Chapter 537
Noah woke up in the morning earlier than his parents, moving restlessly in his cradle. His soft, cooing sounds filled the air, gently breaking Amelie’s sleep. She rubbed her eyes and quickly got out of bed.
“Baby, you woke up!” Amelie murmured sweetly as she lowered herself and carefully carried him up into her arms. She gently swayed him as she checked his diaper.
“Ma, ma Noah called out to her, his tiny hands reaching up to touch her cheeks, almost as if checking to make sure his mother hadn’t cried through the night after the sorrowful events of the previous day.
“Mama needs to freshen up,” Amelie whispered, sweetly kissing Noah on his forehead before gently lowering him onto the bed next to his father. “Will you stay by your Papa’s side?” Nudging Gabriel’s shoulder lightly, she said, “Noah is awake. Keep an eye on him p>
“Mm,” Gabriel responded, still keeping his eyes closed, clearly trying to cling to the last minutes of sleep. His large hand moved instinctively, settling heavily and protectively above Noah’s tiny belly while Amelie slipped into the washroom.
Noah tried to move and wriggle, his hand reaching out to touch Gabriel’s large hand, trying to wrap his small fingers around his father’s thumb. He attempted to roll to his right, but was unable to complete the movement, gently blocked and contained by his father’s big, unconsciously protective hand.
Tired from his efforts, Noah gave up on rolling and simply stared up at the ceiling of the room. His curious eyes lingered on the intricate pattern etched there. He moved his thumb to his mouth and began quietly sucking on it.
After a little while, he began to weep softly, the sound causing Gabriel to jolt instantly awake from his deep sleep.
“Oh, Noah! Why are you crying, little boy?” he murmured, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He quickly assessed the situation. “Ah, you have wet your diaper,” he mumbled, quickly getting out of bed.
He swiftly located a new pair, grabbed the box of wet wipes, and returned to the bed. With surprisingly expert, gentle hands, he quickly changed the diaper and disposed of the old one. He used a wipe to clean his own hands before swiftly making Noah wear his clothes to ensure he wouldn’t catch a cold.
Then, carrying Noah securely in his arms, tucked inside a warm blanket, Gabriel went out onto the balcony. The sky was covered in tiny, soft clouds, preventing the sun’s full rays from passing through, creating a gentle, diffused light.
Noah’s eyes widened instantly as he saw the expanse of the sky and the clouds, letting out small, cooing sounds that clearly showed he was enjoying the scenery.
“Your mother was very upset yesterday,” Gabriel whispered gently to the infant. “Uncle Carlos’ grandmother passed away. A lot has happened, Noah. But now things are better, and we will be flying back home soon p>
Lowering his head, he found Noah lifting his tiny hand, pointing excitedly toward the distant clouds. A soft smile carved itself onto Gabriel’s lips, and he couldn’t help but shower kisses onto Noah’s head and cheeks, feeling a wash of paternal affection.
The first thing in the morning Casaio did was visit Idris. Thankfully, the worst of the swelling from his eye had gone down overnight.
“Your Highness, it happens among the kids. You truly don’t need to worry for me,” Idris said, trying to downplay the incident.
“No. Bullying any kid is fundamentally wrong,” Casaio replied, sitting down gently beside him on the bed. “And you shouldn’t have asked your homeroom teacher not to tell me or Zilia about how Jake was commenting. I told you specifically to inform me of anything that happens at school, big or small. What exactly are you trying to do, Idris p>
“I didn’t want to trouble you,” Idris admitted, fiddling nervously with his fingers. “You and Zilia have already done so much for me p>
“I never ’got to do’ things for you, Idris; I take pleasure in doing things for you,” Casaio asserted, his voice gentle but firm. “You are like a son to me. Why don’t you see that? You are part of my family p>
Idris’s eyes immediately brimmed with tears at the sincere depth of Casaio’s confession. Unable to say anything, he simply hugged Casaio tightly. Casaio caressed his back soothingly before giving him gentle pats.
“You don’t have to be strong at such a young age, Idris,” Casaio said, his voice a low comfort. “You have me, and others around you. Also, if you must, fight back against kids like Jake. You did nothing wrong, Idris. Keep this in mind p>
“I know, Your Highness. But I didn’t want to show them the powerful connections I have,” Idris said, pulling away slightly. He quickly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. “I troubled my sister because of me. What I truly fear is if people will never acknowledge her? Will my sister have to live like this forever, persecuted just because she became a spy only to keep me safe p>
“Idris, I promise you the views will change,” Casaio stated firmly. “Give me time. People will understand her sacrifice, not everyone, but many important people will.” He gently wiped the moisture from under Idris’s eyes. “Just don’t hide things like this from me again. Okay p>
Idris nodded immediately.
“Promise me,” Casaio insisted, extending his hand.
“I promise you, Your Highness,” Idris pronounced, joining his little finger with Casaio’s in a solemn gesture of trust and commitment.
“Great! Now, we have to meet the parents of the kids who bullied you and Romeo. We will be heading to your school. So, get ready, then we will have breakfast together,” Casaio stated.
“Hmm.” Idris nodded, standing up. Casaio patted his head and watched him go. A deep frown formed on his forehead as he finally walked out of Idris’s chamber. In the corridor, he ended up encountering Ian, who appeared to be waiting for him.