Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 695

Inside the villa.

Lucian was quietly doing his homework, his expression serious beyond his years. Even at such a young age, traces of Lambert's demeanor were already evident in him.

Just then, Carson came running over.

"Big brother!" he pouted, stomping his foot. "I want to go home!"

Lucian blinked in confusion before furrowing his brows. "Go home? This *is* our home."

"No, it's not!" Carson huffed, crossing his arms. "The Stone family mansion is my home! I want to go back—I *hate* it here!" With that, he plopped onto the floor, kicking his legs in protest.

The sight made Lucian's expression darken.

If there was one thing drilled into him from childhood, it was propriety. Throwing tantrums like this was unacceptable. His face hardened as he adopted the stern tone of an elder brother. "This *is* your home. If you keep making a scene, I’ll triple your study load."

Carson and Kevin were already two years old—the same age Lucian had been when private tutors were assigned to him. Naturally, the same applied to them now.

At the threat, Carson shrank back, his defiance wavering. His lips trembled, and his eyes grew red. "But... but I just miss home," he sniffled. "I miss Auntie... Waaah..."

Lucian frowned. "She’s just your aunt, not your mother."

When he was younger, he, too, had thought his aunt was kind. But that illusion shattered when he saw her teaming up with *that woman* to bully his mother. Unlike Carson and Kevin, Lucian had always been fiercely protected—even by his father, who pretended indifference but never once pushed him away, silently indulging his mischief instead.

Although Auntie was kind, to Lucian, she was merely one among many who treated him well.

After sensing her hostility toward his mother, Lucian had developed a faint dislike for his aunt as well. He kept this feeling buried deep inside. Now, seeing his younger brother favoring Auntie over their own mother, though he didn’t fully grasp the implications, his precocious instincts told him something was off.

It felt wrong.

So when his brother spoke, Lucian didn’t hesitate to voice his disapproval of Auntie.

Carson pouted, "Auntie is better than Mom. Even Sister Sheryl is better than Mom. Mom doesn’t like me anyway—she only cares about my sister and big brother. So I don’t like her either, and I don’t need her! I just want to go home! I’m going home!" Afraid of angering his elder brother, he quickly scampered off before Lucian could react.

Left standing alone, Lucian frowned deeply, his expression stern.

He wrestled with his frustration for a long moment before forcing it down. Picking up his homework, he hesitated, then decided to call his parents first. He needed to ask them what to do about his little brother’s behavior—should they send him back to the main house for now?

Lucian reasoned that his brother was acting out because he hadn’t seen their parents in too long.

As the older brother, he could control himself, but his younger siblings lacked that restraint. If their parents planned to stay at the hospital much longer, maybe it was best to send the youngest back to their great-grandparents’ care.

And so…

Just as Lambert was meticulously peeling an apple for Ariana, his eldest son’s call came through.

"Dad, do you have a minute?" Lucian’s small, earnest voice piped through the phone.

Lambert's lips twitched slightly.

Here he was, still at an age where he ought to be the one being looked after, yet already making bold declarations about caring for others.

The childish voice paired with such serious words created an indescribably adorable contrast. A flicker of amusement and warmth passed through Lambert's eyes as he replied softly, "Mm, take good care of your little brothers. Dad will come home tomorrow."

Lucian's face instantly brightened.

He gave an emphatic "Mm!" in response. As if afraid of disturbing his parents further, he didn't say anything more. Though reluctant, he still hung up the phone.

Perhaps it was the inexplicable bond between mother and child—the moment Lucian ended the call, Ariana's lashes fluttered slightly. She blinked drowsily, raising a hand instinctively to shield her eyes from the harsh light. Seeing that she was awake, Lambert immediately stepped closer, his voice tender with concern. "You're awake? How do you feel? Does your head still hurt?"

The complications during Ariana's delivery had led to premature labor, a difficult birth, and inevitable hemorrhaging.

In the past, such a condition would have been fatal.

Even now, it was no minor ordeal—though with proper treatment, the danger could be averted. Fortunately, the doctors had acted swiftly to address the hemorrhage. Despite Ariana's rare Rh-negative blood type, the hospital had reserves on hand, ensuring her safety.

Yet even though she had pulled through, Lambert couldn't shake the lingering dread in his heart.

That was why he had been meticulously tending to her all this time.

Ariana had been unconscious the entire afternoon. Lambert handed her a glass of water, waiting until she had taken a sip before asking, "What would you like to eat?"

For a moment, she looked dazed, then sighed in mock exasperation. "Eat, sleep, eat, sleep—are you trying to turn me into a pig?" Shaking her head, she changed the subject. "You didn’t go back? I thought you were supposed to visit the kids today?"