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Laying in the bed depressed. Ian puts his arms over his eyes. It had been a week since he left. He tried not to let things affect him but after the news came out that Mo Hanlu and Veronica Chime were rumored to wed three days ago, Ian had been feeling weak to the point that it was almost difficult for him to stand.
He didn't necessarily feel pain physically, it's more like his soul was slowly breaking and turning weak. He would constantly take a nap but no matter how he rested he still felt tired and depressed. He knew it was because his body had finally accepted that he was trying to sever the bond he had formed towards Mo Hanlu that he was feeling like this.
Thankfully nothing severe happened to him so far with the help of Henry as his doctor. He constantly monitors his condition and gives him supplements to stabilize his body. His nutrition was also constantly being monitored so his body would take the impact of severing a bond.
If it was not because of Henry, honestly Ian wouldn't know what to do. He didn't expect he would feel this way when he thought of severing the bond. Additionally, he was also so nice to him and treated him well.
"How's your body?" Speaking of the devil, Henry walks inside his room with a trolley that Ian believed was his lunch. He didn't feel like eating but he was so sure the Alpha would force him to eat if he didn't.
"Okay, how's Lan?" Ian asked back. He worries that his son would feel sad now that it has been days since they haven't seen each other because he had fallen sick.
"Young Master Lan is fine, he asked me earlier if he could come see you but I told him I needed to ask you if it's okay. He missed you and worried about you, Ian. You've been isolating yourself here. It would make you feel better if you talk to your son." Henry suggested as he opened the lid covering the food he brought for Ian.
Ian listened to Henry but he didn't say anything.
It's not that he didn't miss his son, it's just that the kid had always seen him as someone strong. He was both Lan's mother and father, Ian believed the little man would only feel more worried if he saw his pathetic condition. He knew his son was smart and it would definitely not take long until he realized what was happening.
"Here. You need to eat all of this or I will be forcing you to eat it. Believe me, you won't like it when I force you." He said and placed the bed tray just above Ian's lower torso. Ian didn't respond again and briefly glanced at the food before he slowly lifted his arm and picked the spoon.
When Henry saw Ian was being obedient, he smiled and sat at the edge of the bed just beside him. "Young Master Lan had really been a good kid. He listens to what he is told to and only complains when he thinks he's right. He's also been consistently performing very well with his lessons knowing that you would be happy to know if he tops his subject. I think he deserves to have a little reward. Don't you think so?" Henry cooed, he softly caressed Ian's cheeks and smiled when the Omega glanced at him.
"Y-You think my Lan would forgive for not seeing him for days?" Ian hesitantly asked, he had not seen Lan for three days after he learned Veronica and Hanlu had gotten engaged. Since then he had fallen in and out of common flu and his body seemed like it didn't have the slightest bit of energy left.
"Silly. Of course, he would. He knew you were sick and I carefully explained to him the situation. He's really smart and quickly understood. Come on, eat your lunch and after I'll call in Young Master Lan then you two can talk or play here for the rest of the day." Henry cheered which Ian replied with a little smile and nod on the head feeling assured.
He was really glad that at a time where he was so low, he still had someone who was still cheering for him. "Thank you. You're a really great friend." Ian said with a tender smile on his lips. Henry stared at Ian for a second and then his chuckles erupted in the room before he clutched his chest dramatically.
"Ouch. I haven't started and now I'm being friend-zoned." Henry playfully stated with his charming smile. Ian just rolled his eyes and laughed, he then started eating his meal and all those times Henry was beside him making sure he was really eating the amount he needed for nutrition.
After his meal, Ian was given his daily supplement before Henry helped him up from his bed and put a thick jacket over his shoulder.
"Actually, I already told Young Master Lan to wait at the garden, he's playing there right now," Henry revealed and Ian just nodded okay. Shortly after they started trailing the way to the garden and as soon as Lan saw Ian walking out of the white house, a bright smile flashed on his lips as he ran towards his mother's arms.
"Mommy! Mommy! Lan had been very good so mommy gets better. Is mommy better now? Is mommy not sick anymore?" Lan asked, hugging Ian's torso, he snuggled his face against his mother's body, preventing himself from crying.
Seeing this broke Ian's heart. He kneeled down and hugged Lan tight. "I'm sorry, baby. Mommy was weak. I promise from now on mommy will be strong, okay?" Ian promised. Lan nodded okay kissing his mother's cheeks.
"I heard from your uncle Henry that you always got perfect scores in your tests. Is that true?"
"Yes. Yes. Lan wanna make mommy happy and get better." Lan replied proudly. Even as a little kid, he inherited his hardworking personality from Ian. As long as he sets his mind into something he wanted, almost no one would be able to stop him from doing it. Added the fact that he was initially a smart kid, Lan had always been at the top of his class.
"Hmmm, mommy is very happy and because you did well, I feel so much better now. Mommy can even play with you now." Ian said, caressing Lan's little face, he rubbed his thumbs on his chubby cheeks and when Lan smiled happily; a sharp stab-like feeling penetrated Ian's heart remembering Mo Hanlu having the exact same expression Lan had.
Ian froze a bit but he quickly recovered and hugged Lan again.
"So what do you want to play?"
"Lan is building a sandcastle with bumblebee. Uncle made Lan a sandbox because Lan got five stars from teacher Alicia." Lan explained and pointed at the sandbox where Lan had his toys laying around including the bumblebee toy robot Hanlu had bought him before and a few more from his grandfather Chen.
Ian then looked at Henry with a surprised expression. "You made that?" He asked the Alpha and Henry smiled with a proud nod.
"More or less. I hired someone to dig out half a meter box on the ground. I did the brace and asked someone to fill it with the finest sand." Henry replied proudly, it was his first time building something in his life. Even though he didn't grow up poor, he was also not rich. His family, for generations only worked for the Mos but his job description didn't include carpentry.
"Thought so, it's so lousily made. Even I can make something better." Ian shakes his head in mockery looking at how simple the wood brace was. Ian inspects the work and he clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"That's not gonna last long. You literally just nailed it to each other. Lan will only be playing in this sandbox for a week and it will all come undone." Ian mocked again and Henry only had his face turn slightly red in embarrassment, he was speechless at Ian's words. This was the first time someone had mocked his work even if it's badly made. He was about to refute but his words were caught on his throat after Ian's next words.
"Seriously, it's poorly made. It's so easy to know this was your first time." Ian added before he faced Henry again. "But even so, Thank you, Henry. For making something like this for Lan. You didn't need to but you did just to make him happy. You're really a nice guy."
"If you were gonna thank me, you should have just said that from the beginning. No need to say unnecessary things. This was literally my first time, I was so sure I followed the instructions. I'm actually very proud of this." Henry laughs.
"Well, it's not really bad for a first-timer. You did great but there is so much room for improvement. And clearly you're following the amateur level instructions." Ian complimented and mocked again and this time with a smile. Henry was speechless again but he let it slide and sigh helplessly.
"Baby, did you already say thank you to uncle Henry?"
"Yup, Lan made lemonade for uncle. hehe," Lan replied which Henry nodded as a confirmation.
"Very good. My baby has been very good."
"hehe, come on mommy. Lan will teach you how to build sandcastles. Uncle can play with us too." Lan pulled Ian to the sandbox and when they arrived, the little kid also called Henry to play with them. Ian's earlier depression suddenly disappeared, Henry was right. He really did feel better around his son.
Looking at Henry gratefully, Ian slightly leaned forward to whisper. "Thank you." Henry was suddenly caught off guard with such genuine words. He crossed one of his arms over his chest and flashed his most charming smile. "It's my honor," he said like a gentleman making Ian giggle at the funny Alpha.
Meanwhile, at the same time as this was happening. At the massive mansion, a man who had been desperately looking for Ian day and night for a week glared towards the seemingly happy couple and their son playing in the garden. At last, after finally finding them this was the first scene he had to see.
The air around the room turned frigid and despite the lack of air-conditioning, it had somehow become cold. The real estate agent who was carefully showing Mo Hanlu around felt the terrifying aura, she was just showing Mo Hanlu the master's bedroom on the third floor of the mansion when the man suddenly stopped and stared outside of the window.
"Uhmm, s-sir? I-Is everything okay?" The real estate agent hesitated but she asked anyway. Hanlu didn't reply to her instantly and continued to glare towards the happy images outside but after a good one minute, he finally uttered something.
"I'll take it." Hanlu simply said and continued to shoot daggers at whatever was outside the window.
"S-Sir? Y-You'll take it?" She asked, surprised. Not because Mo Hanlu could afford the 175 million dollars fully furnished smart mansion but because it was her first time securing a property this big. Plus she had not properly showed the whole house to Mo Hanlu, yet the Alpha already said he was going to buy it?!
"Yes, I'll stay here starting today. Leave the contract here and I'll sign it immediately." Hanlu replied, not even bothering to look at her. The real estate agent had her mouth open but she tried her best not to act unprofessionally.
"Y-yes of course." She replied, her throat suddenly felt dry. She clutched on her folder before she clumsily looked for the files she needed. When she found it, she quickly neared Hanlu and handed him the papers and backed away feeling scared at the still being released oppressing aura.
Hanlu took the papers, he briefly scanned it before he shot his dark brown eyes at her.
"Pen."
"Oh, y-yeah. Sorry." She immediately handed him her pen. Hanlu took it and quickly signed the papers.
"My lawyer will come to you tomorrow and discuss the payment and other legal documents." Hanlu briefly said again before his eyes once again darted at what was outside the window.
"If you don't need anything, you can leave now," Hanlu added after the real estate agent awkwardly stood at her spot still looking at the properly signed contract on her hand.
"Y-yes of course. My agency will send people here tomorrow to set everything else in order." She said. Hanlu didn't reply but she took that as a cue that she needed to leave now. She nodded at Mo Hanlu before she left the room with mixed emotions.