It's Your Turn To Cry and Beg, Dear Uncle
Chapter 33: Following His Heart

Chapter 33: Following His Heart

Perhaps the mouth can lie, and the brain can make excuses, but it’s an entirely different story when it comes to the heart. They say the brain holds the most control over our body, but no one ever considers how feelings can strongly and easily influence it.

Perhaps James never thought to name the feeling that had wreaked havoc within him, the feeling that had relentlessly challenged his patience. But his heart was pounding loudly, pumping out words he had failed to piece together.

And just like that, the confession of love slipped out of his mouth without any warning, shocking not only Creighton but also James himself. Both of them froze in their seats, their mouths clamped shut, utterly speechless.

Meanwhile, behind the wall separating the living room from the front kitchen bar, Head Butler Roman was seen standing with both hands covering his mouth. His jaw had dropped as soon as he heard his young master’s declaration, which sounded almost as if the man was enchanted. His voice was ever so gentle and full of love, like a teenager experiencing their first crush.

Roman had never imagined something like this would happen before. As someone who had looked after them since childhood, he had always seen James and Kyra as nothing more than siblings at best, if not uncle and niece.

But now, they were actually in love? What kind of sick joke is this?! It felt like an explosion had gone off in his head, sending waves of dizziness crashing onto him.

Countless worries flooded his mind, but one dominated above all: What will people say?

The mere thought of it made the old butler’s heart ache. All kinds of negative connotations would inevitably spill from people’s mouths—accusations such as grooming, child bride, and even more severe labels like pedophilia or child predatory.

After all, the only thing the world knew was this: James Snyders was the uncle and legal guardian of Kyra Thorne. That was the relationship they had always displayed in the public.

Head Butler Roman massaged his temples. What’s the best way to handle these rumors? he wondered. Even better, how can we prevent such perceptions from forming in the first place? What preparations should I make to change how people view this situation?

Meanwhile, Creighton, who had been frozen in shock, slowly found his voice. With a trembling tone, the old man asked, "Say that again." His frail hand pointed at James. "What did you just say?"

James pressed his lips into a thin line, his heart pounding harder than it ever had before. The moment that taboo word left his mouth, the dark fog clouding his thoughts began to lift. All sense of morality and logic vanished, leaving him with one primal instinct as a man—to claim his woman.

"I love her, Grandpa," James confessed once more, this time with clearer enunciation and a more resolute tone. His gaze held steady, locking directly with his grandfather’s eyes.

Hearing his grandson’s words, Creighton felt as if his heart were being torn apart. Slowly, anger began to rise within him, but he shook his head and forced a laugh.

"Ah, I must’ve misheard. Your grandpa is really old now. It seems I have some problems with my hearing these days. So, bear with me, James" he said, chuckling as he rubbed his head, as if doing so might erase what he thought must have been a hallucination. Yes, Creighton convinced himself he was hallucinating as a result of fatigue.

"There’s no way you said you love your niece," Creighton nodded to himself understandingly. An awkward smile lingered on his aged face, but his eyes told a different story. They reddened, whether from suppressed rage or nervousness.

James clenched his fists as he watched his grandfather dismiss his words like they were mere delusions. His expression hardened with discontent. Opening his mouth again, he spoke louder this time.

"No, Grandpa, you didn’t mishear. I said I love Kyra—not as a senior loves a junior, not as a brother loves a sister, nothing related to a familial feeling. I purely love her as a wom—"

Before James could finish his sentence, Creighton cut him off with a hysterical scream, "STOP!"

He pointed his finger at James once again. His whole body shook violently. "Don’t you dare say another word of that disgusting nonsense! Better yet, I order you to take it back! Say you misspoke!"

"Yes," Creighton nodded, his expression turning grim. "Say you misspoke right now, my grandson, and I will forgive you."

If this had happened before Kyra’s presence had overtaken his sanity and before they had crossed any boundaries, James might have obeyed his grandfather without question. But similar to a drug, it doesn’t let go once you’ve tasted it. That heavenly feeling lingers in your memory, haunting you even in your subconscious.

And that’s how love tastes.

Even when deemed sinful, it remains alluring and intoxicating. A heart stained with the colors of love refuses to yield to any authority other than its painter. James’s eyes darkened, and his brows drew together in defiance.

"No," James declared. "I did not misspeak."

"You—!!" Creighton rose from his seat, his voice booming like thunder. His glare bore into James as though he wanted to devour him alive. His hands itched, yearning to strike the foolish boy in front of him.

"Do you realize what you just said? Where would we put our faces should anyone else hear of this?!" Creighton barked, his fury reaching its peak. His head began to ache from the sheer intensity of his emotions. Exhausted, he threw himself back onto the sofa.

But unlike the hysterical Creighton, James remained calm. His face was expressionless, devoid of any hint of emotion. The angrier Creighton became, the calmer James felt. The anxiety and confusion that had previously consumed him, leaving his thoughts in a tangled mess, had vanished completely.

There was no longer a war within him, he was purely following his instincts. In the end, succumbing to desire and selfishness was far easier than walking the righteous path.

"Of course, I’m fully aware, Grandpa," James replied in an almost casual tone, as if discussing the weather. He leaned back on the sofa, crossing his legs, looking completely at ease.

"I understand what concerns you, Grandpa. But in the end, Kyra and I are not related by blood."

The same reasoning Kyra had once used on him now slipped from his own lips. Back then, he had considered the bigger picture, which made his mindset constantly clash with Kyra’s. They had failed to understand one another.

But now, he cared only about his own feelings, and this made it easy for him to understand Kyra’s way of thinking. Arguments that once sounded absurd now seemed perfectly reasonable.