CHAPTER 118: THE CASE OF THE MISSING BROTHER

[Rynthall Estate—The Next Morning—Silas and Lucein’s Chamber]

Lucien’s legs were jelly. Pure, quivering jelly. He trembled with pain, betrayal, and exhaustion. Every muscle ached, every inch of skin felt tender, as though he had gone to war with the devil himself... and lost spectacularly.

He staggered across the chamber like a tragic hero clinging to his final breath. The tea set on the table mocked him with its innocent steam, promising comfort but offering none for his broken body.

"I... I should get a wheelchair," he muttered pitifully, dragging a chair out with all the gravity of a man preparing his own coffin. He finally lowered himself into it—

"AAGGGHHHHH—!!" Lucien screeched, bolting upright again. His hands flew to his backside. "MY BUTT—!! I lost my butt! Silas swallowed my butt whole—aghhhhhh!!"

Staggering like a man possessed, he grabbed a couch pillow and slammed it onto the chair before collapsing dramatically onto it. He groaned into the pillow, muttering as he reached for the teapot, "It still hurts... that bastard ate my butt... he’s a butt eater..." His hands shook as he poured himself tea like a widower filling his last cup of poison.

The chamber doors opened. And of course. Of course.

In strolled Silas, polished to perfection, every line of his uniform immaculate. His long silver hair gleamed obscenely under the morning light, his posture radiating smug Alpha vitality.

Lucien glared over his teacup, hollow-eyed and twitching. Of course the top always shines. Always.

"Should I..." Lucien muttered darkly to himself, "...should I talk to Faylen and Frederick about creating a pill that turns Alphas into Omegas? I swear, it’s time someone invented one. Let you know the pain, you silvery-golden shiny bastard."

Silas leaned down without hesitation, kissed Lucien’s cheek, and whispered warmly, "What are you saying, my love? As your Alpha, it’s my duty to love and protect you. Please do not snatch that privilege from me."

Lucien groaned so loudly it could have been mistaken for a dying animal. He dramatically pushed his teacup toward Silas. "Feed me. Or I’ll actually perish. Right here. Right now. On this very pillow."

Silas smiled, settling gracefully into the chair opposite him. He picked up the spoon and stirred Lucien’s tea with a patience reserved only for the unhinged. "As my love commands," he said smoothly, lifting the cup and holding it to Lucien’s lips.

Lucien sipped miserably, glaring through watery eyes. "You... you’re enjoying this. You Alpha sadist."

"Mm," Silas chuckled, brushing Lucien’s hair back with infuriating tenderness. "Maybe. But only because you’re so cute when you suffer."

Lucien slammed his hand on the table, wincing instantly. "Cute?! I am dying! My butt is a battlefield, Silas. A battlefield! You’ll never understand."

Silas raised a brow, calm as a saint. "Then I suppose we’ll just have to practice more—until your body learns."

Lucien froze mid-sip. Then he shrieked, slamming the teacup down. "OVER MY DEAD BODY!!"

Silas only laughed, reaching across the table to pinch his cheek like a pampered cat.

Lucien crunched his food with the ferocity of a betrayed general licking his wounds. "It’s been two days," he muttered darkly, glaring at his plate as though it were to blame, "and I haven’t even seen my dearest, most adorable daughter. I wonder what—"

"MAMAAAA!!! PAPAAAAA!!!"

The door exploded open with a BANG! like a battlefield charge, and in marched a tiny hurricane with black pigtails—Elysia. Her face was red with determination, her fists balled up, her little boots stomping like a general about to sack Rome.

"WHERE IS MY LITTTTTTLEEEEEE BROTHEEEEEERRRRRRR!!!!!???" she screeched, her voice echoing like a divine trumpet of doom.

Lucien promptly choked on his tea and sprayed it directly across the table—splashing Silas right in the chest.

"LUCIEN!!!" Silas barked, flicking droplets off his pristine uniform.

Lucien, wide-eyed and sputtering, pointed at his daughter like she was a ghost. "B-B-BROTHER!???"

Meanwhile, Elysia launched into a full-scale room inspection. She flipped up blankets, dove under the bed, and tossed pillows across the chamber like a professional pillow assassin.

"BROTHERRRRRR! WHERE ARE YOUUUUUU?" she bellowed dramatically. "Your sister is here! Don’t be shy, come out and play!"

She yanked open the curtains— "AHA! Caught you—oh. Just wind."She peeked under a pot— "Brother??? Are you in the cooking pot???"She dashed into the bathroom— "Brother, are you bathing without me?? That’s RUDE!"

Lucien froze in horror. Silas massaged his temple.

When Elysia came storming back out, her cheeks puffed like balloons ready to explode, she planted herself in front of them. She sucked in a lungful of air, eyes trembling with betrayed toddler fury—

"WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"

Silas jolted like he’d been stabbed. "What—what is it now?!"

"PAPA LIED!!!!" she wailed, stomping her feet, the sheer volume nearly cracking the windows. "PAPA PROMISED ME A BROTHER!!!" She hiccuped between sobs. "AND HE’S NOT HERE!!! WAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

Lucien dropped his spoon. "...Excuse me, WHAT??"

Before he could interrogate, Elysia launched herself at Silas like a tiny beast and clamped onto his hair.

"YOU LIAR, PAPA!!!" she shrieked, tugging his hair with the strength of ten angry lions.

"GHHHAAAAH—!!! MY HAIR! MY PRECIOUS HAIR!" Silas cried, grabbing her tiny fists, but she yanked harder. "Lucien! HELP ME! Your daughter is scalping me alive, again!!"

Lucien, horrified, rushed forward, waving his hands. "Wait, wait, wait! Don’t pull your papa’s hair, my sweet—tell Mama first! WHAT kind of promise did he make you!?"

"HE SAID! HE PROMISED ME A BROTHER!!!" Elysia screamed, tugging another handful. "AND HE’S NOT HERE!!! HE FORGOT!! HE LIED! WAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Silas tried desperately to pry her little hands loose, his once immaculate hair now sticking up like a tortured rooster. "My little star, please, I did NOT lie—I only said—AAGHHHH STOP, NOT THAT SECTION—"

"WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she screeched directly into his ear like a warhorn. Silas’s entire soul visibly left his body.

Lucien, panicked, scooped her up in his arms, bouncing her desperately. "No, no, no, don’t cry, my darling, don’t cry! Papa didn’t mean it—" He shot Silas a death glare. "—did you?"

Silas stiffened, caught like a criminal.

Elysia hiccuped against Lucien’s chest, her tiny arms tightening around him. Her voice wobbled with betrayal.

"I AM NOT TALKING TO PAPA ANYMORE! Papa is a big meanie liar!"

Silas froze as though someone had just stabbed him with a sword. His face twitched. "I...I did not lie, my sweetest—"

She fwipped her head away dramatically, hair bouncing like a curtain of judgment. "I don’t trust you. You broke my trust. And people who break trust..." she jabbed a tiny finger at him like a judge sentencing a criminal, "...ARE BAD!"

Lucien narrowed his eyes into a glare sharp enough to cut diamonds. "...What. Did. You. Utter. In front of my daughter again, Silas?"

Silas flinched like a soldier under fire."I—uh—"

"Mama!" Elysia cut in with a sniffle. "Papa said... he will give me a sibling! He said I will get a brother!"

Lucien froze. His voice trembled in barely contained fury.

"...W-what?"

Silas raised both hands like he was swearing in court. "I—I never said brother! I said either

a brother or a sister—"

But Elysia slapped her tiny hands against Lucien’s chest, glaring down at Silas with the righteous fury of a betrayed goddess.

"But my heart desires BROTHER!"

Silas paled, stiff as stone. "...I see. But—I did not lie, my sweetest?"

Elysia squinted, eyes narrowing into slits of suspicion. Slowly, dramatically, she turned her head left and right, scanning the room. Then she asked, dead serious:

"...Then where is he?"

Lucien’s knuckles whitened as he clenched his fist, his smile twitching like a man on the brink of homicide.

"Silas..." he hissed, voice trembling like thunder before a storm. "... You better utter something good. Or else... YOU will be sleeping in the guest room for. A. MONTH!"

Silas’s soul visibly left his body. He exhaled and pasted on his winning smile. "My darling star... your brother is on the way. It just... takes time for him to come."

Elysia blinked. Then she whipped her head to Lucien, eyes wide with tears. "Mama... Papa is lying again, isn’t he?"

Lucien, still simmering with fury, forced a gentle smile and kissed her forehead. "No, my darling. Papa is not lying."

Her eyes sparkled, hope flickering like firelight. "Then... then when is my brother coming?"

Silas, sweat dripping down his forehead, forced another smile."After... a year."

The room fell silent.

Elysia froze. Her little lips quivered. Her eyes widened. And then—

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

She screamed so loud the heavens trembled.

"DID SOMEONE KIDNAP MY BROTHER?!!"

Lucien panicked, bouncing her again. "No, no, no! It’s not like that! God just said—when little Elysia becomes more brave, He will give her back her brother!"

Elysia hiccuped violently, fat tears rolling down her cheeks."Did... did GOD KIDNAP MY BROTHER?!?!"

Silas choked, shoulders shaking with silent laughter as he tried to look serious. Lucien shot him a death glare mid-bounce.

"Silas! Stop laughing and FIX THIS!"

Silas coughed into his fist, forcing his most serious tone. He placed a hand on Elysia’s head."No one kidnapped him, little star. He’s just waiting. When you are braver, stronger, and ready to be the best sister in the world... your brother will come to you."

Elysia sniffled, staring between them. Her lips wobbled, but she hiccuped out:"...Really?"

Lucien and Silas, in perfect unison, nodded quickly."Really."

"...Promise?"

"Promise."

Finally, she sagged against Lucien’s chest, hiccuping softer now. "O-okay. I’ll... wait for him."

Lucien sighed in relief, still glaring at Silas over her little head. Silas only grinned, smug, mouthing silently:You’re welcome.

Lucien mouthed back, fury radiating from his every pore:Guest. Room.