Not as Sweet as My Wife

When Noah was first pulled into Feder's embrace, he was utterly speechless. Anyone could see that Xavier Dupont was just provoking Feder. But as time passed, his expression shifted from one of exasperation to confusion. Feder was trembling violently, his breathing uneven. Noah could feel the depth of Feder's fear, which puzzled him.

*Is he really that scared of Xavier Dupont?* Noah thought, feeling uncertain and a bit helpless. He had seen Feder in a vulnerable state once before, but nothing like this. Feder was holding him tightly, as if afraid Noah might be taken away or hurt.

What Noah didn't know was that Feder's fear stemmed from his traumatic childhood. His stepfather used to beat him frequently, and Xavier Dupont's current age reminded him of his stepfather, pulling Feder back into that terrifying past.

"It's okay, it's okay. Don't cry, I'm here, I'm here… I'm right here…," Feder kept muttering, his voice trembling with emotion. He held Noah even tighter, his eyes red with unshed tears.

Feder had mentally regressed to his childhood trauma, where he felt the need to protect not only Noah but also his mother. Noah was caught off guard by the sudden shift in Feder's demeanor and the way he clung to him, trembling and mumbling apologies.

Noah didn't know how to handle the situation, so he chose to remain silent, allowing Feder to hold him. Though the embrace was painfully tight, Noah endured it, feeling for the first time that Feder truly needed him. He slowly relaxed into the embrace, letting his head rest against Feder's chest and his hands clutch Feder's shirt.

Feder seemed to react to Noah's acceptance, his breath hitching as he pressed a tentative kiss to Noah's lips, as if seeking reassurance that Noah was real and there with him.

*I'm not made of glass,* Noah thought, slightly amused despite the situation. But he didn't push Feder away, sensing the depth of Feder's vulnerability. He let the kiss happen, understanding that Feder needed this comfort.

But then, suddenly, Feder's body went limp, collapsing onto Noah. The sudden weight nearly knocked Noah over.

Noah quickly realized something was wrong. He felt the back of Feder's head and found his hand covered in blood. The exertion and movement had likely reopened the wound, causing Feder to pass out from blood loss.

Noah shot an angry look at Xavier Dupont and then at Richa and Alex, who were still seated on the sofa.

Xavier Dupont gave a slight nod to one of his men, signaling him to assist Noah. The man immediately moved to help, lifting the unconscious Feder off Noah.

Richa, still sitting on the sofa, pulled out his phone and called his personal doctor to come over immediately. Alex, on the other hand, sighed in frustration, rubbing his temples as he tried to make sense of the situation.

"It's his own fault," Richa said coldly as he lit a cigarette and exhaled a puff of smoke. "If he hadn't targeted you, he wouldn't be going through this right now."

Despite his cold words, Richa couldn't help but glance back at the departing Feder and Noah, a hint of concern flickering in his eyes. Once they were out of sight, he shot a look at Xavier Dupont, as if silently telling him he might have gone too far this time.

Xavier Dupont remained silent, but the disdain he had previously shown for Feder seemed to have softened. He knew exactly why Feder had reacted the way he did, and it wasn't out of weakness, but rather deep-seated trauma.

"We'll question him about the poisoning when he wakes up tomorrow," Xavier Dupont said curtly before leaving the room.

Richa ran a hand through his hair, frustration clear on his face as he puffed on his cigarette. He hadn't expected things to turn out like this.

"I need to go check on my wife," Alex said, standing up from the sofa. He was mentally exhausted, having to deal with the trio of his uncles.

As Alex left, Richa remained behind, staring out at the azure sky through the window, occasionally taking a drag from his cigarette. After a while, he stood up and ordered his men to clean up the bloodstains on the floor before leaving the room himself.

When Richa returned to his room, he found Kyle already awake, curled up on the sofa by the window, eating ice cream. The soft light streaming in from outside made Kyle look like a pure, angelic figure, a white angel who had descended to earth. 

In that moment, Richa felt all his worries melt away.

He quietly closed the door behind him and walked over to Kyle. Hearing his approach, Kyle looked up from the window, his clear eyes full of curiosity as he blinked up at Richa, sensing that something was off in Richa's expression.

Before Kyle could ask what was wrong, Richa had already lifted him into his arms, gently stroking his hair and kissing his forehead.

Kyle was still puzzled but didn't press for answers. Instead, he mimicked Richa's gesture, giving him a sweet, warm smile that lit up his face.

At that moment, Richa realized why he had chosen Kyle. Kyle was his calming presence, the one who could soothe his restless heart.

"Where did you go just now?" Kyle asked curiously, looking up at Richa with wide eyes.

Richa didn't answer, his attention suddenly drawn to the half-eaten tub of ice cream on the coffee table. A sense of unease crept over him. Sure enough, the sound of a toilet flushing came from the bathroom, followed by the door opening to reveal Mark, who looked completely satisfied as he stepped out.

When Mark saw Richa, he paused for a moment before cheerfully raising a hand in greeting. "Hey, Uncle!"

Mark's greeting was so natural, as if calling Richa "Uncle" was the most normal thing in the world.

Richa's expression turned even darker, his gaze coldly sweeping over Mark. Mark's smile faltered slightly as he noticed the displeasure in Richa's eyes.

"I couldn't find you when I woke up, so I asked Mark to keep me company," Kyle quickly explained.

Richa didn't respond. He pulled out his phone and called Alex. As soon as Alex picked up, Richa said, "Three minutes. If you're late by even a second, you'll be picking up his body from the floor."

He hung up immediately after, his face as cold as ever.

Mark's face fell. *What did I do to make Uncle so mad?* He couldn't recall anything he had done to offend Richa. *Could it be because I called him a jerk before and threatened to beat him up?* 

Mark felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him as he remembered the incident.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps approached, followed by a loud bang as the door was kicked open. Alex, panting heavily, appeared in the doorway, looking like he had just sprinted a hundred meters.

After catching his breath, Alex's eyes zeroed in on Mark. He quickly crossed the room, scooped Mark up over his shoulder, and hurriedly carried him out, slamming the door behind them.

"Wait, wait! My ice cream!" Mark protested, pounding on Alex's back, trying to make him stop.

Alex was about to say he'd buy Mark a new one, but the determined look on Mark's face made him sigh in resignation. He turned back, kicked open Richa's door again, and marched back inside.

Kyle, still sitting on the sofa, quickly pulled down the oversized white shirt he was wearing, his face turning beet red.

Without a word, Alex strode over, grabbed the tub of ice cream from the coffee table, and left again, calling out as he left, "You two carry on."

He even made sure to close the door behind him.

Richa's face darkened even more, a murderous aura surrounding him. If Alex weren't his nephew, he would've thrown him out the window by now.

Kyle was so embarrassed that he wanted to hide. It was beyond awkward.

Back in their own room, Mark looked at Alex and said, "Wow, Uncle sure moves fast. We were only gone for what, thirty seconds?"

Alex didn't respond, his face still grim as he carried Mark to the bed.

"Hey! Watch the ice cream!" Mark yelped as he was tossed onto the bed, clutching the tub protectively.

"Why did you go to their room again? And why were you wearing a robe?" Alex demanded, his hand gripping Mark's chin as he glared down at him.

Mark was momentarily taken aback before realizing that Alex was upset about that. His voice softened as he explained, "I was worried that Grace would bother Kyle again. I didn't want to leave him alone, so I went to keep him company. You weren't around, so it was my job to protect him."

It was as if protecting Kyle had become Mark's self-imposed duty.

Alex was both frustrated and resigned. When Mark was the one being bullied, he was clueless, but when it came to Kyle, he was the first to react.

"Want some?" Mark asked, holding out the tub of ice cream to Alex, his tone sweet and innocent.

Alex sighed, rubbing his forehead. *He has no sense of danger, does he? Running around in a robe like that.* Just thinking about Richa seeing Mark in a robe, with his chest and legs exposed, made Alex's blood boil.

Little did he know that Kyle had been wearing only a white shirt in front of Mark. That was why Richa had acted so quickly—to teach Kyle not to dress like that in front of anyone else. But Kyle had innocently replied, "

Mark is just like a little brother. He doesn't really count as a man."

Richa had not been amused. In fact, he was more determined than ever to keep Kyle and Mark from spending too much time together. If things went on like this, the two of them might end up kissing one day and not even think it was a big deal.

"Did I do something wrong?" Mark asked, his big eyes looking up at Alex with confusion.

Alex gazed down at Mark's innocent, childlike face and let out a long sigh. He began to worry that if Kyle ever ran off with Mark, Mark would follow without a second thought.

*I can't let my Uncle and Kyle break up,* Alex thought, realizing the gravity of the situation. *If they do, my wife might run off with them.*

"Why are you staring at me without saying anything?" Mark grumbled, pouting as he scooped more ice cream into his mouth, kicking his legs lazily as he leaned back against the headboard.

"Is it sweet?" Alex asked, watching Mark eat with a growing smile.

"Yeah! Want some?" Mark offered, holding a spoonful out to Alex.

Alex leaned down and took a bite, his expression turning mischievous as he teased, "Not as sweet as my wife."