Broken Bond: Between Vices and Virtues (BL)
Chapter 193: Ashler’s treasured photograph

Chapter 193: Ashler’s treasured photograph

Edna’s smile faltered slightly. She looked away and went to the kitchen, taking out a box of juice from the fridge and offering it to Knox as she answered, "Oh, Ragel’s not here today." Her voice was laced with hesitation. "He had to go into the big city."

Knox’s curiosity was piqued. Ragel did mention that he was a student studying in a city, but it wasn’t the ’big city’ Edna spoke of. The rural residents often called the capital city of the country the ’big city’.

But Knox recalled that Ragel was enrolled in a city in the same region. Thus, he couldn’t stop himself from asking as he pulled a chair on the dining table and accepted the glass of juice Edna gave to him. "Why did he suddenly go there? Oh, he’s in his last year of college! Is he looking for an internship?"

Edna’s fingers fidgeted with the hem of her clothes; her expression troubled. Knox’s initial concern came back, He asked the old woman if something happened to the kid, but Edna evaded his question.

He sighed and reached for the old woman’s hands. It was fortunate the kids were asleep, so he could focus on their conversation and give comfort to the obviously troubled old woman. "Nana...if it’s something I can help with, you can tell me."

The omega’s voice was full of warmth and understanding that Edna broke into tears. Knox was a bit astonished. He quickly rose from his seat and went over to the old woman. "What’s wrong, Nana? What’s making you cry? Is it that hard to tell? Then, please don’t be pressured! I won’t ask anymore! Please, don’t cry."

It was utterly heartbreaking to see an old, effete woman burst out into tears suddenly. Knox almost had a heart attack. He rubbed Edna’s back continuously and guided her to sit. He then pushed the glass of juice he hadn’t drunk on yet to her.

Edna waved her wrinkled hands, trying to tell Knox that she was fine. She wiped his face with her palms and spoke, "It’s...well, it’s something personal. I’m not sure if I should tell you, Sir Knox..."

"Then, don’t force yourself," Knox replied quickly, feeling guilty for probing. "I’m just worried if everything’s alright. If it’s something you can’t tell me, I understand. You don’t have to, just please don’t cry."

Edna sighed, her teary gaze dropping to her lap. "It’s something personal, Sir Knox. But I also felt like bursting if I keep it all to myself. I don’t really have anyone to share this burden. So, if you don’t mind, will please you listen to this old woman’s woes?"

"Of course, Nana Edna, you can count on me," Knox gently responded.

He sat back on his chair and waited for the old woman to start sharing her distressing matters.

Edna cleared her throat and looked at the colored glass as though reminiscing a forbidden memory on the moistened surface of it. "Ragel...my grandson, found out his father is still alive. He went to the city to find him."

The revelation struck Knox like a bolt from out of the blue. He’d known Ragel’s family situation – something he found out when he tried to adopt Aresh, but he hadn’t realized that it could be possible.

It happened to me, so it’s not really that impossible, but I thought...his father was already...dead, that’s why Nana Edna was the one who took care of him. Knox pondered.

He composed himself and asked, "Nana...if his father is still alive all this time, then why did he not come and take Ragel?"

Edna slowly shook her head. "I don’t know about that, Sir Knox. All I know was...Ashler came back to this place after living in the city for a decade. I’m just his distant relative, so I wasn’t close with him back then. He used to dream big and always was ambitious. He’s a dominant omega that every alpha will surely fall in love with. He was such a beautiful man, kind and upright, but also competent and brave. He went to the big city to follow his dreams of becoming an actor, but he suddenly didn’t go home for a decade. The last thing I heard about him back then, he met a rich and powerful man and married him. After that...a decade later, he went back here, ill and devastated, also pregnant with Ragel."

Knox was rendered speechless after hearing that story. From that alone, he could tell that something happened in his marriage. But then, he suddenly paused after recalling the name Edna mentioned.

Ashler. It was the same name Azrael filled in on their marriage license. That part was optional, as they were already adults and didn’t need the consent of their parents, but Azrael filled it out perfectly, looking sorrowful as he did, while the other spot for his other parent was left blank.

Knox swallowed hard. Something indescribable was making his heart pound. He looked at Edna with suspecting eyes, asking carefully, "Did...did you know the name of...Ragel’s other parent?"

Edna glanced at him, her clouded eyes, indicating her already poor vision, shook. "I heard it before...but now, I don’t know if it was him. When Ashler came back here, he had nothing with him, not even a bag of clothes, just the one he wore, cold and covered in snow. However, there was something he kept in his pocket and held onto it dearly, not letting it be damaged by the cold."

Edna slowly stood. "Wait here, Sir Knox. I’ll go and get it. It’s something I kept from Ragel since it was useless to him anyway."

Useless? If there was a picture left, shouldn’t it be more helpful for him to find his other parent? Knox thought as he watched Edna go to her room.

Knox felt unease. He followed the old woman instead. Edna looked back at him and wondered, so he explained, "I feel uneasy letting you go alone. Why is it that you look older and weaker the last time we met? It was only more than a month ago."

"More than two months, Sir Knox...and old people grow so weak faster than the young ones. My time must be nearing its end," Edna corrected him.

Knox frowned, "Don’t speak like that, Nana."

They reached her room, and Knox opened the door for her. Edna’s room smelled of herbal oils and incense, coming from the bottles above her bedside table.

Edna slowly reached into her drawer and pulled out a worn, yellowing photograph. She handed it to Knox with trembling hands. "This was left to me by Ragel’s father."

The photograph was ripped from the upper right corner to almost the center part of the left side. Three figures stood in formal attire – two adults, and one kid. Knox’s hand trembled as he gazed upon the only face visible in the picture.

The faces of the two adults were ripped, the taller and larger one was completely ripped, while the smaller figure, half of it was missing, leaving only a jagged edge where his face had been. However, the young kid seated on a throne-like chair before the two adults was still very recognizable.

The boy, with a familiar face, was unmistakably Azrael. Knox’s heart raced as he studied the photo. It was like seeing his son, Knoa, inside.

Edna’s voice echoed in the room again, "Ashler treasured that photograph, but the more he became ill, both mind and body, he started to resent it, thus it became like that. I didn’t give it to Ragel. What would he think if he found out that he had an older brother that was probably taken care of by his other parent, while he was abandoned and forgotten?"

She sat on the bed slowly, looking exhausted yet a bit relieved. Knox was still staring at the photo, trying to make sense of everything. He couldn’t be mistaken; it was Azrael indeed, even if the kid was smiling widely.

He gave Edna a pleading look and asked, "Nana Edna...can I keep this?"

Edna was surprised by her request. She looked baffled and reluctant. "That’s the only thing I have left of my nephew..."

She mumbled hesitantly. Knox understood her, but it felt like without that picture, he didn’t know how to explain it to Azrael. He remembered Rian telling him that Azrael’s birth mother was a dominant male omega, but aside from that, Azrael didn’t really speak of him the entire time they were together.

If Knox hadn’t seen his name on the papers, he wouldn’t have known his name. He could tell that it was something Azrael did not want to share or talk about casually, so he waited patiently. But to think, I’d found out this way...how am I...going to tell him?

Edan witnessed the omega’s conflicted expression. She asked, "Why? Why do you want to take it with you?"

Knox was about to answer when the door was knocked. He went and opened it, only to be greeted by one of the bodyguards who took the kids to bed. "Sir Knox, young master Knoa was looking for you."

"I’ll be right—

"Papa! There you are!"

Knoa’s small and lively voice reached their ears. He ran to him and hugged his knees, then he peeked at Edna who was seated on the bed, watching them intently.

"Grandma Edna! Long time, no see!" Knoa greeted merrily. Aresh was following behind him, rubbing his eyes. They both greeted the old caretaker with childish smiles, but Edna’s complexion turned paler as her eyes showed realization – eyes directed and fixated on Knoa’s bright smiling face, just like the kid in the old photo.

Edna gasped. Her hands shot up to her face, covering her mouth as she muttered, "My god..."