Family Man System: Taking Care Of My Family Makes Me OP

Chapter 17: Her past(1)

Jean was wide awake, even though she knew it was only five in the morning.

She had barely slept the previous night, spending most of it thinking about the conversation she had with Kai, or rather, the way she had abruptly brought it to an end.

Kai had not asked her anything. Instead, he had simply told her that he would be perfectly fine staying here if she was uncomfortable with the Kreacher’s Block.

Just how can he be so understanding and kind toward someone whom he barely knows? Even in school, their relationship was quite complicated.

Jean had always maintained a silent rivalry with Kai. She had been determined to stand at the top of the class in everything she did, and she had never been particularly willing to settle for second place. In sports and extracurricular activities, no one had ever really come close to her. But when it came to academics, Kai had always left her in the dust.

The margin between them had never been particularly large, yet Kai seemed to have taken it upon himself to maintain that narrow distance while ensuring she remained firmly in second place.

Back then, she had considered him a competitor, someone who constantly pushed her to work harder than she already did. Yet his almost nonchalant attitude toward his own achievements had gradually made Jean understand something she had never considered before.

Achievements were not supposed to matter so much that they began to dictate the course of your future.

She had learned a great deal from him over the years, yet even now, Jean found herself envying him. Not for his achievements, but for the person he had become. For the kindness he showed so naturally, the way he handled difficult situations, and how calmly he reacted even when circumstances became utterly absurd.

Really... he is one of a kind.

Jean slowly rose from the bed and sat upright, and find Kai soundly sleeping

Being a tall man, he could barely keep his feet on the mattress, and with so little space available, he could not even stretch his arms out to either side. Just looking at him was enough for Jean to tell that he was stiff and uncomfortable. And yet, she knew that arguing with him over the sleeping arrangements would accomplish nothing. Kai was stubborn enough when he had made up his mind.

"Mm..."

Suddenly, the baby groaned in her sleep, her tiny brows drawing together as her little fists clenched.

Jean immediately checked her diaper and, as she had suspected, it was wet.

She quietly climbed off the bed and reached for the packet in the cabinet. However, before she could retrieve it, her attempt to keep things silent failed as Kai called out.

"What happened? Did she wet herself?"

Jean gave him a helpless smile and nodded. "Yes. But don’t worry. I’ll handle it."

Her words had little effect. Kai had already risen from the mattress, rubbing the stiffness from his shoulders as he looked toward her.

"I’ll change the sheets. Use the mattress to change her diaper."

Jean simply watched him for a moment. The man had gone to sleep later than her and woke up so early, and yet there was not the slightest trace of irritation on his face.

He quietly walked to the cupboard, pulled out a fresh bedsheet and a pair of pillow covers, then returned to her side as though there were nothing unusual about being woken before dawn to deal with a crying baby.

Finding Jean still standing there, he hummed softly. "What happened? You don’t want to change..."

"I have been running away from my family."

The words slipped out before she could reconsider them.

Kai’s eyes slowly opened, and whatever drowsiness remained in them vanished in an instant. He stared at her, suddenly far more attentive than he had been a moment ago.

Jean carefully lifted the baby from the bed and lowered her onto the mattress as she continued, her voice quiet.

"I left my home almost two years ago. After I realized I was pregnant, I told my father, and... well, he asked me to do something I couldn’t bring myself to do."

Kai frowned. His lips moved as he muttered the words, and hearing them made Jean’s heart tighten.

"Abort the baby."

Jean nodded, keeping her eyes lowered.

She gently removed the soiled diaper while the baby stared up at her with innocent, curious eyes.

Jean looked down at her daughter and faintly smiled.

"I will never regret that decision. Not until my last breath. I wanted her in my life."

Kai exhaled slowly, forcing himself to calm down before asking, "Why didn’t you call me back then? If I had known, I could have talked to your father."

Jean shook her head. "You don’t know him, Kai. You don’t know how obsessed he is with his reputation." Her voice grew heavier as she continued, "Xavier Scarlette loves nothing more than his image. He would rather..."

She stopped herself abruptly. Shaking her head, she rose to her feet. "I’ll go prepare some tea. Ah..."

Before she could take another step, Kai suddenly reached out and caught her hand.

Jean looked back at him, startled, only to hear him say, "I want to hear it... all of it, Jean. Please."

She pursed her lips, the nervousness in her eyes impossible to conceal.

Kai gently squeezed her hand, reassuring her. "Whatever it is, I swear it won’t change a thing between us. So please, trust me this once and tell me everything. I want to understand what exactly terrifies you so much."

Jean exhaled softly before nodding. "Help the baby back to sleep. Once I prepare some tea, we can talk."

Kai finally smiled, relief evident in his expression.

At last, he would learn what had changed Jean so much during the years they had been apart.