Philippe

A trap or an opportunity? Mia was obviously being tracked, followed, or used. It appears she was sincere and gave no indication that she suspected or thought she would be dead before leaving that hotel room. Though the liquor doesn’t boast of resolution, it does seem to be within character. Those officers may very well be the same people that just staged the scene but are likely friendly to Ian’s money just in case any snafus occurred in the setup. But is it unexpected that the first officer commanded show us your hands, but then another would enter the scene and command “drp the weapon” when Gael no longer even had it in is hand as he had dropped it before the door even crashed open. Why would Gael agree to such a setup? If goin to confess, I can meet you at a lawyers office or the police station, but why a hotel room when you have already said you’ll confess? Likewise it seems too coincidental that Alex was unreachable, so did he really need to go right then? Alex may still be in the meeting or he could be facing his own set of challenges. Hopefully, Sam had the observation coverage on Gael, and Alex too, to know what has happened, even if his local men have been incapacitated at the time. Wow, what a vile creature Ian truly is. Raping his best friend’s wife because he felt it his right after being betraying by his love…huh? Amanda enjoying that Ian killed the man that likewise shunned her love. Well Natalie, you sure know how to pick your mentors. Please, please, Sam/Alex, say you have a plan that didn’t involve Mia’s death. Is she truly death or is this a double trap setup, where Mia too has been drugged and staged by friendlies that replaced the hit team? As Ian’s corrupt police try to “process” Gael for Ian to give a special send off after baiting Alex to his rescue. Strategically place officers could easily keep Mia stage drugged until she is in hiding… hmmm 🤔??? So so many possibilities here. OBJECT: IAN TAKE DOWN WITH PLENTY OF CONVINCING EVIDENCE, NO PLEA DEALS FOR IAN, AMANDA, OR NATALIE.

Maybe a good rub down to soothe that hard muscle…ahem…those hard muscles.

That’s not a weed whacker, that’s a tallywhacker…the best multipurpose tool around!

So the collusion between Ian, Natalie, and Amanda is now known; they’ve been working together for sure. All along they preached their high and mighty mantra, while in reality they have known well and good just how high and mighty their crimes are. Mia is a question mark. On the one hand you want to believe her, that she’s not with Ian in his war. However, she’s been living the lies herself for many years; even forsaking her own son. Just how much of the truth about Natalie and Ian does she know? Is she really really to put an end to Ian’s reign to terror or does she real just want to save her own bacon and live her fake green life next to Ian. Or even worse, is she still hiding her own history that Ian is blackmailing her into being his pawn? Could this be what Sam is sensing? The Sandoval household is a snake pit! I think Carlos will stay true, especially if Sam starts to disclose the insights he has, but his reluctance may be withheld for a reason. Carlos and Mia or still possibly Ian pawns and need watching for staying the course. Hopefully Sam has Gael and Alex warned of his Mia doubts as they are targets for sure.

AMEN

I’m glad you emphasized the talents and appreciation that the author has given the readers @drsawzall. My comments are not to dismiss any talent or efforts in writing this story, and I enjoyed it until the cliffhanger of the shooting. But in reality it wasn’t a cliffhanger but tragic recounting, where you get to relive the loss again and mourn in sympathetic emotions…nope, not for me, past 23. However, I’m also glad to hear that we won’t be reading any more stories along this journey of killing the beloved and brightest star within the story; such a series or style would not be my desire nor pursued to only be slammed with a tragic and depressing ending. I can get plenty of that in the headlines of world news any day. But I understand that’s just my opinion, but I also wanted to be honest. So please accept my comments as just my personal opinion and feedback, it’s not an attack or meant to belittle your talents @Josh Aterovis, as your writing and the mystery unfolding was a good journey until chapter 23. 🤣 Ironically, I wish I had never read the epilogue. At least the possibility of Aidan pulling through, even after Will’s depression and losses convinced him that Aidan was already gone, would have been like a soap opera season finale where the next chapter shows Aidan propping up in the hospital bed saying “I’m not dead yet!”

I’m imagining that if any art continues at all, it will reflect rather darkly and may have very limited interest. Hey, anyone want this portrait of the screaming boy reaching out from a murky pond as if to grab and pull you in? Or how about this, one where it appears as if you’re affectionately holding a wounded young man in his final moments, as the black abyss strips him from your grasp?

Yup, me too. It’s naturally a darker story with murder and suicide in the forefront. Yet the one true light that pulled Will through it all was Aidan. Now the ending snuffs that light and we’re too believe after: loosing his best friend, getting raped by his best friend, multiple suicide attempts, multiple murders associated with him, being duped into supporting the murderer, loosing his father before acceptance in differences and then watching his husband’s life fade as he held him, that somehow he is now in control? Will would be depressed and suppressing severe survivor guilt that Aidan gave his bright and cheerful life to save his miserable soul. His suicidal thoughts would be rocketing and saving himself for Aidan’s sake wouldn’t be within his grasp; he would be mad as hell at Aidan for his foolish actions of continuing to investigate and then sacrificing himself (his option, not mine). No, I can’t accept this dark mystery ending that suddenly gives Will more sanity than he has display throughout the story…sorry, it doesn’t fit. As well as it disqualifies the young Killian character that many of us were glad to see reappear. He enters as a hero that saved a friend versus a hack that could be charged with obstruction and possibly involuntary manslaughter of multiple people/counts. It also removes him from any believable reappearance of other mystery investigations and it would be a probable separation of Killian and Asher should any mystery be investigated by Killian ever again, if that’s to be believed. Nope, too many mismatches for me; the enjoyable light faded with Aidan, as he is needed to make a mentally surviving Will exist. I just don’t see Will wanting to survive without Aidan, in the context of getting past these tragic events of those terrible two days.

I’m not sure that Lyn hates Alexander, but he is distracting to Brad, of which Lyn fantasizes constantly and Alexander just doesn’t fit into those “if only he was gay, fantasies.” So it’s not traditional jealousy but yet it is “his Brad.”

You guys are all giving up before anyone qualified and rational pronouncing Aidan dead. Nope, I still believe in there only being only one possible death this morning, and that would be Caitlin as Will hit her again and again…because she deserved it! 😈 From the Prologue we hear from Will’s mind, the voice of Joey, then what I believe to be the two witnesses from the pool house. Perhaps both Aidan and Caitlin will live, but please oh please EMS, save Aidan first. Let the bludgeoned bitter bitch suffer as she doesn’t need to plan after recovery activities anyway.

Well….Will is very depressed and not the best at reacting under this kind of pressure. Nor is he likely to think rationally about yet another death on this happy, turned depressing grief day. So is Aidan really dead? I hope not, and the epilogue may very well prove he too can defy death. How ironic that we could have a gay married couple that have both technically died but are still living happily as Will is now a famous painter. What? I’m an optimist! So I’m hopeful for… Will is a major question mark if Aidan doesn’t survive this. All the friends will have to be on suicide watch, yet Aidan was the best at pulling Will back from the brink of forever. So I’m not in the mood for… So instead, let Aidan say…

Sorry that this story has personal familiarity for you reflected on Will’s relationship with his dad and family. Family is a fickle thing, but when it comes down to it, it is usually the one thing you can count on...that they will be there when others may forsake your call; hence the ole stereotype of blood is thicker than water. Unfortunately stereotypes are not reflected in all family life. Caitlin is quite the mystery and possibly the biggest red herring of all. I don’t like her, I don’t trust her, and she’s not shared to the extent she seems to think Will should be. She doesn’t disclose or want to have Will go to the baby progress checkups, yet she is quick to ask for help; though Will did set himself up for that. So she doesn’t want to shall her life, family, or baby, yet somehow she seems to have a possessive claim on Will and his life. Possible Likewise, we learned that a girl was one of or possibly the last to see Joey alive. From Robbie’s statement a girl has heard arguing with Joey, but that doesn’t narrow it down to the murderer being female; only that a female murderer must also be considered or that it may be likely. Aiden’s being foolish…but aren’t we all when trying to balance our individuality with that of a marriage that may impose restrictions that are less than an agreeable compromise. So is Aidan acting in Will’s best interest or is he withholding because some secrets can’t be explained logically? Will did sound very depressed and leaning towards resignation when talking with Asher, not his best suit as a suicidal veteran. Aiden should know the sensitivities Will has to keep his balance and either be more discreet or more open.

No one would suspect this guy, he just has that wholesome quality when you look upon him.

OMG, Mia has degraded herself to point of seeing herself as Ian does. Sam is dead balls on to press her in hopes of saving herself. Hopefully his words and acts do sink in and she moves towards accepting true responsibility. But with her help with charges against Ian, she should be able to get to plea deal that forgives much of her prison time…probation, community service, and restitution. I’m honestly shocked that even Ian could be quite that bold as to smirk in full exposure, so I’m desperately hoping that this is a Gael nightmare of his insecurities of he and Alex’s safety 🙏 🙏. Welcome back GRADUATE 🧑‍🎓! Congratulations @vanalas 🎈🎊🎉🍾 and thanks for the update.

And what happened to the recommended verification of the baby even existing, an ultrasound, or a medical diagnosis? Then verification of it being Joey’s by at least a blood type awaiting DNA. Likewise, it should have been an escrow agreement so the trustees pay the bills filed up the the escrow balance or as agreed; such as 50/50, or 75/25, applied for prenatal child care. Yet, as done, I think Will just paid tuition for a very important life lesson and should not expect anything in return; as I think Caitlin is about to disappear if she can.

What a wonderful real life chapter. Who wouldn’t have doubts as they walked into the scene as Aaron did. He reacted a little more emotionally than one would hope, but again, they were starting from fragile and doubtful. i love how Harry inserted himself into the frantic effort to halt Aaron’s assumptions. But more than that, he show skill in defusing Aaron’s mistrust by saying more than he was vocalizing. He attested to Tony’s long history of talking about Aaron, by he also said how the ladies were all thinking he was straight and avoiding them. The message also says Tony never had a relationship that they were aware of…whether male or female…Tony’s love life was a mystery as Aaron was even doubted as being real. This unspoken reassurance from Harry probably spoke more than the simple words did to settle Aaron’s doubts. And again, this is so realistic as a real life crisis that fortunately didn’t go into outer space before the rockets burned out. Houston, we have a problem, how do we get Aaron back to Earth 🌏? So Harry was a hero for this chapter in the life of Tony and Aaron.

Oh, but hopefully this search search warrant not only gives the police plenty of evidence to make these charges stick, but amongst that plethora of evidence that they also found evidence of the suspected foul play in the boys parents “accident” and the subsequent abuse of their inheritance and trust funds. It’s now time to put a freeze on all the accounts and properties from these ill-gotten funds. The so called Big Man will most likely fall to the public defender’s office as even the returns on any investments are from those some ill-gotten funds. Woohoo 🙌🏿. On down, now where are those other secret rooms…Daniel?

Simple, take his empire from him and then put WS-IV in charge of its entirety. That would be an acid down his throat and perhaps leave him the babbling, drooling fool locked with his own mind…that’s a hell of his own creation.

I thought you got the gist of the chapter captured in the first sentence! 🤣 As for poor Henry, he is definitely having a bad day and all courtesy of Walter III; what a worthless millionaire, but an abundance of greed.

Prince Aulus is an ass. Acting in such a manor without authority or blessings is an arrogant political stunt, but was it without authorization? Unfortunately Jacob disclosed his knowing the simulation was flawed and therefore he remains untested in Aulus’ eyes. Now when did/is the simulation ending?

Well, it could affect him too as he witnesses firsthand what happened to the family after learning through tragedy the grave error in making Nathan survive in an unforgiving world. They may have thought Nathan would return under those harsh conditions, but totally misunderstood the gay ‘choice’ was not a choice and left Nathan without assistance, support, and a family that would protect him. A rather lonely and possibly a resignation to let death claim him. 😭 If after learning what they had truly done they find no peace accept to protect others as they should have protected Nathan, then perhaps losing composure is nothing compared to the grief and regrets they live with in the mirror and in seeing Nathan’s pictures while wondering what he’d be doing today if he was back at home.

I had much the same feelings about the new property becoming more than Tony’s Sandcastle. All the guys are of the age that extending their fatherly boundaries will probably become second nature. With the primary structure and the additional housekeeper structure, there’s plenty of space for hosting, but I’m not implying that the Safe-haven Hostel be in the main structure, but possibly conveniently located or even attached to allow desired access to increased familia settings if the kids are ready. With Tony and Aaron on site, and a great representation of gay couples with long established partnerships and jobs next door, and with probable interest, there is much potential for mentoring all kinds of young men; whether as fathers or big brothers it will happen naturally based on age, maturity, and emotional needs. Of course staff and a counselor being available is a necessity but occupancy and the demographics of those occupants will determine the workload and staffing requirements. Youth will connect with whomever they see as relatable and trustworthy, but that’s not going to be the same person for all youth; it might surprise them as to which kid may start showing interest in hobbies, recreation, jobs, etc. Everyone is unique and the kids will prove that. But having access to a normal home common area with adults living their lives but setting examples of what these kids could achieve too. And the big, big, kicker is that the community is a great size and has become gay friendly, so as to raise these youth into confident young men ready to walk their own paths when their minds and bodies are ready. Some will become local family, while others may drift away until possibly their minds yearn to return home too.