Broken Bond: Between Vices and Virtues (BL)
Chapter 35: Back to him

Chapter 35: Back to him

Later that day, Knox was discharged from the hospital. Athan insisted on picking him up with Knoa, but he begged him not to, fearing they might bump into Azrael. He was more afraid for his son than being put in jail.

’Should I ask Athan’s help? He can lend me a lawyer but...that would mean I have to tell him everything,’ Knox thought as he walked on the street with unhurried steps. He felt extremely tired just by that brief conversation he had with that alpha.

His phone rang. He looked down and saw an unregistered number, but he answered it anyway. He even wondered if it was the same person who called him late at night the other day.

"Good day, Mr. Arden," the caller’s voice was somehow familiar. Knox’s forehead creased as he tried to recall who it belonged. The caller continued, "This is Luis, Mr. Del Valle’s secretary."

Knox stopped in his tracks, staring blankly at the asphalted road to Franz’s café. Luis proceeded, "I’d like to have a meeting with you tomorrow, if possible. Mr. Del Valle decided to file a complaint against you, but I don’t want this to escalate into such troublesome trial proceedings, so I convinced him to think of an alternative on how to charge you for the damages. I’d like to meet to discuss the remedy, Mr. Arden."

Knox was silent. From the other line, Luis waited with a scrunched face because his boss was just sitting next to him, instructing him on what to say as if he was some kindergartener. Azrael even prepared his conditions on a paper and pushed into him.

Luis mouthed, ’He’s not answering, sir.’

Azrael frowned and was even compelled to snatch the phone and talk to Knox instead. Maybe if he threatened him again, he’d falter and answer in panic.

Azrael knew how guarded the omega against him was, so he tried to be patient. Getting him back the bulldozer way will only push him away more. And who cares if he already has a lover? He has a fiancée anyway.

"I’ll...see you tomorrow then," Knox’s voice rang through the phone. Azrael’s lips curved upward. He stood and went back to his desk, leaving Luis on his business.

The call ended after the secretary announced the place and time. Knox sighed and walked down the street again. He realized running away would only wear him out, and besides, he wanted to send Knoa to a childcare center. Having only adults play with him all the time might affect his development, he needs to meet and socialize with children his age.

As he opened the door of the café, a lively voice greeted him without fail, shouting ’Papa!’ always with a big smile on his little face. Knoa’s short limbs would scamper and welcome him with a big hug, asking how his day went.

That overzealous kid would rain him kisses and pat his head, smiling brightly as the sun. Knox would do everything to keep that brightness from fading.

"I rewrite the conditions Mr. Del Valle stated," Luis pushed the paper to Knox. They were sitting inside a café near the HZ building.

After Knox heard the location of their meeting, he realized that Azrael might have already found out about his job and his relation to Athan. He only prayed that he didn’t investigate him any further.

Knox scanned the paper. His forehead creased, and he leaned closer to the table, "He wants me to fulfill the contract again?"

Luis nodded, "Yes, Mr. Arden. He doesn’t want compensation, or...per his words – a sincere apology. You abandoned the contract halfway and received full payment and a car—

"I left the car in his parking lot!" Knox exclaimed defensively. How dare the man mention the car when he only got to use it a few times after receiving it?!

Luis paused for a moment, before nodding in agreement, "Ah, yes. You left it. However, the car is legally under your name, so Mr. Del Valle couldn’t sell it and it has been sitting in his garage for four years."

Knox murmured, "He could have used it..."

"He said he didn’t want to use anything that involves you," Luis responded nonchalantly as though he was already used to his boss’ pettiness. While Knox observed the secretary and wondered why he looked visibly older after only four years.

Luis fixed his glasses and continued, "If you refuse to comply, then we will have no choice but to proceed with filing a complaint to the court, you will have to answer to court summons but as Mr. Del Valle said, he won’t settle with compensation, so you might end up behind bars if he wants, considering who he is, after all."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No, Mr. Arden. I’m telling you what will happen if you poke the devil on the wrong horn," Luis advised. He took his cup of black coffee and sipped, before smiling at Knox with a nostalgic look on his face, "This conversation sounded familiar."

Knox remembered, and jokingly answered, "You’re not going to offer me money now?"

Luis placed the cup down again, "I would have if you were still the way you were before. But money is no longer your weakness now, so the boss can’t use that anymore."

’He’s saying that bull will use my weakness against me if he finds one,’ Knox thought as he stirred his lemonade with the straw.

"Can you give me time to think?" Knox asked.

Luis answered immediately, "No. He wants to hear an answer within today."

"That bastard..."

"I hear nothing, don’t worry."

Knox sighed in frustration. If he’d think it further, the proposition might benefit him as well. Not only will he avoid getting behind bars, but it will also help him with his condition.

He flicked the paper repeatedly while thinking, and then he stopped and asked something he remembered afterward, "Do I have to do what was in the old contract again?"

Luis replied, "Yes."

"But the second clause!" Knox yelled.

Luis understood his point and took out the old contract, "I believe Mr. Del Valle crossed out the second clause and even added that you stay a meter diameter away from him. I also fixed the salary part, since you won’t be receiving anything at all. So, basically, you just need to work as his servant for five months."

"I can’t stay at his house," Knox insisted.

"Hm, can you tell me why?"

Knox avoided Luis’s drilling gaze and answered, "Because of personal reasons that I can’t tell you about."

Luis nodded, and didn’t probe any further, "Then, I’ll inform the boss about your condition. I’ll convince him to agree to that, but I can’t assure you, Mr. Arden."

"I understand. Thank you, sir Luis."

The secretary told him that he’d contact him again for the final agreement. Knox went back to work and was immediately bombarded with questions by Athan. He even set aside the documents he was busy signing when and called for him.

"You’re not going to tell me why that man tied you up?"

Would it have been wiser to tell Athan about his situation and ask for his help? Knox pondered as he listened to Athan’s nagging. ’He also came from an influential and powerful family. Athan will surely give me every support I’ll need, but if two conglomerate families get involved in a court case...’

"Knox Arden!"

Knox jolted awake from his spiraling thoughts and looked at Athan with bewilderment. Athan walked to him and brushed his hair away while looking at him worriedly, "Are you okay?"

Knox faked a smile and nodded, "I’m just tired, I guess..."

Athan sighed and held both of his arms, "Knox, if there’s something wrong, tell me. I’m your older brother. We’re family, right? You seemed exhausted after meeting that man. Did he do something to you, other than tie you?"

Athan’s face changed. Even his grip on Knox’s arms tightened. Knox quickly dismissed the idea and reassured Athan, "I’m fine, really. I should go back to work. It’s only Tuesday and I feel tired already."

"You can take the day off if you want," Athan suggested.

Knox just laughed and waved his hand before going out. He can’t possibly take him up on that. People might say he’s receiving preferential treatment and grow more distant from him. Some employees were already giving him side glances whenever they walked out of the office together, since no one knew that he was actually Athan’s half younger brother.

Shawn’s uncle, the man who approached him at the airport four years ago, was Athan’s father’s assistant.

What he said back then was truly a shock to Knox. He never expected the secrets of his birth to unfold that night. As soon as he landed in another city to hide from Azrael, he was brought to another country to meet his biological father.

Killian Arden, Knox’s father who was a recessive omega, was actually the one who gave birth to him. He was an office worker in one of the subsidiaries of Horizon and caught the chairman’s interest.

And because of his sudden heat, a mistake happened between Killian and his boss, who was a married man. Killian resigned and disappeared after finding out that he was pregnant, and his best friend, a female beta who held feelings for him for a long time, was the only companion who stayed by his side.

They got married to provide a complete family for the newborn child. That was the family Knox grew up with.

He smiled bitterly. Both he and his father seemed to share the same fate. Knox thought to himself as he stood in front of the black iron gates of a huge villa. On the embossed column on the corner of the gates was a nameplate engraved, written on it were the letters D and V with both periods.

He sighed deeply once more, before pressing the doorbell.