Spoiled By My Nine Beast Husbands (Emma Tibarn) novel Chapter 389

**When She Opened the Door to the Life She Was Afraid to Live by Nora Vale Kingsley**
**Chapter 389: Sour Fruits**

Malrik’s eyes sparkled with joy as he caught sight of his ‘daddy’ before reaching for the fruit. A broad grin spread across his face, illuminating the room with his innocent excitement.

“Daddy, hurry and eat it!” he urged, his voice bubbling with enthusiasm.

Calum, momentarily struck dumb, stared at his son. His mind raced, struggling to process the sudden wave of anticipation radiating from Malrik.

He took a deep breath and steeled himself, forcing himself to take a bite of the vibrant red fruit that sat before him, a fruit he couldn’t even identify. The moment the tangy flavor hit his tongue, he recoiled inwardly. *This is so sour. What kind of dreadful fruit is this?*

A strong impulse to spit it out surged within him, yet he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Malrik’s eager gaze pierced through him, filled with unyielding hope. “Daddy, the fruit I picked is delicious, right?”

Calum found himself at a loss for words once more. The thought of shoving the entire fruit into Malrik’s mouth crossed his mind, just so his son could experience the same wretched taste.

“Daddy, you still haven’t answered me. Is it good?” Malrik pressed, his eyes wide with expectation. He thought to himself, *Every time I bring fruit for Daddy, he always says it’s good.*

With a grimace that felt like it might split his face, Calum managed to force the words out through clenched teeth. “It’s good.”

“If you like it, I’ll go get you more!” Malrik exclaimed, his joy palpable, and in a flash, he dashed toward the kitchen.

As soon as Malrik disappeared behind the kitchen door, Calum wasted no time. With a swift motion, he hurled the offending fruit into the trash can beside him. His gaze turned to Silas, and his voice dripped with a hint of menace. “Are you really going to let our Ms. Tibarn keep someone this useless by her side?”

His temper was already frayed, and sometimes his words bordered on outright hostility. Silas and Lucien had grown accustomed to his volatile nature, but the others in the household often found it bewildering.

Silas, ever the voice of reason, gently reminded him, “Marshal, this is a home, not the army. Families should live in harmony.”

“Regardless of your opinion of Malrik, he is still one of the individuals Emy has pledged to bond with. If you want to stay here, there are some things you cannot say. You aren’t even permitted to think of them,” he asserted firmly.

Calum’s lips pressed into a thin line, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. “I wasn’t aware of the household rules when I arrived. Thank you for the heads-up. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

He reflected inwardly, *I recognize I’m at fault. In this home, I can’t impose my own regulations—I have to adhere to our female rules.*

With a resigned sigh, he approached the trash can once more, retrieving the fruit he had just discarded. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to consume it, bite by bite, determined to swallow his pride along with the sourness.

Just as he swallowed the last piece, Malrik reappeared from the kitchen, a new fruit clutched in his small hands. “Daddy, I found more of the delicious fruit!”

Calum was momentarily struck dumb at the sight of the fruit once again. “Thanks,” he muttered, licking his teeth, which still felt as if they might erode from the lingering tartness.

Under Malrik’s eager gaze, he steeled himself and forced down the second piece.

“Daddy, is it good?” Malrik asked, his eyes alight with hope.

“Understood,” Lucien affirmed. He then slipped Marcus’s lightcore into his pocket and instructed him to wait in the command room.

Marcus watched him leave, a frown creasing his brow as he slumped into his chair. *I don’t even have the chance to ask Ms. Tibarn: how many new n’ids did she receive today? Who are they? What status do they hold?*

The mere thought of more individuals arriving to vie for their females’ attention soured his mood further. He lamented silently, *I really wish I could beat them up.*

Meanwhile, over by the recovery pod, Lily—already dressed beautifully and made up—spotted Lucien and nearly threw herself into his arms, brimming with excitement.

“Lucien, you’ve arrived! It’s been ages—do you still remember me?” She gazed at him with sparkling eyes, inching closer, her enthusiasm palpable.

He observed her movements, suppressing the revulsion that churned in his chest as he instinctively stepped back, creating space between them.

Addressing both Lily and Dahlia, he said, “I came to check on how your injuries are mending.”

“My injuries are all healed now,” Lily replied eagerly, her tone bright and filled with gratitude. “Lucien, thank you for your concern about me.”

Meanwhile, on the lightcore, Emma listened intently to the conversation unfolding. Even though she couldn’t see Lily’s face, her tone revealed the depth of her admiration for Lucien.

On Lucien’s end, after Lily finished speaking, Dahlia added softly, “Lily is right. We’re both nearly fully healed. This time, we truly owe it to Your Highness for rescuing us. If the Chitinids had actually captured us, the consequences… would have been unimaginable.”