By Zephyria 
Ashley, still sounding like he was interrogating Dane, asked in a cool tone.
“Anyway, dating Grayson is your own choice, right? Not because he forced you or because of some unsavory incident.”
“…It is my choice.”
Since it was true that it was his own choice, Dane acknowledged it with a sullen face, and Ashley continued.
“He was so confident that you taught him emotions. Do you agree?”
“With what?”
Ashley narrowed his eyes at Dane’s question, who was frowning.
“Do you think Grayson really feels emotions?”
The man’s voice was full of disbelief, as if he was sure that such a thing could not happen to his son. Seeing that reaction, Dane felt a surge of defiance.
“Of course. I don’t know why you wouldn’t think so. Well, they say parents are the last to know their children.”
The last words were clearly sarcastic. A slight wrinkle formed on Ashley’s brow, clearly displeased, but Dane didn’t care at all. He had lived his whole life without caring whether others liked him or not. He might buy snacks or make soothing noises to win over animals, but he would never do that to people.
Looking down at the Omega’s bright blue eyes that were staring straight at him, Ashley slowly opened his mouth.
“Really? You seem confident that you know a lot about my son.”
“I don’t know if I know as much as you do, but I think I know aspects that you don’t.”
Ashley Miller narrowed his eyes. It was clear that he was displeased, but unexpectedly, the Pheromones floating around him were stable. Dane was inwardly surprised that he wasn’t angry at all. He thought that if he met someone who dared to contradict him so directly, he would naturally be furious.
Was this man unexpectedly calm, or was it just not worth getting angry about?
“Is that all you wanted to say?”
Dane was brought back to reality by Ashley’s voice. He took out a case from his suit jacket pocket, chose a cigar, and said.
“It’s fortunate that someone who knows my son so well is by his side. I don’t know how long it will last, though.”
Dane silently watched him cut the end of the cigar and light it.
“Well, it’s good to have hope.”
Contrary to his words, he twisted the corner of his mouth into a cynical smile. Dane couldn’t help but frown at the face that seemed to be mocking him. He suddenly felt like he had heard Ashley’s unspoken thoughts.
It probably didn’t mean anything.
“I have a question.”
The words came out before he could think. Meeting Ashley’s still cold gaze, Dane opened his mouth.
“Have you ever abused Grayson?”
Ashley, who had taken the cigar out of his mouth, stopped moving. Instead of being flustered or apologizing, Dane waited for his reaction with a frown. As if telling him to say what he had to say.
With a cool tension between them, Ashley slowly lowered his hand. He directed his emotionless gaze at Dane and, after a moment of silence, slowly moved his lips.
“Did Grayson say that? That I abused him?”
His low voice sank even deeper, to the point where it felt chilling, but Dane didn’t care and replied.
“No, he doesn’t even know if he was abused.”
“And?”
Ashley asked, bringing the cigar back to his mouth.
“Why do you think I abused him?”
“I saw and heard it myself.”
Dane answered without hesitation.
“Grayson said he had been locked in a basement. But he doesn’t even know if that was abuse.”
Only then did Ashley seem to understand the situation, and he let out a short laugh, as if it were absurd.
“Do you believe him?”
“Tell me yourself, did that really happen?”
Dane asked persistently. He had to resolve this question. He waited for Ashley’s answer, feeling a strange sense of pressure. But instead, he frowned in annoyance and asked back.
“Are you suspecting that I hit him?”
“Including that.”
“…Ha.”
Ashley let out a dumbfounded exclamation. For the first time, his cold expression wavered. He opened his mouth in genuine bewilderment and looked into the distance, but when he turned his gaze back to Dane, his face was full of contempt.
“If I had hit the children, I would have been divorced. Do you think I would have done something that would make Koi hate me?”
“So you didn’t hit him?”
“I didn’t hit him, and I didn’t abuse him!”
Eventually, his voice rose. Ashley took a deep breath as if he was truly frustrated, then repeatedly inhaled the cigar smoke. After some time, he seemed to have calmed down and glared at Dane with a scowl, adding.
“I was just teaching the children how to protect themselves. Yes, the method might have been excessive. But what else could I do? No matter how kindly I spoke or how gently I taught them, they didn’t understand! Grayson was a ticking time bomb from birth, because of this damn Trait!”
Ashley, who seemed to be gradually pouring out his words, suddenly stopped. Silence fell. In the silence, Ashley said in a subdued voice.
“Striker, we live in gratitude that he doesn’t inflict irreversible harm on others.”
He took another puff of cigar smoke and asked.
“In that basement, what did he do? Did he do something ridiculous to help someone?”
Dane couldn’t answer immediately. Ashley chuckled at his hesitant appearance, as if he had expected that reaction.
“I knew it.”
At the cynical tone, Dane had no choice but to briefly explain what had happened.
“There was a child locked in the basement, and Grayson chose to be imprisoned in the basement with him to help the child. He said it was better to have someone with him than to be alone in the dark. He said he was just trying to help the child.”
Ashley sucked on his cigar without saying a word. Dane immediately noticed the indifferent reaction.
“You’re not surprised.”
Ashley let out a short laugh, though he didn’t seem amused at all.
“Do you think I’ve only experienced that once or twice?”
He had been reacting nervously, but he just smoked his cigar for a while. After some time, Ashley opened his mouth.
“You asked if I abused Grayson? Yes, the discipline was strict. Do you know why?”
Ashley gave the answer without waiting.
“He almost killed someone before he was 10 years old, twice. The first time, he did it himself, with his own hands.”
Dane froze at the unexpected words. Seeing him like that, Ashley said.
“Who do you think the target was?
It was Koi.
He tried to kill his family.”
Ashley continued.
“Koi can’t smell. He can barely taste anything. Grayson was curious if that was real. So do you know what he did? He made a cake and put detergent in it. Koi almost died from eating it.”
His voice, which had been extremely businesslike, gradually wavered. Then, Ashley spat out roughly.
“If I had arrived any later, I would have found Koi’s body.”
Ashley’s hand holding the cigar could be seen trembling slightly. As Dane watched, Ashley continued to speak.
“There were three of my children there, and no one called an ambulance. They just watched in fascination as Koi was dying.”
He was silent for a moment, as if trying to calm his emotions. He just inhaled the cigar smoke deep into his lungs. After some time, he recalled the memory in a low voice as before.
“Grayson was severely punished, of course. So what do you think that child, who realized that he shouldn’t kill people, did?”
Of course, Dane couldn’t even guess. Ashley gave him a cynical smile.
“He tried to get someone else to kill him.”
Dane’s blue eyes shook violently.