The powerful leader was tough on the outside but soft on the inside; the aloof major general fell fo

Ashleigh stared blankly at the doorway, and when Derek, who had his back to him, suddenly turned around, he hurriedly looked away.

Tap tap tap, the sound of footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Ashel raised his eyes, his gaze filled with unspeakable pain and confusion.

"My lord, will Ethan also become pregnant with your insect offspring...?"

The female father reappeared after a long time, but Ethan was no longer by his side.

What were the test results?

Ashel wanted to know, but dared not ask his female father aloud.

What if the answer is yes...

Ashel suppressed a bitter smile.

He began to pretend he knew nothing and went through the days as usual.

Suffocating with pent-up frustration, Ashle looked in the mirror one day and saw the dark circles under his eyes, realizing he couldn't go on like this.

He still has the male lord's offspring inside him.

He needs to be taken good care of.

Ashle deliberately tried to forget the unpleasantness by shuttling between the military headquarters and the hospital.

But he still overestimated himself.

Ethan was like a thorn buried in his heart. In the dead of night, he would always think of the scene he witnessed that day. When he was not around, was the male master holding Ethan and making love to him?

Every night and every detail of the Lord flashed through his mind. Ash couldn't help but bring Ethan into the picture. Had the Lord done the same thing with Ethan?

Will she also pin Ethan down and whisper some embarrassing things in his ear?

A sudden pain shot through my palm.

When the light was turned on, Ashel discovered that his fingernails had dug his palms raw, and the stench of blood, which the lord hated most, filled the air.

In the early hours of the morning, Ashel threw off the covers and numbly went to find the first-aid kit.

He needs to take care of himself; he's not an insect anymore.

Ashel couldn't remember how many times she had suffered from insomnia.

The wound had been treated, and the air was too quiet. There was no sound from the male master. Ash closed his eyes, and his body under the blanket unconsciously curled up.

he thinks.

The female father was right; she was just a petty worm, completely unqualified to be the female ruler of the male.

The female ruler is loving and tolerant of "people," and can actively select more female insects for the male ruler, obeying all the male ruler's decisions.

But Ashel...

The pillow core was already soaked with sweat as I lay on my side.

"My lord, I cannot do it..."

"I can't do it..."

Ashel's lips trembled, his brows furrowed, already trapped in a nightmare.

In the morning, Derek saw Ashle's haggard appearance and frowned deeply. "What happened to you?! I noticed you haven't been looking well these past few days. If you're not feeling well, you should quit your job in the military and focus on your pregnancy!"

It wasn't a leave request, it was a resignation.

Ashel suddenly stiffened, biting her lip, "Father, I'm alright."

"It's just that the weather's gotten cold lately, and I'm having trouble sleeping at night..."

Derek gave him a suspicious look. "Really?"

Ashel nodded.

Derek pursed his lips. "Go ask the housekeeper what's going on. If the heating isn't working well, have the bugs come over and take a look. If you're having trouble sleeping, call the family doctor over."

Finally, he added sternly, "This bug is so big, can't it take care of itself?"

"Remember this: you're not an insect anymore. Don't let me find out you're doing anything to ruin your body!"

Ashel lowered his eyes and replied, "I understand, Father."

Seeing that Derek was still staring at him, Ashel's lips moved slightly. "I won't let anything happen to the male's insect offspring."

Derek then relaxed in satisfaction and ordered the insect to bring up breakfast.

Ashel was actually feeling a bit nauseous. Under his mother's gaze, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he frowned slightly as he gulped down the warm porridge in his bowl, barely chewing it, almost choking himself.

After finishing his breakfast, Derek nodded and let him leave.

Ashle went straight to the bathroom, closed the door, and vomited up everything she had just eaten.

If Derek saw this, he'd be furious.

And let me add a curse: 'How can spit out worms and still get any nutrition?!'

Ashel clutched his stomach, his eyes welling up with tears from the discomfort.

He didn't know what was wrong with him lately; he couldn't eat anything and often suffered from insomnia.

Ashleigh knew that eggs needed nutrition, but even if he forced himself to eat, he would eventually throw it all up.

When Gapuni saw his brother again, he was shocked by Ashel's pale and haggard appearance. He grabbed Ashel and questioned him, "Why have you lost so much weight?!"

Ashel shook his head slightly. "I haven't been getting enough rest lately."

Gabriel's gaze lingered on Ashel's tired face for a moment before he tentatively asked, "Is it because your master has been unconscious?"

Ashel remained silent, neither denying it nor denying it.

Hearing that the chances of the male insect reviving were slim, Gapuy sighed inwardly, unsure how to comfort Ashel, and said dryly, "Don't worry too much, Your Excellency will be alright."

A moment of silence followed.

Gapini tried to comfort Ashel and distract him, chatting about this and that, before finally complaining, "If Ethan hadn't caused this misunderstanding between you, things wouldn't have turned out this way."

Ashel suddenly spoke up, "What misunderstanding?"

"It's just..."

Gapini was thinking, "Doesn't Ashel know?"

When he met his brother's light-colored eyes, the emotions surging deep within them startled Gapu Ni for a moment.

The words stuck in my throat.

Ashel pressed, "What misunderstanding?"

A bold yet terrifying thought suddenly popped into my head.

Surely Ashleigh knows the truth? Didn't he approach Ethan once before?

"The day you came back late, Ethan sneaked into your room to try and seduce Cen Li, but he didn't succeed."

Ashel's expression changed.

Seeing that his expression was off, Gapini quickly pressed for an answer, "Didn't Ethan tell you? I saw you with him a few days ago."

Ashleigh pressed his throbbing temples. "He wasn't telling the truth."

"That day, the female father asked Ethan about what happened that night, and Ethan said that the male master and he had already had a physical relationship."

Gapini's eyes widened. "That's not what Ethan said the night it happened."

Two completely different versions of the story.

Ashel, with a sullen face, could basically guess Ethan's thoughts before and after. "He must have been worried that his female father would cause him trouble, so he lied."

Gapuni suddenly realized, and said hesitantly, "So you're in a bad mood because you think your master and Ethan are having an affair?"

Ashle couldn't refute it and nodded stiffly.

What to do... He misunderstood the powerful ruler once again...

Ashle was shocked and delighted to learn that it was a misunderstanding, but this insignificant emotion was quickly overshadowed.

Guilt and self-blame overwhelmed Ashel, almost bending his straight back.

"It's nothing."

Gaponi comforted him, "If it were me, I would have misunderstood too. The situation was just too suggestive."

Ashel blinked slowly, his eyes dry. "If only I had trusted the lord a little more..."

Gabriel interrupted him, looking at his brother who was deeply mired in self-blame, took a few breaths, and tried to soften his tone, "There are no ifs, Ashel."

"No one could have predicted the current situation; it's just that everything happened by chance."

Gabriel forced a smile, hoping Ashel would cheer up. "Don't blame yourself for everything. I heard you're pregnant with Lord Cenli's child?"

"Isn't this something to be happy about? Smile, okay?"