Obsessed with a High-Ranking Esper (BL)-Chapter 254: I love him

Jian Rui’s voice cut sharp through the silence, his anger barely restrained.

"Would you rather I send you to go live with that bastard then?"

Jian Wei blinked, startled, his words stumbling out.

"What the...."

Before the argument could spiral further, Seraphyne’s voice rang out, firm and commanding.

"Enough! Jian Ci, Jian Rui—shut up."

Her gaze softened as it turned to Jian Ci. "Your brother has been there for you in ways I couldn’t. If you want to blame anyone, you should blame me."

Jian Ci bit his lower lip, shame flickering across his face. He knew he had crossed a line, but the storm inside him refused to quiet.

Jian Rui snorted, the sound bitter. He had carried the weight of responsibility since childhood, raising not only Jian Ci but Jian Wei too. And now Jian Ci dared to question his decisions.

"You see that?" Jian Ci burst out, his voice trembling with emotion. "You all treat me like a kid. Oh, stupid Ah-Ci is only good enough to make food and nothing else, right? You refuse to include me in any of your plans. I am the liability who would lose my shit at a moment’s notice, so you leave me out."

Seraphyne reached toward him, her tone pleading. "No, no, don’t—"

But Jian Ci’s words poured out like a flood. "No, Mum, I am tired. Time and time again I told him include me, include me! I can handle it. But no, I just need to stay at home while you two monitor me like I am a child."

Jian Rui’s jaw tightened. "It’s because we only want to keep you safe."

Jian Ci’s eyes burned with fury. "Safe? But you can put Yu Xi in harm’s way, right? What are you going to ask him to do next time? Are you going to pimp him out to the highest bidder?"

The accusation struck like a blade. Jian Rui’s face twisted with rage.

"Who the fuck pimped him out? Don’t talk nonsense!"

Jian Wei quickly raised his hands, trying to diffuse the fire before it consumed them all. "Wait, wait—let’s take a breath. No one is pimping anyone out," he said.

But Jian Rui’s voice thundered again, raw with hurt. "You think I would put him at risk if he couldn’t handle it?"

Jian Ci’s voice was sharp, his sneer cutting through the tension. "Oh, you won’t. He is, after all, your most valuable asset."

"Jian Ci, watch it," Seraphyne’s projection warned, her tone firm but steady.

Jian Rui’s eyes blazed. "And why do you fucking care if he’s my most valued asset, huh? What’s it to you?"

Jian Ci’s chest rose and fell, his rage heaving, his control slipping. He was on the verge of erupting.

"Jian Rui!" Seraphyne snapped, her voice carrying authority.

But Jian Rui shook his head, his voice harsh. "No, Mum. This time he has gone too far."

Jian Wei, perched tensely at the edge of the room, raised his hands in alarm. "Let’s calm down and talk about this tomorrow," he urged, terrified that the two espers would clash and knowing he wouldn’t be able to stop them if they did.

And then, out of sheer anger, Jian Ci blurted it out, "Because I love him."

The words crashed into the room like a thunderclap. Silence followed, heavy and suffocating. All eyes turned to Jian Ci, the weight of his confession louder than any shout.

"Excuse me?" Jian Wei said, his voice breaking the stillness, disbelief etched across his face.

Jian Ci stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. Jian Wei reached out, trying to grab his hand, but Jian Ci shrugged him off with a sharp motion. Without another word, he strode to the elevator, the doors sliding shut behind him with a final hiss.

The room was left in silence, the only sound the soft hum of the life-preserving cylinder where their mother’s body was suspended.

Jian Rui sat frozen, his mind blank, his expression dazed. Jian Wei stared, still unable to process what had just happened.

Seraphyne’s projection remained calm, her voice steady, almost weary. "Let’s discuss this tomorrow. I am tired."

Jian Wei’s voice was steady, almost coaxing. "Sure," he said, beckoning Jian Rui to come with him.

But Jian Rui shook his head, his expression unreadable. "I will sit here for a while."

Jian Wei pursed his lips, his gaze flicking toward their mother’s projection before he turned and walked out. The elevator doors closed with a soft hiss, leaving Jian Rui alone in the sanctuary.

Silence pressed in until Jian Rui finally spoke, his voice breaking. "I... I failed."

Seraphyne’s projection shimmered, then knelt in front of him, her hands cupping his face with infinite tenderness. "No, honey, you didn’t. I am the one who failed you. I let you take on such a great responsibility."

Jian Rui swallowed hard, his emotions threatening to spill over as he looked at her.

"My precious baby," Seraphyne whispered, her voice aching with regret. "I overworked you. Will you forgive your mother?"

Jian Rui shook his head, his voice rough. "Mum, it’s not your fault... it’s that bastard Thaurion’s fault. And I will make him pay for everything."

Seraphyne’s heart ached. Her son had been forced into the role of parent when he was only a child himself, and bore the weight of Jian Ci’s turmoil as well. She pressed her forehead gently against his, her voice soothing. "It will all work out."

Jian Rui closed his eyes, just for a moment, letting himself drift back to the days when his mother had been there completely. When she had taken care of everything, when he hadn’t had to carry the world on his shoulders. That fleeting comfort made all his struggles feel worth enduring.

"What about Ah-Ci?" Jian Rui asked quietly.

"We will deal with it tomorrow," Seraphyne said softly. "I will talk to him."

Jian Rui nodded, his resolve settling back into place. He rose to his feet, his figure tall but heavy with unspoken burdens.

Seraphyne watched her son’s retreating back, her projection flickering faintly. A sigh escaped her lips, soft and sorrowful, carrying all the weight of a mother who wished she could hold her children in her arms again.