Jjeffalch

I suspect that as well...brothers seem never to have an easy time of it in @vanalas's stories!!🤫

Glorious cliffhanger!! Now Jeremy needs to take his two kids and move into a home of his own. Away from the constant emotional blackmail, where he and Carter can have a chance to build their relationship..

After reading this chapter and having enjoyed it almost as much as the last one, but not quite (because that last one came as close to perfection as I can imagine), I have one thing left to say to you, @JJ Quinn--I will always want to read anything and everything that you write! Thank you .

I can't really express properly how much I am looking forward to reading the chapters and books yet to come!! And I do hope you overcome your health issues soon so the New Year starts well for you and stays that way.

I agree with @Cane23, one of the best chapters in the whole series-- in fact, no doubt in my mind, THE BEST Chapter thus far!! It made Ben a whole multi- dimensional person, and put his rejection of Sam's apology for running away with Max into a different, and more understandable, light. In fact, each of these new chapters has made the corresponding parts of Halos richer, more beautiful and more memorable. What was already my favorite read of 2024 is rapidly advancing towards the absolute summit of my all-time Gayauthors favorites list through this new series, beautifully written and perfectly balanced as it is. Thank you for the wonderful gift! And now, having softened you up with this heartfelt compliment--I do so hope there is a Chapter starring Sofia to look forward to. 😏 I would so love to understand better how she dealt with and survived Connor as well as Sam's long absence from their lives, and stayed as patient and loving a person as she is.

The glimpses of hardness that Michael showed when he was trying to intimidate Ryan had me hoping somehow that he would lash out at his parents when he discovered the real extent of their machinations. But...Michael didn’t respond, but he didn’t push her away. He was broken, and she knew it. He was hers to mold again. So, turns out Helen and Fred were right about Michael all along. May they enjoy each other. The two Evans parents seem to feed of each other's vileness. They'll be right where they want to be. It's Michael's life that just ended. A relationship with a real partner is not likely to be allowed by Helen and Fred-- they won't mind if he goes out to get his rocks off in empty hookups, but that eventually gets old and lonely. But that's what he's earned and what he deserves.

Yes!! Final Finally someone told Jeremy how toxic and weird his relationship with his mother is. Interesting, the way that Jeremy immediately believes his mother's lies rather Carter's truth. I hope that fact gives Carter the strength to stand his ground. He has said what had to be said...it's on Jeremy now to either figure his s**t out, or not. If not, their relationship would have ended disastrously anyway, and I would hope that could console Carter through his pain.

I wish they would brief Sarah just before the dinner, so she can prepare herself. The way is organized, she will be shocked (though she did have an inkling bride that something was of with Michael) andcshe will show her emotional distress. That will be gratifying and pleasurableto the Evans' and they should have no moment of triumph at all.. I want the to leave that meeting with nothing but each other and their own poison - may they baste in it forever!

Do those so-called parents really think they will be able to reassert control over Michael? Even if their role in the inevitable breakup with Sarah is not revealed to him, Michael has got used to living his own life, however deceitful. Ryan was right in saying that..."He’s not going to go back into the closet. He’s not going to marry some perfect girl and live your fantasy.” He will end up lurching from one meaningless hookup to the next, but I doubt he will "stay in line", as his father seems to think he will. The three of them are toxic, and Nate needs to break the news to Sarah and help her get out of that relationship as quickly as possible. And I surely do hope that Ryan also loses out, that Nate doesn't take him back. Ryan might not have understood what the game was, but he confirmed that Mrs Evans had nothing on him that would have compelled his compliance in her scheme. He did it of his own free will. He and the three Evans' deserve everything that happens to them going forward.

The way Michael spoke to Ryan confirms every bad thought I ever had about him. He deserves to go down in flames and end up alone, with his reputation and career in tatters. What a despicable bastard!! I have to say, he really deserves his mother--character-wise, they're a matched set of selfish, manipulative individuals. I'm really glad Nate is involved--I hope he will be able to cushion the blow to Sarah.

Sorry, mistyped... I was saying, I didn't see this cold, determined, potentially dangerous Michael coming. Seems more than a but inconsistent with the fearful, uncertain Michael living so much on edge that Sarah will find out. He certainly seems to have traumatized Ryan--I also didn't see the sniveling, terrified, unravelling Ryan coming. This fear he has of Mommy Dearest, she must have something big on him to make him this afraid of crossing her. I'm glad to see that Michael finally seems to have grown a pair during his visit to his parents, and remains sceptical of Mommy Dearest's act. But it now looks as though the exposure will come through Ryan's meltdown and confession to Nathan, rather than through an orchestrated reveal from Mommy Dearest. I'm particularly glad that the plan to throw Sarah into the midst of a groupsex scene in the hotel involving Ryan's dubious friends and Michael failed. She really doesn't deserve that kind of shock and heartache--that Ryan could even consider setting her up that way, well, enough said. So now we can hope that Mommy Dearest's hand in the whole nasty affair is also revealed by Ryan, and that she goes down in flames alongside Michael. Couldn't happen to more deserving people!!!

Well, well...I certainly did not see this calcul

I agree-I sympathize with Carter's misery, since he is sure that Jeremy will reject him. But he repeated accuses Leonardo of "destroying" his future happiness. That simply isn't true. Leonardo did not even known of Carter's existence all these years. Don't know ow what CRter is to do now- ome clean to Jeremy and hope?

And I really hope Michael hangs himself high. What a despicable bastard!

I have to say, I'm surprised at how this is devolving. Given that Mommy Dearest and Ryan were in cahoots, I expected Ryan to trigger the crisis. But now, Sarah suspects Andre and that's going to be a nasty surprise for Ryan, so maybe he'll seek hIs own vengeance on Michael by revealing their affair. "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive"! I'm going to enjoy Michael's downfall 🤭

Not sure why Will cares what Thor does. So the hookup didn't work. So what? WillHe wanted to hook up with him, not start a relationship, or did he? Woll has never had a problem finding someone to sleep with--Fabien is a case in point. Thor threw away his chance and made a decision he'll now have to live with. He has made himself superfluous to Will, and that will probably the best thing for all concerned in the end.

Really despicable. Michael has earned every single bit of the catastrophe that is looming over him...he's more of an asshole than Ryan.

So, Nathan and Susan are not going to just "find out" about Michaek amd Ryan , they are going to "be told". This Ryan is not just an asshole, he is totally unscrupulous. I wonder how much "Mommy Dearest" paid him? I wonder if Michael will find out about her role. It won't make a difference, the damge will already have been done, but perhaps it will get him to finally and definitive kick her out of his life once and for all. Of course, Sarah will be out of his lifemass. Poor fool...

I liked the justice inherent in the ending. That so many months had passed since the confrontation with Nicholas at the lighthouse, that Brandon was delivering his valedictorian address—obviously, something very important to him; that this came upon him totally unexpected but with that cursive note from Nicholas explaining who was behind Brandon’s downfall…simply perfect. It totally deflated that supercilious sense of superiority, the confidence that he had “got away with it”. And the beauty of it was that he had absolutely no idea it was coming. I’m glad to see Nicholas reunited with Dawson, but Bali???? What about Jett? Will he let years go by before he returns to the son who loves him so fully? Questions that don’t really need answering. This was a very disturbing sorry, but as always, masterfully done. Thank you for a real experience.

If this develops as the last scene seems to indicate, I am now really glad that Ledger killed Tom on the cliff. Tom was obviously not expecting that to happen, it spoiled his play. His surprise at the last moment shows this. He expected to be there when the whole sick scheme was revealed, to revel in his revenge in Nicholas for rejecting his advances. Sick bastard. But Brandon is sicker. This was how he gets back at his dad, by KILLING another youth! I can only hope that Nicholas brings all this to Dawson, and that Brandon is prosecuted for his part in the murder. Nicholas can continue to love him as a father does, but Brandon belongs in jail as a murderer does.

Ryan is an absolute asshole. He not only decides deliberately to betray his own boyfriend, but he rides roughshod over the initial objections of Michael to force him, too, to betray his partner. He read Michael right, but he did NOT have to act on it. How despicable to follow your sick into a tryst that would destroy the trust of two siblings if it became known. I hope that when Michael gets back to thinking clearly he will realize just how horrible Ryan has been and have nothing more to do with him.

It is still always a surprise to see how the utter self-righteousness and self-absorption of some parents wreak perfect havoc with the emotional well-being of their children. The other parent absolutely has to stand up and be counted, to protect the defenseless minor child from the nasty attacks that never seem to relent, and to support emotionally the older child learning to stand up to the parental bully. For, let there be no mistake, this is the absolute WORST form of bullying, because it comes from one of the two people in the world who should love and support the child unconditionally. Michael's dad has connived in his wife's nasty bitchiness all Michael's life. He WILL lose Michael, of whom he is so proud, if he continues to let Mrs. Bitch dictate the relationship with his son. It will be his loss. That said, Michael recognizes where the problem lies, and knows inside himself that he needs to end this abuse to save himself and the save his relationship with Sarah. If he needed anymore incentive to break off that toxic relationship, that a aborted dinner was it...here's hoping he finally acts.

I share your concern about Travis cutting loose in NYC. He initially resisted the open relationship when Will suggested it, but he now seems to be actively embracing it - not just opening himself to the occasional unplanned tryst, but actively seeking them out. I foresee him coming up to Boston less and less, and by the time he gets back to Cali, well, who knows... Does EVERYONE in the Schluter family surrender any vestige of self control as soon as a male of the Sievres line beckons? Good Lord, they all line up to be put through their paces by Fab, and then gather round to hear their ratings!!!! These are supposed to be accomplished, self-assured gay men. What makes them get so swept up in this, unless it us some latent sense of competition among themelves to find who is the best of the best? But that would probably mean they're not so self-assured after all. I was particularly surprised that Matt and especially Wade allowed themselves to be shot up in that fever.

Like so many others, I cried through this chapter, while clenching my fists in rage. The heartlessneas of the abusers is indescribable, and when we stop to think that this exploitation is organized as a 'business with a bottom line', 2ell, the rage knows no bounds But through all that horror, @empath, your skill just shines brighter and brighter. It was masterful how you crafted the scene between Thomas and Micah, showing how the empathy Thomas has for Micah's trauma from having suffered through it himself enabled him to find just the right touch to reach Micah, and ease his terror. Wonderfully done!!

“Enough.” His tone was colder than she’d ever heard, his voice a solid wall of defiance. “I won’t stand here and let you insult Carter like that. I came here to tell you about us, not to ask for permission.” Laura froze, his words a slap in the face. A tear slid down her cheek, but she quickly rubbed it away, her anger directed back at Carter. She glared at him with an intensity that could burn, her hands balled into fists. “Are you happy now?” she spat, her voice wavering. “Are you satisfied? You walk into our lives and create a rift between mother and son in a single night.” “There’s no rift,” Jeremy said, his tone unwavering. “Unless you choose to make one.” Finally, I've been waiting thirteen chapters for this moment...!!!!! This mother, like all the evil mothers/stepmother in your work, @vanalas, has no sense of the boundaries between her own person and that of her son. It is long past time that Jeremy makes it very clear to her that she does not determine his life, whom he associates with, whom he loves. Jeremy made his position equally clear to Dexter as well, but that freak is so crazy, he's sure to go after Carter now, as @VBlew points out. Awaiting the next chapter with bated breath!