CYNTM CHAPTER 48

As soon as Marcus finished speaking, Hunter almost choked on his saliva. “What…. what… what did you just say? Are you crazy!”

Hunter rushed to rummage through his luggage. He had a habit of never washing his underwear during competitions, usually just tossing them away as he went. Surely, Marcus wasn’t planning to auction off his dirty underwear! Didn’t he have any limits?

“Hunter, what are you looking for?” Marcus asked, confused.

“Checking if any of my underwear is missing!” Hunter realized he couldn’t even remember how many pairs he had left.

“Of course, none are missing. I had the assistant buy some long ago.” Marcus raised his chin.

The PR assistant waved a pair of tight black briefs.

“Huh?” Hunter pointed at them and asked, “Is that my underwear?”

“From now on, it is yours. Look at how sexy the style is. Female fans will go crazy bidding on it!” Marcus said proudly.

Damn it! These guys are so dishonest! Even the underwear is fake!

“Do you think I’m Winston or Owen? I beg you, stop embarrassing me! Honestly, I’m not going to the gala tonight!” Hunter imagined the scene when the auction item was announced and how awkward the venue would become. Everyone attending was a notable figure in the business world, and Hunter felt his dignity would hit rock bottom. From then on, he would never be able to hold his head up high again.

“Rest assured, according to my preliminary investigation, this pair of your underwear has already reached a price of 100,000 dollars!”

“…Are you dreaming? And most importantly, that’s not even my underwear!” Hunter shouted across the room. Strange enough, everyone present acted as if they didn’t hear his outburst; those adjusting his outfit continued, and those styling his hair kept at it. Hunter fumed inwardly. Next year, he swore he would switch teams! Absolutely!

The Emirates Palace Hall was both luxurious and grand. As Hunter entered with Marcus, many people turned to look at him, making him self-consciously tug at his bow tie.

Don’t look at me… Why is everyone staring at me?

Hunter felt as if he was suffering from paranoia, constantly thinking that the guests chatting amongst themselves were always watching him from the corner of their eyes. Could it be that after they found out Marcus was using his underwear as an auction item, they all turned to mock him?

What is this! Couldn’t they just auction off something ordinary like a T-shirt, like at Ferrari’s charity gala!?

“Hey, kiddo… you look really… delicious tonight.”

Hunter snapped his head around to see Owen smiling at him, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a glass of champagne. Unlike most of the other male guests who had their hair slicked back, Owen’s hair was styled casually, looking quite fashionable. His suit accentuated his shoulders and back. This guy was tall with a lazy demeanor, his emerald eyes holding a mischievous glint.

“Really? I don’t think you look delicious at all.” Hunter deliberately looked away, scanning the room.

“What? Are you looking for Vann Winston?” Owen asked with a grin.

Hunter ignored him.

Owen leaned against the table nonchalantly, lowering his head with a smile that grew more noticeable. “Hunter, once you have him, you won’t need to chase after him with your eyes like that. You can hug him, kiss him, see him struggle to contain his feelings for you.”

Even though Hunter had told himself not to pay attention to Owen’s words, his face immediately heated up. Just as Hunter was about to walk away, Owen reached out and grabbed his collar.

“Hunter, I said I’d help you get him. Are you sure you don’t want that?”

“You… you’re crazy!”

As Hunter tried to shake off Owen, he let go first. When Hunter looked up, he saw Winston entering the venue with Mr. Miller, his team’s director. As soon as Winston entered, he drew everyone’s attention. He wore a pure black dinner suit, and his well-proportioned body and especially long legs immediately stood out. The lapels of his jacket were adorned with tiny, sand-like sparkles that gleamed with every step he took. The designer had cleverly made the simple black suit come to life.

Unlike usual, after Winston took a glass of champagne from a waiter’s tray, his gaze didn’t meet with any major sponsors but swept across the venue, stopping only when it found Hunter. The moment he saw Hunter, his eyes noticeably paused.

Hunter quickly turned his face away—Oh no! The suit chosen by the PR manager was identical to Winston’s! They were wearing the same thing! Although men’s suits often look similar, the unique design on their lapels was unmistakably the same style!

Hunter screamed internally: Why didn’t he just go with a classic style!

Winston walked step by step towards Hunter, the only sound being the faint clinking of glass, echoing in his heart. He lifted his eyes to meet Winston’s gaze. That look made Hunter’s whole body heat up, his blood boiling as if ready to erupt.

Winston’s fingers brushed past the strands of hair by Hunter’s ear, and Winston spoke just loud enough for only Hunter to hear, “Good thing they didn’t use gel on your hair.”

“I don’t like using gel either.”

“You look much sexier than at Ferrari’s charity gala.”

“Are you complimenting your own taste? We’re both wearing the same suit!”

“Then next time, I’ll choose for you.”

Winston leaned in even closer to Hunter, making him instinctively lean back. A faint cologne lingered on him, seemingly cool and aloof, yet upon entering Hunter’s lungs, it set him ablaze.

Mr. Miller called out Winston’s name, and Winston said, “We’ll continue later.” As he turned to leave, he squeezed Hunter’s ear. Hunter realized his ears must be red again.

“Guess what Winston wanted to do when he saw you just now?” Owen’s voice whispered into Hunter’s ear.

This guy just wouldn’t quit!

“Why don’t you go play with someone else? I see Ciel over there! Or go tease Donald?” Hunter said helplessly.

Owen stifled a laugh, “He wanted to strip off your clothes.”

“Because we’re dressed the same.”

“Tear off your bow tie.”

“Huh?”

“Pull your shirt open and do whatever he wants.”

Hunter suddenly remembered that he had once bitten Winston’s lower lip until it bled, and the mark he left on his neck.

“He wants to bite you into pieces and swallow you whole, not leaving a single crumb behind.” Owen’s voice seemed to be squeezed through clenched teeth, carrying a force that crushed Hunter.

“You… you think this is a horror movie!” Hunter immediately walked away. Owen’s laughter sounded behind him, making Hunter want to turn back and punch him.

Marcus was happily chatting with some sponsors and waved Hunter over when he saw him. These sponsors included luxury watches, famous supercars, electronic communications, and even cigarettes. Hunter could only force a smile and engage with them.

As Hunter felt time drag on endlessly, he found himself unconsciously searching for Winston. Winston’s profile remained as icy as ever, but his every move exuded elegance and propriety, making Hunter want to quietly admire him.

The auction was about to start, and applause filled the hall. All Hunter wanted to do was hide in the bathroom. But before he could take two steps, he heard the host call his name, “The first auction item today is from the racer who has captured the attention of every F1 fan here—Evan Hunter’s underwear!”

Hunter immediately covered his face, feeling like he could never show his face on the race track again!

The applause from the guests grew even more enthusiastic, accompanied by the expected laughter.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” came a cold voice in Hunter’s ear. Hunter knew it was Winston.

“The item being auctioned isn’t your underwear…” Hunter was on the verge of tears.

“But it’s not yours either,” Winston said.

“How do you know?”

“You wear boxers, not briefs. You lack a sense of security, and briefs would make you feel insecure and uncomfortable,” Winston stated calmly.

For some reason, Hunter, who had been extremely embarrassed, lifted his head. He realized that even though everyone was looking at him, their gazes were at least kind.

The bid for the underwear had climbed from $5,000 to $100,000, leaving Hunter dumbfounded. And the winning bidder turned out to be Nicky! When did this guy enter the bidding? Hunter had been so immersed in his embarrassment that he hadn’t even noticed him.

Nicky stood across from Hunter, raising an eyebrow and smiling at him. Memories of the “Beauty and the Beast” themed party flooded Hunter’s mind, forming a stark contrast with Nicky’s current heroic demeanor tinged with a touch of toughness.

“Should I… tell Nicky that those aren’t my underwear?”

“What? Do you feel bad that he spent a hundred thousand and want to give him a real pair?” Winston asked.

“Of course not!”

“Then think about the party at the club where he dressed as a woman and cost you a hundred thousand dollars.”

Hunter almost wanted to cry. Winston was reminding him that he still owed him a hundred thousand!

The next auction items included items from Donald, Owen, Ciel, Enzo, and Penny, with some truly bizarre contributions like a mask Ciel had worn and Owen’s toothbrush. Hunter sincerely suspected that Owen might have used that toothbrush to scrub a toilet.

The final auction item was a donation from Ferrari—Winston’s fountain pen. It was a black Parker pen, seemingly without any decoration but exuding an intellectual and simple aura. Its starting price was $10,000, but in less than a minute, the bid had shot up to 150,000.

Hunter’s mouth dropped open. “Oh my god… I was planning to bid on it!” He knew that unlike the fake underwear provided by Marcus, this pen had definitely been used by Winston.

“Why would you buy it?” Winston asked.

“To keep as a souvenir!” Hunter replied without thinking.

“Why keep it as a souvenir?”

“Because… because I like your handwriting.” Hunter didn’t tell Winston that he still kept all the bedside notes Winston had written.

“If you want me to write something for you, I will. No need to buy that pen.”

Hunter’s heart pounded wildly at Winston’s gentle voice. “You’ll write anything?” Hunter winked with a mischievous grin.

“Yeah, and it’ll give me a chance to see where your limits are.” The slight smile on Winston’s lips clearly indicated he regarded Hunter as a child.

At this time, Nicky walked up to the two of them, “Did you two plan to wear matching outfits?” Nicky raised an eyebrow, “But your underwear belongs to me.”

Hunter started to feel embarrassed again, “You… those pants aren’t mine.”

Nicky lightly grabbed Hunter’s collar and tilted his head, saying seriously, “Of course, I know they’re not yours. You’re so conservative, you probably prefer wearing boxers.”

Hunter looked at Winston standing beside him, wondering why both of them could tell the underwear wasn’t his.

Winston reached out and clasped Nicky’s wrist. Nicky frowned and had no choice but to let go of Hunter’s collar.

“If you really had worn the underwear, I’d go bankrupt trying to afford it.” Nicky winked at Hunter and then turned to walk away.

When the auction ended and the party moved into the dancing phase, many guests with girlfriends started hitting the dance floor, which made Hunter feel envious. He subconsciously searched for any women he knew and finally spotted Audrey Wilson. Just as he was about to approach and invite her, Audrey was asked to dance by a Middle Eastern oil tycoon and glided onto the dance floor.

Marcus wanted Hunter to talk to some sponsors again. Hunter sighed. Couldn’t he just enjoy his dessert and the music in peace?

He discreetly retreated out of Marcus’s line of sight, casually grabbed soda water and a delicate-looking pastry of unknown taste, and left the hall. With the Emirates Palace being so spacious, he could wander around. If Marcus looked for him, he could just say he got lost.

In the golden corridor, rows of display cabinets showcased unique Arabian handicrafts. As Hunter walked and admired them, his phone suddenly rang.

“Where are you?” Winston’s voice came through.

Hunter’s previously listless mood immediately perked up. Had Winston searched everywhere for him upon realizing he wasn’t in the hall?

“I’m… in the west corridor of the hotel.”

“I’ll be right over.”

Hunter rubbed his nose. Since there was no one else around, his courage grew, “Are you coming to perform a striptease for me?”

“Of course, if you want to see it.” Winston’s voice was even softer than before, like a breath that brushed across Hunter’s heart. Hunter felt a ticklish sensation but didn’t know how to deal with it.

“You have to take off your underwear too,” Hunter added.

“Since that time you groped me at the hot spring, have you always wanted to see it?” Winston’s voice carried a hint of amusement.

This guy never knew how to be embarrassed!

The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway as Hunter saw Winston’s silhouette walking towards him. He smirked and deliberately hid behind a cabinet.

Winston frowned as he was unable to see Hunter and pulled out his phone to dial Hunter’s number, only to hear a message stating that Hunter’s phone was turned off.

Winston stopped and said in a voice not loud but capable of reaching down half the hallway, “Hunter, I know you’re intentionally hiding from me. If you don’t want to waste tonight, come out now.”

Hunter kept smirking. He didn’t really expect Winston to perform a striptease all night. As Winston turned his face away, Hunter peeked out. Despite Winston’s calm tone, Hunter could tell from his posture that he was getting impatient. Just as Hunter was about to step out, someone called out loudly for Winston, “I knew it was your voice. Winston come here and help…”

It was Owen, seemingly supporting someone drunk.

Winston remained still.

“Um… who are you talking to?” The drunk person leaning on Owen slurred, eyes wide open.

“Winston.” Owen sighed.

Hunter, standing by the cabinet, recognized the guy with Owen as Ciel. These two usually didn’t get along. Why were they together now?

“Winston… that cocky Winston…” Ciel suddenly broke free from Owen and lunged at Winston, but Winston sidestepped to dodge.

“He’s drunk,” Winston said coldly, in stark contrast to his earlier tone when calling Hunter.

“That’s why I need your help,” Owen sighed as he supported Ciel.

“I can’t help him.”

As Winston turned away, Ciel unexpectedly rushed forward, hugging Winston tightly and pressing his face against Winston’s back, “Don’t go… don’t leave me… I really love you…”

Hunter felt like a bomb had gone off in his ears, buzzing loudly. What did Ciel just say?

“You’re drunk.” Winston tried to pry Ciel’s arms off, but the drunken Ciel was surprisingly strong. Winston frowned and looked toward Owen, “Do you want this farce to continue?”

Owen spread his hands, “It’s better for him to cling to you than to me.”

“Even though I’m drunk… I can still recognize you… I love you, I really love you… I’ve always competed with you because… because I wanted you to notice me…” Ciel’s voice was full of grievance.

Hunter was completely stunned. So… this wasn’t drunken rambling, but a drunken confession? Had Ciel always been in love with Winston?

“I’ve already divorced… I just want to be with you… Please look at me… Don’t be with someone else…”

Hunter was even more shocked. Could it be that Ciel’s previous failed marriages were all to get Winston’s attention? Holy shit! Even divorce was because of him? Could there be anything more childish?

“Let go,” Winston’s voice dropped an octave.

“Don’t be like this… Ciel was drunk and kept shouting your name. I originally thought Ciel would vent his anger on you, but it turns out he wanted to confess! I feel sorry just hearing it!” Owen said sympathetically.

Hunter’s mind was still reeling. This was too shocking! Ciel actually liked Winston!

“I know you always liked strong men… You never liked someone like Audrey Wilson… that kind of pretentious woman… Your eyes only see the strong…”

“That’s my business. Please get away from me immediately.”

Winston used his indifference to reject Ciel, but at that moment, Hunter’s heart felt as if it had been pierced.

There was no doubt that Winston valued strength. Whether it was Ciel or Owen, they both had the strength to compete with Winston, but Hunter did not. He could only ever chase after Winston, admire him from afar, and be taken care of like a child.

His heart felt like it was covered in ice.

Finally, Winston gave a strong push, causing Ciel to stumble into Owen.

“Hey! Winston!” Owen fell to the ground with Ciel landing on top of him.

Winston continued walking forward, and when he turned his head, he saw Hunter.

“So, you were hiding here.” Winston walked over to him.

For the first time in his life, Hunter wanted to melt into the wall, “Haha… How could I see Ciel’s confession if I didn’t hide!” Hunter deliberately tried to look gloating at Winston’s misfortune.

“Really?” Winston extended his hand to the cabinet. As Hunter tried to slip away to the other side, Winston placed his other hand on the wall, trapping Hunter between himself and the wall. They were so close that Hunter could feel Winston’s breath. Winston turned his face, seemingly to see Hunter’s expression in the backlight, but it looked very much like he was about to kiss him.

“Yeah,” Hunter replied firmly.

“Ciel wasn’t really drunk. He has a high tolerance,” Winston said.

“What?” Hunter’s voice rose, and he looked over at Ciel.

Owen sighed, stood up, and kicked Ciel, who was sitting dazed on the ground, “Get up. We’ve been found out.”

“Damn it! Wasn’t my acting good enough?” Ciel huffed and reluctantly stood up.

“If you want to deceive me, you should’ve started from our first meeting,” Winston said.

“Damn! That confession was a total fucking waste! So gross, I have goosebumps!” Ciel glared at Owen, “Your dumb idea was useless!”

“How was it useless? At least it made you feel nauseous,” Owen shrugged.

“I love you, I really love you. I’ve always competed with you because I wanted you to notice me,” Winston looked at Hunter, repeating Ciel’s confession with his unique tone. While Ciel’s voice had carried a hint of suppression and resistance, Winston’s rendition carried a sense of willing acceptance. Hunter’s heart leaped.

Winston lowered his head to look at Hunter, then turned to Ciel, “I thought this confession was meant for Lawrence Owen, under the guise of teasing me.”

Hunter’s heart sank, feeling a sudden wave of disappointment.

“What… what are you talking about! Owen came up with that line! He said if I confessed something really nauseating to you, we’d get to see your reaction! Maybe it’d make you want to run away whenever you saw me!” Ciel shouted.

Owen put his hands in his pockets and pouted, “Couldn’t you have kept that a secret?”

“The most important thing is that this was impossible from the start! This iceberg face has seen through us all! You’re a good actor, so why didn’t you confess?”

“Because Winston knows he could never be my type. If I were gay, I’d choose Hunter. He’s cuter!”

“What! Even if I were gay, I wouldn’t choose you!” Hunter suddenly broke free from Winston’s arms and marched up to Owen, “And what do you mean by ‘cuter’?”

“Wow, you are cute.” Owen grinned and reached out to pinch Hunter’s cheek, but Hunter swatted his hand away.

Hunter glared at Owen, who pretended not to notice. He leaned close to Hunter’s ear, whispering only for Hunter to hear, “Even though Ciel’s confession was a joke, these kinds of confessions will happen again and again in the future. Winston may reject the first, the second, the third… but eventually, there will come a time when he says yes.”

At that moment, Hunter’s breath caught in his throat, and every cell in his body ached. He stood there in a daze, unsure how to move his limbs.

Owen straightened up and walked back to Ciel, smiling as he extended his hand.

“Hmph!” Ciel reluctantly pulled a check out of his pocket and slapped it into Owen’s hand. “One day, you’re going to get smashed to death by money!”

“What a happy way to die.”

It seemed Ciel’s confession was just a bet out of boredom between the two of them.

“Hunter.” Winston’s voice was low as he grabbed Hunter’s arm, pulling him close. “What did Owen say to you?”

“Nothing. Maybe tonight’s FIA party is just too boring for him,” Hunter forced a smile.

Meanwhile, Owen had thrown his arm around Ciel’s shoulder as they walked away. Ciel shrugged off his arm in annoyance “You bastard! You play the same trick every year. Do you think others don’t notice?”

“That’s why I switched roles with you! Who knows when we’ll get new participants?”

“Are you trying to make a fool of me?”

“Actually… I recorded your confession to Winston earlier!”

“What!”

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The author has something to say:

Hunter: I want this pen!

Winston: Are you sure?

Hunter: Absolutely!

Winston: I have another one. Come with me to get it.

Hunter: Okay… Hey! Why are you using the pen to hook my sleeve!

Winston: You don’t want it?

Hunter: Why are you using the pen to hook my pants!

Winston: You don’t want it?

Hunter: Why are you using the pen to hook my underwear! Get lost!