Chapter 293: The Road to Recovery

Chapter 293: The Road to Recovery

Leo

I quickly raised one hand in the air, signaling for him to remain seated while I desperately tried to catch my breath. The harsh coughing racked my frame for several long seconds before I finally managed to stabilize my lungs.

I could already feel the sudden rush of blood turning my face unbearably hot and flushed, radiating a deep heat from pure embarrassment.

Why the hell had I reacted so violently to that piece of news?

"Leo?" Kayden asked again, his brow furrowed with genuine concern.

"I am fine," I croaked, my voice rough. I grabbed a linen napkin and wiped my mouth clean, forcing my posture back into some semblance of professional dignity. "The liquid briefly entered my respiratory tract instead of traveling down the esophagus. My body’s protective cough reflex simply decided to violently remind me that oxygen is important."

Kayden stared at me, unlinking, before narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "Did you seriously just experience a minor respiratory crisis solely because I said Raymond is living with us?"

I immediately looked away, focusing intently on a completely random spot on the edge of the table.

"No."

"Leo."

"...Maybe."

"Leo."

"Fine. Maybe a little," I admitted, sighing dramatically as I realized there was no hiding it from him. "What happened to hating him?"

"I never hated him," Kayden corrected immediately, his tone dropping into something much more earnest.

"You tolerated him at best," I countered.

"I barely knew him," Kayden reasoned, setting down his fork and leaning back in his chair. "Raymond is not Linda." The gentle smile on his face faded slightly, replaced by a reflective shadow. "For a long time, I blamed everyone connected to her. Then I actually took the time to get to know him. Raymond was just a kid too, Leo. He grew up listening to whatever toxic things Linda told him, completely trapped in that environment. Once we finally sat down and talked like real brothers, I realized he was not the malicious person I had imagined all these years."

I remained completely silent, giving him the space to speak as his expression softened with a warmth that truly amazed me.

"He apologized," Kayden continued quietly. "He admitted that he was wrong about a lot of things, and he’s actively making a real effort to change. That matters to me."

I nodded slowly, letting his words settle. It did matter.

After everything Kayden had endured throughout his life—the isolation, the abandonment, and the betrayal—seeing him successfully build a healthy, functional relationship with his biological brother was probably one of the most healing things that could have happened for him. He deserved to have family in his corner.

"I am happy for you," I admitted honestly, a faint smirk returning to my face. "Although, purely from a team dynamic perspective, I think I vastly preferred when everyone maintained a healthy level of mutual hatred. It made things far more entertaining to watch."

Kayden laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "You are terrible."

"Maybe."

"I never hated Raymond," he continued, re-emphasizing his point. "Linda and Kelvin are completely different stories, and I won’t forgive them. But Raymond was willing to apologize and change. That is more than enough for me."

I nodded silently. That sounded exactly like Kayden—far more forgiving and empathetic than most people in his position would ever deserve. I picked up another small bite of my food, chewing thoughtfully as a piece of recent information from my medical briefings surfaced in my mind.

"I heard from my uncle that you and Rhys heavily opposed Damien Fernandez’s trade," I noted, pausing to see his reaction.

Kayden nodded firmly. "We were completely against it."

"Which explains why Rhys is training Raymond so intensely right now?"

"Exactly," he said, cutting into another piece of his truffle lasagna before continuing. "As long as Raymond performs exceptionally well during the preseason evaluations and earns his definitive place on the roster, the front office will drop the trade talks entirely and everything should work out perfectly."

"That makes sense," I noted, offering a silent nod of agreement.

For a few minutes, both of us focused on our respective plates, allowing a comfortable lull to settle over the table. But as the meal progressed toward its end, the real, secondary reason why I had agreed to this meeting drifted back into the forefront of my mind.

I carefully placed my fork and knife down side-by-side on the edge of the plate, completely clearing my hands, and wiped my mouth with a napkin to signal my full focus.

"There is something important I should tell you," I began, my tone shifting into a distinctly serious cadence.

Kayden immediately picked up on the sudden gravity in my voice and stopped eating, giving me his undivided attention. "What is it? You look incredibly serious."

"I won’t be around the training facilities or the team for a few months," I said slowly, watching his eyes to gauge his immediate reaction. "At least not until the official season begins."

His expression changed instantly, anxiety and confusion clouding his features as he leaned forward. "What do you mean? Is everything alright? Are Rhoda and Gabriella okay? Is there a medical emergency?"

I shook my head quickly to dispel his rising panic. "They are both completely fine. This isn’t about them or their stability."

"Then what is it?" he pressed, his concern deepening.

I took a deep breath, aligning my thoughts before delivering the news. "This is about Miller and me."

The reaction was entirely instantaneous. Kayden gasped loudly, his eyes widening to the size of saucers as he leaned entirely across the table. "You broke up? Don’t tell me you guys broke up!"

"Oh, for the love of God," I nearly yelled, letting out a sharp, frustrated huff as I resisted the urge to literally throw my linen napkin straight at his face. "Would you please let me finish speaking before you write a total tragedy?"

"I am listening," he said immediately, raising his hands in a defensive retreat.

"You interrupted me before I even started the sentence."

"Fair point," he muttered with a sheepish grin. "Continue. Go on."

I sighed, smoothing down the front of my shirt to regain my composure. "Miller and I are absolutely not breaking up." The relief on his face was immediate; his shoulders visibly relaxed, and a heavy sigh escaped his lips. "We are actually leaving together for a few months."

"A vacation?"

"Not exactly," I paused for a moment, ensuring I phrased the medical reality properly. "It is a specialized therapeutic program specifically designed for Enigmas and their partners. The primary focus is helping Enigmas build a much healthier, integrated relationship with their secondary gender instead of constantly suppressing it. For years, I have heavily relied on suppressants, strict behavior control, and heavy scent blockers. Medically speaking, those things work perfectly to keep the public sector safe. Psychologically, however, constantly rejecting and locking away a fundamental, dominant part of your own biology takes a severe emotional toll over time."

Kayden listened carefully, the dramatic flare completely vanishing from his expression, replaced by a quiet, genuine understanding as he focused on my words.

I glanced down at my hands on the table, feeling the weight of the choice we had made. "Miller convinced me that I should finally stop treating that side of myself like a dangerous animal that needs to be caged. The program focuses heavily on emotional regulation, scent integration, instinct management, and long-term mental health. So, for the next three months, we are essentially disappearing from the world and working entirely on ourselves."

Kayden stared at me for a long, quiet moment, letting the depth of my explanation sink in, before a warm, incredibly proud smile spread across his face. "I think that is a really good thing, Leo. You deserve that peace. Both of you deserve to be happy, and that is why this trip is the absolute best thing for you right now." He paused, tapping his fork thoughtfully against the edge of his plate as curiosity sparked in his eyes. "So, how did you even learn about this program? How did you find out about the trip?"

"Well, actually, through my cousin," I answered casually, taking a slow sip of my water.

Kayden’s eyebrows shot up instantly. Then, his eyes widened yet again, and he abruptly stood straight up from his chair, nearly knocking his linen napkin onto the floor. He slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle a sudden, ecstatic gasp, almost screaming out loud right there in the middle of the private dining room. "You mean Nico Park?! Is he here in Oak City?"

I rolled my eyes dramatically at the fanboying happening right in front of me. I honestly had no idea what it was with people and that man.

What the hell did Kayden—and the rest of the world, for that matter—even see in Nico?

"I don’t know why you are getting so incredibly excited," I scoffed, waving a hand dismissively for him to sit back down.

"Is he in Oak City?" he demanded again, completely ignoring my question as he leaned across the table, practically vibrating with excitement.

I shook my head, popping a piece of roasted vegetable into my mouth. "No, he isn’t. He has his final championship race coming up very soon, so he couldn’t possibly make the trip out here. But Miller and I spoke to him extensively through a video call to get all the details about the retreat infrastructure."

Kayden immediately slumped back down into his plush chair, letting out a loud, disappointed sigh as all his energy vanished. "Oh, that is so sad," he said lazily, resting his chin in his hand as he pouted at his lasagna. "I was really hoping I’d get a chance to actually meet him in person."

I rolled my eyes again, completely amused by his whiplash. "Trust me, he is really not all that."

Kayden smirked, a mischievous glint returning to his eyes. "Says the one who is utterly obsessed with Alaric de Villier."

I stiffened slightly, clearing my throat as my face flushed. "And unfortunately for both of us, they are currently lovers, so we had better stay focused entirely on our own men."

Kayden chuckled softly, the sound bubbling into a full-blown tease. "Oh, I know exactly why you are so mad, Leo. It’s because your cousin managed to get the man before you could even make a move." He burst into another round of loud laughter, shaking his head at my expense. "I have to say, that is incredibly sad for you," he laughed again, thoroughly enjoying himself.

I scoffed loudly, shifting uncomfortably in my chair as I tried to regain my professional composure. "Anyway, moving past your ridiculous theories... I truly hope that you and Rhys will be fine while I’m away. And trust me, you are in perfectly safe medical hands with Linda looking after your prenatal care."

Kayden’s expression softened into a warm, genuine smile, and he nodded in response, the teasing completely melting away. "Don’t even bother worrying about us, Leo. Just focus on yourself and enjoy your moment with Miller. You both truly deserve it."