Game of Love Ch. 01

Eric felt something enter him and he clenched his fists. "What are you doing here? I don't remember telling you where I stay or giving you an invitation to come here."

"Oh come on dear," She threw her hand seductively, still wearing the smile. "It isn't bad to check what my husband's money is doing, all of it? Who even knew that my husband's illegitimate bastard son would get enrolled at such a school?"

Eric slightly closed his eyes, feeling anger sweeping him off his feet. "Look, Giada or whatever your name is, get out of here. Your husband didn't spend a penny on my education. My mother paid for everything and..."

"Oh, the bitch didn't tell you?" She laughed on top of her voice, folding her arms on her chest. "She's too ashamed to admit to her bastard son that she allows another woman's husband to fuck her so that he can give her some bread crumbs?"

Eric closed his eyes, feeling tears forming. "Get out!" He snarled. He felt so much anger that it felt like he was gonna pass out. "Please, leave or else I am gonna call security to throw you out."

"You've got some nerves, huh?" Giada laughed. "Look at you, all grown up and pretending like you don't know the truth. If you can't bear to hear the truth then I suggest you tell that whore to stay away from my husband. Tell her to leave him alone because he has a family to cater for. He has a family to take care of and he doesn't..."

"Please!" Eric snapped, stamping his foot on the floor. "Why the fuck won't you tell him yourself. If you're such a great woman then why does he still feel the need to chase my mother? I'll tell you....." He got closer with his fists clenched. "That's because he finds something in my mother that he doesn't find in you."

"How dare..."

Shit! Giada got the shock of her life when Eric caught her hand and threw it away. She hadn't expected that. She held her hand, breathing like a monster in a cave. She was super mad.

"If that's all you came to say then get the fuck out of my room!" He snapped, opening the door furiously. "Get out of here!"

Giada snarled. "You've made a big mistake, boy! You'll pay for this together with your mother. I promise you that."

"Until then!" He gestured. "Get the fuck out!"

Giada gave him an angry look before she stormed out of the room, cursing as she left. Eric banged the door behind her. He then leaned towards it, sliding down while fighting off his tears. It was really painful to live like that.

Who was that you ask? Well, that was Giada Sandoval, Eric's father's wife. Well, in this case, you might call her, 'the legal wife.' This was one of Eric's greatest pains and nightmares, the very thing that haunted him even during the day. He could remember it very well like it happened just a few minutes back.

***

7 years ago...

*

10 year old Eric was rushing downstairs as fast as his legs could carry him. He was only half way when he stopped and saw his mother crying while gripping his father's arm. His father was carrying a huge bag and Eric knew that something was wrong.

"Brice, please..." Laurel cried, pulling on his arm. "...please, don't leave us alone. I beg you. Please!"

Brice stopped in his tracks and looked at his wife. His face was wet too and he seemed to be in pain. "Laurel, please, let me go." He sobbed softly. "This isn't easy for me too. But I can't do anything about it. I love you so much but.... but I don't know how Giada found out about my other family. She's back in this city and she has given me a second chance but that chance comes with leaving my other life behind."

"No!" Laurel sobbed uncontrollably. "You can't do this to me. You know that I love you so much. And Eric is very young. He needs his father, please."

"I can't lose everything because of you." Brice said softly. "I can't lose my family, my kid and my wealth because of you. As for Eric, he'll understand me one day. I am not going to abandon my son because I love him so much. It hurts me to leave you but we both knew this moment was gonna come."

"No!" Laurel cried, shaking her head.

"Maybe this was all a mistake from the very beginning." He cried. "I shouldn't have engaged into it. I shouldn't have made you my mistress."

Laurel stopped crying the moment she heard Brice's words. She slowly got up, staring into his face with tears rolling down her cheeks. Then suddenly, she gave him a really hot slap.

"How dare you!" Laurel snapped, breathing like she was in labor. "How dare you say that to me after everything that you've put me through? You might have forgotten that you're the one who had put me in this situation. You lied to me and used my love against me.

You told me you were still single and you got me pregnant. Even after finding out I stayed with you for the sake of our son and hoping to build a family with you. But now you're making me look like a fool."

"I am sorry!" He muttered. "I am truly sorry. It's my fault but you'll be fine. You're an attorney and you can cater for yourself and our son. Besides...."

"Get out of here!" Laurel furiously pushed Brice. "Go then. Get the hell out!"

"At least, let me see my..."

"And tell him what?" She chuckled bitterly. "That you've had you fill and you can go back to your legitimate family? Don't you dare ever come close to me or my son again? I will work really hard and provide the best for him. He'll never lack and he'll never ever feel that he's missing something. Get the fuck out!" She angrily pushed him. "Don't ever show your face again, you bastard."

Brice left but not before taking a glance at his son who was standing on the staircase with tears on his face. As soon as he left, Laurel closed the door behind him and fell to her knees, crying like a little kid.

"You betrayed me." She sobbed uncontrollably. "Brice, you son of a bitch! How could you?"

Eric stood on that staircase watching his mother sobbing like a little kid. Never in his life had he ever thought that everything that he held dear to his heart, everything that he knew about his family were all lies and that they would all come crumbling to the ground. He couldn't believe it.

He started feeling dizzy and then his strength totally left him. The next thing he was rolling down the stairs and by the time he reached the stairs, he was bleeding from the nose and mouth. The last thing he heard before he passed out was his mother calling out his name. When he woke up, she was holding his hand tightly and her eyes were swollen. A bandage was wrapped around his head and it was hurting. He was lying in the hospital bed.

"Baby?" Laurel cried. "You're finally awake."

"Daddy!"

Laurel sniveled, trying her best to smile. "Son, listen, your father... he.... He is gone." She chuckled in pain. "...he is gone and it will just be you and I alone. But I can assure you that... that we'll be very happy. I promise."

Eric dropped his head to the other side and just cried. He had unimaginable pain inside his little heart and he felt like someone had stabbed him there. Memories of them being happy started forming in his head and they started hurting him even more. From that moment, he knew that his life wasn't gonna be the same.

***

Present day

*

Eric was in tears. His face was between his palms and he could feel the wetness there. Thinking about everything was causing him so much pain. He just wished Brice wasn't his father and maybe everything would have been normal. That was one of the darkest things that Eric lived with. He might have been really popular due to his beauty and rich but somehow, he lived a lonely and painful life.

"Damn you, daddy!" He cried softly. "Damn you!"

***

Sergio was seated on the couch with his legs folded, busy on social media. He had a brilliant smile on his face, chuckling from time to time due to what he was reading. Almost everything in what he was reading was making him excited. He couldn't believe that some people had even made a fan page for him. It was hilarious and the comments there were so satisfying. So many people crushed on him.

Eric and his friends lived in a really big, classy three roomed apartment. It was expensive and it had all the luxuries that they all needed. It was very expensive but they all came from rich homes so they could afford it and even more than that.

Suddenly, the door opened wider, alerting both Steve and Sergio. They looked towards the entrance and saw a smiling guy coming inside, rubbing on his hands. He was really, really handsome. He was tall, muscular and his skin was perfectly smooth. He was dressed in a really gorgeous shirt that was folded at the sleeves and tucked in a black trouser with black shoes on his feet. With that smile on his face, his friends didn't need to ask him where he had been because they knew.

"Finally, the king of fling emerges." Sergio teased, chuckling softly. "We were starting to wonder if you were ever gonna come back. We thought the boy you were with gave it to you so hard that you decided to take him overnight!"

"Actually, it was the other way around." Henry moaned, rubbing on his crotch. "I gave it to him hard. You should have seen him cry while I fucked his brains out and..."

"Enough with your story!" Steve rolled his eyes, putting his book on the table. "We're not interested in hearing how you roughly fucked some guy and probably ruined him for a few days."

"Look who's talking!" Henry laughed, pointing at Steve. "You're the one to talk."

"What?" He chuckled nervously. "I accept that I have random sex but it's once in a while. A guy needs relief from pressure. And besides, you two are the kings of sex. You're sex freaks."

Sergio raised his hands like he was surrendering. "It's not my fault that they present themselves to me. I only give them what they want. I don't chase them. In fact, they're the ones that do the chasing. I only get to enjoy myself."

Henry and Sergio did their sexy secret handshake, smiling evilly at each other.

"Tell the boy. Tell him." Henry laughed, throwing himself on the couch. He was really tired. "And besides, I am actually thinking of getting into a serious relationship."

"You?" Steve laughed, pointing at him in mock. "Oh please..."

"I am dead serious." He shrugged, his face getting stern. "You see... I have been eyeing this boy for some time now and I think he's the one." He began smiling as the image of the boy started forming in his head. "He's beautiful, calm, rich and very intelligent. If I have that boy... I swear, I'll change my ways. I'll never look at another boy again."

Sergio and Henry were beyond shocked. They looked at each other before staring at Henry like they'd seen a ghost. Of course, both of them wanted to say he was joking but that look on his face proved that he was very serious.

"Please, tell me you're joking." Sergio gasped, getting closer to his friend. "Are you sure you're Henry?"

"I am serious." Henry sighed gloomily, biting his lip. "He's everything that I want. He's got everything. He's the perfect package. In fact, I plan on proposing to him tomorrow."

"Whoa!" Steve's eyes were wide open. "This is so deep and really hard to believe. The best flinger I know is now thinking of getting into a serious relationship? Now I am dying to know who this boy is."

"As if I would tell you." Henry shook his head. "You're gonna find out as soon as I propose to him. I will introduce him to you officially as my boyfriend."

"But...."

"Don't ask because I am not telling!" He laughed, getting a cushion from the couch which he threw at his friend. Then he got up and left the living room in laughter.

Steve looked at Sergio and the expression on his face was to die for. "Is he serious?" He muttered.

Sergio shrugged. "I don't know, man. But guess we're gonna have to wait in order to find out."

Both of them of course knew the kind of person their friend was. He wasn't one to take relationships seriously. At least, although Sergio had sex from time to time with random guys, he was in a serious relationship with a boy that he loved with his entire life and couldn't wait to marry him.

***

"I am telling you, the whole thing was just totally boring!" Smith said, smiling brightly as they passed the entrance of their class. "I have never been to such a boring party."

"Well, you just have to admit that parties are not that fun when I am not there with you." Eric commented. "I am the party boy and whatever party I go to, it must catch fire."

"Hmm...." Riya raised an eyebrow. "Says who, Mr. Sandoval?"

"I don't have to say it!" He smiled brightly. "Tell me, which party that we've gone together ended up being boring? And also tell me which party you've attended without me ended up being fun?"

Smith and Riya looked at each other right before they looked at the sexy smiling boy. They wanted to say something to oppose him but then....

"See! You don't even have anything to say." He entered the classroom and went to his favorite spot to sit. He was really happy because that was gonna be his final lecture that day and then he was gonna go shopping with his friends.

Riya entered the room after him and got the shock of her life when as soon as she entered, someone handed her a really beautifully decorated basket that was also perfumed. It looked really classy and expensive. She looked inside and there were really expensive chocolates of all kinds, some wonderful flowers and a beautiful white handkerchief.

Whoever had sent that must have been someone really rich. Who was she kidding? It was probably from her boyfriend because he had grown fond of giving her gifts. But none of them was as nice as the gift she received at that time. She didn't even get to ask the person who gave her and she was smiling like an idiot.

"Whoa! Someone's blushing!" Eric teased. "Who's it from?"

"I think it's Scott!" She said, taking in a deep breath. "That guy is just too sweet."

"Whoa! That looks amazing!" Smith said, rubbing on his hands. "Why don't you open it? I am sure there's a note somewhere? I know how this thing goes. He is probably asking you for a date later."

Riya's cheeks became pink and she felt her heart begin to race. She opened the basket carefully and truly, there was a note there. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world and she kept on staring at that yellow note, her favorite color. She wanted to kiss it and...

"What does it say?"

Riya took a deep breath...

'To the most beautiful, sexiest and classiest person I know. The first time I saw you, my heart began racing and I felt like I was gonna die. I couldn't understand what it was at first but with time, I realized that you're my missing puzzle piece and I wanna hold you in my arms for the rest of my life.'

At first, Riya's smile kept on getting bigger and bigger until it began fading. She looked at her friends who were caught in a moment and she just became blank. She glanced at Eric and then the note before she just began staring at him. Eric was really confused with the way she was staring at him.

"What?" he shrugged. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there anything wrong?"

Riya slowly stretched her hand towards Eric, handing the note to him.

"I don't think this is for me." Riya said softly. "It's for you."

Eric's smile instantly faded the moment he heard that. He looked at the note and took it abruptly from his friend. Then he began reading it.

'My Eric, my Angel and my love. You're as beautiful as the first flower in spring. All I dream of since I first saw you is having you in my arms, kissing those sweet tender lips and making sweet love to you the whole day. I don't think I can suppress these feelings anymore. That's why I will confess to you in person and reveal myself to you.

I will be waiting for you in the school cafeteria and it doesn't matter if it takes me the whole day. You won't have a hard time finding me because a man in love cannot hide himself. See you later, my love, my baby and my beautiful future.'

By the time Eric was finishing the note, half of it was folded as he had gripped it harder, almost ripping it. He was breathing harshly, clenching on the note. His heart was racing and he felt like something had possessed him. He couldn't believe what he had just read.

"Eric!" Riya called but he didn't even look at her. "Baby, are you okay? You don't..."

But she didn't even finish her sentence when Eric rose from the chair furiously and started rushing out.

"Eric!" Smith called.

But he didn't even look behind to talk to him. Both of his friends knew trouble when they saw one. Riya just picked up her bag together with his and followed him behind.

It didn't take long before Eric reached the school cafeteria. When he entered inside, it was really dark. He couldn't see anything at all.

"Hello!" He called softly. "Anyone here?"

But there was no answer and it was really strange for the school cafeteria to be closed at that time. And maybe the note had all been a stupid prank. That was all it was, a stupid prank. Eric took a deep breath and was about to turn when all of a sudden, the lights went back on and a lot of balloons fell right on him.

Before he even realized what was going on, a lot of people were clapping while coming towards him. They seemed absolutely happy and they were all dressed beautifully. They were smiling and clapping as they came to him.

Eric was shocked but then he saw it, a beautiful golden banner at the back of the cafeteria with the words, 'Eric Sandoval, will you be my boyfriend?'

Eric didn't even pay detail to the other things in the cafeteria. His eyes were completely glued on the banner that had his name. The whole place was decorated beautifully by wonderful and expensive decors, balloons and there was slow romantic music playing in the background but he didn't care.

He had a heavy feeling in his stomach as his eyes scanned the whole place to see how well the place was decorated. The whole place looked like a billionaire had decorated it to propose to his long time fiancé. His eyes moved slowly, looking at the decorations and the people that were smiling at him.

But then he froze again when his eyes caught a handsome young man coming towards him with a smile on his face. He was wearing a deep blue designer's one piece suit that fit him so perfectly with a white shirt inside. His hair was perfectly gelled and combed backwards and that smile on his face was beautiful. He was holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. And then his eyes got wider as the guy knelt on one knee and stretched his hand, holding out the flowers to Eric.

Eric's heart began racing and honestly, what he felt at that moment was something that he couldn't describe. It was really deep and he too couldn't understand it.

"I know this must be surprising for you, baby." The man said in a deep manly voice. "But I have never been so sure of myself before. What do you say, you and I?"

Eric felt like someone had just hit him right in the heart. He was instantly swept off his feet by anger.

"What?" He gasped, shaking his head. "Excuse me? Did you write this? What's all this?"

The man chuckled. "Like I said, this must all be a surprise to you but I am serious. You're the most beautiful boy I know and my heart tells me that you're the one."

Eric was beyond shocked. He didn't know how to react so he burst into laughter. He started laughing at the top of his voice, surprising everyone there. At that same moment, his friends arrived and they froze when they saw what was going on.

"Say yes!" The man said, holding out the flowers. "These are for you."

Suddenly, Eric stopped laughing and his face became stern. Shit! The man was serious. He wasn't joking at all.

"Err... excuse me, what's your name again?"

"Oh sorry..." The man chuckled. "...my name is Henry Monta..."