Chapter 58: Beneath the warmth dinner-A Hidden Trap
In the evening, after classes ended, Bravin arrived to pick up Lucien and Ash. As they got into the car, Lucien said calmly, "Drive us to my parents’ house."
His mother had invited him for dinner, still overwhelmed with joy that her son was alive and recovering well.
Bravin nodded and started the engine. The drive was quiet. Lucien and Ash sat in the back seat, side by side, yet neither spoke. The silence between them was thick, awkward.
Ash kept glancing at the window, lost in thought. He’s so quiet...Did that text I sent make him uncomfortable? Does he not like me anymore?
Lucien’s gaze fixed ahead but his mind wasn’t still either. His thoughts drifted to the conversation he’d had with Adrian that morning.
Adrian’s voice echoed in his mind: "He told me he’s obsessed with you."
Lucien had frowned at that. "Meaning he has feelings for me"
Adrian shrugged slightly. "I don’t know. I guess so. He’s just afraid to admit it-even to himself."
Lucien had gone silent for a while before saying softly, "I’m also afraid of forcing myself on him...making him give in out of guilt of marking me."
Adrian’s tone had been calm but honest. "You should know he already claimed you, Lucien. So it’s up to you two to figure it out, whether it’s love or just duty."
Lucien blinked back to the present, lost in those words. Then, suddenly, he felt a light touch, Ash’s little finger brushing against his.
He turned his head slightly, their eyes meeting for a brief moment. The air between them tightened.
Lucien quickly pulled his hand back, looking away.
why is he trying to mess with me...I already decided to back off, he thought quietly his gaze fixed on the moving road ahead.
When they arrived at Lucien’s parents’ home, the gates opened wide, and a wave of warmth immediately filled the air.
Lucien and Ash stepped out of the car, greeted by the sight of his parents waiting at the entrance. To their surprise, Celeste was there too.
His mother rushed forward, throwing her arms around him tightly. "Son, I’m glad you’re alive. I’ve missed you so much," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
Lucien hugged her back, tears slipping quietly down his cheeks. "I’ve missed you too, Mother," he whispered.
His father stepped forward next, giving him a firm, brief hug. "Welcome home, son."
Celeste smiled softly as she stepped closer. "Oh, brother, I’m so happy you’re alive," she said, wrapping her arms around him. Lucien stayed silent, simply returning the embrace.
Then his parents turned to Ash, their expressions warm. His mother spoke gently, "Welcome, our daughter-in-law."
Ash lowered her gaze, smiling shyly.
They moved together to the dining room, where the table was already set; roasted chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, vegetables salad, beef stew, warm bread, fresh fruit juice, and a strawberry cake placed proudly at the corner.
Everyone took their seats, the room filled with both comfort and quiet emotion, the kind that words didn’t need to explain.
As they began eating, Lucien’s father looked up and asked, "Son, can you tell us how you survived? Did a rare omega bite you?"
Lucien paused for a moment, recalling Adrian’s words-let Ash reveal it himself when he’s ready. He forced a faint smile. "I don’t know, Father. I just woke up...I can’t really explain it myself."
Celeste suddenly spoke up, "Didn’t Adrian tell you? He’s the one who took care of you. He must know what happened."
Lucien’s expression tightened slightly. "Then why don’t you ask him yourself?" he replied, his tone edged with irritation.
Celeste frowned, her voice rising. "Ask him? When he spends most of his time with you, even calling you his soulmate in public?"
Their mother quickly intervened with a sigh. "That’s enough. Can we just have a peaceful dinner for once? Him calling Lucien his soulmate isn’t strange, they’ve grown up together since childhood."
"But..." Celeste tried to speak again, only for their father to cut in firmly. "Celeste, if Lucien didn’t have Ash as his fiance, we might have thought otherwise. But he does. So don’t overthink it. Treat it as brotherhood."
After dinner, Lucien’s mother smiled warmly and said, "You two should spend the night here. There’s no need to go back tonight."
Ash froze for a moment, his mind flashing back to their group chat, the talk about the night they planned with Adrian. A faint heat crept up his neck as he tried to think of an excuse to politely decline.
But before he could speak, Lucien, who had also remembered Ash’s message about wanting him to dominate him, felt a quiet restlessness stir inside him. Avoiding Ash’s gaze, he nodded. "Alright, we’ll stay."
His mother’s smile deepened. "Good. Then I’ll steal Ash from you for a while," she said playfully.
Lucien hesitated for a second, but then gave a small nod. "Okay," he murmured.
Ash followed her, glancing once over his shoulder, Lucien watching silently as they disappeared down the hallway.
Lucien’s mother led Ash to the sitting room, her smile never fading. She motioned for Ash to sit, then walked to a nearby cabinet and pulled out a small photo album.
"I want to show you something," she said with a playful twinkle in her eyes.
Ash leaned closer as the woman flipped open the album; and there, right on the first page, was a photo of little Lucien. His hair struck out in all directions, his cheeks were puffed with food, and he was wearing oversized pajamas covered in cartoon sheep.
Ash covered his mouth, trying not to laugh. "Is that really him?"
His mother chuckled softly. "Yes! He used to insist on feeding himself, but every time, he ended up wearing half the food instead." She turned another page-Lucien in a small kiddie pool, splashing water at a young Adrian beside him. "And this one, that’s when Adrian told Lucien he looked like a girl, and when Lucien argued back, Adrian pushed him into the water. Lucien cried for two hours straight."
Ash laughed quietly, eyes soft. "He doesn’t seem like the crying type now."
"Oh, he still is-he just hides it better." Her tone turned gentler, her smile fond. "Lucien has always been kind. People misunderstand him because he looks serious and distant. But inside, he’s gentle. He forgives easily, even when people hurt him deeply."
Ash listened quietly, a warmth building in his chest.
She closed the album slowly. "Adrian is one few who truly understands him. From the time they were little, Adrian always knew how to calm him down, how to make him smile again. That’s why they’re still so close." She looked toward the window, her eyes soft with emotion. "When Adrian called him his soulmate in public...I wasn’t surprised at all. Because in a way, they really are. They’ve always been each other’s strength."
Her voice trembled slightly at the end, and Ash could only sit there, heart tight, realizing just how much love surrounded the man he’d come to know.
Then, suddenly, a sharp ache struck through Ash’s chest, quick and fierce. His vision blurred, and before he could blink, a thin line of warm blood trickled from his nose. His breath hitched. Instinctively, his pulse quickened.
Something’s wrong...Adrian...Lucien...
He stood abruptly, excusing himself as politely as he could before stepping out of the cool night air.
As he neared the gate, he almost collided with Celeste, who was just coming in. She froze when she saw him, then quickly composed herself.
"Where’s Lucien?" Ash asked, his tone low but tense.
Celeste shrugged lightly. "I don’t know. He said he had something to do and left."
Ash’s brows furrowed. "He went out...without telling me?"
"Why should he tell you?" Celeste said sharply, folding her arms. "Maybe he went to check on his boyfriend."
Ash blinked, shocked. "How could he? I’m his fiance-his only one."
Celeste let out a short, mocking laugh. "You call yourself his fiance, yet you don’t even love him. You haven’t allowed him to touch you."
Ash’s voice grew tight with anger. "What does that have to do with you?"
"I care," Celeste replied coolly. "At least let my brother have someone who can give him what he deserves."
With that, she turned and walked away, her steps unhurried, leaving Ash standing frozen in place, her words echoing painfully in his chest.
...
Earlier, when Lucien’s mother had taken Ash with her and left Lucien behind, Celeste used the chance to her advantage.
She approached Lucien with a calm smile. "Can you come with me outside the gate? I ordered something and they just called to say it’s here."
Lucien didn’t think much of it and followed her out. He had no idea it was a trap, the "delivery" was only a cover for the ambush waiting beyond the gate.
Moments later, Celeste returned alone and met Ash at the gate. She greeted him with sharp words, then went straight to her room, closed the door, and pulled out her phone.
She dialed a number and waited until a faint click sounded on the other end.
"I’ve played my part," she said quietly. "It’s your turn now."
A low, cold voice answered, Aster’s.
"He’s already in my hands."