CEO loves me with all his soul.-Chapter 71.

Cain took a deep breath, glancing between Adrian and Isaac. His face held a weariness that hinted at years of pain and waiting. He seemed to gather himself, choosing his words carefully.

"Adrian, Isaac... there’s so much you both don’t know," Cain began, his voice soft but filled with the weight of the past. "After you two were taken, everything... everything changed."

Adrian and Isaac exchanged glances, tension evident in their expressions. Adrian swallowed, shifting closer to Ethan for reassurance.

"What do you mean, ’everything changed’?" Adrian’s voice was cautious, unsure of what lay ahead.

Cain nodded, acknowledging Adrian’s hesitance. "When you were taken, Adrian, and Isaac was... exchanged, it was chaos. My father – your grandfather – he never recovered from the shock."

Isaac raised an eyebrow. "What happened to him?"

Cain’s gaze dropped, his voice turning quiet. "My father passed away not long after. He’d been ill, but the news of losing you both... it was too much. He was heartbroken, and his health just... it deteriorated rapidly. He was gone within months."

Adrian’s eyes softened with a mixture of sympathy and sorrow. "I’m sorry... I had no idea."

Cain managed a small smile. "It’s not your fault, Adrian. None of it was. You were just a child."

Isaac’s expression was unreadable as he watched Cain. "So... what happened after that?"

Cain’s shoulders sagged slightly, as if he’d been carrying a heavy weight for far too long. "Jesper was devastated. We both were. But then... then there was Liana." His face twisted with sorrow. "She was only a few years older than you, Adrian. Just a little girl, but she understood... she knew her little brothers were gone."

Adrian’s lips parted, his brow furrowing. "What happened to her?"

Jesper took over, his voice trembling as he recounted those painful memories. "Liana... she took it hard. She was close to you both. One night, she went to bed and... she didn’t wake up." Jesper paused, his voice choked with emotion. "She slipped into a coma. The doctors said it was stress-induced, that it was her way of coping."

Isaac let out a soft gasp, his usual bravado replaced by shock. "Your... your daughter?"

Cain nodded. "Yes. Liana. She’s still in a coma to this day. We’ve tried everything, seen every specialist, but... nothing."

Adrian felt a wave of sadness wash over him, the weight of his family’s grief suddenly pressing down on him. "I... I don’t know what to say."

Jesper took a shaky breath, his gaze turning soft as he looked at the two young men. "You don’t have to say anything, Adrian. We just wanted you to know... to understand why we never gave up searching."

Isaac crossed his arms, his expression a mixture of anger and sadness. "But why did it have to happen at all? Who would take us? And why?"

Cain’s eyes hardened, a flicker of anger appearing in his gaze. "We’re still trying to understand that. But... we think it was part of something much bigger than just us. Some... experiment, some twisted agenda that involved swapping children, controlling families..."

Isaac clenched his fists, his voice low. "So, we were just... pieces in someone’s game?"

Cain’s voice softened as he looked at Isaac. "No, Isaac. You were never just pieces to us. You were our sons, and we loved you."

Jesper nodded, emotion welling in his eyes. "And we never stopped hoping we’d see you again. Every day, we kept going for that hope."

Adrian’s voice was small, hesitant. "All this time, you were... waiting?"

Jesper’s gaze shifted to Adrian, a tentative expression crossing his face. "Yes, Adrian. Waiting for a miracle. And then, when we finally found out where you both were, it felt like a part of our lives that had been missing was restored. But seeing you now... I can hardly believe it."

Isaac’s gaze softened, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a rare vulnerability. "I still don’t understand everything, but... I guess... I guess I’m glad you’re here to explain it."

Jesper’s eyes shimmered with tears, his voice barely a whisper. "Thank you, Isaac. I... I know it’s a lot to take in."

Adrian looked down, a lump forming in his throat. He wanted to feel anger or resentment, but all he felt was sadness – sadness for the family they had never known, for the years that had been lost.

Jesper took a deep breath, glancing at Cain, who gave him a reassuring nod. With hesitation, Jesper turned to Adrian and Isaac, his voice trembling with emotion. "Would... would it be alright if... if I hugged you both? Just... just once?"

Isaac glanced at Adrian, his eyes full of unspoken questions. Adrian bit his lip, feeling an unexpected surge of empathy for Jesper. Slowly, he nodded, looking back at Isaac with a tentative smile.

Isaac rolled his eyes but nodded as well, his mouth quirking up in a slight smile. "Alright, but just this once."

Jesper’s face broke into a soft smile, and he stood up, approaching his sons. With a shaking hand, he pulled them both into an embrace, his arms wrapping around them as if he feared they might disappear. Adrian and Isaac stood still at first, but gradually, they leaned into the hug, letting themselves feel the warmth of their father’s embrace.

"My boys..." Jesper’s voice cracked, tears streaming down his face as he held them close. "You both grew up so beautiful... so strong. I’m... I’m so proud of you."

Adrian felt his own eyes welling up, and for once, he didn’t fight it. He wrapped his arms around Jesper, feeling a surge of warmth and acceptance he hadn’t realized he’d missed.

Isaac grinned, hiding his own tear-streaked face against Jesper’s shoulder. "Yeah, well, we had to be strong. Guess it runs in the family, huh?"

Jesper chuckled, sniffling as he pulled back slightly to look at his sons. "It does. And so does the courage to move forward, no matter what."

Cain approached, placing a hand on Jesper’s shoulder as he smiled at his sons. "You two... are more than we could have ever hoped for."

Adrian managed a small smile, still feeling a little overwhelmed. "I... I don’t know what to say, but... thank you. For finding us."

Isaac nudged him playfully. "Yeah, thanks. But don’t get too mushy on us. We’ve got reputations to maintain here."

Ethan smiled and excused himself to retrieve the twins from their room. In moments, he returned with Seraphina and Aurelius, each child bundled cozily in his arms. The little ones looked around curiously, their wide eyes filled with wonder as they took in the new faces. Seraphina reached out a tiny hand, grasping the air as Ethan gently placed her in Jesper’s waiting arms, while Aurelius settled into Cain’s.

Jesper’s face softened as he gazed down at Seraphina, her bright eyes mirroring shades of Adrian’s. "Well, aren’t you a beauty?" Jesper cooed, making little noises to keep her attention. "I never thought my youngest child would be the first to settle down and give me grandchildren. You beat your older siblings to it, Adrian!" Jesper chuckled, glancing up with a proud, teasing smile.

Adrian’s cheeks reddened, looking away with an embarrassed smile. "Life takes unexpected turns, I suppose," he said softly, glancing affectionately at Ethan, who was watching with amusement.

Cain grinned, bouncing Aurelius gently on his knee. "They’re perfect, Adrian. You’ve raised a beautiful family." He shifted his attention to Ethan, his expression turning slightly more serious, though still light-hearted. "But remember, Ethan," he said with a mock-stern look, "if you ever make Adrian sad, you’ll have me to deal with. I won’t hold back!" freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

Ethan laughed, his arm automatically wrapping around Adrian’s waist. He pulled Adrian closer, pressing a gentle kiss to his temple as he smiled at Cain. "With all due respect, sir, Adrian is my life, my heart. I wouldn’t dream of hurting him," he replied, his voice filled with sincerity. "Keeping him happy is my life’s mission."

Isaac rolled his eyes, unable to resist breaking the sentimental moment. "Alright, alright, can we dial down the mushiness a notch?" he quipped, leaning back with an exaggerated sigh.

Lucas nudged him playfully. "You’re just jealous, Isaac." He smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement.

In response, Isaac leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Lucas’s cheek, causing a flush of pink to spread across Lucas’s face. Seeing this, Jesper raised an eyebrow, his eyes shifting from Isaac to Lucas with curiosity.

"Isaac," Jesper began, an amused smile tugging at his lips, "is Lucas here my future daughter-in-law?"

The entire room fell into a shocked silence, and Lucas’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, his expression flustered but amused. Isaac, on the other hand, looked entirely satisfied, draping an arm around Lucas with a pleased grin.

"Maybe," Isaac replied, throwing Lucas a playful wink. "Depends on whether Lucas wants to upgrade his title."

Lucas shook his head, laughing as he brushed Isaac’s arm off his shoulders, though his cheeks still blushed fiercely. "Let’s take things one step at a time, shall we?"

Cain’s gaze drifted to his three sons, a bemused expression crossing his face. He leaned closer to Jesper and whispered, though his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, "Is it just me, or have all three of our sons turned out to be... gay?"

Jesper stifled a laugh, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Well, I suppose love runs strong in this family, no matter the form it takes." He gave Cain a small nudge. "Better get used to it."

Cain shook his head, chuckling. "Guess we don’t have much choice," he admitted, watching Isaac and Lucas laughing together. "But I suppose, as long as they’re happy..."

Ethan joined in, laughter bubbling up as he looked around the room. "This family may be unconventional, but I’d say it’s perfect the way it is."

Adrian felt warmth surge in his chest as he watched everyone interact. The sight of Cain, Jesper, Isaac, and Lucas blended seamlessly with the love he shared with Ethan and their little ones. It felt surreal but also deeply comforting, like puzzle pieces falling into place.

Augustin entered, having overheard the exchange. He let out a hearty laugh, patting Cain’s back. "You’ve raised a fine family, Cain. Strong sons with strong minds – not to mention great taste in partners."

Cain rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his grin. "Yes, yes, I get it. I’m proud. But no more teasing the old man, alright?"

Jesper leaned closer to him, muttering with a smirk, "Not so old. I bet you still have it in you to keep them all in line if needed."

Cain laughed, feeling a renewed sense of belonging. "Well, I certainly hope so."

As the evening unfolded, laughter filled the room as stories and memories were shared. Cain found himself at ease, knowing his sons were loved and well-taken care of. Jesper cradled Seraphina, his eyes filled with tenderness as he whispered soft words to her.

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