I followed Arius to the VIP ward, his words still on my mind. 'I do care'

I sighed, he caught me off guard and dragged me here with him while all he meant was that he cared for his slave.

'I wouldn't want my slave to get hurt when I have things they need to do.' These were the words that followed after, 'I do care.'

I want to whoop his ass but I can't which means I need to whoop someone else's ass.

Eli stood outside one of the rooms and I hesitated to go after Arius. I mean, he's here to visit someone he knows. I shouldn't be going in even if he is the one who dragged me here.

I glanced at Eli and he nodded at me. Indicating that it was fine for me to go in.

There was a woman there, lying on the bed, probably in her late thirties. An IV drip attached to her arm.

As we went over to her, she opened her eyes and smiled at Arius.

"How come you're here?" She tried sitting up and Arius immediately went forward to help her out, then took a seat on the stool besides the bed while I stood near the wall.

"Your granddaughter is really worried." Arius answered.

"Summer. Oh that child.." The woman looked over to me, "And this is?" She inquired.

Arius glanced at me, "My guard."

The lady chuckled, "Guard? I see." She smiled at me, "I'm Arius's mom."

"You're not my mom." He looked at me, "She's Eli's mother. Veronica" Oh! I see, that means she not as young as she looks. She must be in her late fifties.

"I see.." What's this odd feeling? Something feels amiss?

Eli entered the room with a record in his hands and went to sit on the stool opposite to Arius.

"Isn't this happening more often?" Arius asked Eli.

"That's because," Eli looked at his mother, "She's skipping her medicine."

Arius turned his face towards Veronica, "May I ask why exactly?" He was rather angry.

"No, I just keep forgetting.." She averted her eyes and Arius sighed.

"Now that I've seen you're fine. I'm leaving."

He stood up and left the room and I followed him out. He looked frustrated as he stood in the hallway while massaging his temples.

He's worried about her. I smiled.

She introduced herself as his mother but he denied it, very strongly.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked.

"Leukemia."

"Oh.."

Eli came out of the room and Arius glared at him. "Why's she doing this?!"

I froze. He actually raised his voice a bit.

Eli took a deep breath, "I don't know. Maybe she's hoping Lex will notice but it's not gonna work out."

who's Lex?

"Both of them are idiots..."

Eli shrugged, "Can you talk to him? He doesn't even want to see us."

Arius stood still for a while then scoffed. A smirk spread across his face.

"Fine. I'll do something."

"You will?" Eli wasn't convinced.

"Don't worry. I'll handle it. He'll get better."

Eli seemed a bit confused but Arius just nodded a reassuring nod and patted his shoulder.

"Let's go." He told me and started walking out. I waved Eli a goodbye who gave me a wave back with a smile as I followed behind Arius.

"Who's Lex?" I asked.

"Lexus, Eli's little brother. He's the same age as me."

"Their family seems a bit complicated."

"Well, they had a series of events that led to this."

"I see.." But I wonder what he has in mind. A son who doesn't even talk to his family huh.. I glanced at Arius. He seemed to care a lot for Veronica.

I hesitated before speaking but once again, I was curious, "Your mother-" I started.

"She's not my mother." He said calmly.

"Why? She introduced herself like that."

"She's not.. means she's not." A very small hint of it, but it was there. It hurt him to say that too.

"You don't want her as family?" Why does he hate the idea so much?

"I don't want anyone as family." His words were rather harsh. Wanting no one as family.. I have always craved for one.

"Why not?" I said in a lower tone.

"I don't see the point of having a family. It's a burden."

"Asshole.." He clearly heard me but chose not to reply. A family is supposed to be a blessing, not a burden. What even makes him think that it's a burden? "What are you going to do about Lexus?"

"He has a girl he likes."

"Huh? A girl he likes?" What's that got to do with anything?

"A girl he's in love with. Madly." He grinned. His smile was telling me he was planning something wrong but right at the same time.

"And..?" I narrowed my eyes.

"He gets better when he sees her but that rarely happens, so if she lives with him permanently he'll get a lot better."

"Why is there a rarely seeing case in between?"

"Well, that's a long story."

"Why do you know it?"

"Because I found the girl for him."

"Ah... I see, I think." He even found a girl for a guy from the same family...

"She's currently working in an orphanage."

"So what are we going to do?"

"We're going to sell her."

"Excuse me?! What? Sell her?"

"Don't worry. We'll make sure she goes to him."

"How?!"

Arius stopped suddenly and I froze in my place as he turned around, "Who do you think I am?"

Right.. You're, "Arius Alucard."

"That's right."

I sighed, "You're doing all this for Veronica. You care for her a lot." He didn't answer me and turned around to start walking again, "You clearly think of her as family. Why deny it?"

Again. He chose not to answer me.

Seriously. Why deny it? He cares for her enough that he came here at 5 in the morning leaving everything else. He even got angry when he found out she wasn't taking her medicine properly.

I wonder why then...?