at Arthur, her heart racing.

"Will you be my date tomorrow?" he asked earnestly.

Dulce remained silent, her gaze shifting to Pierre, who had his eyes fixed on the floor. He rubbed circles on the palm of his hand with his thumb, a nervous gesture that betrayed his anticipation of her response.

Arthur noticed her hesitation and released her wrist. "Unless, of course, you already have a date," he said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Startled, Dulce looked back at Arthur and shook her head vehemently. "No, no, I mean, I don't even know what party you're talking about."

    Arthur shot a glare at Angelo. "Oh, then I guess you didn't really have plans?" He smiled, his demeanor softening as he turned back to Dulce. "I have to go now, but I'll pick you up tomorrow at five." With that, he leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss on her cheek before walking to the table, grabbing a box Angelo had placed there, and exiting the room.

Once the front door closed, Dulce spun around to face the twins. "What was that all about?" she demanded, her voice sharp, her eyes fixed on Angelo.

    "I don't know, you should've asked your boyfriend," Angelo replied nonchalantly.

    "He's not my boyfriend," Dulce retorted, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms defensively.

    "Oh, he's not? I'm pretty sure he begs to differ," Pierre interjected, surprising Dulce with his assertiveness.

    "Just tell me who is throwing the party!" Dulce demanded, her voice rising in frustration. Though her words were directed at Angelo, her gaze lingered on Pierre, hopeful for an answer.

    Pierre obliged. "It's a benefit party the Bonheur family throws every year. They do it for aspiring bakers."

    Dulce's confusion deepened. "Wait, so the party you're talking about is basically a showcase for baking skills?"

    "Not just that. Bakers from all over France attend, hoping to win the Bonheur family's favor. The winner receives 150 thousand euros for their business," Pierre explained.

    Angelo, evidently tired of the conversation, walked out of the room, leaving behind a heavy silence. After a few moments, Dulce broke the quiet.

    "About the game..."

    "Do you wish to continue?" Pierre asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at her.

    Standing close, Dulce wrapped her hand around his, intertwining their fingers. "I need to sleep. I have plans for the morning," she said, her thumb gently tracing circles on the back of his hand.

    Disappointment flickered across Pierre's face, but he managed a smile. "Oh, yeah? What plans?"

    "I didn't buy any fancy clothes when I was out shopping, so I need to get something for tomorrow evening," she explained, gesturing to the bags on the floor.

    "May I accompany you?"

    Dulce hesitated, considering her response. Pierre had been a source of comfort since her arrival in France, but she had already agreed to go out with Arthur.

    "I don't know, I'm going with Arthur tomorrow," she said, releasing his hand.

    "But that's in the evening," Pierre insisted. Dulce looked down at their feet, noting their bare toes—a simple, intimate detail that made her feel unexpectedly warm and safe.

    "Tomorrow morning," she decided.

    Pierre's face lit up with a smile. He nodded, saying nothing more.

    As she turned to leave, a lingering question stopped her. Without facing him, she asked, "What does the party have to do with Arthur?"

    Pierre replied without hesitation, "He's the Bonheur family's only son."

(A/N: It's been a while since the last update but at least this chapter isn't short. Hope you all liked it and, if you did, leave a vote to encourage me to continue.)