Broken Bond: Between Vices and Virtues (BL)
Chapter 111: Conversations over the phone

Chapter 111: Conversations over the phone

"Daddy!"

Knox, who just got up from the bed and was rubbing his eyes, froze up upon hearing his son’s answer.

He tilted his head and picked his ears as if something was caught inside, fooling with him. He caught Knoa giving him a puzzled look. The kid tilted his head as well, copying his father adorably.

"Papa, what are you doing?" Knoa mused. Then, his doe eyes suddenly widened, and worry spread on his green orbs. "Does Papa’s ears hurt? Should Knoa blow in it?"

Knox shook his head quickly. He forced a smile and muttered nervously, "...who is it again?"

"Daddy...oh! It’s Uncle Choco. He asked me to call him ’daddy’. He’ll buy me the cake if I did..." the kid’s voice trailed off when he witnessed his father’s surprised look, then a glimmer of sadness flashed in his eyes, but since Knoa had been sensitive to his father’s emotions, that glimmer didn’t escape his eyes.

He was still too young to understand why his father was suddenly sad, but his mood slightly dampened as well.

Knox noticed the change. He stood from the bed and walked to Knoa, asking, "Can you ask Uncle Choco...I mean...your daddy if he wants to talk to me?"

"Okay," Knoa replied. He leaned on the phone on the floor, "Daddy—

Azrael heard Knox’s voice already, so he answered immediately, "Tell your Papa, yes, Knoa. I really, really, really, want to talk to him. Tell him I’ve been calling him many times already, but he isn’t answering. Is he sick?"

Knoa blinked. He looked up at his father and blurted out like he hadn’t yet realized that Knox could hear Azrael as well. "Papa, he said I tell you yes! And...he said many things. Daddy is a babbermouth."

A light chuckle came from the phone. Azrael fondly corrected the kid, "It’s ’blabbermouth’, kid. Heh, you’re cute. Just like your father."

Knox blushed. He looked away for a moment and rubbed the tip of his nose. Knoa prattled about random things, and Azrael just patiently listened. After a while, Knox tapped his son’s shoulder with his index finger. Knoa turned to him, so he asked hopefully, "Can I borrow the phone?"

Knoa nodded, "Okay. But Papa, Uncle Choco said I should ask you something."

Knox curtly laughed, "Why are you calling him Uncle Choco again?"

"I only call him that if I talk to him! He won’t hear me anyway, hehe," the kid giggled with his mouth next to the screen. Knox grinned, thinking that Azrael might be pouting after hearing that.

As expected, Azrael’s sulky voice echoed, "Tell the cheeky kid I heard him."

Knox broke into laughter after Knoa’s eyes widened in shock. How could he not realize Azrael could hear him when he talked so loudly? He even covered his mouth and shouted as he stood, "I’ll call you daddy always from now on!"

"Good. You’d better," Azrael’s proud voice came.

After that, Knoa came back to playing with his toys on the bed. Knox picked up the phone and lowered the volume, then he sat next to the floor and leaned his body on the glass window.

The weather was cloudy. Summer has ended and the trees started to shed their leaves. From his position, he could see the lines of maples on the walkway to the mansion showcasing their vibrant colors and decorating the cobbled pathway with their fallen leaves.

Watching their branches sway from the gust of wind was a peaceful sight, however, the silence that crept between Azrael and Knox was igniting the latter’s anxiety and guilt.

Knox swallowed the lump in his throat as he moved his gaze to the cloudy sky. He then asked cautiously, "How...how’s your head?"

An immediate response came, as though the person beyond was just waiting for him to open the conversation again. "As thick as ever."

A small smile broke on Knox’s lips, he somehow felt relieved. "Are you doing fine? Are you out of the hospital now?"

"I’m fine. How about you? How’s your body?" Azrael asked back.

Knox, "I’m doing well."

A heavy breath was heard from the other line. Azrael, sounding a bit disappointed, asked, "Then, how come you never visited me once?"

Knox went silent. How could he explain his situation? Should he tell Azrael that his family had warned him to stay away from him? Even though he already made a choice, he was still torn and reluctant.

With a heavy heart, Knox muttered lowly, "...I wasn’t allowed to leave the house."

It was Azrael’s turn to be silent. He could imagine Chairman Horace popping veins in the forehead to drill that warning on Knox’s thick head. Still, he couldn’t believe that the old man would retreat and let his father get away.

"Your family must have locked you up," Azrael said after a while. He sighed, but then a playful smile appeared on his face after. "I guess if you can’t come, I’ll just go to you then. Wait for me. I’ll be there soon. I’ll pick you up and Knoa."

The alpha’s voice was filled with anticipation.

Knox was alarmed. If he came to the Horace estates, then he would only get kicked out. He worried that Azrael would sustain another injury.

So, Knox tried to refuse, "A-Azrael..."

However, his voice was cut off immediately, as though Azrael predicted that he would complain. He said, "My house is safe. You know it, the security there is very strict. I will also stationed Roy and his team in the area, so you don’t have to worry."

Knox couldn’t find it to himself to refute that excited and hopeful voice. He bit his lower lip as he watched Knoa play.

The kid noticed his father’s gaze and whipped his head to Knox, in just a blink, Knox smiled at his child, masking his true emotions so as not to influence the kid’s mood.

His attention was caught by Azrael again, "I’m already thinking of which room I should give to our son. Oh, is he sleeping by himself already, or does he still sleep with you? If that’s the case, then I can just make our room bigger. An adjacent room would be better. I should give him an entire room for his toys as well. Maybe I should build an indoor playground on the third floor? What do you think?"

Knox answered despite his chest tightening. "That’s too much."

He tried his best to stop his voice from breaking. He thought Azrael won’t be a great father, but just by judging his eagerness, his doubts vanished.

This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om