Love Begets Love

A/N: Happy New Year to all! Here's another chapter to start the year anew. Hope you will take some time to let me know what you think of the story so far. It would really inspire me to write the next chapter. Thank you!




“ Jeremy, wake up…” Cleo gently shook his sleeping ward. He hates to wake him up after going home so late. He was finally able to convince Jeremy to go home at around 2 a.m. When Charles and Jeremy meet, they are inseparable. It is because they seldom find time to be with each other. Aside from the fact that Charles is a business tycoon who needs to travel a lot, they have to see each other without Jeremy’s father’s knowledge of they will be doomed. Gregory William is a busy man, but when he is home, he wants his son’s attention alone. “Your father is already downstairs. We don’t want him to get suspicious if you don’t join him for breakfast…. Remember you retired early last night…”

“Oookay…..” Jeremy knew that Cleo is right. The last thing he wanted was for his father to discover about his relationship with Charles. Not that he does not want him to know, but he wants to tell him himself…. in the right time. His father and Charles are the two most important people in his life and all he ever wanted is for them to get along with each other.

When Cleo stood to leave, Jeremy pulled him closer and hugged him. “T- thank you…..”

Cleo smiled. “For what?”

“For everything…. For helping me sneak out last night… For not preventing me from seeing Charles….”

“My boy… I only want you to be happy… and Charles is a good man… despite of his… his background… I know he sincerely loves you…. And he is not just taking advantage of you…. Because if he does, I will be the first one to kill him….”

“How I wish my dad would also think the same way…. Cleo… I love Charles… and I just can’t wait for dad to accept him….”

“He will… L- let’s hope so…Now, enough for the drama… get dressed… you know your dad won’t star breakfast without you.”

Jeffrey was lost in his thoughts as he prepared for breakfast. He held the small teddy bear close to him. Charles was fond of giving him gifts… just small gifts which won’t be obvious. . Last night, Charles gave him the teddy. Not that he does not receive gifts from anybody, he has a lot of suitors, but the gifts all pass to his father. And Gregory does not want his son to receive gifts from his suitors. He does not want to give them the impression that he is marketing his son to the highest bidder. So instead, his father always returns the gifts, no matter how expensive, and buys him all he wanted instead.


Jeffrey was all dressed when he went down. And true enough, his father is waiting for him at the breakfast table, reading newspaper.

Gregory just can’t be thankful enough for having Jeremy. His son is the only person in the world that makes him happy. The only reminder of his beloved wife, Gabriela. He loved her deeply, and he love her still. They were both very young then. Gabriela was only eighteen when she became pregnant with Jeremy, Gregory was twenty. They were the happiest people in the world. They instantly got married. Both their parents have no objection, they both came from very wealthy families. But their joy was short-lived. Gabriela died while giving birth to Jeremy. No matter how young, Gregory swore back then that he will love no other, and instead devote all his time and attention to his son and his work. Much to Gregory’s father’s dismay, who only wanted for Gregory to remarry, to further widen the family empire.

“Good morning, dad…” Jeremy went to hug his father.

“You are even more lovely than the morning, my precious son…” Gregory replied, hugging back. “ I can’t believe that you are already seventeen now… not too long ago, you were just a little boy…. Now look at you… so striking and stunningly beautiful… just like your mother…. Cleo, you better watch my son carefully from now on… I don’t want any unwanted attention…. I’m not yet ready for someone else to snatch my son away from me anytime soon….”

Jeremy and Cleo looked at each other. So much for the timing. Jeremy frowned a little. He wanted this opportunity to tell his dad little by little about Charles. He just can’t hide in the closet forever.

The two sat and started to eat quietly. After some time, Jeremy nervously spoke “Hey dad… y- you know Charles Montgomery?... I met him….”

Gregory’s expression suddenly turned sour upon hearing the name. He stopped eating and looked at his son. “Charles Montgomery? The brother of Eric Montgomery?! How could I ever forget?! You… stay away from him!” That was the first time Jeremy saw his father got that furious.

“B- but dad…. He- he has nothing to do with….”

“Stop this conversation for once! I am not hearing that name in this household ever again, understand?!” Gregory stood to leave.

“Dad… wait!... I.. I don’t understand…” Jeremy was on the verge of crying.

“Surely you wouldn’t understand! And I don’t need you to understand either! I just want you to stay away from any Montgomery! I lost my appetite…”

Jeremy just sat as his father left. He was shaking all over.

“Jeremy…” Cleo went next to him and he hugged him.

“Cleo… Charles….” Jeremy started to cry.

“It’s okay… everything’s going to be fine… We’ll find another way to tell your father…” Cleo tried to sooth his young ward. He should have seen this coming. But it was so long ago… and Eric Montgomery paid a huge price for what he did. He thought everything was long forgotten.

“Gregory…can I have a word with you?.” Cleo said as he approached Gregory in his study. He wanted to talk to him about what had happened earlier. Though Gregory is his master, Cleo never called him Sir. Because he and Gregory were childhood friends. He was one of Gregory’s closest friends. And Gregory trusts Cleo with his life. He never wanted any other to take good care of his only son when he is not around.

“Of course… what is it?” Cleo replied.

“About what happened earlier… don’t you think you were too harsh on Jeremy?...”

“I know… I… and I have to make it up to my son. I didn’t really intended to shout at him… but sudden anger just burst in me when I heard him speak about the Montgomerys… our greatest enemy…”

“Jeremy has nothing to do with it… and Charles… it was all about Eric…”

“They are still of the same blood! The blood of a monster runs in their veins! After what has happened in the past, I don’t want my son to be associated with any of them! They are all alike!”

“Gregory… you’re judging….”

“Stop this for once, Cleo. I don’t want to argue with you anymore. You don’t have the right to lecture on what my principles are. This conversation is over. Just don’t let any Montgomery near my son… or I swear… our friendship is over….” There was conviction in Gregory’s words. And Cleo knew instantly that he should not push the issue now. He will only lose.

Cleo went to leave and headed directly to Jeremy’s room. He found his ward silently crying on the bed and hugging the teddy that Charles gave him last night close to him. When Jeremy looked at him, he couldn’t help but pity his ward.

“He didn’t listen to you either…” Jeremy whispered.

“We’ll find another way….” Cleo replied.

“No… there is no other way! I never saw him that mad! He would not approve of Charles! He hates him! He hates him because he is a Montgomery!”

“Its okay… your dad will understand…” Cleo tried to comfort him. But he himself does not even know how. Jeremy told the truth. Gregory was never that firm in his conviction before. He would never approve of Charles.

Jeremy had his chance the following day. He has to see Charles. They needed to talk. Badly. So when his dad went out for an overnight business trip, he spared no time to see him in their secret place.

“Angel…” Charles said as he saw Jeremy approaching. He has been waiting there for fifteen minutes. Jeremy called him and told him that they should meet now.

“Charles!” Jeremy hugged his lover.

“Hey, y- you look worried….And … where’s Cleo?” Charles asked looking around. Usually, Cleo would bring Jeremy to him and then would leave them.

“He didn’t know I’m here…. I came here all by myself….”

“Y- you didn’t?... Jeremy, don’t ever do that again! What if something happened along the way?! What if somebody sees you?! Oh my God…” Charles was so worried. Jeremy left without an escort. This is the first time!

“I just can’t let him know about this…”

“About what?.... Jeremy, what is happening here?!” Charles is getting more confused each passing moment.

“I talked to dad yesterday… I mentioned you… Charles, I never saw him so furious in my entire life…. He was so mad… and told me that I should not go anywhere near any Montgomery…Charles, he would never approve of us!”

“Jeremy…. Love… I… I will talk to your father… I will tell him that my intentions are pure…”

“No, you don’t understand! He will never agree to us, and if he would know about us, he will do everything to keep us apart!”

Charles knew he couldn’t bear that. Anything but to be apart from Jeremy.

“No… I would never allow that to happen….” He replied, holding his trembling lover close to him. “I swear I would never let that happen.”
Jeremy looked at Charles as he spoke. “Charles… I… I ‘ve been thinking about this for some time… I guess… now is the right time.”

“What is it?”

“Charles… t- take me… make me pregnant…I- if I’m pregnant… dad would no longer stop us… he would not want to put our reputation in shame… and a bastard grandchild… He would agree to our marriage..”

Charles stopped for a moment…. He was dumbfounded.

Jeremy mistook his silence for uncertainty. “Y- you don’t want…to marry me...”

When Charles looked at Jeremy, tears were already flowing from his eyes.

“No… Angel, of course not! I want you so badly! I… I just am not sure if you want this… us… you are still very young… you might regret your decision…”

“NO! I am certain of this! I want you! I want no one else but you!”

“Oh angel, you made me the happiest man in the world… I promise, you would not regret choosing to marry me… I love you so much….”

“I know… I love you too… Take me somewhere else… we have to do this…. We have time right now… my dad won’t be back until tomorrow…”


TBC