Twenty minutes later, the driver arrived outside.
Baldur Morgan, holding Cohen Phillips's hand, left under the smiling gazes of the two shop assistants.
It was only a ten-minute drive to the painting studio.
Cohen Phillips and Baldur Morgan entered hand in hand.
Lucy Burke was playing with her large cat.
Hearing the sound, she looked up, her eyes wide and bright.
"Wow! Pretty little handsome guy, your painting has come to life!"
Cohen Phillips smiled and nodded.
"Yes, it has."
Lucy Burke scooped up the large cat.
"Come on, wish the pretty gentleman's boyfriend a Happy New Year too."
"Meow..."
Baldur Morgan raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Happy New Year."
"Wait a moment, you two. I'll go get the painting. It's all packed up."
Lucy Burke put down the fat cat and hurried inside.
The painting was only half a meter tall and not heavy; she could easily carry it.
Cohen Phillips waited by the counter, stroked the large cat's head, and seeing it didn't mind, petted it a few more times.
Baldur Morgan looked at him, then at the cat.
"You like it?"
"Don't you think it's cute, being so chubby?"
"Meow..."
Are you being polite?
Baldur Morgan also reached out and ruffled the cat's head.
"If you like it, we can get one too."
"Ah..."
Cohen Phillips was tempted but still shook his head in refusal.
"Forget it. I don't have the energy to take care of one."
"Here it is!"
Lucy Burke came out carrying a flat, custom-made cardboard box covering the painting.
"I carefully padded it with foam board; it won't get scratched."
Baldur Morgan took it.
"Thank you."
"Hehehe."
She grinned sheepishly.
"You really look exactly like in the painting. Such a large piece, and the pretty little handsome guy finished it perfectly in just four hours. He must paint a lot usually."
Baldur Morgan looked at Cohen Phillips.
"Is that so?"
Cohen Phillips didn't meet his gaze, instead saying to Lucy Burke, "Boss, thank you for your trouble."
Lucy Burke waved her hand.
"Ah, it's nothing. I was just passing by the shop anyway, thought I'd deliver your painting before meeting friends for dinner. New Year's gifts should be given on New Year's Day itself."
"Thank you. Then we won't keep you any longer."
"Okay. You two must be going on a date too, right? Bye! Wishing you a long and happy future together."
"Thank you."
Baldur Morgan held the painting in one hand and Cohen Phillips's hand in the other.
"Goodbye."
Lucy Burke held the large cat and waved its paw.
"Bye-bye."
"Meow..."
The driver helped put the painting in the trunk.
After getting in the car, he kept his eyes forward and asked, "Sir, where to now? Home?"
Baldur Morgan named a Western restaurant and rolled up the partition.
Then, Cohen Phillips was kissed again.
"Hey... stop it..."
His resistance was futile and only made Baldur Morgan's blood run hotter.
Baldur held him close, lightly pecking and teasing him repeatedly.
He was almost at his limit.
"Baldur Morgan... stop kissing..."
"My baby, why can't I kiss you?"
Baldur Morgan was being shameless, nibbling on his earlobe and whispering softly.
"Aiyo..."
Cohen Phillips let out a soft exclamation, only to have his breath stolen again...
He's a kissing monster, isn't he?
When they arrived at the restaurant, Cohen Phillips, his eyes shimmering with spring-like moisture and his lips and tongue numb from kissing, got his temper flared.
He stuffed his hands in his pockets, refusing to let Baldur Morgan hold his hand.
Baldur Morgan wrapped an arm around his shoulder and coaxed in a low voice, "I was wrong. Don't be angry, baby."
He pressed his lips together and glared.
The watery eyes made Baldur Morgan's heart itch.
So cute.
I want to kiss him to death!
The server led them to a window seat.
After they sat down, he handed them the menu.
Cohen Phillips wasn't picky, so he let Baldur Morgan order.
Just then, his phone rang, and he answered the call.
"Cade."
Cade Phillips's clear voice called out.
"Dad asked if you're coming back for dinner tonight. Kerry's phone has been off, I couldn't get through, so I called you."
Cohen Phillips said flatly, "We're not coming back."
"Alright. I'll let Dad know."
Cade Phillips had seen Baldur Morgan's WeChat post but didn't ask further.
"Cohen, Happy New Year."
He paused.
"Happy New Year."
At the Phillips family villa, after hanging up, Cade Phillips said to his parents, "They're not coming back."
Manuel Phillips's face stiffened.
"Hmph! Won't even come home!"
Ona Reed gently patted his back, soothing him.
"They're probably just too busy. Kerry's company just moved to B City; there must be a lot to handle."
He scoffed coldly.
"Too busy to even come home for a meal?"
"Ah, well, the company is important. Let's eat. It's New Year's, don't be upset. Let Cade have a couple of drinks with you."
Cade Phillips smiled and nodded.
"Sure. I'll open a good bottle of wine and have a drink with Dad."
Manuel Phillips's expression improved slightly, but not much.
The dinner was very quiet, and within half an hour, he threw down his chopsticks and went upstairs.
Ona Reed could no longer maintain her gentle and virtuous expression.
She stared expressionlessly at Cade Phillips.
"Do you know what's going on between Cohen Phillips and Baldur Morgan?"
Cade Phillips tightened his grip on the wine glass and lowered his eyelids.
"They're dating. Baldur made it official this afternoon."
Ona Reed felt a darkness before her eyes, unable to control her shrill tone.
"What? He made it official?"
"Yes..."
"What's wrong with you?"
She turned her anger towards her own son,frustrated at his lack of progress.
"I created such good opportunities for you, letting you follow Baldur Morgan and learn from him since you were little, to build a good relationship with him. You never knew how to seize the chances, and now you've let Cohen Phillips snag him!"
A trace of barely perceptible annoyance flashed in Cade Phillips's eyes.
He said placatingly, "Mom, this isn't something I can control. I've listened to you, tried very hard to please Baldur. But who he likes, who he's with... I can't do anything about it. He and Cohen..."
Ona Reed cut him off sharply.
"You call them 'brother', but they've never treated you as a younger brother! They are still meticulously scheming to snatch the Phillips family inheritance from you!"
He closed his mouth and said nothing.
The Phillips family wasn't meant for him alone from the start.
Ona Reed pointed at him and continued, "Find a way to get closer to Baldur. You're no worse than Cohen Phillips. Do you understand what I mean?"
Cade Phillips looked up at her, finding it utterly absurd.
"You want me to break them up?"
Her face was grim.
"Cade, you're no less good-looking than Cohen Phillips. You grew up following Baldur. Your personality is good too. There's no reason for him not to fancy you."
Cade Phillips laughed in anger.
"Mom, what kind of person do you take me for?"
"You are my biological son. The future head of Phillips Corp. will only be you. As long as you maintain a good relationship with Baldur and the Morgan family, no matter what tricks Kerry Phillips and Cohen Phillips have up their sleeves, they won't be enough to shake your position in Phillips Corp."
"I don't have those kinds of feelings for Baldur Morgan. I only see him as an older brother."
Cade Phillips smiled self-deprecatingly.
"And he only sees me as a little follower who's always tagging along, trying to curry favor."
Ona Reed had lost her rationality.
"Why are you so useless?! You haven't seized any opportunities all these years!"
Cade Phillips just felt emotionally exhausted.
He stood up.
"I have a gathering later. I'm leaving first."
"Cade Phillips!"
After leaving the Phillips residence, Cade Phillips called his assistant.
He stood in the cold wind for half an hour before a black Mercedes pulled up in front of him.
He got into the back seat, pressed his temples, and said, "To the underground bar."