Chapter 252: Chapter 252: You’re Just Like Your Mother

’Of course she’d call.’ Mika thought as he looked at her profile picture with him and her in it. ’She always does even if I leave the house for even a little while.’

In the past he honestly used to get annoyed by these calls that came all the time.

But after distancing himself away from her and realising that he couldn’t even pick up the calls even though he wanted to hear her voice, he cherished every single call he received.

So, not keep her waiting as she would probably scold him for that as well, he accepted the call, and her face immediately filled the screen. She looked beautiful as ever, crimson hair framing her elegant features, her lips curved into a relieved smile.

But the moment she noticed he was on a hospital bed, her expression shattered into pure panic.

"Mika! What—what happened?! Why are you in bed?!" Her voice jumped an octave as her eyes darted wildly. "You said it was just a standard check-up! If it was just a test, it should’ve been over by now! Why are you still in a hospital bed?! Is it serious? Are you under observation? Oh no—are they keeping you overnight?!"

He blinked, startled by the barrage of questions.

"Yelena, calm down, it’s not—"

But she suddenly froze mid-sentence. Her eyes narrowed. Her tone dropped dangerously.

"Wait. Don’t tell me..." Her lips curled into a jealous frown. "Don’t tell me Fauna’s the one who dragged you into that bed."

Mika blinked. "Dragged—what?"

"Oh, don’t play dumb!" Yelena said, leaning closer to the screen, her eyes gleaming in suspicion. "It’s her, isn’t it? That little fluffball! She wanted to cuddle you and kiss you all over again, didn’t she?"

"She dragged you into a private room, threw you onto the bed, and now she’s snuggling up to you, I knew it!"

Hearing this, he burst into laughter. But that only fueled her outrage.

"Don’t laugh, Mika! This is serious!" She scolded, cheeks puffing adorably with irritation. "You have no idea what she’s capable of. She always looks so cute and harmless, but she’s a sneaky little thing!"

"She’s been like that ever since the beginning—always clinging to you, always using that innocent act to get her way!"

He couldn’t stop chuckling. "You’re exaggerating—"

"I am not!" Yelena snapped, crossing her arms. "Do you know how jealous I used to get? Every time I tried to spend time with you and she’d already be by your side like you were her private property. And now she’s doing it again!"

"Yelena..." He started, but she cut him off again, fuming.

"Give the phone to Fauna right now. I want to have a word with her!"

That did it—Mika laughed so hard his stomach hurt. His amused grin made her flush with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.

"Why are you laughing?! Don’t laugh!" She cried, stamping her foot slightly. "This is unfair! I send you for a test, and that Fauna steals you again! It’s like I sent my dog to another person for care—only for that person to brainwash him into thinking they’re the owner! It’s not fair at all!"

He was practically wheezing now. "Yelena—please—"

"No, I’m not joking!" She said, pouting but clearly flustered by his laughter. "You don’t understand how much of a schemer she is!"

Finally, he calmed down enough to speak between chuckles. "Yelena...no, it’s not like that at all."

Her brows furrowed. "Then why are you in that bed? Don’t tell me—"

"I’m just tired." He said, smiling faintly. "From giving birth."

There was silence.

Complete silence.

Yelena blinked slowly. "...What?"

Mika’s grin widened. "You heard me."

Her eye twitched. "...Mika, you do know that only women can give birth, right? That’s a universal fact. Biology 101."

"I’m aware." He said dryly.

"And I also know for a fact you’re a man." She added quickly, flustered, her cheeks turning pink. "And there’s no way—absolutely no way—you could give birth. So what in the world are you even talking about?"

"I didn’t mean me, Yelena." He chuckled again, pulling himself up a little before going on to say, "One of the patients here went into labor, and things went wrong. And in one way or another I stepped in and I ...helped deliver the baby."

Wait—you helped deliver a baby? You?" Her eyes widened. "

"Mm-hm." He leaned back casually. "There were some complications, the doctors didn’t know what to do, and since I was there...I took care of it. Nothing big."

"Nothing big?!" She exploded, her eyes blinking in disbelief. "Mika, you helped give birth to a child! That’s not nothing big—that’s huge!"

He smirked. "Is it?"

"Yes!" She said passionately. "You helped bring life into the world! You literally guided someone into existence—that’s one of the most pure and sacred things a person can do! It’s beautiful, it’s divine!"

Her anger melted into awe, her expression softening with emotion.

"And honestly, Mika...that’s so like your mother."

He blinked, startled by the sudden shift.

"My...mother?"

Yelena nodded gently, her tone turning nostalgic.

"Yes. She was the one who helped deliver all five of our daughters. Every single one. Whether it was Fauna, or me, or the others, she was always the first to hold our children."

Her voice wavered slightly, a fond smile tugging at her lips.

"She was so calm, graceful, and strong even in those moment and gave us courage when we were struggling. Just like...Just like you were probably today."

Mika fell silent, his eyes softening. It wasn’t often that Yelena spoke about his mother—she was a quiet mystery, a memory rarely mentioned.

But when Yelena did talk about her, her words were always full of love and reverence.

"She helped you deliver Charlotte, didn’t she?" He smiled faintly, a touch of sorrow flickering in his eyes.

"She did." Yelena nodded slowly. "She was the one who guided her first breath into this world."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them was warm, tender and filled with the echoes of a past both painful and precious.

But then he realised something.

If Yelena were to reconnect him with his mother right now, she would start thinking differently of him like she did in the past, of how he was actually his mother’s son.

That would make all the fragile progress they’d made together break apart and there was no way he was going to allow that to happen.

So, deciding to change the course of the conversation, his eyes sharpened, and the mischievous glint returned—like a mask sliding back into place.

"You know Yelena, I’m actually pretty worn out over here." He grinned, suddenly cocky. "Not just tired, not just, ’I could use a nap’ tired—no, I’m talking the kind of exhausted that settles deep in your bones."

"I mean, do you have any idea how much mental energy it takes, helping someone give birth? I swear, I’m wiped. Mentally, physically. Drained."

Yelena’s eyes widened, surprise overtaken by a look of pity as if she were coddling a puppy.

"Oh, you poor baby! It must have been so tough."

She said, her tone dripping with gentleness and genuine warmth all at once.

"But you did so good, okay? Really, you made a whole family, an entire future generation, happy tonight. You did a good job. And if there’s anything I could do for you, you know I’d be happy to do it. I could even cook your favorite meal and even prepare a feast if you—"

"No need to go that far." He said, lifting a hand in a lazy little wave of dismissal. "Really, don’t trouble yourself."

"But..." He added, and the single syllable hung in the air, electric. "...there is something you could do."

Her posture straightened, eyes brightening as if she were suddenly a loyal maid at attention, awaiting his command.

"What is it?" She asked, her anticipation almost puppyish in its eagerness. "Tell me—I’ll do anything, as long as it helps with your tiredness!"

He leaned forward, closing the last bit of distance to the phone, voice lowering into a hush that made the moment intimate, private, just for her.

"It’s nothing fancy." He murmured, his eyes glinting with playful intent. "I don’t need a feast or a foot rub."

"But if you’d just pull down your dress, right now, and show me those gorgeous tits—jiggle them for me on camera a little—I swear, I’d feel a whole lot better."

His words were blunt, but so open, so full of affection and hungry admiration that the request landed with a thump, not a sting.

For a split second, Yelena just...froze.

On the screen, she looked almost like a statue—mouth slightly parted, eyes big, absolutely motionless except for the flush that started to bloom up her throat, painting her cheeks a brilliant scarlet.

Mika actually wondered if her internet had glitched, if she’d retreated, but before he could call out her name, Yelena’s composure cracked and she burst out in a fluster.

"W-What are you talking about?! What in the world—how is my, how is seeing my naked chest going to help with your exhaustion?!"

Mika just grinned, shameless, basking in her mortification.

"You’d be amazed at the healing powers of a beautiful view, Yelena." He said. "As long as you see things you like, it soothes your mind, you know? Inner peace. And I really, really like your tits."

"I love looking at them. Talking to them. Licking them. They’re honestly some of my favorite things in the entire world. That’s why I want to see them right now."

He meant it, too—his voice was soft, sincere, a little rough with need, and there was something in the way he looked at her, as if he could drink her in through the glass.

For a moment, Yelena forgot to be embarrassed; instead, she felt a flicker of real happiness that he loved something about her so much, enough to say it out loud, enough to ask for it in the midst of all his exhaustion.

The thrill made her heart beat faster, even as she tried to tamp down her smile.

But she shook her head, trying to reassert her dignity.

"You’re always so naughty, aren’t you?"

She said, struggling to keep her voice stern but not quite managing it, because she was already half-laughing.

"You’re in a hospital, Mika—a place of healing. And you’re still having these thoughts. You really can’t help yourself."

"No matter what building I’m in, I’m still me." He shrugged, eyes glinting. "And right now? I want to see your tits, right in front of my face."

"Can you do that, or are you going to push away a poor, exhausted guy for your own pride?"

The words made her pause, bite her lip, reconsider.

Mika really did look tired, worn out in a way that tugged at her heart; she remembered all the other things they’d done together, things far more daring than this, and realized, in the grand scheme of their relationship, this was just another secret, another gift.

She hesitated only a moment more before, with a soft, exasperated sigh, she glanced off screen, as if to double-check that she was alone. Then she returned her gaze to Mika—her cheeks still glowing with embarrassment.

"Fine, fine, but just this once, okay? And only because you worked so hard today..." She grumbled, but the fondness in her voice gave her away.

She tilted the phone lower so Mika had a perfect view, the silky dress clinging to her curves, catching the light where it stretched tight across her chest.

With a small eyeroll and a smirk, she tugged the collar down until the full swell of her plump breasts spilled above the lace—round, heavy, the soft skin flushed. Her nipples peeked out, pale pink and already stiff, brushing the edge of the fabric.

Then she gave a playful bounce, making them jiggle, nipples flicking slightly with the motion.

"There...you happy now, you shameless little pup?" She teased, though her tone was as loving as ever. "Are you going to recover now, or do I have to do more ridiculous things just to help your ’exhaustion’?"

Mika grinned, stretching back on the hospital bed with a groan of delight.

"Ahh...much better. You have no idea how healing it is to see something so beautiful after a long, hard day."

"You really are such a deviant, Mika." Yelena laughed, cheeks burning, but she looked pleased with herself before going on to say, "You know, there are a million other ways to relax that don’t involve me flashing you on a video call in broad daylight."

"But none of them work as fast." Mika countered, eyes shining with mischief. "Besides, if anyone deserves to see you like this, it’s me, right?"

She snorted, pretending to be stern.

"I’m starting to think you learned this bad behavior from Fauna. She always spoiled you, and now you think every woman’s just going to dote on you and show you whatever you want."

"Maybe I just like women who spoil me." Mika replied, his voice softening. "Or maybe I just like you, Yelena."

Yelena couldn’t help but freeze, cheeks burning even brighter as Mika’s words landed, soft and earnest and—God, effective.

The fondness in his tone, the way he looked at her right now, as if she were the only person who could heal him, it stirred something deep inside her.

Even sitting here, naked from the waist up, her pink nipples on full display for this shameless boy, she felt...cherished. Happy, in a way that made the embarrassment softer, almost sweet.

Mika was also really satisfied.

A week ago, a request like this would have ended in half an hour of negotiation and bashful arguments before she might, just might, have given in.

Now all he had to do was pout, whine about his exhaustion, and there she was, breasts bare and beautiful, almost casual about it.

It made him want to laugh out loud. He was so damn proud of them both, how far they’d come.

But why stop here? He wanted to savor this, push her just a little more.