CEO loves me with all his soul.-Chapter 96.

Adrian gripped his phone tightly, his voice trembling but firm. "Isaac, why didn’t anyone tell me about Ethan earlier? Do you all think I’m so fragile that I can’t handle the truth?"

Isaac sighed heavily on the other end of the line. "Adrian, it wasn’t like that. We... we didn’t want to burden you when you’d already been through so much. You were kidnapped, then collapsed after that strange episode, and—"

"Stop making excuses!" Adrian cut him off, his voice rising with a rare edge. "He’s my husband. If something happens to him, I have the right to know. You all made decisions for me, and now Ethan has been lying there—alone—while I’ve been clueless."

Isaac’s tone softened, guilt evident in his voice. "Adrian, I’m sorry. We were trying to protect you... I was trying to protect you."

Adrian’s breath hitched, but he refused to let himself crumble. "If you truly cared, you would’ve trusted me enough to let me decide for myself."

Isaac paused, reluctant but resigned. "He’s at Levistis Manor. Dr. Rowen and Dr. Zara are overseeing his condition. They’re doing everything they can."

Adrian’s heart pounded. "Driver," he said, raising his voice slightly to get the man’s attention. "Take me to Levistis Manor. Now."

The driver glanced at Adrian in the rearview mirror, noting the urgency in his expression. "Yes, sir," he replied, making a quick turn.

Back on the call, Isaac sounded hesitant. "Adrian, listen—"

"I’m going to see him," Adrian interrupted coldly. "If Ethan has been fighting for his life all this time, then I’m going to be by his side, no matter what anyone else thinks."

Isaac let out another sigh, his voice low. "Adrian... you’re stronger than I gave you credit for. But don’t push yourself too hard, okay? Ethan wouldn’t want that."

Adrian’s jaw clenched, his silver eyes glinting with determination. "Don’t talk about what Ethan would want. I’ll hear it from him when he wakes up."

He ended the call abruptly, leaning back in his seat as the car sped toward Levistis Manor. His mind raced, replaying Isaac’s words over and over. Ethan in a coma. A murder at Diana’s company. His own kidnapping. Too many coincidences, too many unanswered questions.

Adrian looked down at his hands, trembling slightly in his lap. For a moment, he let himself feel the overwhelming mix of fear and anger coursing through him. Then he took a deep breath, steadying himself.

"I’ll fix this," he whispered to himself. "Ethan, just hold on. I’m coming to you."

---

Leclair closed the laptop screen softly, his sharp, handsome features darkened with worry as he glanced at Augustin, who was slumped on the couch in their shared study. Augustin’s usually bright, calculating green eyes were dull with frustration, his brows furrowed as he rested his chin on his hand, staring aimlessly at the stack of reports and data files scattered around him.

Leclair walked over quietly, kneeling by Augustin’s side. "You’ve been at this for days," he said gently, reaching out to brush a strand of dark hair from Augustin’s face. "Take a break, love. You’re wearing yourself thin."

Augustin let out a tired scoff, his lips curving into a faint, humorless smile. "I can’t stop, Leclair. If I do, it’ll be like admitting defeat. And right now, I feel like I’m failing. I haven’t found a single clue about that damn organization. Nothing. Not even a trace."

Leclair’s gaze softened as he took in the rare vulnerability in Augustin’s expression. For all his sharp wit and unshakable confidence, Augustin was deeply invested in justice, especially when it came to those who suffered at the hands of monsters like the ones they were up against. Leclair hated seeing his husband like this—exhausted and filled with self-doubt.

Without a word, Leclair leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Augustin’s closed eyelids, his touch feather-light. Augustin stiffened slightly, opening his eyes to glare at him. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to make you smile," Leclair replied smoothly, trailing a series of kisses down to Augustin’s temple, then to his cheekbones. "My wife looks far too serious today. It’s unsettling."

"Stop calling me your wife," Augustin muttered, though his ears turned red as Leclair’s lips ghosted over the bridge of his nose. "You’re ridiculous."

"And you’re adorable," Leclair countered with a smirk, cupping Augustin’s face to kiss the tip of his nose. "Especially when you’re blushing like that."

"I’m not blushing," Augustin retorted, attempting to shove Leclair away, though his strength was half-hearted at best. "You’re just too clingy."

"Clingy?" Leclair repeated with mock offense. "How dare you insult me like that? I’m merely prioritizing what’s most important."

"And what’s that?" Augustin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You, of course." Leclair’s tone was sincere, his golden eyes warm as he looked at Augustin. "There’s nothing in this world more important than you, Augustin."

Augustin’s heart skipped a beat at the earnestness in Leclair’s voice, but he refused to let his husband see how much the words affected him. "Cheesy," he muttered, turning his head away to hide his embarrassment.

Leclair chuckled softly, leaning closer to kiss Augustin’s jawline. "Cheesy or not, it’s the truth." freewёbnoνel-com

Before Augustin could muster a retort, a sudden noise drew their attention. Both turned to see Isaac clambering through the window, only to lose his balance and fall to the floor with an unceremonious thud.

"What the—Isaac!" Augustin exclaimed, his initial shock quickly replaced by disbelief.

Leclair’s expression darkened, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he crossed his arms and glared at his brother-in-law. "Do you not know how to use a door like a normal person?"

Isaac groaned as he sat up, rubbing his head sheepishly. "Sorry, sorry. It was urgent."

"Urgent enough to interrupt a private moment between me and my wife?" Leclair’s tone was icy, though there was a hint of mischief in his gaze. "You’re lucky I don’t throw you out of the window you came in through."

Isaac raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I said I’m sorry. But you’ll want to hear this."

Leclair’s glare didn’t soften. "Oh, I’m sure. And the next time you and Lucas decide to have a romantic moment, I’ll be sure to ’urgently’ barge in and ruin it. See how you like it."

Isaac paled slightly at the threat, glancing nervously at Augustin, who rolled his eyes. "Leclair, let it go. He wouldn’t have come unless it was important."

Isaac took the opportunity to explain, his tone hurried. "Adrian found out about Ethan. He knows everything now."

Leclair’s teasing demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by a look of concern. "Adrian knows? How?"

"I told him," Isaac admitted reluctantly. "He cornered me and wouldn’t let up. I had no choice."

Leclair sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Of course. Leave it to Adrian to dig up the truth, no matter how hard we try to shield him."

Augustin stood, his expression thoughtful. "Then we don’t have time to waste. If Adrian knows, he’ll go straight to Ethan. We need to make sure he’s emotionally prepared for what he’s about to face."

Leclair nodded, already formulating a plan. "Isaac, go inform Lucas. Augustin and I will handle Adrian."

Isaac hesitated for a moment, glancing between the two of them. "You two were... busy. Should I—"

"Out," Leclair growled, pointing to the window. "Now."

Isaac didn’t need to be told twice. With a muttered apology, he scrambled out the way he came, leaving Augustin and Leclair alone once more.

As the window shut behind him, Leclair turned back to Augustin with a sigh. "I swear, that man has no sense of timing."

Augustin smirked faintly, the earlier tension in his expression easing. "At least he broke your string of cheesy lines."

Leclair chuckled, pulling Augustin into a warm embrace. "Don’t think for a second that I’ve forgotten my mission. You may have gotten a momentary reprieve, but I’ll make you smile yet."

Augustin rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress the small, genuine smile that tugged at his lips. "You’re impossible."

"And you’re mine," Leclair said, pressing a kiss to Augustin’s forehead. "Now, let’s go deal with this mess together."

--

Isaac found himself in the kitchen, drawn by the faint aroma of herbs and broth. Peeking inside, he spotted Lucas standing by the stove, carefully stirring a pot of soup. The golden sunlight streaming through the windows bathed Lucas in a warm glow, making him look impossibly serene. For a moment, Isaac just stood there, watching the person who had managed to calm the storms in his chaotic life.

Lucas noticed him and glanced over his shoulder, a faint smile gracing his lips. "You’re back already? I thought you were with Leclair and Augustin."

Isaac scratched the back of his head and walked in, leaning against the counter. "Yeah, about that... I kind of messed up."

Lucas raised an eyebrow but didn’t pause in his stirring. "What did you do this time?"

Isaac sighed dramatically, his shoulders slumping. "I told Adrian the truth about Ethan. He cornered me, and I couldn’t keep lying to him. Then I crashed Leclair and Augustin’s alone time when I went to tell them about it."

Lucas froze for a moment, then burst out laughing, the sound clear and melodic. "You? Crashing Leclair and Augustin’s private time? I can only imagine how that went." He leaned against the counter, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "What did Leclair say? No, wait, let me guess—he threatened to do the same to you and me, didn’t he?"

Isaac groaned, his cheeks turning red. "He did. He said he’d barge in the next time I kissed you."

Lucas laughed even harder, doubling over. "You really have the worst timing, don’t you? It’s almost impressive how you manage to mess things up so consistently."

"Ha ha," Isaac said dryly, though he couldn’t help but smile at Lucas’s amusement. "Mock me all you want, but it wasn’t funny at the time. Augustin was glaring daggers at me, and Leclair looked like he was ready to throw me out the window."

Lucas finally calmed down, wiping his eyes as he looked at Isaac with a teasing smirk. "You’re such an idiot sometimes. Always rushing into things without thinking them through. Do you ever stop to consider the consequences of your actions?"

Isaac’s smile faltered, and he stepped closer to Lucas, his expression turning uncharacteristically serious. "I know I mess up a lot, Lucas. But I promise, I’m done making stupid mistakes. I’ll do better. For you."

Before Lucas could respond, Isaac closed the distance between them, pulling him into a tight hug. Lucas stiffened in surprise, his hands awkwardly hovering in the air for a moment before he relaxed into the embrace.

Isaac leaned in, his lips brushing against Lucas’s ear as he whispered, "I mean it. I won’t let you down again."

Lucas felt his heart race as Isaac’s face drew closer, their noses almost touching. His breath hitched when Isaac’s gaze dropped to his lips, and for a moment, it seemed like he might—

"Not the time or place, Isaac," Leclair’s voice rang out, sharp and unimpressed.

Lucas yelped and shoved Isaac away, his face turning a deep shade of crimson. "I-I’ll go get the medical kit!" he stammered, fleeing the kitchen like his life depended on it.

Isaac watched him go, a grin tugging at his lips despite the interruption. He turned to glare at Leclair, who was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed, a smug expression on his face. Augustin stood beside him, looking vaguely amused as he leaned casually against the doorframe.

"Fast revenge, huh?" Isaac said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You couldn’t even let me have a moment."

Leclair smirked, his eyes gleaming. "Consider it a lesson in timing, little brother."

Augustin chuckled, his green eyes glinting with mischief. "To be fair, you did ruin our moment first. This is just karma."

Isaac rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. He glanced at Augustin, who had a small smile on his face now, though there was still a hint of weariness in his eyes. "So, what’s the plan? Are we going to see Adrian and Ethan now?"

"Not yet," Augustin said, straightening up. "I’m going to check on the twins first. Seraphina and Aurelius need to be looked after."

Leclair nodded, his expression softening at the mention of the children. "We’ll handle this together. Adrian will need support, and Ethan... well, we’ll do everything we can for him."

Isaac watched as the two of them left, their steps in sync as they headed toward the nursery. He shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. For all their teasing and sharp remarks, Leclair and Augustin were a formidable team—partners in every sense of the word.

Turning back to the stove, Isaac stirred the soup absentmindedly, his thoughts drifting to Lucas. He couldn’t help but smile as he remembered the way Lucas had blushed, the way he’d stammered and fled. It was moments like these that reminded him of why he was so determined to be better—for the chance to see Lucas smile and laugh without a care in the world.

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