CEO loves me with all his soul.-Chapter 111. A naughty seraphina

The park was eerily quiet, bathed in the dim glow of scattered lampposts. A light breeze rustled the leaves above, whispering through the trees like ghosts in mourning. Isaac sat alone on a weathered wooden bench, his shoulders hunched, eyes staring blankly ahead at the shadows that danced on the path.

It had been days since he left the house. Nights blurred into mornings and back into darkness again. He didn’t know what he was waiting for anymore. Maybe to wake up from this nightmare. Maybe for Lucas to walk down that path and call out his name, like he used to after long shifts at the hospital.

But the path remained empty.

"You’re really hard to catch up with these days."

Isaac didn’t turn his head. He knew the voice.

Luri.

She came into view, hands in the pockets of her coat, her steps casual but her eyes sharp and observing. She didn’t say anything else until she stood next to him.

"How did you find me?" Isaac asked, his voice hoarse and lifeless.

Luri gave him a little shrug. "I tracked you. You left your phone on, and I have backdoor access to most public cameras. You’re not that good at hiding, Isaac."

Isaac gave a breathless chuckle, void of amusement. "Of course."

Luri didn’t push him for conversation. She simply sat beside him, her presence grounding yet light. A silence stretched between them, not awkward, but heavy with things unsaid.

After a long moment, she reached out and gently patted his shoulder. "You need to get yourself together. You can’t keep going like this. You’ll break."

Isaac didn’t move, didn’t even blink. Then he gave her a bitter smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

"And how do you propose I do that?" he asked quietly. "How should someone act when they’ve just lost their entire world? Lucas was my everything, Luri. I wake up and forget for a second. I think I hear him in the kitchen. Then it hits me. He’s gone. Not killing myself is me getting myself together."

Luri froze. Her heart skipped a beat.

"What did you say?"

Isaac turned to her, eyes glistening but dead in the middle. "What more do you want from me?"

In a flash, Luri’s hand smacked the back of his head.

"Ow!" Isaac flinched and glared at her. "What the hell was that for?"

She stood up and shouted, her voice breaking, "You idiot! Do you really think acting like this will make Lucas’ soul rest in peace? You think he wanted this for you? To rot away in guilt and despair? To talk about dying like it’s the only thing left?"

Isaac stood up too, anger boiling to the surface. "If he had such a damn problem with how I’d live without him, then he shouldn’t have left me alone in the first place!"

They stared at each other, their chests heaving. Emotions surged like tidal waves, crashing in silence between the shouts.

Luri took a deep breath and looked at him. Her voice, this time, was softer.

"You think you’re the only one grieving? Adrian’s been crying in his sleep every night. Ethan hasn’t left his side, but I’ve seen the way he stares off into nothing. You’re not alone, Isaac. And if you shut us out, you’re not just losing Lucas. You’re losing everyone else too."

Isaac’s lips trembled. He sat back down, burying his face in his hands.

Luri watched him, Silently.

She sat down again, reaching out and gently placing a hand on his back.

"You don’t have to be okay right now," she said. "You just have to survive. For him. For you. For us."

Isaac didn’t respond immediately. Then, in a voice choked with sorrow, he said, "I see him in my dreams. Sometimes I think I hear him say good morning. I look over, and the bed is cold. And I wonder... why him? Why not me?"

Luri shook her head. "Because you’re still needed here. You think Lucas would want his memory to break you? He loved you, Isaac. And he knew you were strong enough to carry on, even if it hurts."

A tear slid down Isaac’s cheek. "He loved me... but he never said it. Not once."

"He didn’t need to say it," Luri whispered. "He showed it. Every day. In his cooking, his silly notes, the way he looked at you. You knew it. Don’t tell me you didn’t."

Isaac let out a shuddering breath.

The silence returned, but this time, it felt less suffocating.

Luri leaned back, looking up at the stars.

"I hated him at first, you know," she said, smiling faintly. "He was too perfect. And you looked too happy. I was jealous. But then I saw the way he stood up to you when you overworked. The way he dealt with your temper tantrums. He made you better, and I respected him for it."

Isaac looked at her, eyes red.

"Thanks, Luri. For coming."

"I always will," she said. "I lost him too. But I won’t lose you. Not to this."

They sat there until the stars faded and dawn painted the sky.

And for the first time in days, Isaac didn’t feel completely hollow.

---

The pen scratched the surface of the notebook, flowing fast and furiously as Adrian tried to focus. He had been sitting on the bedroom rug, back leaning against the bed frame, notebook balanced on his knees. The words came in bursts, fragments that either felt too shallow or too clinical. The page was a mess of scribbles—crossed-out lines, arrows looping thoughts backward, and notes squeezed into corners with barely enough space to breathe.

Adrian sighed, resting his cheek against his curled fingers as he stared at the ink-smeared page.

"DNA stabilizing..." he murmured under his breath, his eyes scanning the paragraph he had just written. It sounded too stiff—too academic. He scratched it out with a groan and flipped to a fresh page.

"This is going nowhere."

Determined, he started again, writing slowly and more thoughtfully this time. "The balance of double helix integrity relies on the regulated—"

A sharp, high-pitched cry cut through the silence.

Adrian’s eyes widened and he dropped the pen. It rolled across the floor and disappeared under the bed. He didn’t even look at it.

"Seraphina," he whispered and scrambled up.

From the corner of their bedroom, the crib shook slightly as the tiny, eight-month-old bundle of emotion wailed her dissatisfaction at the world. Her little fists pumped into the air and her cheeks puffed red with effort.

Adrian rushed to her, his bare feet padding softly on the warm wooden floor. "Hey, hey, shh... I’m right here, sweetheart."

The moment he leaned over the crib and picked her up, Seraphina quieted. Her head snuggled against his collarbone with a hiccuping sigh. She was warm, soft, and smelled faintly of milk and baby shampoo.

"There, you drama queen," Adrian cooed affectionately, rocking her gently. "Always ready to cause a scene." freēwēbnovel.com

And yet, the moment Adrian pulled her slightly back to adjust her weight, Seraphina’s little fingers found his hair.

"Ow—okay! Okay, alright, yes, it’s attached," Adrian gasped, laughing as he tried to untangle her tiny hand from his long black locks. "Is this your favorite toy now?"

From the bed, Ethan stirred. He had been lying down with a book balanced on his stomach and a pillow over his eyes to block the light. His husband’s gentle laugh had been enough to draw him out of his rest. Slowly, he sat up and watched the two people he loved most in the world.

Adrian was glowing. Even with his hair pulled in four directions and his notebook forgotten somewhere on the floor, he looked beautiful in his soft, white sweater and loose pajama pants. Seraphina, cradled in his arms, looked like she belonged there.

Ethan slipped off the couch quietly and padded toward them. "Rescue operation in progress," he murmured, voice still thick with sleep as he approached.

Adrian turned with wide, relieved eyes. "Finally, backup has arrived."

Ethan chuckled softly and gently pried Seraphina’s fist from Adrian’s hair. "You," he said, narrowing his eyes at his daughter, "are getting too smart for your size."

Seraphina blinked at him and let out a suspiciously innocent coo.

"Oh, you think you’re clever?" Ethan teased, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You little criminal."

Adrian laughed, taking the opportunity to ruffle his hair free. "She’s naughty," he whispered in a conspiratorial tone.

Apparently, Seraphina took offense to that.

She squirmed violently in Ethan’s arms, her face scrunching up again. Within seconds, another wail erupted from her tiny lungs.

Ethan’s eyes widened. "Traitor," he muttered. "You liked me a second ago!"

Adrian rolled his eyes and stepped forward, reaching for her. "Come here, drama queen."

Ethan handed her over reluctantly, and the moment Seraphina was in Adrian’s arms, she calmed again. Her sobs turned into tiny hiccups and then nothing, her little hands clutching at his sweater like she had found her anchor.

"...She did it again," Ethan whispered, dumbfounded.

Adrian shrugged with mock innocence, rubbing circles into their daughter’s back. "What can I say? Girls like me."

"Oh, I noticed." Ethan’s voice was flat, but his lips twitched.

Adrian looked up and smiled, softly swaying on his feet with Seraphina nestled against him. "She’s just attached. She’s with me most of the time, you know."

"Hmm," Ethan replied, arms folded. He was watching both of them now—his expression unreadable. The kind of look that hinted at something deeper than jealousy or irritation.

Adrian noticed. "Hey," he whispered, stepping closer. "What’s with that look?"

Ethan shook his head. "Nothing," he murmured. "Just... You’re beautiful. And I’m envious."

Adrian raised a brow. "Of a baby?"

"Of both of you." Ethan leaned in. "You’re the heart of this house. And she already knows it."

Adrian smiled gently. "Well, of course. I gave birth to her."

Ethan smirked. "I know. And I’m thankful every day. But sometimes—"

His voice dropped.

"Sometimes I just wish I got to be the one to hold you like that all the time."

Adrian’s smile softened.

"I’m still yours, Ethan," he said, brushing a lock of hair behind Ethan’s ear. "Always."

Seraphina had fallen completely silent now. Her eyes were barely open, her tiny body relaxed. Adrian carefully laid her back into the crib, pulling the little blanket over her. The second her cheek touched the pillow, she was fast asleep.

Adrian turned and opened his arms, and Ethan didn’t hesitate.

They wrapped around each other in a warm, full-bodied hug. Ethan’s face pressed into Adrian’s shoulder as if he had waited days for this touch. Adrian ran his fingers through Ethan’s hair, careful and slow.

"You’re not allowed to be jealous," Adrian said softly. "You’re the one who calms me down when I can’t breathe. She may prefer my cuddles, but I prefer yours."

Ethan looked up at him, and something in his eyes cracked.

"You mean it?" he whispered.

Adrian cupped his cheeks and leaned in, his silver eyes shimmering. "Do you even need to ask?"

And then he kissed him.

It was a slow, deep kiss—the kind that started like a whisper and ended like a promise. Adrian poured every ounce of affection into that moment, trying to remind Ethan of every memory they had shared, every night they had curled up together, every whispered laugh between kisses and shared coffee cups.

When they finally pulled away, Ethan’s cheeks were flushed, his expression dazed.

"I really love you," he murmured.

Adrian brushed their noses together. "Good. Because I really love you too."

Ethan pulled him onto the bed, and they laid down together, arms tangled, legs entwined. They didn’t speak for a while—just lay there, listening to the soft breathing of their daughter and the hum of the world outside.

Adrian rested his head on Ethan’s chest.

Ethan kissed his forehead and held him tighter.

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