[BL] CRAVING HIM: Addicted to His Voice-Chapter 309: Hidden Bonds Family Beyond Blood

Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Hidden Bonds Family Beyond Blood

~Evric’s POV~

After the kiss, Evric explained, "Nicki was actually telling me about his boyfriend. He said he managed to stop doing drugs, but he still smokes."

Evric continued, his voice blending amusement with seriousness. "Now his boyfriend is basically bribing him. He told Nicki that if he quits smoking as well, he can have anything he wants. He even sends him money with little notes saying, ’This is just the beginning. Quit, and I’ll do more.’"

"So he showed me their chat, and some of the silly things his boyfriend always does."

Evric grew thoughtful. "But from the way Nicki talks about him, you can tell it’s genuine. He loves that man, and the feeling is clearly mutual. His boyfriend is a foreign investor who came to this city for a project, and that’s how they met. Nicki said that once the project is finished and his boyfriend returns home, he’ll travel to join him. So it looks like Nicki will be moving abroad soon to be with him."

"Wow, that’s amazing news!" I said with a bright smile. "Looks like Nicki feels comfortable enough to talk to you now."

Evric shifted slightly, drawing me closer as he spoke. "Aside from the fact that Nicki and I once dated, he’s one of the very few people I can talk to honestly, and it’s the same for him, too. With Nicki, there’s no judgment, no pretending, just real conversations and straightforward advice. Maybe that’s why whatever we had back then never became anything more."

"Good thing both of you can still be friends," I said, happy about the unexpected peace between them.

"It’s nice," he replied.

Then, suddenly, Evric called my name with a serious tone. "Zayn."

"Yes, baby," I answered, feeling the shift in the air.

"Can I ask you a serious question?" he said. "I know it’s not my business, but I just need to clear my curiosity."

I kissed his chest. "Ask away. Go on."

He hesitated for a moment. "Is Nantam really Nicki’s biological brother?"

I smiled and stretched lazily, letting out an exaggerated yawn as a tease. "It’s bedtime, love."

"Please, baby," Evric urged softly, nudging me for an answer.

I sighed, finally giving in, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Alright... what did you see that made you doubt their bond?"

Evric hesitated, then spoke, choosing his words carefully. "Ever since I’ve known Nicki, he never talks about their parents. It’s always just... ’my brother.’ Like, he’ll say, ’I’m spending the holiday with my brother.’ I’ve noticed every celebration, he only ever mentions his brother. He never really talks about their parents."

He paused, frowning slightly as if weighing his next words. "Maybe I should just ask if their parents are alive?"

"Their parents are definitely still alive," I said firmly.

"Then why is Nicki planning to buy a present for Nantam on Father’s Day instead of their father? He also said that Nantam hasn’t met his boyfriend yet, and he’s planning to introduce his boyfriend to Nantam on Father’s Day Why?" he asked, perplexed.

I chuckled softly, burying my face in his neck. "He is buying it for his father, so he’s doing the right thing."

"What do you mean?" Evric asked, completely lost.

"Because Nantam is technically Nicki’s father," I said, the revelation hanging in the quiet room.

"How do you mean?" Evric asked, his voice a mixture of shock and curiosity.

I leaned closer, lowering my voice. "No one knows this. Not even Dean. Nantam isn’t really Nicki’s biological brother. In fact, he’s more like a father to Ryan than a brother."

"Who is Ryan?" Evric asked.

"Nicki’s real name is Ryan," I explained. "Nantam gave him the name Nicki, raising him as his own cherished son or brother. Ryan had specifically asked for a name starting with ’N’ so that no one would suspect they weren’t actually biological brothers."

"But... how do they look so alike?" Evric asked, his curiosity evident.

I shrugged slightly. "They’ve spent so much time together, it’s not surprising. Ryan copied everything about Nantam, his mannerisms, his style. Nantam adopted Nicki when he was just four. They even shared the same bed growing up, so over time, they naturally started to look alike."

Evric looked confused. "I still don’t understand. What do you mean he adopted him?"

"Here’s the full story," I began. "Ryan lost both of his parents when he was just four. At school, he had no friends and spent every free moment sitting alone. Nantam, a senior at the time, noticed him and somehow recognized the depth of Ryan’s loneliness."

"He told me that every time he saw Ryan, the boy looked so pitiful. One day, Nantam finally walked up to him and asked, ’Are you okay? Why aren’t you playing with anyone?’"

"At first, Ryan didn’t answer Nantam. It took a whole week before he finally opened up. Nantam said that even at such a young age, Ryan seemed to understand everything. He had been cared for only by his nanny and his late father’s staff, and life was dull because he was always alone at home. As Ryan slowly explained it all, Nantam couldn’t help but tear up, he was only four years old."

"When Nantam got home, he told his parents about Ryan and suggested they adopt him. Being an only child, Nantam knew what it felt like to be lonely. His parents were always away, traveling for business or on vacation, so if they adopted Ryan, Nantam would finally have someone at home to talk to and play with, instead of spending his days alone with the household staff."

"His parents thought about it but raised a concern: Ryan was still small and would need constant care. Who would look after him, they asked, since they were always busy? Nantam immediately said he would. With that, his parents took the necessary steps, and Ryan moved in with them. Nantam also decided they should transfer to a new school, so that everyone there would only know them as brothers. That’s actually how I first met Nantam."

"Wow," Evric breathed, astonished. "I never knew... Nicki doesn’t have his own parent."

"He does," I corrected him quickly. "He has Nantam."

"Yeah, I know," he said. "But I never knew he had any story like this," Evric admitted.

"You don’t know because he never talks about it," I said firmly. "He’s a strong, stubborn soul, he won’t let anyone see his pain."

"I’m... stunned," Evric whispered, wrapping me tightly in his arms, speechless.

"That’s why I always say," I finalized, "Nantam is all Nicki has, and Nicki is all Nantam has. The two of them love each other fiercely."

Evric nodded slowly. "Now I understand the bond between the three of you, and why you just let things slide without taking action."

He paused, then asked, "But why didn’t Nantam tell Dean about any of this?"

"Because he doesn’t need to know," I explained. "To Nantam, the most important person in his life is Nicki. He’ll never see him as just a boy he adopted; he sees him as his own biological brother."

"I understand now," Evric murmured.

I sighed softly. "Do you know when Nantam first found out that Nicki was using drugs? He cried the entire night, saying he had failed to raise him properly, because he always let him do whatever he wanted. I told him all he needed was to give Nicki time, that he would stop. Thankfully, Nicki has found someone to guide him, and I know Nantam would be overjoyed if he knew Nicki finally has a boyfriend. And... I’m happy too."

Evric pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. "Thanks for sharing this with me," he whispered.

"You’re welcome," I replied, resting my forehead against his chest. "Just... make sure you keep it safe."

He kissed me again, softer this time. "I will," he murmured. And with that...