Broken Bond: Between Vices and Virtues (BL)
Chapter 260 - 18: Losing hope

Chapter 260: Chapter 18: Losing hope

The next morning, Shawn received a call from his omega father to bring some things to the hospital, so he went back as soon as he woke up. He kept looking at his phone, dejected that Athan never really called, at least, to say that he was departing or had arrived.

Although he received a message from Knox asking how things were on his side, he didn’t mention Athan at all.

Shawn suddenly realized that his head had been filled with Athan from the moment he woke up. His ears turned red upon realizing it. He sighed and tried to focus on something else. Unfortunately, when he arrived at the hospital, he saw his whole family was present there.

"Oh, brother’s here. Great. I have a suggestion."

Shana looked excited. She occupied the space next to their father, almost pushing him out of his own bed, but no one said anything. As the youngest, Shana was spoiled, yet their parents never bothered to discipline her properly.

"What are you going to suggest?" Stephen asked with a scowl. He was peeling orange and barely glanced at Shawn.

Shana smiled widely. She clapped her hands and began, "Since brother Shawn doesn’t want to marry young master Athan, maybe Dad can marry me off to him instead. Dad, is it possible?"

Shawn almost dropped the things he carried. Shana noticed his reaction and smirked, "Why do you look like I’m taking something from you? You never want him from the beginning, anyway. So, isn’t it better if it’s me? Right, Dad? I’m sure that being an alpha doesn’t have an issue since the chairman’s wife is an alpha too! I’m more capable and deserving than Shawn, so I can replace him, right?"

Heidi looked at his husband anxiously, then called out to his daughter. "Shana..."

Stephen just shook his head. He briefly glanced at Shawn who silently placed the bag on the couch. He remembered what happened yesterday, so he felt pity for his little sister who was certainly about to get rejected.

Stuart finally spoke, "Well, I’m not sure about that. Young master Athan seemed closer to your brother than you thought."

Shana pouted. She turned to Shawn. "But I’m sure it was only because they used to be playmates. If there’s someone here more deserving to stand by his side, it should be me. Maybe if you ask the chairman, Dad, he will agree with it. Besides, Shawn will be happy to be free, right, brother?"

Shawn bit his lip. He looked at Shana with disdain. He didn’t care if he got scolded, but he couldn’t just take it. "Young master Athan is not something you can pass over to anyone. Before asking me, ask the young master first if he wants to marry you. We’re not the ones who hold the reins, Shana. We’re just servants."

"Shawn," Stuart’s warning voice echoed in the room.

Shawn flinched. He remembered what the doctor said. He lowered his gaze and apologized for raising his voice, then he quickly excused himself. He walked without a destination in his mind since it was occupied but anxiety.

When he heard what Shana said, he realized that Athan could easily pick someone more deserving of him, and marry that person. The decision lies on his family after all. The chairman was just being generous to his family, allowing one of them to be part of their family registry.

But if Athan was to fall in love... somehow, just thinking about that idea, brought heaviness in Shawn’s heart. He tried to focus on something, but unwillingly, his mind kept coming back to Athan, his previous actions, and what could have been if Athan did the same to someone... not him.

Meanwhile, Athan received an email containing the evidence Shawn gathered. He shook his head in disbelief but felt grateful that Knox had now a lead. After the launch ended and they all went back home, he gave the copies to Knox and was about to head to the hospital, as he promised to Shawn, but his phone rang and his father was calling.

"Dad, what’s the matter?"

He heard a heavy sigh from the other line. Athan felt alarmed. "Your mother came. She was crying after hearing what happened. Can you come home and comfort her?"

Athan paused. His mother wasn’t someone to easily cry before, but maybe old age was getting to her, and she easily gets upset and becomes dramatic over little things. Although Athan knew having her husband’s love child claim legitimacy was probably more stressful to her.

He sighed and replied, "I’ll be there."

He postponed his visit to the hospital and went to comfort his mother. He stayed by her side and listened to her grievances while sometimes protesting when her words were turned against Knox. Athan would earn a glare from her whenever he defended his younger brother, but despite this, he never turned away from his mother’s scoldings and exaggerated reactions.

He had heard the story from her many times, but he couldn’t fully believe that it was entirely Knox’s omega father’s fault. Their father never told them the story, so only their mother’s unbiased narration was known to them.

Steve was as tight-lipped as their father either. He guessed it wasn’t a pleasant memory to recall, so they never brought it up.

However there’s one thing he heard from Steve before, and it was the fact that Knox’s father was his father’s fated mate. That was the only plausible reason, why his father, who never lost his mind toward dominant omegas, chose to abandon his principles and commit adultery with a recessive one.

"Fine. You can go now."

As soon as his mother gave him the signal, Athan headed to the hospital, carrying the present he bought for Shawn.

It’s a snow globe, with a small wooden house inside, in front of snow-covered pine trees, and on the snow-covered front yard was a young boy with platinum hair and big golden eyes, looking up at the sky, watching the snowflakes fall with his palms open beneath his chin.

He was reminded how Shawn particularly likes the winter season. He liked playing in the snow when they were younger.

He arrived not long after. Carrying the snow globe in his pocket, he headed to Stuart’s room, but only Heidi was there, sleeping. It was very late in the night already, yet he wanted to keep his promise of seeing him as soon as he landed, so he still went.

He tried to call him, but the phone was probably on silent. Walking back, he decided to check the sky garden. He was looking forward to seeing Shawn’s reaction to his present, but he was surprised instead, seeing him with the same doctor he bumped into before.

He stood behind, not far from them. His visage was hidden by the shadow of the trees in the garden, but his eyes glowed with undeniable jealousy, directed at the two figures too close to each other.

Hearing the reason for his father’s infidelity, he wished back then that fated mates would just not exist, that it wasn’t real. That there was no way feelings could bloom between two people who did not even know each other.

But what if... Shawn met his? What will he do?

Athan’s grip tightened on the snow globe inside his jacket. He heard it cracked, just like how his heart did when he thought of that possibility. But he could only blame himself for waiting for Shawn to develop feelings for him, without doing anything for years.

Now, it might not happen.