Chapter 78: Protecting What We Have

Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Protecting What We Have

The man stopped speaking.

The others exchanged uncomfortable looks before getting to their feet. The relaxed mood from earlier was completely gone.

"We’re sorry," one of them finally muttered.

Elisha said nothing. He simply stood there, watching them with a hard expression.

They gathered their things and quietly made their way toward the foyer. No one tried to joke or defend themselves again.

At the front door, one of them paused and glanced back at Elisha. "We really are sorry, man."

Elisha’s expression remained cold. "You should be."

The friend nodded and turned away.

One by one, they stepped outside. Elisha waited until the last person had left before closing the door firmly behind them.

He stood there for a moment, his jaw still tense.

Then he exhaled slowly and ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself down.

His thoughts immediately went to Henry. The idea that Henry might have heard those cruel, thoughtless words made Elisha’s jaw tighten all over again.

Without hesitation, he turned and quickly climbed the stairs. He pushed open their bedroom door, but Henry wasn’t there. Stepping further inside, he spotted him sitting quietly on the private balcony, bathed in the soft afternoon light.

Elisha walked out and settled into the chair beside him. As he looked at Henry, he noticed the subtle change in his expression—a quiet, guarded stillness that hadn’t been there before.

Elisha’s chest tightened. "Pretty... are you okay?"

Henry gave a small nod, though his eyes remained on Elisha. "Yeah, I’m fine. Your friends left pretty early, though. What happened?"

"Nothing," Elisha said quickly, trying to brush it off. "They said they were just passing by and wanted to check in, so—"

Henry continued staring at him, his sharp, perceptive gaze making it obvious that he wasn’t fooled.

Elisha sighed. His attempt to hide the truth fell apart almost immediately. He reached across the table and took Henry’s hand. "I’m sorry. I’m lying. I didn’t just let them leave; I chased them out."

Henry blinked, then gave a small shake of his head. "It’s fine... You shouldn’t have chased them away. And honestly, what they said wasn’t entirely wrong. They just said it in a way that made you angry."

Elisha went completely still. "Did you hear everything?"

"I heard it," Henry admitted quietly, looking down at their joined hands. "I just came upstairs a few minutes ago. And they’re right, Elisha. I am seriously boring to people like them. They’re not wrong, and I didn’t want you to get into a fight over it."

"I’m an introvert. You know that better than anyone. So if I say no to something just because I don’t feel like doing it, don’t automatically agree with me. If you think it’s something we should do, tell me. Talk to me about it and help me understand why it matters instead of simply giving in because you know I’m uncomfortable with it. I’ll listen to you."

Henry paused, his expression becoming more serious. "After I heard them, I came back to the bedroom and called my mom to talk to her about it. She said most people do have a bachelor party before their wedding, but the reason she and your family never brought it up during the planning was because they know we’re a quiet, close-knit pair who don’t really have large social circles. She said we could still put something together if we wanted to have a party, since the wedding is still a week away."

Elisha’s heart sank. He leaned closer, searching Henry’s eyes. "Did what they said make you feel bad, baby?"

"A little, at first," Henry admitted, his voice quieter than before. "Not because they called me boring. I know who I am. What hurt was the way they made it sound like you deserved someone better than me." He looked down for a moment. "Am I really not enough?"

"Come here," Elisha said softly, standing immediately.

He pulled Henry to his feet and guided him back into the bedroom. They climbed onto the bed and lay down together. Elisha pulled the plush duvet over them both, then wrapped his arms around Henry and pressed a soft kiss to his hair.

"Listen to me," Elisha murmured. "I don’t want you to let what they said get to you. To me, you’re more than enough, pretty. You’re everything I could ever want in a partner. I don’t need you to be more outgoing, more social, or anything other than who you are. I love you exactly as you are, and there’s no one else I would rather have beside me."

Henry looked up at him quietly. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, baby. I’m sure." Elisha gently ran his fingers through Henry’s hair. "I don’t want you to let what they said make you question yourself or what we have. There will always be people who think they know what’s best for someone else’s relationship, but they don’t get to decide what’s right for us. We’re the ones building this life together, and what matters is what we want, not what anyone else thinks."

He held Henry a little tighter.

"That’s exactly why I chased them out. They crossed a line when they started talking about you like that. If I had stayed quiet and let them continue, they might have thought it was okay to say even worse things about you next time. I’ll never sit back and let anyone disrespect you, especially not in front of me."

Henry shifted slightly in his arms and looked up at Elisha, his expression calmer as he met his steady, loving gaze.

Henry shifted slightly, looking up at Elisha.

"You’re the most brilliant and beautiful person I’ve ever known," Elisha murmured, gently tracing his thumb along Henry’s cheek. "You’re pretty, you’re cute, and you’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner. Don’t ever let people like them make you question your worth just because you’re not as loud or outgoing as they are."

"Look at everything you’ve built. Look at everything you’ve achieved at twenty-three. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you’re less than you are. I love everything about you, Henry. You don’t have to change a single thing about yourself to be enough for me. You already are."

Henry’s eyes glistened, and a soft smile touched his lips. "I love you more."

Elisha pulled him closer, wrapping his arms securely around him.

"Besides," Elisha added, a faint smile tugging at his lips, "my mother and your mother both warned me about people like them after our wedding date was fixed. They each called me separately and spent hours talking to me about marriage, what to expect, and how to protect what we’re building together. So I already knew how to handle people like them when they crossed the line."

Henry rested his head against Elisha’s chest, curiosity returning to his expression. "What did my mother say?"

Elisha let out a soft breath, gently running his fingers through Henry’s hair. "She said a lot of things, but the one thing she kept emphasizing was that my first responsibility as your partner is to protect you and what we have together. She warned me that there will always be people who try to interfere in other people’s relationships, especially when they don’t understand or respect their choices."

"She told me not to let other people’s opinions get between us. We’re just starting our life together, and I’m not going to let anyone come between us or make you feel like you’re not enough."

Elisha shifted slightly and looked down at Henry with a warm smile.

"So instead of some loud bachelor party with people who don’t even appreciate you, why don’t we have both families over for an intimate rehearsal dinner two days before the wedding? We can spend the evening together, and you can invite the people you actually want there. As for me, I won’t invite anyone outside my family. How does that sound?"

A genuine smile spread across Henry’s face. "That sounds wonderful. Honestly, the only people I’d want to invite are Prince Raphael and Eloise. They’re good people, and I know they’d love to celebrate with us."

"Then it’s settled," Elisha said, clearly pleased. "We’ll have the dinner two days before the wedding. How does that sound?"

"Perfect," Henry murmured happily, burying his face against Elisha’s chest. "We should let our parents know about it so they know what we’re planning."

"Alright, baby."

Without wasting any time, they reached for their phones and called their respective parents. Both families loved the idea, immediately agreeing that a small, meaningful gathering would suit them better than a night out. When their parents asked where they wanted to host it, Elisha offered their home, explaining that the spacious terrace would be more than enough for both families and their closest guests.

With the venue and guest list settled, Henry quickly messaged Prince Raphael. Raphael replied almost immediately, saying that he and his boyfriend would be happy to attend, especially since his boyfriend would already be in town by then. Henry smiled and sent a quick confirmation before messaging Eloise to invite her as well. She happily accepted.

Once they had sent all the necessary messages, they set their phones aside.

Elisha pulled the plush blankets up over their shoulders and settled back against...