Broken Bond: Between Vices and Virtues (BL)
Chapter 71: Sneaking in to see you

Chapter 71: Sneaking in to see you

Azrael paced back and forth in his room, hand on his forehead and the other pressed on his waist. He would then stop after the events of that afternoon would begin resurfacing in his head. A wide grin would escape from his face, and the hand on his forehead would move to his mouth, covering that goofy grin filled with happiness.

That grin wouldn’t stop with just that, loud and crispy chuckles would then sound from his mouth, and the hand that covered it, would slide back on his eyes, cupping them as his cackles turned to laughter.

Roy, who got dragged by his boss into that place, was following Azrael’s every movement, his pupils moving like a ping-pong ball getting hit in an impressive rally. His eyes would then stop once his boss paused movement, then his stony face would show trepidation seeing his boss change demeanor in a split second. In his eyes, Azrael was some lunatic whose sanity was hanging on a thin thread.

Once the laughter died, Azrael would look anxious again. He talked to himself, "Dammit. The things I said back then," the words he whispered to Athan mocked him, they ran in his head like a malfunctioning cassette tape, repeating the same scene over and over again. He slapped his forehead again and began pacing back and forth. "What if that bastard told him? Nah, that bastard won’t say anything hurtful to his brother...haha, yeah, brother. They’re f*cking siblings! Damn this. I did something horrible, didn’t I, Roy?"

Roy shrugged his shoulders, "You did because you don’t know, sir. You’re not to blame."

The easy alpha nodded his head, "Right. I’m not to blame..." he mumbled, looking at the setting sun through the window. He could see Knox’s image in those transparent glass panes, hurt from the words he spoke, and his chest tightened. He then added, "...I’m not f*cking convinced."

He was glad, ecstatic even, after knowing the truth. He wanted to rush to the chairman and snatch Knox from him, then run to the opposite side and hide Knox, waiting for him to wake up just to ask him directly. So, he would be at ease. So, he could be reassured that what he heard wasn’t just a fragment of his own illusion, of what he wanted it to be. Seeing Athan Horace as the first person to respond and give comfort to Knox’s vulnerability, made him mad that he wished they were related and not in that kind of relationship. That’s the only solace to calm his raging nerves from stepping in and putting Knox in a tight spot.

He needed to think that way to rein his possessive trait.

And behold, the heavens heard his plea. The amount of joy that rushed to him drowned him to the core. He almost leaped and rejoiced in the presence of that crowd.

"I should check on him," Azrael declared. "Did you learn which suite he was in?"

Roy answered, "He was brought in one of the villas in Estrella Street, sir."

Azrael frowned.

All the guests are guided to the Sol Palace, the main hotel building of that famous luxury resort. The average-sized detached villas are lined on the sloping terrain of the place, nearest to the beach. It seemed that the employees of HZ occupied them, but he concluded that Knox would have been staying in one of the luxurious suites in the hotel after that grand identity reveal.

"Which villa?"

"A-12, sir."

He wasted no time and went out. Roy followed him, tailing behind him silently, but was already aware of his orders – whoever approached him and dared to stop his way, will be cut down. A familiar figure came into view. Azrael crumpled his face and ignored the woman who waved at him as though they were close.

Elise Chen’s face brightened upon seeing Azrael approaching. She was in the lobby chatting with some of the models. She bashfully tucked her hair in her ears and waved at Azrael after, but she was ignored instead.

Her hand froze midway. She looked at her co-models with a fake smile, hiding her disappointment and embarrassment, before excusing herself. "Oh, he probably didn’t hear me. I have something to tell him, so, later, guys!"

Azrael was already outside of the building when she finally caught up. She shouted inconsiderately, gathering the attention of some people lounging in the park outside, "Azi!"

However, the man decided to be deaf at that moment and continued walking. Elise pouted. She stomped her way to him, scuttling on the paved pathway. She was about to grab Azrael’s arm when a larger one grabbed hers instead.

"I advised not to touch him recklessly, Miss Elise."

Elise was startled. She wasn’t prepared for that as her only focus was to catch Azrael. She turned her head to Roy and furrowed her brows. "How dare you touch me so easily? Let go."

Her voice was far from the sweet and ladylike she used to talk with others. Though Roy was unbothered by her sharp tone, he still obliged. However, the female omega didn’t learn her lesson and went past him, attempting to follow Azrael again.

Roy, "Miss Elise, wait!"

Azrael looked back, stopped in his tracks, and waited until Elise caught up to him. Misunderstanding his gesture as kind, Elise beamed and quickened her steps.

"Az—

"I don’t think I ever allowed you to call me that way. Not because Diva called me that, you’re free to do so as well. We’re not close enough, so stop acting like we are. And, as one of the major shareholders of Idol Entertainment where you work as a talent, be professional and address me the way others address their boss," Azrael narrowed his eyes at her. There was no regret or sympathy in his eyes at all. He continued, "If you understand that, stop bothering me."

He turned away, but before he could step away, a sob broke behind him. Elise cried, her doe-shaped eyes teared up and her lips pressed tightly. She looked up as she meekly rubbed her eyes, "How could you say that? Have you forgotten? You used to call me and ask me to go out with you!"

Azrael raised his brows. He couldn’t help but think, ’What the hell are you talking about?’

"Did she slam her head that hard that she altered her memories?" he voiced out. Elise paused for a moment and gawked at him. Then, he realized. A wicked grin plastered on his face, "Oh. Did I swap them? What I meant was, what the hell are you talking about?"

Azrael stepped forward. His tall, looming shadow fell on the tall, skinny woman whose face was as thick as a chopping board, "What I remembered was you selling your body to mine. Am I wrong? Honestly, I was tempted, so I agreed. But thinking about it now, I was glad Diva stopped me. Looking at you, you’re certainly not my type."

Elise’s face changed. From looking like a pitiful puppy, she turned into a fierce fox. She bit her lip and desperately asked, "What’s your type then? I can be like that!"

Azrael cackled. His tone was mocking her. He looked down at her with displeasure and replied, "Someone with balls?"

Roy, "..."

Elise, "...what?"

Azrael explained, "Someone who doesn’t act up like a goody-two-shoes, not a two-faced bitch, not someone who speaks sweet words but impales poisonous daggers with their eyes. Most importantly, someone not like you, Ms. Chen."

Elise was too stunned to react. Azrael took that opportunity and left. He was annoyed that he kept getting interrupted. He arrived at the cluster of villas in the lower part of the resort. The entrance to the village-like cottages was stairs made of stones.

Roy spoke behind him, "Sir, it’s not advisable to let your face be seen entering Sir Knox’s villa."

Azrael responded, "I know. But everyone must have gone to dinner already. Look, no one in sight. And if you find one, just make sure they can’t recognize me."

Roy grimaced. How the hell would he do that when his boss wasn’t even wearing anything to cover his face? If he’s implying to poke their eyes out, then it would be easy if they’re on their turf. But as he couldn’t act recklessly in that place, he just took off his own Ray-Ban and poked Azrael on the shoulder, giving the sunglasses to him. "Please, wear this temporarily, sir."

"Oh, good idea."

Azrael wore the glasses and calmly passed the villas. He spotted the sign A-12 after twenty steps up and turning left. From the dimly lit room reflected in the window, he could tell no one was inside besides the patient.

He mumbled to himself, "He fainted. He probably hasn’t woken up yet."

Somehow, he felt guilty. His pheromones thickened out of fury after seeing Knox’s reddened cheek. In addition, the chairman and his son’s pheromones intensified as well after witnessing Knox getting looked down upon and bullied.

For an omega who once suffered from a pheromone condition, Azrael realized the effect of three alpha pheromones on him. He sighed and could only watch the window from his position.

"Do you want to enter, sir?" Roy stole his attention. "I can pick the lock for you."

Azrael hesitated for a moment. After a while, he spoke, "Watch my back. I’ll pick it."

He then opened the wooden gate with the height reaching his waist and carefully stepped on the elevated wooden floor of the front terrace. He successfully unlocked the door. Pushing it lightly, he peeked inside.

From his point, he could see the bed half-covered with a white curtain. The curtain was blown away by the wind from the balcony and revealed Knox’s sleeping face.

Azrael was enchanted. He slowly walked inside, came closer to the bed, and sat gently next to Knox. He brushed Knox’s hair away on his forehead and tucked them on his ear, however, at the touch of his fingertip at the tip of his ear, Knox jolted and his eyes fluttered open.

His hazy, greenish irises shook, as he called out in a whisper, "Knoa..."