Autumn is a second spring

75. Betrayal

James slumped into the plush cushions of his boyfriend's couch, his entire body sagging under the weight of exhaustion. It had been an unforgiving week—long days that bled into the nights, with him stuck in the office trying to keep things afloat while Boun, enjoyed a much-deserved family vacation. 

The responsibility had been squarely on James' shoulders, and while he prided himself on being efficient and capable, the nonstop grind had worn him thin. 

With Boun set to return tomorrow, James finally allowed himself to exhale, welcoming the idea of rest as he lazily stretched out, trying to ease the knots in his muscles.

His hand accidentally knocked something on the coffee table, and the distinct sound of objects spilling across the floor broke through the silence. He blinked, rubbing his face, realizing only then that there had been a box he hadn't even noticed in his fatigue. 

With a groan, he leaned forward and knelt on the floor to collect the scattered contents.

At first glance, they looked like envelopes. Wedding invitations, maybe? 

The elegant calligraphy caught his eye, but when he saw his boyfriend's name printed on the delicate card stock, everything inside him froze. His hands shook as he quickly grabbed the invitation, heart pounding. He opened it with frantic fingers, feeling a chill creep through his body.

"Puwanai weds Wanlapa."

The words felt like a punch to the gut, each syllable louder than the one before, echoing in his mind. He stared in disbelief at the photo attached inside—a picture of Pu, his boyfriend, arm in arm with a beautiful woman, both smiling brightly like the perfect couple.

James' heart raced, his chest tight as the world around him blurred. He skimmed the invitation again, this time seeing the date—less than a month away. 

He was too stunned to process anything except the crushing weight of betrayal pressing down on him. His mouth went dry as his fingers clenched the invitation tightly, nearly crumpling the paper.

"This can't be happening. This can't be real." He muttered.

As if the universe had timed it for maximum cruelty, the sound of the front door unlocking shattered his daze. He heard the familiar click of the handle, and before he could even move, Pu stepped into the condo, arm wrapped around a woman.

James's breath hitched, his mind scrambling to catch up with what he was seeing. The woman from the photo—the same woman who was supposed to marry his boyfriend—stood beside Pu, her face radiant as she glanced lovingly at him. 

The two of them looked so comfortable, so... in sync. James felt something inside him twist painfully.

He stood there, rigid, holding the wedding invitation in his hand like a bomb about to go off. He watched, heart hammering in his chest, as the couple walked toward him, and what stunned him most was that neither of them seemed surprised or concerned. 

In fact, they were smiling at him—smiling like everything was normal, like the situation wasn't completely absurd.

Pu's eyes landed on the invitation in James's hand, and without missing a beat, he introduced the woman beside him. "James, this is Wan," he said smoothly, as if he were introducing a new friend. "I see you have already seen the wedding invitations."

James' mouth felt dry, his words failing him as he looked between Pu and Wan, trying to process the surreal moment. "What... What's going on?" he finally managed to ask, his voice low and unsteady, thick with confusion and hurt.

"We are getting married," Pu replied, matter-of-factly, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. He smiled that same confident smile that had once made James fall in love with him, but now, it felt like a knife twisting in his heart. "It doesn't have to change anything between us."

James blinked, unable to comprehend what he was hearing. The absurdity of the statement hung in the air, each word more ludicrous than the last. 

His hands trembled, and he clenched his fists, trying to ground himself as he felt something inside him crack, the pain of betrayal seeping in.

Before he could even respond, Wan stepped forward, beaming at him. "I have always liked you, James," she said, her voice bright, almost affectionate. "I was the one who asked Pu to date you, actually. I knew you were gay, and I thought you would be perfect for him."

James felt his stomach churn. His mind raced, struggling to keep up with what she was saying. He glanced at Pu, silently pleading for some kind of denial, for Pu to tell him this was all some sick joke, but Pu just nodded, his expression proud, as if this revelation was something to celebrate.

"And all the gifts you have been getting from Pu?" Wan continued, her voice laced with a strange kind of satisfaction. "I picked them out for you. I know what you like."

James's heart clenched painfully in his chest. His mind replayed every sweet gesture from Pu, every thoughtful gift, every moment that had made him feel special and cared for—now tainted by the realization that it had all been orchestrated by someone else. His entire relationship felt like a lie, something staged and artificial.

"We have already talked about it," Wan added, her smile widening as if she were offering him something generous. "After we get married, we can live as a throuple. It will be perfect. I am fine with you staying in the relationship."

James stared at her, horrified, as the words sank in. 

A throuple? They expected him to just go along with this, to share Pu like he was some kind of toy, to continue living a lie while they played house? His skin crawled, disgust and anger bubbling up inside him. He felt like he was suffocating, like the walls were closing in on him.

Wan reached out, her fingers grazing his forearm in a gesture that might have been playful or flirtatious, but James recoiled instinctively. 

The touch sent a jolt of fury through him, and before he could stop himself, he smacked her hand away, glaring at both of them with barely-contained rage.

"Are you out of your minds?" he snapped, his voice shaking with disbelief and anger. "Do you honestly think this is going to work?"

He couldn't stand to look at them anymore. Everything about the situation—their smug smiles, their complete lack of remorse, their twisted logic—it made him sick to his stomach. 

Without another word, he grabbed his things, his movements jerky and hurried, desperate to get out of there, to breathe air that didn't reek of their deceit.

As he stormed out of the condo, the weight of everything crashed down on him. His chest ached, his heart heavy with a grief he hadn't been prepared for. It was over. His relationship, everything he thought he had with Pu, was a lie. He was nothing more than a pawn in their twisted game.

James drove home with a broken heart, his mind numb, the world outside his window blurring past as he tried to make sense of the betrayal that had shattered his world.