POSSESSION: The Hidden Omega In All Alphas' Academy [BL]-Chapter 170: I am your family, Bunny!

[FLASHBACK: 14 YEARS AGO, Remsworth Mansion]

"Barnes? Have you checked the decorations of those tables set in the garden for guests? You know Madam would bite our heads off if there’s any mistake, right?"

"Yes, sir!" Enthusiastically nodding his head to respond to the head butler of the mansion, 14-year-old Barnes ran off towards the huge lavishly decorated garden where the party for Aiden’s 7th birthday was supposed to be held today.

As the Young Master and only heir of the Remsworth mansion, every year Aiden’s birthday party was supposed to be a showoff party to the VIPs of the Westport city organized by his mother, the proud President of their business empire, Lorelia Remsworth.

Most of the time, Aiden’s father, the Chairman, Alpha Gabriel would avoid attending any family occasion, especially his own son’s birthday...due to the great disappointment he had been enduring for his only son who was born as a beta by inheriting his mother’s genes, and not him.

Not only Gabriel, but most of the time Aiden also had to endure his mother’s negligence, only because Aiden wasn’t born as an Alpha. In that giant luxurious mansion, it was pretty clear to say little Aiden was devoid of both his parent’s love who had always used the excuse of being jam-packed with work and tried to stay far from home as much as they could.

But every year, his birthday was the only time he could have Lorelia along with him for an entire day, even if everything she did was only a facade before the crowd of VIPs attending the party every year.

In that same mansion, Barnes had been working since he was 13, after his grandma who was his only family and a housekeeper of the mansion suddenly passed away. As per the contract strictly stated the employees, if a housekeeper faced any accidental demise, their family member would have to take their position so that no work in the mansion would be hampered until they were kicked out from the mansion.

Thus, after losing his Granny, Barnes had no spare choice but to quit school and start working as a housekeeper in that lavish mansion, under the guidance of the head butler.

At first, small Barnes was nervous about being suddenly trapped in an unknown mansion, as he had barely seen the owners coming back home but he was too scared of their overwhelming aura, especially Lorelia who had a fierce temperament.

Heeding to the head butler’s advice, Barnes was determined to stay away from the sight of the owners, only until their little son Aiden became his only solace in the mansion.

Amidst being stuck between unfamiliar people, Aiden was the only one who was a little close to Barnes’s age, and thus, it didn’t take them much time to grow a beautiful bond between them. Every day after returning from school, Aiden patiently waited for Barnes until he finished his chores so that they could spend the rest of the day together.

Playing, gigging with silly jokes, or sometimes reading bedtime story books to him, Barnes naturally became Aiden’s support system to survive in that cold mansion where none of his parents ever bothered to show any ounce of love to their only son or ever acknowledged his presence.

The only fear that sometimes haunted little Aiden’s heart was the possibility of losing Barnes someday, and for that reason, most of the nights Aiden wouldn’t even let Barnes sleep in his servant’s room and stay with him by throwing stubborn tantrums.

Thus, the head maid and butlers had concluded to let Barnes stay with him in Aiden’s room on those days whenever his parents would be out of the country for business purposes.

After facing all those turbulences after his granny’s death, having Aiden in his life felt like a divine gift from the heavens, as Barnes equally cherished him like someone very precious to him. Aiden was 7 years younger than him, and naturally, he would have considered him as his little brother, but unlike him, Aiden was mostly obsessed with keeping Barnes near him.

Following the head butler’s instructions, when Barnes went ahead to check the last-minute decorations of the tables set in the garden, a sudden soft pair of small hands hugged him from behind, and feeling the familiar touch, Barnes smiled halting his steps, "Master Aiden, don’t tell me, did you follow me here too? It’s your birthday today, you are the center of attention for everyone here."

"I don’t need anyone’s attention, bunny. You know I get uncomfortable being surrounded by unfamiliar people...and I couldn’t find you anywhere either."

With a small pout on his adorable face, Aiden slowly unleashed his hold around him and stood in front of Barnes, as if blocking his way ahead. His nostrils flared a little which was a common sight whenever he sulked, as he continued, "Didn’t I tell you bunny, you need to stay close to me always?"

Since their first meeting when Aiden had asked Barnes for his name, instead of using that, he preferred to give him the nickname ’bunny’ which was only used by Aiden, but not in front of others. Watching him sulk, Barnes let out a big smile and knelt down before Aiden on the soft green grass, before conversing, "I am sorry, Master Aiden. But I will be a little busy checking the last-minute preparations for the party. However, you should take this chance to go and spend some time with your Mother. She came back home after a very long time, right?"

Suddenly his pouty face turned a little glum hearing his answer, as Aiden exhaled a big sigh, sounding a bit fidgety from his tone, "But...I am scared to annoy Mom, bunny. Just like her, Dad rarely comes home. They never attend my school occasions either. So...sometimes I think...both of them must truly hate me, right?"

"Of course not!" Grabbing his small shoulders with both his arms, Barnes sounded very confident in his tone with a serious gaze at him, "They are just very busy to earn enough money for you, Master Aiden.

"If they truly hated you...especially your mother, do you think she would’ve come back home every year on your birthday, without a fail? Even though they do not openly show their affection, they are still your family...and it’s hard to survive without one, Master Aiden. Look at me, right now...I am just all alone in this world, without any family."

"Who said you do not have a family?" With a gentle pat on his right hand resting on his shoulder, Aiden’s sad brown eyes had a glimmer of confidence when he proudly uttered, "You have me, bunny! I am your family! And...don’t ever think you’re all alone in the world. We will be always together, no matter what it takes..."

"Haha..." After Aiden had stepped into his dull, mundane life, Barnes had always felt it himself just with a few words, Aiden was always able to lighten up his mood whenever he was feeling down, pondering about his sad reality.

Feeling quite reassured by his words, he gave another big smile while mumbling back, "Then...as your family, it’s my responsibility to give you some good ideas to apply today, right?"

"Huh? What...ideas?"

As if Barnes had already thought of a plan, with the wide smile shimmering on his charming face under the sunrays, he sounded pretty enthusiastic from his tone, "Master Aiden, I think today’s the chance when you can spend some good quality time with your Mother. She’s in her room now and the last time I checked, she was taking a good look at the schedule for today’s party.

"So, my suggestion is, to go to her and show her the family picture you drew in your art class yesterday. You have a good knack for art, I could feel it just from glancing at the art once. So, who knows she might get very happy to see your painting as well?"

"But...it was just a simple drawing...I made using crayons...Will she be really happy to see that, bunny?" Aiden’s reluctance was very prominent in his low murmur, as his face was turning a little anxious.

However, as if standing as a solid support for him, Barnes tapped on his shoulders as if to cheer him up before he mumbled, "Families love each other, Master Aiden. No matter what you’ve drawn, I am certain she would end up loving it because she loves you too. So, why don’t you try showing that picture to her right now before the guests start coming in?"

"Okay...I think...I can do this! I always wanted to show that picture to Mom as well...that’s why I drew her nicely."

Giggling with the boost of confidence ignited inside him before Aiden was about to leave, suddenly his small footsteps halted when he held onto Barnes’s arm, urging him in a gentle voice, "But...I will only go there bunny, if you accompany me to her room. Otherwise, I don’t think I can move a step ahead."