Cohen Phillips put the small gifts he'd received into a drawer in his room, took a shower, then lay in bed looking at his phone.
Over half an hour had passed.
The "Happy New Year" message he'd sent Baldur Morgan at midnight still hadn't gotten a reply.
After tossing and turning in bed for a while, he couldn't resist any longer and sent a voice call request.
Baldur Morgan answered quickly, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Baby..."
"Are you still busy?"
Ding. 28th floor.
Just as Cohen Phillips asked, he heard the elevator arrival chime.
His heart gave a slight jolt – that was his floor...
Then came Baldur Morgan's voice, "Baby, I'm at your door."
He scrambled out of bed and hurried to the door.
As the door opened, a cold wind carrying a faint scent of alcohol swept in.
Cohen Phillips, wearing only thin pajamas, shivered.
The next moment, the man standing outside wrapped an arm around his waist, half-carrying, half-guiding him back inside and casually closing the door behind them.
Leaning against Baldur Morgan's chest, Cohen Phillips caught a stronger whiff of smoke and alcohol.
He leaned back slightly.
"Did you drink and drive?"
Baldur Morgan nuzzled his neck.
"No. The driver brought me."
"Your driver doesn't get time off?"
"Mhm. Triple pay."
Baldur Morgan said in a low voice, "Baby, Happy New Year."
Cohen Phillips wrapped his arms around Baldur's waist.
"Baby, Happy New Year."
They held each other in the entryway for a while before Baldur Morgan spoke.
"Baby, I'm a bit drunk. Want to sleep."
Cohen Phillips led him by the hand, lowering his voice as they passed his brother's tightly closed bedroom door.
"Do you want to shower?"
Though he claimed to be drunk, his eyes looked very clear.
"Yes. Otherwise, my baby might dislike being held."
Cohen Phillips took him to his room, locked the door, and smiled, the corners of his lips curving.
"Then go shower. Can you manage by yourself?"
He started taking off his clothes as he walked towards the bathroom.
"Yes."
A little over ten minutes later, Baldur Morgan emerged, steam rising from his body, a towel wrapped around his waist.
He climbed into bed and got under the covers, the towel discarded on the floor.
Cohen Phillips was pulled into a damp, warm embrace.
He pushed lightly against him.
"Let me get you a robe... Mmm..."
Baldur Morgan directly sealed his slightly parted red lips, kissing him tenderly and lingeringly.
"Don't want one."
Cohen Phillips was only in his pajamas, feeling a bit shy and heated.
"Baldur..."
Baldur Morgan kissed him for a while longer, then restrained himself, held Cohen Phillips tightly, and closed his eyes.
"Baby, let's sleep. Good night."
Cohen Phillips breathed lightly, touched his brow which showed a trace of fatigue.
"Sleep, then. Good night, baby..."
Early in the morning, Cohen Phillips woke with a feeling akin to drowning.
The instigator was hovering lightly over him.
The weariness from the early hours was completely gone, replaced by amusement in his eyes.
"Good morning, baby."
Cohen Phillips's face felt warm.
He raised his right hand to block Baldur's face.
"You're up... Huh?"
He suddenly noticed a simple silver band ring on his middle finger, unsure when it got there, and froze.
Baldur Morgan took his hand, his thin lips gently brushing against the ring.
He asked, smiling, "New Year's gift. Do you like it?"
His eyes felt a bit dry.
He mumbled, "Why did you suddenly think of giving me this?"
Baldur Morgan lay down beside him, holding him close.
He extended his own left hand, interlocking their fingers.
On it was an identical silver ring.
"I asked around for advice. Time was a bit tight, so I picked this pair in a hurry. I'll have a better one custom-made for you later."
His heart skipped a beat.
"Later..."
Baldur Morgan kissed his forehead.
"Mhm. We'll change it for a better one later."
Cohen Phillips blinked, holding back the heat in his eyes, lifted his head, and gently pecked the corner of Baldur Morgan's mouth.
"Thank you. I really like this New Year's gift."
Baldur Morgan pinched his chin, gazing at him.
"I really like this year's New Year's gift too."
As the words fell, their lips drew closer inch by inch.
Cohen Phillips planted a series of wet kisses on Baldur Morgan's face.
"Were you unhappy when you went home last night?"
He chuckled lightly.
"Just a bit annoyed. That bunch at home, loads of troublesome matters. They found a chance during the dinner and started making snide remarks."
The Morgan family was large and wealthy, with many uncles from collateral lines, few of them truly capable.
Currently, eighty percent of the family business was in Baldur Morgan's hands.
Usually, those people feared his methods and didn't dare cause much trouble.
But during holidays, when Baldur Morgan's grandfather called them back for gatherings, they started emerging.
Last night was the same.
The news of Baldur Morgan's relationship hadn't been deliberately hidden and spread quickly.
Those people started using it as a topic.
In the end, they ruined what should have been a nice New Year's Eve dinner.
Baldur Morgan's grandfather was so angry he kicked people out.
Baldur Morgan was also thoroughly fed up with these people and was considering finding a time to properly put them in their place.
What right do they have to comment on my love life?
Cohen Phillips rubbed his nose against Baldur's.
"Are you still annoyed now?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"Kiss me.Cheer me up."
Mwah...
Cohen Phillips gave a peck.
"Better?"
"Another one."
Mwah...
"My baby is so good."
Baldur Morgan sighed lightly and pressed down on the furry back of his head.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
As the two were cuddling affectionately in bed, a knocking sound came from the door.
Cohen Phillips's eyes, shimmering like spring water, looked over.
"My brother's calling me for breakfast..."
Because of his poor health, if Kerry Phillips was home, he strictly supervised him to eat three meals on time.
Baldur Morgan closed his eyes, his voice hoarse.
"Baby, you go wash up first. Let me... calm down a bit."
A mischievous thought rose in Cohen's mind.
As he got out of bed, he deliberately brushed against him, hearing a muffled groan escape the man's throat, before walking into the bathroom with a smirk.
Baldur Morgan turned over, clutching the blanket tightly, and said with feigned anger, "Love to tease, do you? Just wait until you're crying later!"
After washing up, Cohen Phillips left the room.
Kerry Phillips sat alone at the dining table, staring at him intently.
He remained expressionless.
"Where's Sis-in-law?"
"Whose shoes are those by the door?"
"..."
Kerry Phillips got straight to the point.
"Is Baldur in your room? When did he get here?"
"Half past twelve..."
Kerry Phillips snorted coldly and stood up.
"Eat your breakfast. If he wants some, call him."
Cohen Phillips drank a glass of warm water.
"Aren't you and Sis-in-law eating?"
He walked towards his own room.
"You eat first."
"Oh..."
Cohen Phillips put down the water glass and went to get Baldur Morgan.
"Are you having breakfast?"
Baldur Morgan was already dressed, wearing the clothes he'd left there last time, which Cohen Phillips had washed.
"Yes."