Chapter 8
1011 Words
The moment Emily got home, she barely had time to change her shoes before hurrying upstairs, heading straight for Adrian’s room.
On an ordinary day, seeing her son sprawled on the bed in broad daylight would have immediately struck her as unusual, and she would have shown concern and asked about it. But right now, her mind was in knots, leaving her with no attention to spare for such details.
“Ari, sit up. I need to ask you something.”
Her voice carried a hint of urgency as she gently patted her son.
Adrian’s mind was in complete turmoil. But in front of his mother, he could only try to appear calm, as if nothing had happened.
He slowly sat up, frowning slightly, his voice carrying a familiar hint of displeasure, “Why didn’t you knock before coming into my room?”
“Sorry. I was in a hurry and forgot. This morning, what did you say to Luna in the garden?”
Caught off guard by the question, a flicker of unease rose in him.
“I… just had a normal conversation with her.”
“Was it really just a normal conversation? Then why didn’t she take a liking to Lucian, but to you instead?” Clearly, Emily wasn’t convinced.
Adrian’s eyes flickered as he avoided looking his mother in the eye. He replied stubbornly,
“How would I know?”
No one knows a child better than their mother. Besides, Emily had once been an actress, keen-eyed and perceptive. There was no way the unease in Adrian’s gaze could escape her notice.
Her face darkened, and her voice turned stern, edged with anger,
“Ari, how could you do something like this? Luna is your brother’s blind date, are you really that thoughtless?”
Suddenly being scolded, Adrian felt irritation rise within him.
“I didn’t do anything. He’s so damn insufferable, if girls don’t like him, that’s perfectly normal.”
Emily’s brows knit tightly, her tone growing even more severe,
“It’s one thing if Luna and your brother aren’t a good match. But she came here as your brother’s blind date, you had no right to interfere like that. Lucian cares about you so much, and this is how you treat him? Don’t you feel even a little guilty?”
Exposed by his mother, Adrian didn’t bother to pretend anymore. He lifted his head, his eyes filled with stubborn defiance:
“I don’t feel guilty. He’s so insufferable, he deserves it!”
Emily froze, unable to believe what she had just heard. She knew her son was in a rebellious phase, and she understood that Lucian’s five-year absence had left a deep knot in his heart. But she had never imagined that resentment would build into this level of outright dislike.
A sudden wave of bitterness and helplessness welled up inside her.
All along, the harmony between Adrian and Lucian had been her greatest source of pride. But now, looking at her defiant son, she suddenly felt a sense of unfamiliarity. She didn’t know how to face her husband, nor did she know how to face Lucian.
Adrian looked at his mother, and the moment he sensed she was about to continue lecturing him, he flopped back onto the bed and yanked the blanket over his head.
“I’m not listening! Can you stop already!”
Emily was provoked by his attitude and lightly smacked him on the backside.
“You brat! Sit up and talk to me properly! Your brother cares about you so much, show him some respect!”
Adrian clutched the blanket tighter and shouted,
“I don’t care! I hate him! The more you talk about him, the more I hate him!”
He felt so aggrieved he could barely stand it. If his mother knew what Lucian had just done to him in the studio, would she still be able to defend him so calmly like this?
Faced with this situation, Emily knew that no amount of persuasion would work. She could only let out a disappointed sigh and turn to leave.
The moment she opened the door, she startled to find Lucian standing right outside. Who knew how long he had been there. A surge of embarrassment rose within her, leaving her slightly flustered,
“Lucian… did you… hear everything? I’m sorry…”
Lucian, however, remained completely calm. He even spoke gently, offering comfort in return,
“Don’t say that, Mom. Ari’s still young, he’s just a bit upset. Please don’t blame him. Let me go in and talk to him for a while.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Adrian’s voice rang out from inside the room.
“Get the hell out!”
A pillow came flying toward the door, hitting it with a dull thud before dropping to the floor. The door was slammed shut at once, completely cutting off the two people outside.
Seeing her son behave like that only made Emily feel more embarrassed. She was about to turn back and scold him when Lucian reached out to stop her.
“Mom, don’t scold Ari. Let him cool off, I'll talk to him myself.”
His voice remained as calm as ever, without the slightest trace of anger.
Emily could only sigh, and in the end, she said nothing more about it.
She led Lucian downstairs, speaking in a gentle, coaxing tone as they walked,
“Don’t take what happened today to heart. I know quite a few people, there are many good girls who would suit you. I’ll introduce some to you.”
Lucian shook his head slightly.
“Mom, there’s no need. I’m not thinking about that right now.”
“Alright, I won’t force you,” she nodded, her tone softening. “But no matter how busy you are, you should still make time for your personal life. A marriage built on love is always best.”
“Yes, Mom.”
“Oh, what happened to your mouth?”
“Oh, I… bumped into a door. It’s nothing, Mom.”
- Writer
