And why had she choked?
Es’s lips pressed into a thin line at the mory. Because these so-called responsible adults had been huddled in the corner like cartoon villains, loudly plotting how to lace their grandfather’s tea with a laxative.
"It’s just a harmless prank," Jay had insisted with a mischievous grin.
"Yeah, he’ll never notice," Ryan had added, nodding sagely.
"It’ll be hilarious," the youngest chid in, barely holding back his laughter.
Naturally, they’d decided she was the perfect candidate to deliver the tampered tea.
And she had done it. Oh, she’d done it, alright. With a polite smile plastered on her face and a teacup in hand, she’d carried out their ridiculous sche. But their grandfather wasn’t a fool. One sip in, and his piercing gaze had landed squarely on her, his sharp eyes practically cutting through her soul.
Es shivered at the mory. If looks could kill, she would’ve been six feet under. She sighed and shook her head. Wasn’t there another saying? Let your lover forget you, but never let your enemy forget you.
Well, their grandfather definitely wouldn’t forget her anyti soon.
As Ryan continued fussing over her like a helicopter parent, Jay muttering under his breath about the ruined dress, and the others bickering in the background, Es felt a familiar tug of exhaustion. These brothers would be the death of her—if their pranks didn’t kill her first.
Next ti, she thought wryly, I’m putting laxatives in their tea.
Jay looked at Es with a pout, his lips trembling slightly. "What now? Even you’re blaming ?"
Es couldn’t help but let out a helpless smile. This little prince of hers was both adorably innocent and mischievous. She knew the source of his anger wasn’t about the money or the dress he claid to care about. Ever since the office incident that left her poisoned, Jay had grown increasingly haughty and defensive in public. But she understood the truth—behind his sharp words and bold deanor, he was scared and worried for her. His eyes always betrayed what his mouth tried to conceal.
"No, no, my lord. Of course, it’s my fault," she replied in a resigned yet playful tone. Closing the gap between them, she pulled Jay into a warm hug.
Jay froze, his wide eyes staring at her in disbelief as his cheeks turned a deep shade of red. "O-okay... okay, stop acting!" he stamred, attempting to sound annoyed, but his trembling voice gave him away.
Es felt him awkwardly pat her back, but soon his small body relaxed, and tears silently began to roll down his cheeks. He clung to her tightly, burying his face against her shoulder.
The others in the room exchanged glances, sighing softly at the scene. Jay’s vulnerability was rare, but when it surfaced, it was undeniably touching.
After a while, Es retreated to the bathroom, leaving the brothers to themselves. She erged monts later wrapped in a bathrobe, her damp hair cascading down her shoulders. She opened the wardrobe casually while speaking to them, her tone calm and unbothered.
"Have you all eaten yet?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.
The brothers nodded in unison.
"And what about the hologram? Have you projected it in place?" she questioned further.
Again, they nodded, their expressions serious.
Es sighed softly. Ever since the elders had visited, she knew they wouldn’t easily accept the news that Ray had beco vegetative. Suspicious as they were, she expected them to make a move, and they had. This morning, they planted caras in Ray’s room, keeping him under constant surveillance.
But Es couldn’t let Ray endure such tornt. Staying motionless for days was excruciating and damaging, especially now that Ray was pregnant. The risk and pain were far too great. Using her team B, she’d instructed them to create a state-of-the-art hologram machine.
The result was impeccable. The hologram was so lifelike that unless soone physically touched it, they’d never suspect it wasn’t real. Even under scrutiny, it could fool the sharpest eyes. Thanks to this, whether Ray was in the room or not, anyone spying on him would only see what they were ant to—a motionless figure lying in bed, exactly as the elders expected.
Es’s casual tone belied the imnse care and precision she had put into protecting Ray. Her husbands, knowing her reasons, didn’t question her further. Instead, they silently admired the lengths she would go to ensure Ray’s safety and comfort.
Es pulled out a crisp, pure white cotton shirt from the wardrobe, inspecting it briefly before setting it aside. She then reached for the tie of her bathrobe, unfastening it with ease as she began to slip it off.
Before she could continue, Kai’s voice rang out in a low but sharp tone, laced with disbelief. "What are you doing?"
His sudden outburst startled the room into silence. The other brothers turned toward him, their faces a mix of surprise and curiosity. Kai’s ears turned a faint shade of red as he averted his gaze, trying to look anywhere but at Es.
Es froze mid-motion, blinking at him with mild confusion before her lips curled into an amused smile. "What does it look like I’m doing?" she asked, her tone teasing yet calm.
Kai stamred, struggling to form a coherent response. "Y-you... at least warn us first! We’re still here!" His voice dropped lower, a mix of embarrassnt and frustration.
Es’s soft chuckle filled the room, light yet brimming with mischief. She leaned casually against the wardrobe, her bathrobe loosely tied, its fabric teasingly draped over her figure. Her playful gaze locked on Kai, who seed to grow more flustered by the second. "Relax, Kai," she said, her tone dripping with teasing amusent. "It’s just a bathrobe. Not like I’m parading around naked or anything."
The brothers, initially stunned into silence, exchanged glances. A ripple of amusent passed between them, smirks beginning to tug at their lips as they watched the growing spectacle. Es tilted her head, a sly grin forming as she studied Kai’s bright red face and fumbling movents.
Reviews
All reviews (0)