Destined Lovers Ch. 08

******

After three days, Ivan was going to work from his new house. He had bought a new house which was as big as the house he had been living in and had the same number of rooms but it was closer to his work place. He had made decorators decorate one of the rooms like a Disney land which his son really loved. After three days nothing had really changed about how he felt about Henry.

It was midday and was very hot. He did not know what made him look outside the window but he was glad he did.

"Stop the car!" He instructed.

The driver immediately stopped the car and Ivan quickly got out.

"Claire!" He shouted.

He saw Claire looked towards his direction smiling and she came to him. Ivan gave her a hug which was really emotional. He had been dying to do that to the woman who played a very good role in what he had become today.

"You don't know how much I have missed you." He exclaimed. "It's been so long." He added as he gave her another hug.

"It's good to see you too, son." She replied with a chuckle. "I have wanted to meet you for a long time now."

Ivan was going to the office but surely he had time to speak to the woman no matter what he was doing he would always have time for her.

"We can go to a café and talk." He replied smiling.

He opened the door for her and they went to the nearest café. While there, they did some catching up over snacks. Many people were staring at him because they would never expect Ivan Rodriguez to be found in such a place. He used to roam free but ever since that photo shoots they all saw his face and his life had changed due to his being famous. He continued chatting with Claire for minutes without minding anyone in the cafeteria. She soon got sad and he could see it in her face.

"Is there any problem?" he asked with concern.

"Yes! It is the reason why I really wanted to see you." She said.

"Okay!" He said worriedly.

"It's Henry." She said looking straight at him.

He should have known because Henry was all that he thought about and now he had started hearing nowadays but he was so concerned. What if something bad had happened to him?

"Claire, I don't..."

"Please listen to what I have to say." She pleaded. "I am really worried about Henry... He never speaks to anyone, he barely eats and most of the time he is always locked in his room. When he usually comes out of his room, his eyes are always red."

"Was it that bad?" Henry thought.

"He does not even go anywhere and honestly I am worried." Claire got him out of his thought. "He might do something bad to himself."

"When did this start?" he gasped.

"Three days ago..." She sobbed. "This all started when he came back from the beach house with you... He locked himself in his room and never came out. I tried everything but nothing was working. When he came out eventually, his eyes were red... I thought everything had gone back to normal but he just went back and locked himself and continued with everything... I am afraid he might do something to himself. "

"The only time I saw him like that was when you left five years and he was not that bad... he always held on to hope that he would one day find you and bring you back."

"Wait Claire, what are you talking about?" He asked.

"When you left years ago, Henry became a shadow of himself... He always went to look for you until now... he was always sad and lonely... I know that you probably hate him for what he did to you and I too hated him when you left but I have observed him over the past years and I think that man has suffered enough and needs love right now." She sighed. "He might have Jake following him around but I can see that he has always loved you and he it is hurting him. Never for once did he stop hoping that he would find you and when he did at the party he came home happy for the first time in years."

Ivan was quiet. He did not know what to say or do. He felt even worse when he thought that he might be the cause of Henry's vulnerability.

"Can you please come to the house and see him?" She begged.

Ivan had no words to say to make the woman feel better.

"Claire, I don't know if that's..."

"I beg of you George." she was about to kneel when he held her arm.

"What are you doing Claire?" He asked. "Don't embarrass me by doing this." He sighed. "I will come to the house but right now I have to get to the office for some important work."

"I met you by chance and..."

"I will come, I promise." He assured the woman as he held her hand.

"Thank you very much and I will wait for you." She smiled.

Ivan left the café and went to the office but before that he kissed the old woman goodbye. He had just entered his office when all of a sudden, he couldn't believe that after all these years of hating Henry, and he has finally found out that he actually loved him so much.

All the signs were there. The way Henry spoke to him and how he acted proved that he still loved him so much. How could he have been so blind that he completely ignored all the signs? He felt worse that he did not deserve Henry's forgiveness. He would understand if he hated him but he turned back and decided to go to Henry and confess his feelings to him before it was too late for everything. He took the car keys from his driver and headed for Henry's house without any of his guards. He reached the house in no time and was feeling very nervous but he quickly knocked and Claire opened the door for him.

"I am glad you are here, son." She giggled. "He's upstairs."

"Is it the same room?" He asked

Claire nodded and he found himself going upstairs to Henry's room. Finally, he reached the place which gave him chills. The place where everything began and a place where they usually made love years ago. He knocked on the door but there was no answer. He knocked again but there was no answer.

"Henry, open the door." He shouted. "It's me."

A few seconds and he could hear the key turning and the door knob moving. Henry opened the door and when Ivan saw him, he was not looking so well. His hair was a mess; his shirt was not buttoned revealing his hard hairy chest. He was looking so sad but tried to put up a smile.

"Come in." He said with a smile.

Ivan went in after him and closed the door behind.

"What brings you here?" Henry asked.

"I met with Claire today and she told me what you have been doing to yourself lately." He answered. "Why are you doing this?"

"When I lost something that I value the most, I felt I had no reason to live anymore." He sighed. "I tried to forget about you but I just couldn't about you."

"Claire told me everything about how you have been living for the past five years... I never thought that you would be looking for me after I left... I thought you were living the life you always wanted with your lover." He stammered.

"My... Lover?" he asked confused.

"Yes! It was also part of why I left." He sighed. "Jake approached me and told me about the promises you two made... Everything started happening when he returned and he told me that you two wanted to get back together."

"Believe me, I never had plans like that... I was just so hurt and that was why I wanted to hurt you back but by the time I realized everything, it was too late but believe me I never stopped looking for you."

"I know that." He replied.

"There is something I have been hiding from you too." He sighed.

He got up and went to the window and folded his arms on his chest.

"I never stopped loving you." He said as his eyes watered. "To be honest, my love for you climaxed too..."

"But you always showed that you hated me when you returned." Henry said.

"I was just doing that to protect myself from getting hurt again but deep down inside I loved you so much and it was hurting me to hide my feelings."

"What happened between us at the beach house meant a lot to me and that was the reason why I was quiet most of the time because I didn't want to express my feelings."He sighed. "I thought that you came back simply because I was now a rich boy and back then you thought I was just a poor hungry boy."

Ivan was speaking so fast that he did not know whether Henry heard him or not. He was still talking when he felt Henry's hands on his cheeks and before he realized it, Henry locked his lips with his. He kissed his lips passionately until their tongues met and both moaned in their kiss.

"There was no other way to shut you up." Henry said after they broke the kiss. "Let's just forget about everything and move on."

Henry knelt down and held his hand.

"Will you be my boyfriend again?"

Ivan was at the verge of crying. He couldn't believe that Henry was proposing to him, again.

"But only on one condition." He replied with a chuckle. "From now on, you will call me Ivan."

Henry smiled at him.

"Will you be my boyfriend Ivan Rodriguez?" He asked.

"Yes!" Ivan shouted.

Henry got up smiling planting a hot kiss on his lips. Just then, the door opened.

"What are you doing with my boyfriend?" Jake asked after they broke their kiss.

"He's the one I love." Henry smiled. "You and I were never really in a relationship and you know that... We might have been in love some years back but when I found him, I found my true love."

"And now what, you are going to leave me for him?" Jake countered. "I won't allow that to happen... and I will do whatever it takes to have you back."

Ivan was now feeling scared as Jake spoke. He had never been a violent person and did not plan to become one in that kind of situation.

"Henry maybe I should leave." He said in fear.

"No Ivan stay."

"Yes! Stay to face me for Henry." Jake replied loudly as he came near like a tornado.

Henry went and held him to stop him from coming any nearer but he kept on saying offensive words to Ivan. He was jumping while Henry held on to him and soon Henry lost his grip and due to the way Jake was moving, he was thrown to the floor. Jake came near him and said all sorts of things to him. Henry quickly got up and slapped Jake and he got more insane.

The next thing Ivan felt was a sharp pain to his head and everything suddenly went dark. He could feel his eyes getting very heavy. The last thing he heard before he passed out was Henry talking to him.

"Stay with me my love. Please stay with me."

*******

Henry was trying to control Jake when he got out of control after he had slapped him. He took a vase from the table and hit it on Ivan's head and there was so much blood after it had broken. Henry quickly held him in his hands and told him to stay with him but he shut his eyes. Henry had never been so scared in his life than he was that day.

He quickly lifted him in his arms and rushed him downstairs where he met Claire who also got so worried.

"Quick! Let's rush him to the hospital." Claire suggested.

Henry could see that Jake was scared as well. Henry was in position to drive so he called one of his guards to drive the car. All the way to the hospital, he kept on praying that God should save Ivan for he was a good person. If anything happened to Ivan, he would not last either.

"Drive faster." He shouted.

Claire held his hand and that was when he noticed that his hand was covered in blood which really messed with his head. His face was wet with tears. What could be more painful than watching the person you love lying lifeless in your arms?

They soon reached the hospital and Henry took the unconscious Ivan inside the hospital shouting for the doctor like a crazy maniac. They met a nurse who called for a stretcher bed where Ivan was laid on. They took him to the emergency room while Henry, Claire and Jake waited outside. Henry could see that Jake was shaking and just looking at him made him so angry that he went to him and cornered him.

"This is all your fault." He yelled. "If anything happens to him, I will kill you with my bare hands... Pray that he survives this because you will not live this place alive."

Henry got away from him and began wandering about from left to right waiting for the doctor to come and tell them the results. He had meant what he said to Jake, if Henry did not survive he promised to kill him right there in the hospital.

After hours of waiting, the doctor came out and Henry rushed to him.

"How is he?" He asked with concern and desperation in his voice.

"You know Mr. Rodriguez is a very lucky man. Had he been brought here any later, we would have lost him." The doctor assured them. "He is out of danger but lost a lot of blood. Right now he is in need of blood."

"I am ready to donate blood for him even if you drain all my blood." Henry declared.

"There is no need for that." The doctor laughed. "We have the blood in the hospital and in a few minutes, the nurses will take him to the room where the blood will be transfused into him. But there is one more important thing."

Hearing that, Henry's heart accelerated because he was not ready to receive any bad News about his Ivan.

"What is it, doctor?" Claire asked.

"He might not wake up today but he is expected to wake up tomorrow." He said.

"That is good because the pain might be too much." Henry asserted.

The doctor excused himself and went away.

"Consider yourself lucky." Henry hissed at Jake who was looking really sad.

A few minutes later, Ivan was transferred to a room and Henry spent almost the whole day holding his hand. He couldn't believe that he had almost lost Ivan to the cold hands of death just a few minutes after getting him back in his life. Claire had brought food and she had begged him to eat but he only ate a little and went back to hold the hand of his lover.

"Shouldn't you be going somewhere?" Claire whispered to him.

"No!" He answered.

"Have you forgotten about the child?" She asked quietly.

"I don't understand what you are saying." He answered. "OH! I totally forgot about Noah. He is probably wondering where his father is." He said as he got up. "Would watch over him for me?"

"Just go and I will take very good care of him." She said as she squeezed his shoulder.

Henry kissed Ivan softly on the lips and left for his house. He took Ivan's phone and called his secretary who gave him his new address. As soon as he had reached the house, he found Noah outside crying.

"Why are you crying sweetie?" He asked sweetly.

"He is looking for his father but his father has not arrived yet." His nanny answered.

"Come here sweetie." Henry said as he held the little boy in his arms. "I will take you to daddy."

Henry explained to the nanny what had happened to Ivan and he took her and Noah with a guard who insisted he follows for security reasons. He took them to the hospital where Noah cried after seeing his father unconscious on the bed with a bandage tied around his head. Henry held him in his arms and consoled him while he slept in his arms. He felt happy seeing the little boy sleeping in his arms.

"You are going to be my son one day." He said as he planted a kiss on his temple.

Saying that actually felt good. It suddenly came to him. Once he and Ivan were perfectly better he would ask him to marry him. He could even picture their wedding with many attendants. This was really a great plan and he would buy the rings and just surprise Ivan. He almost cried at the thought of marrying Ivan and making Noah his son too.

*******

When Ivan opened his eyes, he noticed that he was neither at his house nor at Henry's. This was a hospital. He remembered what had happened and felt something wrapped around his head. Looking around the room, only one thing caught his attention and that was the sight of Noah and Henry sleeping. Noah was in Henry's arms just like a father and a son. He tried to move but his head hurt and he made a sound which woke up Henry.

"Baby you are awake!" He said as he laid Noah on the couch in the room.

"I didn't mean to wake you up." Ivan apologized.

"No! I am glad you did because I have been waiting for you to wake up whole day." Henry said as he planted deep kiss on Ivan's hot lips.

"Thank you." Ivan said.

"You have to thank me later but first you need to get well." Henry said as he planted another kiss on his lips. Suddenly Ivan heard a throat clear.

"Sorry for that." The doctor said while standing on the door way.

"It's good you have woken up, Mr. Rodriguez." The doctor said as he came.

He checked on Ivan and later a nurse brought him his medicine.

The next day, Ivan was dismissed from the hospital and he was glad he was home. Henry took care of him from that day. He never even went to his house but Claire frequently visited and sometimes slept at Ivan's house. Ivan was more than happy to have her around and she always made him feel very good with her jokes. They were like a complete family. Ivan's head was healing and he was now feeling better but Henry usually lifted him up when they went upstairs or downstairs. He really missed living with Henry.

A week later, Ivan was in the living with Henry when a guard came inside and told him that Jake was outside to see him.

"I will go and tell him to go away." Henry bellowed as he got up.

"No!" Ivan shouted. "Let him come inside."

Henry sat down and in a few minutes, Jake came inside looking as sad as ever.

"How are you doing?" He asked.

"How do you expect a guy you almost killed to feel when the guy who had almost killed him comes to his house?" Henry snapped at Jake.

"Henry, please." Ivan begged.

"He's right! I am sorry for what I did." He apologized. "I spent a few days remembering that incident and asking myself why I had almost killed you for a man I know I can never have." He sighed. "I should have realized that what you two have is true love... I had separated you two five years ago but you still loved each other even more."

"What are you saying?" Henry asked as he sat at the edge of his seat.

"It was me that pulled all those stunts that ended your relationship five years ago." Jake sobbed. "I was so jealous of you two that I decided to break you up so that I could be with you, Henry."

"So you were the one who was behind what was happening to Ivan?" Henry yelled.

"Yes!" Jake cried. "The man at the mall was actually someone I hired so that I could take photos while he whispered to George about an item he wanted..."

Ivan felt relieved after hearing that he did not actually cheat on Henry. He was even gladder that Henry was hearing all this himself. He could feel his eyes water from knowing that he was hearing this from the mouth of the person who had flamed him.

"And the man you found with him in the house was also sent by me." Jake mumbled. "The plan was for him to grab George as soon as he heard us come and kiss him. You were supposed to find him in that situation but I got a good opportunity when George went to his room... I had planned everything perfectly. The man wore the same cologne as you so that George could not tell it was not you."

"After all this I have realized that you can never separate two people who are in love with each other." Jake sobbed. "I do not deserve you, Henry... You belong to George and after everything that I have done to the both of you, I am ready to accept any punishment even to get me arrested for what I did."

There was silence in the room before Henry finally got up and was about to slap Jake when Ivan stopped him.

"What is the point of slapping him?" He said. "He just told us the truth which you wouldn't have known if not for him." Ivan said as he got up.

Ivan went to Jake, got him up and gave him a tight hug.

"I forgive you for everything, Jake." He smiled. "All this I have wouldn't have been possible without you."

He could feel as Jake responded to the hug.

"Without you I wouldn't have met my father, my son and have all this... Thank you so much."

He could hear as Jake sobbed.