Chapter 59: The Weight of Misunderstanding
At his office, Adrian paused mid-typing, his fingers freezing over the keyboard. A sudden wave of dizziness hit him, forcing him to grip the edge of the desk for balance. His chest felt tight, his breathing uneven.
He pressed a hand to his temple and muttered under his breath, "Lucien...Ash...are they alright?" He exhaled slowly, shaking his head. "I must be imagining things. Lucien said they were spending the night at his mother’s place."
But the unease lingered. He reached for his phone and dialed Lucien’s number. It rang several times, but no one picked up. His brows furrowed.
"Asleep? No...it’s not like him to sleep this early."
After a moment’s hesitation, he tried again; this time calling Ash. The same result. No answer.
"Is Ash asleep too?" he murmured, his tone growing tense. "That’s not like him either."
Feeling restless, he scrolled through his contacts and tapped Celeste’s name. He knew she had also gone to her parents’ house for Lucien’s welcoming dinner. The line barely rang once before she picked up.
"Hubby," she said, her tone smooth and teasing, "it’s rare for you to call me. Did you miss me?"
Adrian sighed softly. "I was just calling to ask how Lucien and my brother are doing."
Celeste’s voice sharpened with resentment. "You can only call to ask about other people’s wellbeing? Never once to check on your wife?"
He was silent for a moment before replying quietly, "it’s not like that. You know Lucien is still recovering from the poison, that’s why I asked."
Celeste let out a faint "Oh," before adding casually, "I think he went out to meet his boyfriend."
Adrian’s eyes darkened. "Which boyfriend? Don’t start with nonsense."
"Hey, why so angry?" she mocked lightly. "I just heard him talking on the phone before he left."
Then, almost offhandedly, she added, "And I think your little brother went with him too."
Adrian hung up abruptly, his jaw tightening. He drew in a long breath, forcing himself to calm down.
"Lucien’s not that kind of person," he murmured to himself. "I won’t let her ruin my mood. They’re probably just asleep...I’ll wait until morning."
He picked up his phone again and said, "Bravin, come and take me to the penthouse."
"Yes, sir," Bravin replied immediately.
...
Ash still stood frozen in the spot where Celeste had left him, his body trembling. Blood kept dripping steadily from his nose, staining the ground beneath him.
"No...something’s wrong," he whispered, his voice unsteady. "I have to find him."
Dr. Eric’s last words echoed in his mind
"Promise me you won’t risk your life again by using those abilities. I don’t want to loseyou."
Ash nodded back then, sincere in his promise.
Now, he swallowed hard and murmured, "I’m sorry, Dr.Eric...but I can’t keep that promise."
He closed his eyes, forcing his breathing to steady as he focused; searching, reaching out for the faint energy that belonged to Lucien. The moment he found it, his body tensed.
A flash of light, and in an instant, Ash vanished from the spot.
Back in her room, Celeste sat on the edge of her bed, scrolling her phone when a soft knock came at the door.
"Celeste," her mother’s voice called gently. "Did your brother and my daughter-in-law just leave?"
Celeste lifted her eyes, forcing a small smile. "Yes, I guess so. Lucien said something came up, they had to leave quickly.
Her mother’s expression dimmed disappointment flickering in her eyes. "What could be so important they couldn’t even tell me goodbye..." she murmured, her voice low and hurt .
Inside the dark warehouse, the air grew still, too still. Then a flash of golden light burst through the entrance, washing over the room like a wave.
A shadowed figure appeared within the glow, his presence fierce and unyielding. Every guard froze in place, their instincts screaming in fear as the golden aura flared.
Ash’s voice echoed through the vast hall, calm but filled with furry.
"Where is my Alpha?"
No one dared to answer.
The golden energy pulsed again-sharper this time. The ground trembled, and the heavy air cracked like thunder. In a blink, the light swept across the room, and thirty four guards collapsed where they stood. The once-crowded hall fell into silence. Only the faint hum of power remained, and the floor glistened faintly red beneath the dim light.
One terrified guard somehow survived, staggering toward the inner chamber. He burst through the door and dropped to his knees, shaking.
Aster, half-dressed and leaning over Lucien, who lay weak and shirtless on the bed-turned sharply, his voice hard.
"What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be outside!"
The guard stammered, "S-sir...the golden light...it wiped out everyone. There’s no one left!"
Aster’s face went pale. His hand tightened around his phone, breath catching as realization hit him. "...Ash," he whispered.
A low rumble followed as the golden glow began to creep under the door; slow, steady and unstoppable.
Ash pushed the chamber door open, golden light flooding the room behind him. The air stilled instantly as his gaze locked on Aster.
Before Aster could react, Ash’s hand shot forward gripping his throat and slamming him hard against the wall. His voice came out low and sharp, trembling with fury.
"Dear uncle...was Adrian’s warning not enough?"
Aster clawed weakly at his wrist, gasping as his feet barely touched the ground.
Ash’s eyes glowed fiercely gold. "No one messes with my Alpha."
The pressure in his grip tightened; Aster’s face paled as his breath broke into short, desperate gasps.
Then, from the bed, a faint but steady voice cut through the silence.
"Did you...say I’m your Alpha?"
Ash froze. Slowly, his grip loosened. Aster dropped to the floor, coughing and struggling for air.
Turning, Ash’s fury melted into concern as he rushed to Lucien was sitting up weakly, eyes glassy and soft.
Ash reached for his hands, holding them tenderly. His voice gentled, a faint smile forming.
"Yes," he whispered. "You’re my Alpha...and I’m your omega."
Lucien’s breath trembled, eyes shimmering with emotion, just before Ash leaned in and pressed his lips softly against his.
Lucien froze for a moment, startled by the warmth. But when Ash tried to part his lips gently, something inside him broke loose. He began responding, desperate and trembling, as a faint purple light flickered around him, blending with the golden glow radiating from Ash.
On the floor, Aster watched with disbelief, muttering under his breath, "What the hell...Celeste told me Ash doesn’t love him." Panic flashed across his face. "I need to get out of here before he turns on me."
Without another glance, he slipped quietly out of the room, leaving them lost in the moment.
Their kiss lingered until both of them were breathless. Lucien finally pulled back, chest rising and falling sharply. "Ash," he murmured, still dazed, "who are you? Even as an S-ranked Alpha, I don’t possess that kind of power."
Ash hesitated, searching his eyes. He didn’t know what to say-only that he couldn’t tell the truth yet.
"Be patient," he said softly. "I’ll tell you everything when I’m ready."
Lucien nodded faintly, though uncertainty lingered in his gaze.
Then Ash turned, his senses sharpening as he glanced toward the spot where Aster had been. Empty. He clenched his jaw, whispering under his breath, "Don’t think you can run from me."
He looked back at Lucien. "Let’s go."
Lucien hesitated. "Take me to my apartment," he said quietly. "I don’t want to go to the penthouse now. If Adrian sees my condition, he’ll lose control, and that will only cause more damage between our families. His father’s company still depends on mine. For now...let’s just keep what happened here quiet."
Ash swallowed hard, remembering Lucien’s mother’s words-People always misunderstood him...yet he’s always been kind...,even when other’s hurt him deeply.
Finally, Ash nodded. "Understood," he said quietly, moving closer to help Lucien to his feet.
...
Morning light filtered softly through the curtains of Lucien’s apartment, brushing over the quiet dressing room.
Lucien stood before the mirror, buttoning his shirt, while Ash struggled with his tie.
Lucien sighed faintly, stepping closer to help.
"You’ve grown up now, yet you still can’t make a proper tie," he murmured, tightening the knot neatly.
Ash pouted. "You sound just like Adrian when you scold me."
Lucien’s lips curved in a small smile as he adjusted the collar.
When he finished, Ash looked at him earnestly. "If you’re not feeling okay, you can skip school today."
Lucien shook his head gently. "Don’t worry, I’m fine."
Ash hesitated, glancing toward him again. "But...if Adrian finds out we didn’t stay at your parents’ house last night, what do we do?"
Lucien fell silent for a moment, then forced a faint smile. "Don’t worry about that. I’ll just twist a lie."
A sharp voice cut through the air; cold, trembling with rage.
"Twist a lie?"
Both Lucien and Ash turned sharply. Adrian stood by the door, his eyes-silver hued, his phone clenched in his hand.
Lucien’s lips parted, but before he could speak, Adrian strode forward-his hand striking across Lucien’s face with a hard, echoing slap.
Lucien’s head turned with the blow. Slowly, he lifted his fingers to his cheek, disbelief flickering in his eyes.
Adrian’s broke as he shoved the phone toward them.
On the screen played a video-Aster half-dressed leaning over the bed, kissing a naked Lucien who lay beneath him. The camera angle made it look intimate...damning.
The headline beneath burned like fire: "Alpha Lucien’s New Lover Revealed-And He’s an Enigma!!"
Lucien’s breath hitched, his eyes wide, shaking his head as though the words could vanish.
Adrian’s voice trembled, eyes glistening. "So it was all true...what your sister told me." His jaw tightened, a tear slipping down his cheek. "My love wasn’t enough for you. My body wasn’t enough, you still went and cheated on me."
"Adrian," Ash said, voice cracking, stepping forward. "You misunderstood. It’s not what it looks like..."
Adrian turned on him, pain twisting through his face. "Not what it looks like? You were right here, planning to lie for him. Don’t pretend you’re innocent."
He took a shaky breath, the next words heavy and breaking.
"I wish you’d never saved me with your kidney."
Lucien froze. The words seemed to strike deeper than the slap. His vision blurred, his body trembling as Adrian turned away.
The door slammed. Silence followed.
Lucien stumbled backward, breath breathtaking, his shoulders trembling.
Ash caught him, holding him tightly as Lucien’s tears soaked his shirt. They stood like that for a moment, clinging to each other, their quiet sobs the only sound in the room.