The Reincarnator's Inauspicious Route to Finding Love-Chapter 65: A Father’s Helping Hand (3)

Adrien turned around to find Cedric marching quickly from a side hallway. His face was expressionless and his lips were pressed into a firm line.

"I need to speak with you." Cedric’s slick-back hair looked a little tousled and his sharp eyes flashed with resolve.

Why is he the one looking for me?! Adrien had figured that Brayden would have been the one to hunt him down based on the outburst that his second brother had earlier that day. So he was shocked to find that Cedric was the one that was looking for him.

Mikyle gave his hand a squeeze. His red gaze narrowed onto Cedric. "We’re busy. What do you want, Pocket-sized Look-alike?

Adrien turned a questioning gaze onto Mikyle.

"Hmm?" Mikyle hummed when he saw Adrien looking at him. "He’s a miniature version of the Count, hence the term pocket-size. If he doesn’t like the term, then he could always chop his hair off like that half-wit does. Hmm? But if he does that, then does that mean there will be two half-wits?"

Adrien found his lips twitching as they tried to suppress the laugh that was bubbling up from within him. Mikyle’s words and light tone of voice did not match his serious expression which made this situation seem rather funny to Adrien.

Cedric’s lips twitched in annoyance before flattening into an angry line. "I have business with my brother, your highness." Cedric stated, completely ignoring Mikyle’s rather rude comment.

"Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it in front of Mikyle," Adrien told him in a firm voice. I don’t think Cedric will do anything to my face since he cares greatly about appearances, but I should play it safe and keep Mikyle around.

Cedric narrowed his eyes onto him, his expression showing just how distasteful he found that option. "I reprimanded Brayden for his previous actions. It was wrong of him to bring those topics up while in the presence of others," his eyes momentarily flashed towards Mikyle. "He now knows not to bring up our family matters in public."

Mikyle scoffed and Adrien found himself wanting to do the same. He makes it sound like an apology when it truly isn’t. But it is no surprise. Cedric never really cared about how Brayden or the others treated the Original Adrien and by extension me. He only pretended to be indifferent to my face while secretly egging Brayden on.

"You have a way with words," Mikyle’s voice dripped heavily with sarcasm. "Not surprising since you don’t look like the type of person who would even know how to apologize."

"What would I need to apologize for?"

Adrien found himself scoffing upon hearing Cedric’s words. The hand holding his tightened briefly and Mikyle ran his thumb over Adrien’s inner wrist in a slow, soothing circular motion.

"I think you know exactly what you need to apologize for. The Half-wit wasn’t the only one who made Adrien’s life difficult."

"Is that what he told you?"

"I didn’t need to tell him anything," Adrien finally spoke, growing weary of this conversation and concerned with the direction Mikyle was leading it. "Why are you doing this? You never cared about trying to correct Brayden’s behavior before."

Cedric’s sharpened eyes were trained on Mikyle as he spoke to Adrien. A slight against Adrien in its own way. "Father has decided to accept you so I am merely following his example by trying to smooth the waters between you and Brayden while keeping our private affairs out of public eyes."

"Accept?" Adrien mumbled. It was strange that Cedric had chosen to use that particular word. It made it seemed as if Adrien wasn’t truly a part of the family. . .which he assumed he wasn’t since it appeared that he may in fact be an illegitimate child, and not one from the Count’s lineage. Though, he wasn’t even sure if he was the Countess’ child either at this point. But has Cedric also been doubting my origins just as I am currently doing?

"You make it sound as if you don’t view Adrien as a part of your family," Mikyle commented, hitting the nail on the head.

Cedric’s eyes finally landed on Adrien. Those blue orbs were cold and unreadable. "He bears the last name of Mallorne and will therefore be a Mallorne until he gains a title of his own."

"That confirms that you also believe that I’m not the Count’s biological son. Is that the reason behind why you and Brayden have been treating me the way that you have for all these years?"

Cedric’s eyes had flashed menacingly at Adrien’s words. His hands were clenched into fists against his sides as he carefully watched both Adrien and Mikyle. "It seems you were aware of your own disgraceful background. But why did you have to air our family’s dirty laundry to an outsider?"

"I didn’t "air" anything out to an outsider. All I did was confide in my boyfriend when I started having doubts about my origins."

Cedric paused for a moment and his eyes wavered slightly at hearing Adrien’s words, realizing that Adrien had no clue about the secrets behind his birth until recently. "Fine. I’ll let it slide this time." He crossed his arms over his chest, unsure of what to do.

"Is that all you wanted? To offer a non-apology?" Adrien asked, his temper rising by the second as with his growing tiredness for this conversation. He had never really been a confrontational person in either life so a conversation of this caliber made him feel weary down to the core of his soul.

"Yes," Cedric answered unceremoniously.

"Wow." Mikyle’s eyes practically glowed as he glared at Cedric. "It seems as if I have one more name to add to my list."

"What list?"

But Mikyle never answered Cedric as he guided Adrien out to the garden. His hand burned like it was on fire within Adrien’s grasp, alerting Adrien to just how angry Mikyle was at the moment.

Adrien squeezed his hand. His heart ached within his chest. He knew that Mikyle would eventually witness how Adrien’s family treated him, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so soon into their budding relationship.

"If only that Mini Brat was in my martial arts class, but I guess I’ll have to wait until tomorrow." Mikyle’s seething startled Adrien since he had never heard him sound so aggressive before. "I’m going to beat him with my sword until he’s a well-beaten pincushion during tomorrow’s class."

"Did it bother you that much?" Adrien prodded, wanting to verbally hear Mikyle’s answer even if it was obvious. It was his first time seeing someone other than his sisters becoming that angry on his behalf.

Mikyle spun around to face him, causing Adrien to bump his nose against Mikyle’s chest. "Of course it does! It was hard enough seeing those scars on you, and now this!"

A bubble of laughter spilled out through his lips, and he couldn’t stop the smile that curved his lips into a delicate bow.

"You’re laughing? Is this situation that funny to you?"

Adrien shook his head, his laughter slowly subsiding. He leaned up onto his toes and pressed a kiss into the angry frownline that tugged the corners of Mikyle’s lips down. "I don’t, but I like seeing you like this."

It was flattering to witness someone become this angry on his behalf. It also surprised Adrien with how attractive he found this version of Mikyle.

Mikyle’s lips slowly lifted into a smirk. He kissed Adrien’s lips before he had a chance to pull back all the way.

"You make it hard to stay mad when you’re being this cute."

But I wasn’t doing anything to be cute! But at least he’s calmed down now. An angry Mikyle isn’t good for my heart.

Mikyle then kissed the top of his head. "May I have your permission to wreak havoc on those half-wit twins?"

"Do whatever you want to them." It’s not as if he had plans to mend the bridge between them, so he didn’t care what happened to the two of them.