Roman sat alone in his room, lost in deep thought about Silas and Catelyn.
Looking at the situation, Catelyn was treating Silas with a cold, nonchalant demeanor—acting more like a stranger than someone who had once shared a deep connection with him. Silas, on the other hand, was clearly desperate to get her back, drowning in a sea of sadness and loneliness without her.
They both hailed from wealthy families and possessed enough fortune to afford anything their hearts desired. Roman couldn't help the surge of jealousy that stirred within him whenever he thought of their endless riches. Yet, a slow smile crept onto his face. Catelyn was selfish and cruel for breaking up with Silas—a genuinely good man who now wandered through life miserable, depressed, and entirely undeserving of such heartbreak. Catelyn was foolish for throwing him away.
Seeing their fractured bond made Roman smile. It proved that despite all their wealth, they had flaws. Their suffering was entertaining to him, a comforting reminder that money couldn't buy a flawless life.
Reaching across his bed, Roman picked up his phone, opened a messaging app, and typed out a text to Catelyn:
Roman:Hello Catey, would you like to hang out at Crest Bar on Saturday? I'll be bringing a friend.
Across town at Winters Company, Catelyn was dressed in an authoritative boss attire—a sharp tailored shirt paired with sleek, professional trousers. As she strode through the corridors toward her executive office, her phone buzzed in her hand with Roman's text. She paused, looking down at the screen before typing a brief reply:
Catelyn:I'll think about it.
Roman:Okay.
Entering her office, Catelyn set her phone on the desk.
Meanwhile, Roman stared at her response with a glimmer of hope. Encouraged, he switched over to Silas's contact and sent the exact same invite.
At his own company's headquarters, Silas sat on a leather couch, reviewing a stack of corporate documents. The sharp chime of a notification broke his concentration. Reaching for his phone on the table, he read Roman's message:
Roman:How are you doing, Silas? Would you like to hang out at Crest Bar on Saturday? I'll be bringing a friend.
Silas pondered the offer. It was Thursday, and his Saturday schedule was entirely clear. Hanging out sounded good enough.
Silas:Okay, I'll come.
Roman:Okay, be expecting you.
Silas set his phone aside and returned to his documents, wondering idly who Roman's guest might be. Probably Matteo, he thought.
On the other side of town, Roman sank back onto his bed with a smirk. Silas was accepted the invite; now he just had to wait for Catelyn to agree to his invite.
Few days later, The Crest Bar was the epitome of lavish sophistication. Its interior featured polished bronze accents, sweeping marble counters, and plush seating lit by soft, warm ambience. Elegant stools lined the bar, where a sleekly uniform waiter served high-end cocktails to distinguished guests.
Roman sat on a stool, sipping his drink and scrolling through his phone as he waited for Silas and Catelyn.
Outside, a sleek black car pulled into the parking lot. Silas stepped out, dressed in a casual yet refined ensemble: a rich brown shirt, dark trousers, and black canvas shoes. He walked into the dimly lit bar, his eyes scanning the room until he spotted Roman sitting at the counter.
"Hello, Roman," Silas said, stepping up to take the seat beside him.
Roman looked up, offering a broad smile. "Hi Silas! You made it. Want a drink?"
"Yes," Silas replied, catching the eye of a passing waiter.
"Great," Roman said, flagging the waiter down. Silas ordered a martini, and the waiter hurried off to prepare it. Turning to his friend, Silas remarked, "I find this place quite pleasing for a hangout."
"Yes I like it," Roman says and Silas agrees in his mind.
"I almost got my butt kicked by Lauren earlier," Roman confessed with a self-deprecating chuckle.
"That sounds awful," Silas replied with a neutral tone, careful not to make Roman feel worse. He knew Lauren was Roman's boss.
The waiter placed the crystal glass containing the martini in front of Silas.
"I guess I was slacking off too much while working," Roman admitted, looking down at his drink as memories of his secret encounter with Jane flashed through his mind.
Silas took a calm sip of his martini. He didn't view Roman as stupid or inferior for his mistakes; everyone was human. "That's a lesson to learn from her. It happens."
Shifting the mood, Silas brought up a lighter topic. "Fin Harry is a brilliant guy, isn't he?"
"Yes, he really is—brilliant and ambitious," Roman agreed.
"He plays perfectly in every match," Silas added, thinking about the legendary football star.
"My cousin wears his jersey to bed every single night," Roman said dramatically.
Silas chuckled. "Your cousin must be a huge fan."
"Huge!" Roman laughed, and for a few moments, he melted away as they joked about shared interests.
The atmospheric light of the bar shifted as Catelyn stepped inside. Her long, dirty-blonde hair was tied up neatly, accentuating her fair skin and feminine jawline. She wore an eye-catching wine-colored ruffled gingham top paired with black slacks.
Scanning the interior, her eyes landed on Roman—and then on the man sitting next to him. A small smile touched her cherry-red lips as she walked toward them.
Silas was casually checking his phone when he heard a soft, familiar voice that made his heart instantly freeze.
"Hi, Roman," Catelyn said smoothly.
Silas turned, his gaze colliding with hers. The sudden sight of her shocked him; Roman hadn't mentioned a word about her coming. Beneath his surprise, however, a wave of bittersweet happiness washed over him. He missed her deeply—he missed her warmth, her presence, and the memory of their lost intimacy.
"Hello, Silas," Catelyn offered softly.
"Hi, Catelyn... how have you been?" Silas's voice carried an undeniable trace of longing.
"Good. And you?"
"I'm good," Silas replied, forcing himself to break eye contact and look back down at his phone.
His mind was racing. He re-read Roman's text message to confirm his suspicion: Roman had said he was bringing a friend. That friend was Catelyn. A quiet saddness brewed inside Silas. He turned toward Roman, silently demanding an explanation with his eyes.
However, Roman deliberately looked away from Silas, focusing all his energy on Catelyn as she slid onto the stool beside him.
"You made it! What a surprise," Roman said with a bright smile.
"Yeah, I did," Catelyn replied, placing her mini handbag on the counter. She stole a quiet glance at Silas, who remained glued to his phone. She wished he would look at her, feeling a pang of sorrow at his detachment, though she forced her expression to remain unbothered.
"So, how's work?" Roman asked Catelyn.
"Good. And yours?"
"Fine. What would you like to drink?"
"I think I'll have a wine," she said, her eyes drifting back toward Silas.
"Okay," Roman said, signaling the bartender. He grinned at her. "You're glowing today."
Catelyn chuckled softly. "Thanks."
Listening to them chat and laugh so freely broke Silas's heart. It felt as though his past relationship with Catelyn meant nothing, as though he was completely invisible. He couldn't take it anymore.
Gulping down the rest of his martini, Silas set his phone in his pocket and stood up. "I'm leaving for home."
"Don't you think it's a bit too early?" Roman asked smoothly.
"Well, I have to visit my parents," Silas said, creating a quick excuse. "They're expecting me home today since I haven't visited in a while."
Catelyn looked up at him, sadness flooding her chest. Seeing him standing tall and incredibly handsome made a deep love bloom within her, accompanied by a crushing sense of guilt. She realized he was fleeing because she had hurt him. She wanted desperately to stop him, to spend time with him, but the weight of her past actions kept her silent.
"Sure," Roman said smoothly, letting Silas go.
Roman knew exactly what he was doing. He had orchestrated this entire awkward encounter to take pleasure in their discomfort, wanting to watch them struggle under the illusion of a normal friendship.
Silas gave a final, stiff nod and glance at Catelyn who is looking at him with eyes that said why does he have to go and Silas turned on his heel, leaving the bar without looking back.
Catelyn watched him go, retrieving her punch from the counter with a heavy heart. "I heard you were looking for coordinators for a project. What was that about?" she asked Roman, attempting to move on.
Roman replied nonchalantly, completely unbothered by Silas's abrupt departure.
Back at his villa, Silas stepped into the luxurious living room and unclasped his wristwatch, tossing it onto the table. His chest felt tight with restlessness and saddness.
Seeing Catelyn had thrown his emotions into chaos. Her flushed cheeks, fair complexion, and soft lips brought back overwhelming memories of their love. But right behind that longing came the bitter sting of betrayal—she was the one who had ended things.
Why did seeing her give me hope? Silas thought bitterly as he sank into his leather couch, if she did want to see him and not distant herself from his life, she would have invited him out, talk to him online that they could see each other and speak to each other all the time, remembering the way she looked at him with eyes that said why does he have to go now, it made him feel she cared about him.
More than that, his displeasure at Roman burned deeply. Roman knew how much pain the breakup had caused him, yet he had deliberately set him up without warning. He hadn't even offered an explanation when Silas looked at him at the bar; he had simply ignored him.
Silas realized then that Roman was not a true good friend. Roman was inconsiderate, manipulative, and fake. Silas made a quiet vow to himself: he would keep his distance from Roman from now on, guard his personal life carefully, and confront Roman about his true motives when the time was right.
Meanwhile, as Catelyn headed home, her mind remained fixated on Silas. She was glad she had seen him looking so handsome, but deeply regretted that they hadn't been able to talk properly. Roman was a fun, lighthearted friend who made her laugh, but Silas was the one who held her heart. She wanted him back, but guilt trapped her—she had no idea how to apologize or bridge the chasm between them.
In his own apartment, Roman relaxed on his bed with a pleased sense of satisfaction. He knew he had been cruel by orchestrating the surprise meetup, but seeing the obvious strain between Silas and Catelyn gave him a twisted sense of joy in his soul. It proved that despite their endless wealth and perfection, they were flawed and broken.
Hoping to make things better a bit more, Roman pulled out his phone and sent a check-in message to Silas.
Silas was sitting on his couch watching TV when his phone screen lit up with Roman's name. He glanced at the notification, felt a flash of irritation, and turned his eyes back to the television. He had no intention of entertaining a fake friend who toyed with his feelings. He left the message unread.