CHAPTER 70: WHEN THE GENTLE TURN FIERCE

The grandmother looked between the three of them, confusion creasing her brow as the tension in the room thickened. "Wait a minute..." she said slowly, her eyes moving from one face to another.

"Do you all know each other?"

Silence filled the air.

Then Adrian muttered, pointing toward Ash, "He’s the one I was telling you about."

Her eyes widened as she turned sharply toward Ash. "What? So all this time, the one making my sweet boy cry is you, Bunny?"

Ash blinked, utterly confused. "Wait-what?"

Before he could say another word, she slipped off one of her sandals and pointed at Ash while glancing at Adrian. "Didn’t I just promise you I’d chase him with my slipper until he confessed his sins?"

Ash’s eyes went wide. "Grandma, what, why are you...?

But before he could finish, she swung the slipper. Ash yelped and darted behind Lucien. "Grandma! Why do you want to beat me? I don’t even know what’s going on!"

"Come out, you troublemaker!" she scolded, swinging again as Lucien quickly stepped forward, shielding Ash with his body.

"Lucien, save me!" Ash cried, crouching lower behind him.

The slipper hit Lucien’s arm with a dull thwack. "Ow-Grandma, please!" he protested, blocking her hand.

"Stop! You’re hurting my fiance!" Ash blurted out without thinking.

The grandmother stopped mid-swing, her arm still raised. Slowly, she blinked and lowered the slipper, her expression softening as her gaze moved from Ash and Lucien, then to Adrian, whose eyes were cast downward.

A deep sigh escaped her lips. "I see..." she murmured, her tone quieter now. "Seems there’s a whole storm of truth waiting to be told in this house."

They all sat down in the living room, the air heavy and silent. Ash looked at his grandmother, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Grandma," he asked quietly, "how do you know each other?"

She smiled faintly, her gaze drifting between Adrian and Ash. "He’s the kind Alpha I told you about," she said, gently resting her hand on Adrian’s shoulder. "The one who saved you when you were little."

Ash froze. His breath caught as confusion clouded his face. Adrian? His mind raced. But that day during the village project, Grandma pointed me to Lucien, the one with the basket of bananas. Did she forget?

He frowned slightly, then asked, "Grandma, the day of the village project, between Lucien and Adrian, who did you give the basket of bananas to?"

The old woman blinked, her brows lifting. "Why, of course I gave it to him," she said, motioning toward Adrian.

Ash’s throat tightened. He stared at Adrian for a long moment before whispering, "The coat you wrapped me in that day...five years ago, to keep me warm, what color was it?"

A hush fell over the room.

Adrian met his gaze and answered softly, "Purple, with white stripes."

Ash’s eyes widened as tears brimmed and rolled down his cheeks. "Thank you," he breathed, voice trembling.

Adrian’s chest tightened at the sight. He shifted slightly, ready to move toward Ash, but stopped when the grandmother cleared her throat loudly.

Lucien, who had been silent until then, looked at Adrian. "That coat...I gave it to you after your final high school exams, right?"

Adrian nodded. "Mmh."

The grandmother, stiff watching them carefully, called to the servant, her tone calm but firm.

"Bring me some papaya juice," she said.

The servant bowed quickly and hurried off.

Moments later, as Adrian continued speaking, the servant returned carrying glasses of juice on a tray. She handed them out before quietly stepping back.

Adrian’s voice remained low and steady as he spoke, each word weighed with emotion. The grandmother listened intently, her eyes widening slightly as his story unfolded.

But then, in the middle of his explanation, Lucien’s face shifted-his brows drew together, his hand pressing lightly against his stomach. He placed the glass back on the table, swallowing hard.

Ash followed a moment later, covering his mouth. His face went pale. "Excuse me..." he murmured, bolting out of the room.

Adrian stopped mid-sentence, concern flooding his face. The grandmother looked between the two, frowning in confusion. "Isn’t it good?" she asked innocently. "I made it myself."

Lucien took a deep breath, his voice unsteady but soft. "It’s good...it’s just that...my heart feels uneasy."

The grandmother’s eyes narrowed slightly, then widened in sudden realization. "Wait...are you pregnant?"

Lucien hesitated, then gave a small nod.

Her gaze darted toward the door, then back to Lucien. "And Bunny too?"

Lucien nodded.

Just then, Ash returned, walking slowly back inside, his steps hesitant. The grandmother turned toward him with a faint smile. "Now then, Bunny," she said gently, "why don’t you tell me this interesting part yourself?"

Ash’s heart raced. He could feel the truth pressing against his chest. There was no hiding anymore, not from her. So he told her everything.

When he finished, silence hung thick in the air.

Adrian’s breath came unevenly, his voice trembling. "So...they’re my babies..."

The realization hit him hard, along with the guilt. Memories flashed before him: how he’d misjudged Lucien, shoved him in anger, nearly risking the child’s life; how he’d spat cruel words at Ash without knowing the truth.

He dropped to his knees, tears stinging his eyes.

"Princess...Puppy...forgive me," he whispered hoarsely.

The room went quiet. Ash and Lucien froze unsure how to react.

Sensing the heavy air, the grandmother clapped her hands lightly and said with a small chuckle while raising Adrian up, "Did you just call Bunny a puppy? Look at those front teeth, he’s clearly a bunny!"

Adrian blinked, then gave a faint smile despite the tears. "Maybe...but his eyes," he said softly, looking at Ash, "those belong to a puppy."

Lucien laughed quietly, unable to hold it in. Ash blushed, looking away, his cheeks a deep pink.

"I’m hungry," he muttered under his breath.

Moments later, the servant returned with plates of food-steaming ugali, stew, and greens. She set them down before Ash and Lucien, who didn’t waste a second.

They began eating eagerly, almost too fast. Ash scooped ugali with both hands, while Lucien leaned closer to the stew as if afraid someone might take it away.

Adrian’s eyes widened. "Are you two...always this hungry?" he asked, half in surprise, half in amusement.

Before either of them could answer, the grandmother gave a knowing chuckle. "Let them be," she said, waving her hand dismissively.

"They’re not eating for one anymore, they’re eating for two."

Adrian blinked, realization dawning on him. Then he smiled faintly, watching them with softened eyes, his chest tightening with a mix of guilt and affection.

The grandmother leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "A full stomach heals more hearts than medicine ever could," she said wisely, her tone warm.

After finishing their meal, Ash and Lucien began to rise, ready to leave, but the grandmother lifted her hand quickly.

"Ah-ah, where do you think you’re going?" she said, giving them that familiar sharp-but-loving look. "It’s getting late. You’ll both sleep here tonight and go back tomorrow."

Her tone left no room for argument, and with her warmth filing the air, neither Ash nor Lucien protested.

A little later, in the sitting room, the grandmother brought out a basket filled with needles, soft cloth, and colorful thread. "Come," she said cheerfully, patting the couch. "It’s time you learn how to sew baby clothes."

Ash leaned forward eagerly, curiosity shining in his eyes. "Really? You’ll teach us?"

"Of course," she replied with a smile.

Within minutes, Ash was catching on quickly, stitching with careful focus. His lips pressed together as his fingers worked through the fabric neatly.

Lucien, on the other hand, hesitated mid-stitch, his movements clumsy. His ears turned red in embarrassment as the thread tangled again.

The grandmother gave him a teasing look. "Eeh, my Alpha," she said lightly, "put your dominance aside and use your hands properly. Even lions can learn to sew when they have cubs on the way."

Ash let out a quiet laugh, while Lucien rubbed the back of his neck, smiling faintly. "Yes, Grandma," he murmured, trying again.

From the doorway, Adrian stood watching them, the soft laughter and warm lamplight filling the room. His lips curved into a small, bittersweet smile.

After a moment, he turned quietly and made his way outside the cowshed, joining the cowboy in milking the cows for tonight’s milk tea.

As Adrian was milking the cow, a scream tore through the quiet night.

"Master Ash! Stop, you’ll kill him!"

He dropped the pail, milk splattering on the floor. He and the cowboy ran toward the courtyard.

Ash was on top of Aster, fists flying in a blur. Each strike landed with raw fury. Aster lay motionless, his face bloodied.

"How dare you tell my friend to abort! Did you really think I wouldn’t guess it was you? Even if he didn’t tell me, I know your character too well," Ash’s voice broke with rage. "I regret ever calling you my uncle!"

Nearby, the grandmother and Lucien stood still, watching in silence.

"Ash," the grandmother said sharply, her tone cutting the air. "Enough. You’re exhausting your condition."

Ash stopped, chest heaving, blood dripping from his knuckles.

Then, the air shifted.

A pulse of power rolled through the courtyard-silent but heavy. The grandmother’s eyes gleamed faintly gold, her scent thickening like thunder before rain. Aster rose off the ground, clawing at his throat, suspended in the air by an unseen force.

Her voice was cold and steady.

"You dared to harm my unborn grandchild."

The pressure deepened. Adrian and Lucien gasped, their Alpha instincts reacting before their minds could. Both dropped to one knee, trembling, unable to resist the weight of her presence.

The servants froze, eyes wide.

Ash stepped back beside them, calm and unmoved.

Lucien turned his head slightly, voice quivering.

"W-What kind of ABO is your grandmother?"

Ash’s lips curved faintly, eyes unreadable. "She’s my kind," he said softly. "Just worse when she’s angry."