CEO loves me with all his soul.-Chapter 64. Parents

It was late, well past midnight, when the sound of crying pierced through the quiet of the room once again. Adrian stirred in the bed, blinking groggily as he tried to sit up, but before he could even get his feet to touch the floor, a firm hand pressed against his chest, gently pushing him back down.

"Adrian, no," Ethan’s voice was low but determined. "You’re not getting up."

Adrian frowned, glancing over at the clock on the nightstand. "Ethan, it’s the third time tonight. You’re exhausted. Let me handle it this time."

But Ethan shook his head, already climbing out of bed. "No. You’re still recovering from the birth. Rest."

"I’m not made of glass!" Adrian protested, trying to push himself up again, but Ethan shot him a look—a mix of concern and gentle command—that made Adrian stop in his tracks.

"Stay. In. Bed," Ethan said firmly, though his voice remained soft. "I promised I’d take care of the kids during the nights, and I mean it. You’ve done enough."

Adrian sighed, flopping back onto the bed with a groan. "I feel useless."

"You’re not," Ethan replied as he padded quietly over to Aurelius’s crib. The little boy was the one crying this time, his tiny face red and scrunched up as he let out sharp wails. Ethan carefully picked him up, cradling him against his chest. "You gave birth to them, Adrian. That’s more than enough. Now let me do my part."

Adrian watched Ethan for a moment, the familiar ache in his heart growing. He was happy, deeply so, but the exhaustion that came with parenting was no joke. "I just... I want to help. They’re our kids, Ethan."

"And you will. But right now, you need to rest," Ethan said, bouncing Aurelius gently in his arms as the baby’s cries began to quiet down. "We’re a team, Adrian. You don’t have to do everything."

Aurelius hiccuped, his cries fading into soft little sounds as he settled against Ethan’s shoulder. Ethan smiled softly, walking around the room in slow circles as he continued to soothe their son. Adrian couldn’t help but smile as he watched them, his heart swelling with love. Ethan was a natural—though he hadn’t expected his husband to be the one waking up every hour, handling everything so smoothly.

But then, like clockwork, Seraphina’s cries joined in from the crib next to Aurelius’s. Adrian groaned, covering his face with a pillow. "Here we go again..."

Ethan chuckled, shifting Aurelius to one arm while moving over to pick up Seraphina with the other. "Well, this is parenthood," he said with a tired grin.

Adrian peeked from behind his pillow, feeling guilty as he watched Ethan trying to handle both babies at once. "I can at least—"

"No," Ethan cut him off, but his tone remained soft. "I’ve got this, really."

"Ethan..." Adrian’s voice softened, his gaze filled with concern. "You haven’t slept in days. You’re running yourself ragged."

Ethan yawned, unable to deny the truth of Adrian’s words. "I’m fine," he insisted, though the dark circles under his eyes told a different story. He rocked Seraphina gently, who was still fussing in his arms. "It’s only for a little while. They’ll get into a routine eventually."

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "You’ve been saying that for a week."

Ethan sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed with both babies in his arms. "I know. I know. But look at them." He glanced down at Aurelius, who had now fallen asleep again, and then at Seraphina, whose tiny fists were clutching at his shirt. "How can I not take care of them?"

Adrian’s heart melted. He reached out, placing a hand on Ethan’s arm. "You’re amazing, you know that? I don’t know how you’re doing this."

Ethan smiled tiredly. "I guess I’m just too stubborn to let you do it alone."

Adrian chuckled, shaking his head. "Stubborn, yes. But also the best husband and father."

Before Ethan could respond, Seraphina started wailing again, her face scrunched up as if she couldn’t stand being away from Adrian. Ethan winced, knowing what was coming next.

"Do you want to take her?" Ethan asked, holding Seraphina out to Adrian.

Adrian smiled weakly, sitting up in bed again. "I think I’m allowed to hold my daughter for a little bit, right?"

Ethan carefully handed Seraphina over, watching as Adrian cradled their daughter against his chest. The moment she was in Adrian’s arms, her cries quieted down to soft sniffles, and soon enough, she was back to sleep.

"She really loves you, you know," Ethan said quietly, watching the two of them. "She’s always calmer with you."

Adrian glanced down at the tiny girl nestled against him, his heart swelling with affection. "Maybe she just knows who carried her for nine months."

Ethan smiled, though there was a tiredness behind his eyes. "Maybe."

The next few days were filled with the same pattern—crying babies, feeding, diaper changes, and very little sleep. Ethan was up every few hours, juggling both work and night duties. Adrian, while still recovering, insisted on helping whenever he could, but Ethan remained protective, making sure Adrian stayed off his feet as much as possible.

Leclair and Augustin noticed how worn-out Ethan was and decided to step in to help. One afternoon, Leclair arrived at their house, holding Seraphina in his arms while Augustin played with Aurelius.

"We thought we’d give you two a break," Leclair said with a grin as they walked into the living room. "Adrian, you’re looking much better."

Adrian smiled, grateful for the help. "Thanks. But honestly, I’m more worried about Ethan at this point."

Augustin chuckled, bouncing Aurelius in his arms. "Ethan, you look like you haven’t slept in a century."

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "It’s been... a long week."

"Well, we’re here to help," Leclair said firmly, but when he tried to hand Seraphina to Augustin, the little girl’s face crumpled, and she let out a loud wail.

"Oh no," Adrian groaned, quickly reaching out to take Seraphina back. The moment she was in his arms, she quieted down again.

Leclair raised an eyebrow. "Well, that didn’t work."

"Yeah," Adrian sighed, rocking Seraphina gently. "She doesn’t like being away from me."

Augustin gave Ethan a sympathetic look. "Looks like you two are in for the long haul." ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

Ethan laughed tiredly, sitting down next to Adrian. "Yeah... I kind of figured that out already."

Leclair grinned. "Don’t worry. It’ll get easier. Eventually."

But despite the exhaustion, neither Adrian nor Ethan could deny the overwhelming love they felt for their children. Each time the twins cried, there was a moment—after the tiredness and frustration—where they’d look at their tiny faces and feel their hearts swell with affection.

One night, as they both lay in bed after another round of crying and feeding, Adrian looked over at Ethan, who was already half-asleep, and smiled.

"You know," Adrian whispered, "this is hard, but... it’s worth it."

Ethan opened one eye, glancing over at Adrian. "Yeah. It is."

Adrian gently stroked Seraphina’s head as she lay sleeping in her crib beside them. "We’re parents, Ethan. Real parents."

Ethan smiled, closing his eyes again. "Yeah. And I wouldn’t have it any other way."

---

Isaac leaned back in his chair at the restaurant, his legs crossed with an air of indifference as he sipped on his usual glass of grape juice. The restaurant’s dim lighting reflected the mood Isaac was in—utter boredom. He’d been summoned here by the Shaw family, under the assumption that Cain Sebanil wanted to meet him regarding the ridiculous marriage proposal to his youngest daughter. Isaac scoffed at the thought.

His fingers tapped idly against the table when he noticed a pair of figures entering the restaurant. Isaac squinted, recognizing one of them immediately—Cain Sebanil, the cold, stern man with an aura that screamed authority. But it was the second person who caught Isaac off guard. The man walking beside Cain had a softer presence, and his silver eyes were wide with emotion.

Isaac sat up straighter as the two approached, curiosity getting the better of him. Cain’s expression was neutral, but there was something in his eyes, something Isaac couldn’t quite place. The other man—Jesper, Isaac assumed—was practically glowing with happiness, and the sight of him, oddly enough, made Isaac’s chest tighten with an unexplainable feeling.

Before he could gather his thoughts, Cain and Jesper arrived at his table, and Isaac instinctively stood up, pushing back his chair with a loud screech. He gave them both a blank stare, though his mind was racing.

"Mr. Shaw," Cain greeted him, his voice smooth and businesslike. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with us."

Isaac’s lips twitched into a faint smirk as he waved them to sit down. "Let’s skip the formalities, Mr. Sebanil," Isaac drawled. "I know why you’re here, and I’ll save you the trouble. I’m not interested in marrying your daughter. I already have someone I love."

Jesper, who had been watching Isaac with shimmering eyes, looked taken aback by Isaac’s blunt statement. He glanced at Cain with confusion, clearly not understanding what Isaac was talking about. Cain, on the other hand, remained calm, though there was a small glint in his eyes as if he had expected this reaction.

Isaac shrugged nonchalantly, taking another sip of his drink. "Look, I get it. Old family alliances, deals, all that garbage. But like I said, I’m not interested. I’m married."

For a moment, there was silence. Jesper, still visibly emotional, reached out to touch Cain’s arm, as if seeking reassurance. Cain took a deep breath and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out two neatly folded pieces of paper. He placed them on the table in front of Isaac.

Isaac stared at the papers, frowning in confusion. "What’s this?" he asked, his voice less casual now.

Cain’s gaze was intense, but his voice was steady as he spoke. "These are the results of a DNA test, Isaac. They prove that you are not a Shaw by blood."

Isaac blinked, taken aback. "What...?"

Cain continued, his eyes locked on Isaac’s face. "You were switched at birth, Isaac. You are not the biological son of the Shaw family."

Isaac felt his heart skip a beat. This wasn’t what he had expected at all. His fingers twitched as he stared at the papers in front of him, but he didn’t dare pick them up. His mind was spinning.

"What are you talking about?" Isaac muttered, his voice lacking its usual confidence. His gaze darted between Cain and Jesper, trying to make sense of what he was hearing.

Cain exhaled slowly, his face softening just a little. "You are my son, Isaac. And Jesper... is the father who gave birth to you."

Jesper, who had been sitting silently, unable to tear his eyes away from Isaac, finally spoke, his voice trembling with emotion. "Isaac... we’ve been searching for you for years."

Isaac’s breath hitched. "This... this has to be some kind of joke," he whispered, but there was no humor in his voice. His hand hovered over the papers, his eyes wide as he tried to process the information. "You’re telling me that... I’m your son?"

Jesper nodded, tears glistening in his eyes. "Yes, Isaac. You’re our eldest son."

For a moment, Isaac was frozen, his mind refusing to accept the reality that was being laid out before him. The man sitting across from him—the one who he thought was here to force him into marriage—was claiming to be his father. And the other man, the one with the teary silver eyes, was saying that he had given birth to him.

Isaac swallowed hard, his throat dry. "This... this can’t be real."

Cain nodded toward the papers. "It is real, Isaac. I’ve had the tests done. The results don’t lie."

Isaac stared down at the papers, his hand trembling as he finally reached out to pick them up. His eyes scanned the results, the words blurring together as he tried to focus.

Sebanil family. Biological relation confirmed...

Isaac’s world spun.

The grape juice he had been casually drinking earlier now felt like acid in his stomach. He slammed the papers down on the table, his chest heaving as he tried to regain his composure.

"You—" Isaac’s voice cracked as he looked at Cain. "You knew about this... and you didn’t tell me sooner?"

Cain’s expression remained calm, but there was a flicker of guilt in his eyes. "I only confirmed it recently, Isaac. I wanted to make sure before coming to you."

Isaac laughed bitterly, running a hand through his hair. "Oh, you wanted to make sure?" he snapped. "And what about the last twenty-five years? What about everything I’ve been through?"

Jesper reached out, his voice breaking. "Isaac, we didn’t know—"

Isaac raised a hand, cutting Jesper off. "No," he said sharply. "I don’t... I can’t deal with this right now."

He stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. His heart was pounding in his chest, and his mind was a mess of confusion, anger, and disbelief. He needed to get out of there. He needed space to think.

"I need time," Isaac muttered, avoiding the emotional looks from both Cain and Jesper. Without waiting for a response, he turned and stormed out of the restaurant, leaving the papers and his glass of grape juice behind.

Cain watched him go, his face unreadable, while Jesper wiped at his eyes, his shoulders shaking. "He... he hates us, doesn’t he?"

Cain sighed, placing a hand on Jesper’s shoulder. "Give him time," he said quietly. "This isn’t easy for him."

Jesper nodded, though the hurt in his eyes remained. "I just... I want him to come home."

Cain’s jaw clenched as he stared at the door Isaac had disappeared through. "He will," he said, though his voice was more of a promise to himself than anything else.

For now, all they could do was wait.

New novel 𝓬hapters are published on fre ew𝒆bnovel.com