Mark’s Embarrassment

Howard stood outside, still smoking, and grumbled inwardly, *Do all these men love to manipulate their wives like this?* Though his words were directed at Alex, they were also meant for Rick. Howard checked his phone again, but there was still no message from Rick. His expression turned cold, and frustration boiled over.

"Is he looking to get himself killed?" Howard muttered, his voice laced with murderous intent. After all, when he didn't want to see Rick, Rick was always around. But now that he wanted to see Rick, he was nowhere to be found. Despite his anger, Howard suppressed his frustration and called Rick.

It was the first time he had ever been so proactive, yet all he heard was: "The number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later..." 

Howard's hand tightened around his phone as his anger intensified. He angrily ended the call and didn't attempt to call again.

Meanwhile, Rick was sitting beside his grandmother's bed, holding her wrinkled hand tightly, his expression grim. His grandmother had been badly shaken and wasn't doing well, so Rick had rushed home earlier to be with her. Though she was asleep now, her sleep was restless, and her complexion was pale.

Rick was consumed with guilt, blaming himself for putting his grandmother in harm's way. 

"You should rest. I'll take over from here," Natalie, who stood nearby, quietly suggested, worried that Rick was exhausting himself.

"No, I'll stay with her," Rick replied, his gaze fixed on his sleeping grandmother as he sighed deeply.

Natalie wanted to say more but decided against it, choosing to quietly remain on standby. She knew how much Rick cared for his grandmother, who had raised him, and how deep their bond was.

Rick took out his phone, intending to call Howard and explain why he had to return home so abruptly. But his phone was dead.

"Natalie, can you charge this for me?" Rick handed the phone to Natalie.

"Of course," Natalie nodded, taking the phone and quietly leaving the room.

Rick's fists clenched as he stared at his grandmother, his eyes filled with anger. "She's your grandmother too. How could you do this?" he muttered under his breath. He had tried to avoid his brothers as much as possible to keep the peace, but they had crossed the line by targeting their grandmother.

"I won't let this go," Rick vowed, his anger simmering just beneath the surface.

Back with Howard, he was still fuming, unaware that Rick's phone had died. He was too angry to let it go, so he decided to take out his frustration on Alex. Howard knocked on Alex's door and barged in, ignoring the murderous look Alex shot at him. He placed Mark's phone on the bedside table and then turned to leave. But before he did, he looked at Mark and said, "If you're going to hit him, make sure you hit him hard. If you go easy, he'll just think it's fun. For your own sake, I suggest you beat him to death."

With that, Howard gave Mark a polite nod. But when he looked at Alex, his gaze was icy, as if he were looking at trash. Then, without waiting for a response, he slammed the door shut, his anger evident in the way he closed it.

Alex's face darkened, and if Howard hadn't left so quickly, he might have thrown him out the window. 

*What's gotten into that guy?* Alex wondered.

Mark, however, wasn't focused on that. He was mortified by the fact that Howard had been standing outside all this time and had overheard everything. He wanted to cry—how could he face anyone after this?

"Damn it, it's all your fault!" Mark shouted, hitting Alex in frustration.

Alex let Mark hit him, and even smiled as he did. 

"You're still smiling? Let's see you smile now, you bastard!" Mark yelled, hitting Alex harder until he wore himself out. Finally, he glared at Alex with all the anger he could muster.

Alex rubbed his chest where Mark had hit him but didn't get angry. Instead, he leaned down and kissed Mark. 

"How am I supposed to face Howard after this?" Mark grumbled, on the verge of tears.

"We're adults; what's there to be afraid of?" Alex replied, trying to soothe him.

"Just because we're adults doesn't mean we're not human!" Mark retorted, wrapping himself tightly in the blanket and huffing at Alex.

Alex chuckled softly. He found Mark's reaction endearing.

"But... do you think he had a fight with his husband? It felt like he was taking his anger out on you," Mark suddenly asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Most likely," Alex replied as he scooped Mark up in his arms and headed toward the bathroom.

"W-what are you doing?" Mark stammered, suddenly nervous.

"What else? We're going to take a bath and then go to bed," Alex explained with a smile as he carried Mark into the bathroom and placed him gently in the bathtub, starting to run the water.

Mark blushed as he hugged himself and sat quietly in the tub, watching Alex move about. 

*He's actually quite considerate,* Mark thought, his cheeks turning a deeper shade of red.

Once the tub was filled, Alex climbed in and sat across from Mark, smiling as he opened his arms, inviting Mark to sit with him.

At first, Mark wanted to refuse, but Alex was so gentle that he couldn't resist. Eventually, he gave in and moved to sit in front of Alex.

"Let's soak for a bit; it'll help you relax," Alex said, pulling Mark's body against his own, encouraging him to relax in his arms.

"I can lay down on my own," Mark mumbled in protest but eventually settled into Alex's embrace, letting himself relax.

"Doesn't it hurt to soak with your injuries?" Mark asked, looking up at Alex with concern.

Alex leaned down and kissed Mark's forehead before answering, "The wounds are on my shoulders. They won't get wet."

"That's good," Mark sighed in relief.

At first, Mark's body was tense, but after a while, he began to relax completely in Alex's arms, occasionally kicking at the water playfully. A smile spread across his face, making him look as innocent as a child.

Alex watched Mark play with the water, smiling as he massaged Mark's arms and shoulders, helping to ease his fatigue.

Mark enjoyed the attention, splashing water and washing his face before settling back against Alex. He kicked at the water again before looking up at Alex and softly offering, "Do you want me to wash you? With your back injured, it might be hard for you to do it yourself."

"There's no need. I'll be careful when I wash up," Alex declined, not wanting to trouble Mark.

He kissed Mark's forehead again, smiling as he continued to massage his shoulders.

Mark felt a little embarrassed and asked, "Then should I wash your hair?"

"Wife, just relax. You don't have to do anything. I'll take care of everything," Alex replied, his voice full of affection.

"But you're the only one doing the work. You must be tired," Mark mumbled, his voice laced with concern.

Alex's heart melted at Mark's words. Hearing that made him feel like he could take on any challenge. He gently turned Mark to face him, pinching his cheeks playfully as a warm smile spread across his face.

In that moment, Alex was more certain than ever that marrying Mark was the best decision he had ever made. He truly had found a treasure in him.