Rainbow Christmas

Chapter 20. The Big Leap

"Owen.. How's your single getaway?" Lydia, the senior partner in his law firm, let herself into Owen's office.
"Oh.. Hey.. It was.. good.." Owen stuttered. He was not expecting Lydia came to his office this early.
He and Lydia have some history; he used to work for her before graduating from law school. And not in her law firm, he worked for her as her on-call boyfriend. After graduating from law school, he and Lydia started a new relationship—a professional one. Owen worked so hard to get into his position now. Lydia is pushing towards her retirement and is expecting Owen to take over the firm one day. Owen had always been scared that his past as Lydia's kept man in the past would screw everything he had worked so hard for all these years.
"Why are you jumpy today?" Lydia stared at the younger man.
"I'm just.." Owen sighed. Lydia gets jealous sometimes when she knows that Owen has a new lover, which is odd because they have had no sexual relationship for over a decade.
"Another skank?" Lydia raised her eyebrows.
"Oh geez, Lyd. We are not in that kind of relationship anymore. Please just don't do that. This is why I am jumpy, okay? You are always mocking my relationship. I'm 41. I'm not that young boy that you dated back then." Owen closed his eyes and sighed.
"Dated? I paid you and I still pay for your service now." She gave up a devilish smile.
"Lydia, this is just.. You are not professional to bring this up after all these years." Owen bites his lips. "I'm done with you, Lyd. I'm going to resign soon. This is just.. I can't.. You have been treating me like your call boy even though I been proving to you for ten years that I'm a good lawyer." Owen sighed. "I'm done, Lyd. Sorry, I'm done.." Owen shook his head.
"You have said that multiple times all these years. Yet you are still here." Lydia stood her ground against Owen. She knew Owen was just bluffing because if Owen quit, he would lose his six-figure salary.
"Fine, I'll get my resignation letter by the end of the day on your desk. Please leave now." Owen stood up and left Lydia in his office. He knew he made a huge mistake but he can't be wrapped under Lydia thumb the rest of his life.
He bumped into the managing director as he stormed out of his office. Fred, Lydia's ex-husband, is also the man that owns everything in this office. "Sorry, Fred.." Owen looked down.
"What's with you two today?" Fred raised his eyebrows. Fred knew about Lydia and Owen. He liked Owen as a lawyer, and he liked Lydia as a lawyer too. But he knew Lydia had always put a leash on Owen like she owned him.
"I'm tired of Lydia treating me like a pet. I'm quitting, Fred. I'm just tired.." Owen shook his head.
"Owen, please don't quit? Come to my office and let's talk, okay?" Fred knew that Owen had tried to get out of the firm for years, but he always managed to keep him in the firm. But he has a feeling that this time it's different. Owen and he got close because they had been working together for a long time. Owen is an eager young man, and he is a fast learner.
Owen sighed. "I can't this time. I've been in love with this man for four years. I want him so badly, and I'm not going to let Lydia ruin it for me. I'm sorry. He is just too important to me. I'm sorry Fred," He shook his head.
"Oh, come on, Owen. You know, I am all about business. I don't care about your personal life. If Lydia can't do that, she's out." Fred clenched his jaws. He is so angry at Lydia. How can she push this young, talented lawyer away because of her relationship with him a decade ago? It's unfair to their firm and clients. Besides, Fred knew that if Owen jumped ship, 60% of their clients would be going too. Especially the big-name designer friend of Owen's.
"I'm sorry.." Owen shook his head.
"Your name on the door, how about that? Come on, Owen.." Fred tilted his head and looked at Owen.
"No, thanks. I'm done with Lydia and getting harrassed every other day. By the end of the day, I'm putting my resignation on your desk. And I'm not going to sign any non compete. If the client jumps ship, then you have to let them." Owen said, with strict tones.
"Owen, come on.. We can talk about this.." Fred was frustrated that Lydia kept pushing Owen about their past.
"Oh, no more talking. Ten years is enough for a second chance. I'm even thinking of filing a work place harrassment lawsuit. I'm finished, Fred." Owen walked away with a smile. He felt so liberated. He immediately dialed Paul's number.
"Hello, babe... What's going on?" Paul responds right away.
"I'm leaving my company. You will go with me, right?" Owen rubbed his temples. This is an unusual move for him, but Lydia's behavior is completely unprofessional.
"Naturally, I use your firm because of you. What happened?" Paul appears concerned.
"Well, you know what happened? I'm tired of being bothered by her." Owen exhaled a sigh. He was not going to jeopardize his relationship with Paul. He wanted this man for four years.
"We'll talk tonight? I'm going to go home late though." Paul mumbled something to his staff.
"It's fine. My place? And what do you want to eat?" Owen looking forward for more of intimate time with Paul if he is not too tired to do it.
"Whatever you want.. I'll be at your place at 8 or so. Is that okay?" Paul asked, then mumbled something again. He was obviously talking to someone else on his end.
"Yeah, I think Fred will hold me hostage tonight anyway." Owen got a little worried because even though he signed up a lot of clients under him, he was not certain what kind of thing Fred would do to him if he took all of those clients with him. "I'll see you tonight.."
"Bye honey.." Paul said his goodbye.
"Bye.." Paul hung up.
"You're quitting?" Tania sneaks up behind him. Tania is another senior partner in the law firm and Fred's current wife.
"Oh.. Yeah.." Owen smiled bitterly.
"Lydia got on your nerves again? We can vote her out, you know? You are the top lawyer here. I'm going to be really upset if you leave. " Tania put up a flirty sad look on her face.
"No more of this, please? You know, it's not only Lydia.." Owen took a deep breath. "It was a mistake what we did one and a half years ago."
Owen was drunk back then, and although it was consenting sex, he was not proud of that sex. He had a threesome with Tania and Fred. Tania kept asking if he wanted to do it again, but Owen never said yes. He slept with them because he had just found out that Paul and Jeremy were planning to have a baby together. He got super drunk and slept with two of his co-workers. For a long time, Owen's life has been rotating around his love for Paul.
"Owen, we really love you. And I will never forget that night. We missed having you in our bedroom again.." Tania pursed her lips. "Fred loves you too.."
"I don't have those kinds of feelings towards you or Fred. I'm sorry." Owen nodded, then walked away. He is willing to give up everything for Paul, yet he doesn't know if Paul would do the same for him.
Paul's life would still evolve around Jeremy, and he knew that. Owen felt his heart break every time Paul second-guessed their relationship, but he also knew that having Alan meant Paul and Jeremy would always have that one thing that he didn't have with Paul.
The rest of the day was busy and chaotic for Owen, and as it hit 7 pm, Fred called him out to his office. Owen had put in his two-week notice at Fred's desk earlier. He dragged himself to Fred's office because he just didn't want to talk anymore. Fred told him to sit on the couch and pour some drinks for them. Owen dislikes the idea of drinking in the office, so he said he doesn't want anything.
"Owen, I can't let you leave.." Fred sighed as he dropped himself onto the sofa.
"That's not my problem, really. Between Lydia and Tania's harrassment, I'm done with this firm." Owen just plays around with his watch, avoiding eye contact.
"You want me to fire them? I'll do it." Fred felt a headache coming with Owen leaving the firm. Owen had been the medium between him and Lydia all these years. He had nothing but respect and love for Owen. Yes, he is also in love with the young, bright man, but he is more than willing to bury that feeling rather than lose him forever. "You want your name on the door? I'll give it to you. Just please don't go?" Fred sighed.
"I'm sorry, Fred.." Owen considers Fred to be his big brother, or even a father figure, and he hates having this conversation with him.
But, Owen also knew what Lydia was capable of doing when she wanted to wreck Owen's relationship. She stole his phone once to take a bunch of nude pictures of herself and save them as contact pictures on Owen's phone. His girlfriend then was really angry when she saw that. The other time, she came to Owen's place and stripped herself in front of Owen's next girlfriend. Owen just wants to be away from her.
Fred stood up and shut the door, frosted the glass so no one could see them from outside.Fred kneeled in front of Owen and pulled Owen's legs apart.
"Fred!" Fred was pushed away by Owen. "Not you too!"
Fred collapsed to the floor and began to sob. "I'm desperate. I'll do anything for you, Owen. Please.."
"I can't do it, Fred. Please accept my apologies." Owen rose and walked away.
He drove to Paul's office rather than returning home because he needed Paul right away. Paul had taken him to his office several times, so the security guards recognized him and let him in right away. When he walked into Paul's office, he was surprised to see a muscular man wearing only overalls. "Where's Paul?" He inquired of the man.
"Meeting room 2.. I'm Tom.." The man offered his hand, but Owen just turned away.
He walked to the meeting room and found Jeremy falling asleep on Paul's shoulder. "Paul, what is this?" Owen gave a judged look. Jeremy woke up from the sudden noise.
"Well, I told Jeremy to stay here with Alan, and they could go home with me. Why are you mad about it? I can't be with the father of my son?" Paul doesn't like the tone Owen uses towards him.
"Oh fuck you, Paul!" Owen slammed the door and walked away. He knew Paul was right, he was overreacting, but the thing that hits him the most is he gave up everything for Paul, yet Paul can't even distance himself from Jeremy.