<<Prayers to all those who lost their lives in the ongoing conflict. Peace.>>

Some time passed when Ryu heard some footsteps from outside his room. He knew who was there, his expectations confirmed when he saw the red-haired woman opening the door. The first thing Ryu noticed was her swollen eyes. She didn't have the same charming face that used to enchant him every morning. Rather it seemed like she didn't sleep last night.

Even now when she found him covered in the blanket, her eyes immediately watered. Not saying anything she walked to him, sitting beside him and hugging him so tight that he had trouble breathing. "I am so sorry, little Ryu. I am such a bad mother." 

These were the times when he would realize how much he had come to love these women around him. This was not an empty relation. This affection and tears can't be artificial. "What are you sorry for, silly lady? It was I who got myself in trouble." 

Amelia shook her head forcefully. "It doesn't matter. I should not have been out when you were suffering." Ryu smiled bitterly as her cries grew louder, drenching his fresh clothes under a flood of tears. "This is the second time something like this happened. How can I be so insensitive?" 

"Yeah, and let's suppose you were at home. How exactly would that have helped my case?" Ryu was blunt with his question. He was trying to make her realize that she can't be with him every time misfortune hits. That was futile thinking. Amelia had no answer for that. 

"That's how life is mother. Also, it's not like I was beaten up. In actuality, I was the one who won every fight." Amelia wiped the tears off her face and nodded. "I understand that. Also, mother is not like grandma who can protect you from the bad guys. Yet, that doesn't change the fact that I wasn't there when you were going through all this." 

Ryu realized that she had taken all this too seriously. It was a waste trying to convince her otherwise. Hence, he did the next best thing, change the direction of the conversation. "Okay, okay. Do as you please. So, how did you guys come to know about it?" He can hear some noise downstairs. Probably everyone had come to check on him. 

Amelia recalled the pain in her chest from yesterday, but there was no explanation for such a thing. Thus, she didn't mention that. "You maids, both of them returned home. They sensed through their slave seals that something might be wrong with you. That's when we made our way to Lyla's house but met mother Emily midway. She wanted us not to disturb all of you, hence we came today." 

"Ohh.. and what about you? Did you sleep well last night?" Ryu cupped her face and wiped the excess tears from her cheeks. Amelia knew it was a trick question. Probably her face already gave up the answer, so it wasn't possible to lie her way through. "Yes, don't worry about me. I slept a little. Please tell mother how you feel? Mother Emily informed that it might take you a few days to recuperate."

She was trying to change the topic but Ryu wasn't going to let her. His hands wrapped around her back and pulled her in his embrace. He made her snuggle into his blanket. "She is lying. I am already better now. As I told you, I was the winner from last night's confrontation hehe.." 

Amelia finally smiled his obsession with the apparent 'win'. "I got it, my winner. Now please rest up." She pinched his nose to display her annoyance. "Can't do it. Need something in return." Her face flushed as soon as he mentioned that. "Anyone can come, Ryu, let's do itt.. mhhhh.." She was looking at the door if someone would walk on them. 

That's when Ryu took hold of her chin and pressed his lips upon hers. Their lips tangled with each other and Amelia tried to back off, only to be held in place by the boy. Their hot breath crashed on each other's faces, heating the moment. 

Their eyes met and Amelia was left ashamed. Even when their kiss ended, Ryu held her closely in his arms, such that her face was right next to his. "I want you, mother." "Hehe.. what type of question is that, little Ryu? Don't you already have a mother?" 

She tried to brush off the situation, having some idea where the boy was leading her. His arms around her waist tightened, such that their noses practically rubbed against each other. Amelia's face was extremely red, barely maintaining eye contact. "Don't avoid it, mom. I want ALL of you. I don't want to share you with father. I know you love father, believe me, I love him too. But when it comes to you, I want you all for myself, no sharing." 

The boy had gotten bolder and bolder with every passing day. Before today, he demanded to have her as his wife along with Jeff. Now though, he had grown even more possessive, wanting all of her. There was no answer to his question. She wanted to say no, however, those deep eyes will never let her say that. 

"Ahhh.. please give me time. I will see what I can do." Those two small sentences probably took all of her energy. She felt mentally exhausted. "Thanks. Now you can rest up." He made her lay her head down on his chest. 

After a few minutes, her thoughts returned in order. She pinched the boy hard on his thighs, making him wince in pain. "You brat, you picked this time so I can't even spank you for daring to break me away from my husband. Ohh.. goddes Gaia.. what will happen to my family?" 

Jeff can protect his family from external threats. Nevertheless, what plans did he have to deal with the sinister schemes of his own son? Probably none. Who in their right mind will believe that their most cherished kid will one day try to break the family. Amelia was in a dilemma that she never even imagined. Why can't they just live like the happy family they had always been? Did. She really had to choose between the two most loved persons in her entire life?

Yet, from his sharp eyes from before, she can tell that the boy was not messing around. There was not an iota of doubt in his mind. This matter gave her another headache. "You ungrateful kid. Mother didn't sleep the whole night. Now that I find you in good condition, you threw such difficult life choices on my face, out of nowhere." 

Ryu laughed and pecked her cheek. "Come on, mom. It's a no-brainer at all. You played a good wife to father for all these years. It's your responsibility that now I get the same treatment." Amelia tickled his sides, making him giggle. "Yeah, and what next? Have kids? So that the next brat wants me to be his wife because I played wife to his father?" 

Her words made both of them laugh out loud. "Hehe... I forgot all about that. Think about it, we can have new children altogether. It will be so exciting." The boy's word did entice her a little bit she blocked those thoughts as soon as they developed. Was she going to break up with Jeff? It was unimaginable. She needs to keep delaying this matter. Hopefully, all three of them can one day come to a mutual agreement of some kind. That will be best, otherwise what happiness will she find in the new family, built on the destruction of the previous one?

"No need to think so much about it. You asked for time, so I will give you that. Don't think about it right now, just take a break. You must be tired." Ryu patted her face until she fell asleep in his arms. 

Half an hour passed when the next visitors arrived. Jeff entered with Ruby in tow, finding his wife in the boy's arms fast asleep. He didn't say anything, just sat at the edge of the bed while Ruby made her way into his other arm. "Are you good, kiddo?" 

Ryu let the other redhead rest her head on his chest just like his mother. At Jeff's question, he revealed all of his teeth at once. "Could not have been better!" Scrutinizing the boy for any lies, his father too responded with a smile. "Great. And what's all this fuss about internal injuries?" 

"Don't know. Like I told you, even if there is any, I can't feel them." It was a sensitive topic for Jeff as an internal injury was what trashed his talent and left him mediocre all his life. Though he was well past the point of bitterness, he would like his son to avoid a similar fate like himself. "That's good. Take care then. Both of them didn't sleep all night. Make sure they get proper rest, now that you are good. On my way, I will inform your uncle too." 

Getting up he only patted his head before taking his leave. That left Ryu with a glittering-eyed Ruby, appraising his face. "What are you looking at, sis?" Instead of a reply, he got a deep kiss. There had been too many kisses today, resulting in his swelled-up lips. But there was no escaping these love crazed women. 

"I was worried." Ryu pecked on her forehead, cupping her face. "I know." No exchange of words was required between the two siblings. Ruby was satisfied with a place beside him. "Where is Triss?" That's what they had named the new baby girl. "With grandma." Ryu noticed that she didn't want to talk much and hence let her stay in his embrace. 

Unfortunately, the brother-sister didn't get much time alone when one the other, three more ladies crashed in the room. Dorothea was extremely happy to see his face again. Being the first one to jump on the bed, she received the first kiss, closely followed by Talia. Their interactions made Emma awkward. She was the only one who had never kissed Ryu and she had no plans of the same. 

Yes, the boy was intensively caring towards her and never treated her worse than his own mother, but she remained committed to her husband. She had done him enough wrong already. Thinking that she remained standing on the side of the bed, not daring to approach any further. 

Ryu noticed her dilemma and pulled her face closer to him, kissing her cheeks instead. "Here. You should not have issues with this hehe.." Emma's face blossomed with a bright smile. Dorothea had refused to get off him, choosing to lay her head on his belly as all of them chatted quietly, trying not to disturb both Amelia and Ruby. 

The day passed without any other major event, other than a visit from Suna as well. All the ladies only left in the afternoon, driven away by Emily, citing his health. 

"Rest well. I need to go out for a while." Emily entered his room, informing him that Lyla was awake and she had explained everything to her. She reiterated the story back to him so that he doesn't mess up. Waving back to him, her body levitated and her figure vanished with the next blink. 

Ryu got off his bed, slipped on his clothes. It was time to check up on the woman. Thankfully, everything will be easier since her memory had been wiped. Reaching the room, he saw Lyla sitting beside Kira, holding her hands into hers. From his position, he can see the wetness on her cheeks. 

Taking a deep breath he sat beside her and pulled her into his embrace. "It's okay. She will be alright." Emily seems to have done a good job as she believed him readily, nodding her head and keeping it on his shoulders to rest. His hands stroked her back while his gaze looked down on the cute face with her eyes closed.