Unraveled

Chapter 5

The steady hum of conversation filled The Gilded Plate's back room as the staff gathered, waiting for Marco to distribute paychecks. Caleb stood by the counter, half-listening as Mia teased Sam about weekend plans. Aubrey lounged nearby, a small smirk playing on his lips as he watched the others.

Finally, Marco appeared with a stack of envelopes in hand. "Alright, payday," he announced, his gravelly voice cutting through the chatter. One by one, he handed out the checks, each envelope met with murmurs of approval or groans, depending on the amount.

When Marco reached Caleb, he gave him an unreadable glance before slapping the envelope into his hand. "Here you go, Montgomery," he said with a smirk.

Caleb nodded, tearing open the envelope and scanning the numbers. But before he could dwell on it, Mia let out a laugh. "Oh, come on, Caleb, why do you even bother looking?" she teased. "We all know you don't need it."

Sam grinned. "Yeah, with your inheritance, this paycheck's probably just pocket change to you."

Caleb blinked, caught off guard. His inheritance?

Across the room, Aubrey met his eyes, his smile a little tighter than usual, but he didn't say anything.

"What, did you forget you're practically loaded?" Mia nudged him as she walked by. "Must be nice not to care about payday."

Caleb forced a weak smile, but his thoughts spun. Inheritance? He hadn't known. Or at least, he didn't remember. It was the first he'd heard of it.

As the laughter faded, the word lingered in his mind: inheritance. It explained a lot—the upscale apartment, the high-end furniture, the expensive clothes. But it raised new questions. Where did the money come from? Who had left it to him? He couldn't recall any wealthy relatives, any windfall that would put him in this position.

He stared at the paycheck, the numbers blurring as he thought. The life he'd woken up in had always felt strange, as though it belonged to someone else. Now, a piece of the puzzle had clicked into place. But what did it mean?

The sound of approaching footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. He looked up to see Aubrey, a casual smile on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Everything alright?" Aubrey asked, his voice low, almost too casual.

Caleb nodded, slipping the paycheck back into the envelope and shoving it into his pocket. "Yeah...just thinking about what Mia and Sam said."

Aubrey raised an eyebrow. "About the money?"

"Yeah. I didn't even realize I had it," Caleb replied, gesturing vaguely. "It all makes sense now, I guess."

Aubrey's expression was neutral, but there was a flicker in his eyes—something Caleb couldn't place. "Must be nice, though," he said with a hint of humor. "Knowing you don't have to worry about rent or bills."

Caleb chuckled, but it felt hollow. "I guess. But... I don't even know where it came from."

Aubrey's smile tightened slightly, and he glanced around to ensure no one was within earshot. "Does it matter? You've got it. Might as well enjoy it."

Something in Aubrey's tone made Caleb pause, but before he could question it, Aubrey's hand brushed lightly against his arm, and the moment shifted.

"Let's grab a drink after work," Aubrey suggested, his voice lower, his gaze catching Caleb's. "Take your mind off things."

The suggestion carried a weight that hadn't been there before. Caleb felt his pulse quicken, the air between them charged with something unspoken. Aubrey had always been flirtatious, but this felt different—deliberate, with an intensity that left Caleb breathless.