Broken Bond: Between Vices and Virtues (BL)
Chapter 211: A name he will never forget

Chapter 211: A name he will never forget

Shawn’s eyes widened in disbelief, his hand hovering in mid-air as he held a glass of water he took for Knox. "You’re... pregnant?" His voice barely made it above a whisper, the shock evident on his face.

Knox nodded slowly; his expression somber but determined. He wiped his face with the towel and accepted the glass of water, giving Shawn a thankful look. "Yes, but you can’t tell anyone. Not yet. I want to tell Azrael myself."

Shawn nodded. "But...does your family know?" His voice was low, cautious, as though he was afraid speaking too loudly would shatter the delicate moment.

Knox shook his head. "Althea knew. I fainted yesterday and the family doctor broke the news to us. Though, the kids had no idea."

Shawn guided Knox back to the lounge carefully. He sighed, thinking how tough things for his friend must have been, and yet there he was, acting selfishly. It’s not like Kayden will wake up if he stays by his side...

"Don’t tell Kayden," Knox narrowed his eyes at Shawn.

Shawn shook his head and smiled sadly. "He still hasn’t woken up...even if I tell him, he won’t hear it."

Knox exhaled deeply, taking Shawn’s hands into his and squeezing them tightly. He knew that Shawn had feelings for the doctor, and so his heart broke for his brother. "I’m sure he will wake up soon. Let’s pray for his recovery."

He took Shawn to the small altar he found in the estates. And together, they prayed for the safety of their beloveds.

The morning after the explosive night that burned everything Rage Del Valle had built, the news of his involvement in a series of crimes blared from every screen across the country.

Headlines flashed on TV, radio, and social media. Even the massive screen in the shopping district aired the news.

"DV Group Chairman Rage Del Valle’s illegal activities had been exposed. A missive investigation of everyone involved is currently underway. The prosecution had already captured everyone proven guilty of their involvement, while the mastermind—Chairman Del Valle—was recovering in J Hospital for the injuries he sustained after trying to erase evidence and a crucial witness to all his crimes—Azrael Del Valle—his son..."

It was the biggest scandal the nation had seen in years.

The prosecution office wasted no time in launching a full-scale investigation into Rage’s operations. Every shady deal, every under-the-table transaction, and every crime he had ever committed was now being scrutinized under the harsh glare of the public eye.

Knox sat at the kitchen table, his hands gripping his phone tightly as he scrolled through the endless stream of updates.

His heart raced as he read about the impending trial. Rage was injured and currently in the hospital, but the moment he recovered, his trial would begin. The authorities were closing in on everyone connected to Rage, and Knox knew it was only a matter of time before they came knocking on their door.

His thoughts drifted to Azrael. How was he handling all of this? Was he safe? Was he okay? The uncertainty gnawed at Knox, and despite the whirlwind of emotions surrounding Rage’s downfall, his mind kept circling back to the one person he couldn’t bear to lose.

However, his questions were soon answered when he read another article.

"Currently, the heir to the Del Valle empire, DV Group Chief of Executives Azrael Del Valle is in critical condition after sustaining life-threatening injuries from the explosion that occurred in..."

After what felt like an eternity, the dreadful news finally registered in Knox’s head. Azrael was in a coma. The weight of those words crushed him, leaving him breathless, disoriented, and desperate.

"I have to go back," Knox pleaded to Althea, his voice trembling with anguish. "Please, let me go back home. Azrael needs me right now..."

Althea looked at Shawn, conflicted. It had been a week. But the news of Azrael’s condition only came to light recently. His father must have been trying to hide it from the public for safety reasons.

Knox grabbed his sister’s hands, as he begged her. "Please, sister...Azrael and I are already bonded...completely. My alpha will need my presence...he will need me to recover quickly. Please...let me go home."

Althea let out a deep sigh before nodding softly. Stressing Knox would be bad for his pregnancy, so she finally agreed. She turned to Shawn and stated, "You go back with Knox, Shawn. And Knox, the kids will be fine here. So, you can leave them here in the meantime. Once everything is settled down, we will go back home. You go and take care of your husband."

Althea cupped his omega brother’s cheeks as she said those last words. She agreed because she didn’t want to regret holding Knox back, as he reminded her of her former husband.

"Papa...you’re leaving us here? Why can’t we go with you? We want to see Daddy too!" Knoa grumbled loudly. He had been so sensitive these past few days and became whiny.

Aresh didn’t say anything. Instead, like the mature one he always was, he walked up to Knox and hugged him. Knox froze. He was packing his things when the two children barged into his room and discovered him.

Knox hugged Aresh back. He didn’t expect that, that simple hug would calm the turmoil inside him. He didn’t want to tell the kids what happened to their father, so he wanted to say goodbye at the last minute.

Knoa frowned. Aresh looked at him as though waiting for him to join them. His frown went deeper, but Aresh, after sighing, pulled Knoa into their embrace. Then, the younger kid cried.

"I’m going back to see your Daddy. He...uh, he needs me to help him with something, so I have to go. I’m not leaving you here, you’re my babies. I can’t live without you. But you have to stay here with Aunt Althea, and then after Daddy and I finish our work, Aunt Althea will take you home," Knox explained tenderly.

He wiped the snot and tears on Knoa’s face and pinched his chubby cheeks afterward. "After that, we will go to the beach or anywhere you want. Do you have anywhere you want to visit?"

"Amusement park!" Aresh shouted. Knoa turned to him, his eyes changed to curiosity and anticipation.

He saw his older brother’s excitement, so he mimicked him. "Amusement park!"

Knox sighed in relief. "Okay, amusement park it is!"

After pacifying the kids, he continued packing, and several hours later, he finally left the estates, leaving Aresh and Knoa in his sister’s care.

As soon as they landed, the two wasted no time and immediately went to the hospital where their lovers were admitted.

Shawn was greeted with bittersweet news of his own. Kayden, who had been comatose, had woken up. But, as fate would have it, he had no memory of who he was, or of the life he had lived before the accident.

Including a certain Shawn Williams in his life.

"I’m sorry, Shawn," Knox said softly, patting Shawn’s back.

He already visited Azrael’s room and bawled out his eyes after seeing his state, but after composing himself, he decided to visit Kayden too, only to see Shawn standing before the door, blankly staring at it.

Shawn gave a weak smile, his eyes full of grief. "At least he’s alive. Even if he doesn’t remember, I’ll be here for him." There was a pause before he turned to Knox, his face tight with emotion. "How about your husband?"

Knox swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head. This time, it was Shawn who stretched out his hand and comforted Knox.

Days passed. Outside the window, the snow began falling. Winter had come, yet Azrael still hadn’t opened his eyes. Every day, someone from the prosecution office checked on him. Azrael’s friends came by often too.

And today, Ragel was present. "I don’t see your kids..."

Knox replied, "They were with my sister in England..."

"I see..."

"How’s Nana Edna?" Knox asked after a moment of silence.

Ragel shrugged his shoulders. "She didn’t want me to come back there. She said that I should take care of my brother instead. But she is fine and still energetic, I guess."

Knox just nodded, sporting a small smile. He sat by Azrael’s bedside, never leaving that spot if it wasn’t necessary. Azrael lay motionless, his face pale, his body still. The steady beeping of the machines was the only indication that he was still alive.

Knox’s hands reached out, gently touching Azrael’s hand as if sharing his warmth with him would wake him up.

The fear that had been gnawing at him since he learned of Azrael’s coma bubbled up to the surface again. It always did every day that passed that his husband showed no sign of waking. What if Azrael never woke up? What if, like Kayden, he lost all his memories? What if he didn’t remember Knox? Or worse, what if he didn’t remember the love they shared?

Ragel’s voice pulled him to his drowning thoughts. "He will wake up, I’m sure of that." He stood from his seat and approached Azrael. "Brother, if you don’t wake up soon, I’m going to take care of my brother-in-law and your kids. I’m going to raise them as my son and make Knox fall for me."

His tone was joking, so Knox just shook his head. He just squeezed his husband’s hand and whispered, "Wake up soon, dear. I have something to tell you...something great."

The silence that followed was unbearable. Every second felt like an eternity. Knox’s eyes blurred with tears again, every day his hope was crushed when Azrael just lay like that, not responding. He was about to pull away when, suddenly, he felt a faint twitch against his hand.

Then, a hoarse voice, barely above a whisper followed, mumbling the name he can never forget, "K...Knox..."