After Giving Birth, All My Beast Ex-Husbands Suddenly Want Me Back

Chapter 319: Peace of mind

Since Lex could no longer speak comfortably, Lani spoke on his behalf.

Not only had Lex’s voice become painfully hoarse and unpleasant, but every word he uttered now scraped against his throat with sharp discomfort. Because of that, he avoided speaking whenever possible.

Standing silently beside his father, guilt clouded his eyes.

This time... he truly had wronged Dian.

Originally, when they returned, he had planned to speak with both Dian and his father together. But the moment they arrived back at the palace, Dian had vanished somewhere unknown, leaving him no choice but to find Lani first.

"What is it?" Dian asked.

Judging from the expressions on his father’s and brother’s faces, he already had a bad feeling.

"It’s about the merfolk pearl," Lani said carefully. "Your father hopes you won’t tell Nina the truth yet."

Dian blinked in confusion. "Why?"

He tilted his head innocently. He... had already told her everything.

Just as expected, his awful father and awful brother had come looking for him with bad intentions again.

This time, however, he absolutely would not help them.

Of course, he didn’t say that aloud yet. He wanted to hear their reasoning first.

Lani sighed softly. "Because your brother... ran into some trouble."

Dian looked at Lex. "What happened to him?"

"Your brother..."

Lani briefly explained everything that had happened inside the sacred temple. The more Dian listened, the more stunned he became.

"Father... are you serious?"

"Everything he said is true," Lex rasped.

The instant Dian heard that broken, ruined voice, disbelief flooded his face.

"Brother... your voice really..."

It was gone. And in a few days... even his appearance would...

A sharp ache rose in Dian’s chest, impossible to describe.

Lex lowered his gaze. "Yes. So... I wanted to ask for your help."

He bit his lip softly. "Could you... not give your merfolk pearl to Nina?"

In truth, he hoped Nina would never learn the full story. He knew he was being selfish. But this way was better.

This way, Nina would never feel burdened. This way, when he disappeared from her life, she wouldn’t have to grieve for him.

Dian’s eyes widened in anger.

"How can you say something like that?" he snapped. "My merfolk pearl is absolutely meant for Nina. It’s the most important dowry gift I have!"

He had never imagined this was what they were planning.

Lani quickly tried to calm him.

"Dian, your brother doesn’t have another choice. Try to understand him."

"Then why don’t you try understanding me?" Dian shot back angrily. "I already lied to Nina once because of you! And now you still want me to keep deceiving her? What if she gets angry and stops wanting me? Why don’t you ever think about me?!"

Luckily, he had confessed everything to Nina early enough. Otherwise, she definitely wouldn’t have forgiven him so easily.

And now his father and brother wanted him to hide the truth from her forever? That was simply too cruel.

"Dian..." Lex’s voice turned low and pleading. "Please help your brother. At least help me keep this hidden for a few days."

Pain flickered across his face.

"After that... I’ll disappear from Nina’s life completely. And when that happens, if you still want to give her your pearl, then do it. Just... don’t tell her about me."

He truly had considered Dian’s position. He understood that hiding the truth forever would be difficult. He also knew he was the one in the wrong.

So even if Dian refused, he had no intention of forcing him. He only wanted to steal a few more peaceful days for himself.

Seeing his brother like this, Dian’s anger softened slightly into reluctant sympathy.

"It’s not that I don’t want to help you," he muttered. "It’s just... you’re already too late."

Of course, even if it weren’t too late, he still wouldn’t help them hide it.

"What do you mean?" Lex frowned.

"Because I already told Nina," Dian answered matter-of-factly. "Right after the celebration banquet, I confessed everything about the merfolk pearl."

Lex froze.

"You... what?" His face stiffened completely. "You already told Nina?"

Even Lani stared blankly.

No wonder they couldn’t find him earlier. The brat had secretly run off to confess everything to Nina first.

Lani suddenly felt exhausted. One reckless child after another. None of them ever gave him peace of mind.

"Yep." Dian nodded proudly. "And Nina said she wants to talk to you properly tomorrow."

Panic exploded inside Lex’s chest.

Nina already knew? Then... would she be angry with him? What did she want to talk about? Was she going to tell him to leave?

Countless terrible possibilities surged through his mind all at once, leaving him overwhelmed with fear.

For a moment, he had no idea how he was supposed to face Nina tomorrow.

Unable to contain himself, he lashed out at Dian.

"Dian, why did you tell Nina so soon?!"

Why couldn’t his brother leave him even a few short days?

"Because if I didn’t, Nina would definitely get angry," Dian argued righteously. "If I hadn’t confessed in time, she almost wouldn’t have wanted me anymore."

Then he glared at Lex.

"And you too! I’m warning you—not telling Nina the truth is a terrible idea. If you lie to her, you’ll regret it someday."

Lex clenched his fists tightly.

He didn’t want to deceive Nina either. But what choice did he have?

In his current state, there was no future for him beside her anymore. All he wanted was a few more memories before he disappeared from her life forever.

Was even that too much to ask?

"Dian," he said hoarsely, "don’t tell Nina about what happened to me."

Dian fell silent. There was no way he would help hide it. He had already promised himself he would never conceal things from Nina again.

Besides, this wasn’t just Lex’s business anymore. It involved Nina too. And maybe—just maybe—Nina could actually help him.

After all, she had once healed Finch’s severed tail.

"Brother," Dian said seriously, "you shouldn’t hide this from Nina. She hates being deceived."

He hesitated before continuing.

"And... maybe she really can help you recover. Didn’t she already heal Finch before?"

Lex shook his head painfully. "It’s impossible between Nina and me now," he murmured. "I just don’t want to burden her with more worries."

This wasn’t like a simple injury. He had traded these things away willingly. He knew better than anyone how impossible it would be to recover them. And he refused to become a burden she had to carry.

Lani rubbed his chin in thought.

"Actually... I think Dian makes sense. Nina is incredibly capable. Maybe if you’re honest with her, she really could help."

"No." Lex’s voice cracked with pain. "I don’t want Nina to know."

He didn’t want her to see him become ugly. He didn’t want her pity.

Dian huffed angrily.

"If you want to hide things, then hide them yourself. I’m not helping you."

His foolish brother could ruin himself all he wanted, but Dian refused to get dragged down with him.

Lex’s expression darkened immediately.

"Dian. You are not allowed to tell Nina."

Honestly, if he’d known Dian had already confessed about the pearl, he never would’ve told him anything in the first place.

Now his irritating little brother was practically preparing to run off and expose everything.

What a hateful sibling.

Dian ignored him completely.

"I only listen to Nina," he declared. "And this concerns her too."

Lani stood nearby, caught miserably between both sons, utterly torn over whose side he should take.

"Dian!" Lex snapped angrily.

Dian glared back furiously before turning around and darting rapidly toward the shoreline.

He was going to tell Nina everything right now.

Seeing him flee, Lex immediately chased after him.

"Father!" he shouted urgently to Lani. "Quick—stop him! Don’t let him run off and tattle to Nina!"

Lani hesitated briefly before letting out a weary sigh.

Then he, too, hurried after them.