Stand for Love Ch. 06

"You trust him because you love him and you're married to him," Noah said angrily. "I only want justice for my mother. She's your mother too. She'd be lying in a mortuary somewhere because of Adrian. Had it not been for Jake who had gone to the room earlier she'd have died? We wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Please," Nicholas begged as he felt his heart hurting. "I don't want him to..."

"I'm sorry," Noah said as he released Nicholas' hands. "I have no other choice. You love him but he'll go to jail for sure."

Nicholas looked at Adrian and saw the pain in his eyes. Even if Adrian had poisoned his mother he didn't need to go to any jail. His brother needed to understand that. He loves Adrian and can't allow some policemen to take him. No!

"Please," Nicholas said as tears run down his cheeks. "I love him."

"I'm sorry."

Noah continued dialing the number angrily. He was almost putting it on his ear before he heard a voice,

"Stop,"

That voice was from his mother. He cut the call, again and looked at her.

"What?" Noah said as he got closer to his mother. "Why are you stopping me?"

Victoria tried to move but she couldn't do it. It was clear to everyone that she still didn't have her strength back.

"Don't call the police," She said softly.

"Why mom," Arianna said as she got closer. "Why can't we call the police because this boy had tried to have you killed? He had you poisoned or are you saying that it wasn't him?"

"No," Victoria said. "I started feeling the pain and bleeding after having a little soup. I know he might have poisoned me but look at your brother," Victoria said. "He is suffering. I can't bear to see him in this condition. Just let it go. Besides, I did not die. Thanks to Jake who came in quickly,"

"Mom," Noah said softly. "I know you are concerned about Nicholas but the fact still remains that Adrian had poisoned your food. He is the culprit here. What if he tries to kill you again?"

"He won't," Victoria smiled faintly. "I just wanna see my son happy that's all."

"I'm still calling the police," Noah said hoarsely. "He'll..."

Nicholas held on to his brother and begged. He couldn't bear to see Adrian in that condition. Even if he had poisoned his mother he didn't deserve any of it.

"Please," Nicholas begged as a tear fell down his cheek. "Please, do this for me. Adrian is..."

"That's what I thought too," Noah said angrily. "I thought he was a saint and I accepted him the moment he came into this house. I accepted him because you were happy with him. But maybe I should have stood firm with mother. Had you married someone else none of this would have happened."

Adrian was in pain. That side of Noah was scaring him. Everybody in the house just watched and kept quiet. His husband was begging and Adrian really saw that he really loved him a lot. That was a husband who was difficult to find.

"Please," Nicholas said softly. "I promise it won't happen again."

Noah was furious. Nicholas could feel it from the way his body was shaking. He had seen his brother mad at times but not like that. This time he was mad at his Adrian and it was really painful.

"I'm sorry," Noah said angrily, diverting his eyes to his brother. "My mother was poisoned. If you don't care about her I do. You two are married but..."

"Noah," Victoria yelled and then winced in pain, touching her chest. "Will you stop it? I'm..." She winced. "I'm the one who was poisoned and I choose to let my son be happy. I don't know the reason why he poisoned me but....I can't see my son suffering. I'm getting better."

"Mom," Noah said as he sat on the couch, holding his mother. "Are you okay?"

"Just a little pain," Victoria said softly, touching her chest. "But I'll be fine."

"See what..."

"If you want me to get better," Victoria said confidently. "Then listen to me. Don't call the police. Maybe it's my fault also. I should have known. I shouldn't have accepted the food knowing I didn't have a very good relationship with him."

"Please, mom," Noah begged.

"No, listen to me," Victoria winced. "Drop whatever plan you have. Do it for your brother."

"But mom, he'll be staying in this house with you. What if he tries something and...?"

"You'll be here." Victoria smiled. "Now we know and we have to be careful."

Noah was angry but it was his mother's wish. He had to fulfill it at any cost if it was gonna make her happy.

"Aunt," Jake said as he knelt down in front of her. "I respect your decision but I think Noah is..."

"No," Victoria said softly. "I'm not changing anything. I have decided to make my son happy. I still don't like him but it will make my son happy."

"Alright," Noah said as he furiously got up. "I'll fulfill your wish mother,"

Noah walked slowly and stood in front Adrian. He was burning inside. He just wanted to slap the boy's brains out for trying to kill his mother. He had trusted him so much. Maybe it was also his mistake for trusting so much.

Adrian raised his face just to take a glimpse of his brother in law mad and sweating. He knew he had been set up and he was determined to find out who had done that to him.

"I'll not call the police," Noah said angrily.

Adrian gasped as he slowly rubbed his tears. "Thank you so much. You..."

Nicholas raised his hand and stopped Adrian from saying anything.

"That doesn't mean that I forgive you," Noah said angrily. "I'll never forgive you for doing this. You are only staying in this house because of the same woman you had poisoned. If I had my way I would have taken you to the police and make sure you rot there."

"Noah, I..."

"You might still be staying in this house but listen to me," Noah warned, pointing his finger angrily. "From now on I'm no longer your brother in law. You'll no longer do or cook anything in this house. I don't want you near my mother because I might just kill you myself."

Adrian's heart melted. Those rules he was being given were harsh considering the fact that he'd been framed and no one listened to him. It was painful to listen to. Noah was practically telling him to stay away.

"You'll stay away from me. I don't want you near my wife. I don't know about others but do that and there will be no trouble. I hate you so much. I'll take care of mother but if you do as much as try to do anything to anybody in this house you'll regret ever crossing my path."

Adrian felt a heavy burden dropping on him. It was making him feel so much pain. He had grown to love everyone in the house and those rules were really difficult to follow but it was what he needed to do while trying to figure out a way on how to prove his innocence.

Noah walked away from him and went to his mother. He was suddenly feeling suffocated. He'd been hurt enough and so was his mother. He needed to get her away from that room. He could see that she was already hurt emotionally. She should have just allowed him to deal with Adrian. The boy wouldn't have done a thing again.

"Let's go, mom," Noah said as he slowly wrapped his arm around his mother's neck to get her up.

She smiled and slowly got up. The both of them slowly walked to the elevator and left. Adrian was there sobbing and crying. He watched as some of the family members stormed out angrily. He knew they were blaming him for everything. They all left except for Nicholas, granny, George and Emily.

Adrian couldn't even raise his face to look at his husband. He just couldn't do it. He didn't want to see him in any more pain.

Adrian felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked and there stood George with tears in his eyes. He wondered whether George thought of it too. He wondered whether George was blaming him for everything. He was crying so heavily that he didn't even bother to smile.

"I know it's confusing," George sighed. "You made the soup but I trust you completely."

George left after squeezing his arm. He didn't respond but just cried there. He stared at Emily and she looked away. He stared at his husband and he had tears in his eyes. Granny was sad too. He'd understand her if she chose not to believe him. He had made the soup after all.

Nicholas couldn't take the pain anymore. He needed to make Adrian feel better. He didn't deserve what he was getting. He needed to do something.

Nicholas slowly walked towards Adrian. He took him in his arms and held him tightly. He felt him relax in his arms as his sobs got louder. He had never been as confused as he was. He had so many questions but he had no idea whom to ask. What mattered was that he was holding Adrian close to him and he was safe.

Adrian cried even more when Nicholas held him. He knew it was probably hard on his husband. He needed his love and trust. With that he could become stronger and his search for the truth would help him too. He was feeling all kinds of pains. Normally they would have stopped with Nicholas holding him but they just kept on increasing.

"Take good care of him," Emily said softly before she sadly left with granny.

Now it was just the two of them standing in the living room. The only sound that was heard was the sobs coming from Adrian. He felt lucky Nicholas was there by side. Being in those arms had never felt as better as it did. It was like he was in a warm fire that kept him alive. It felt like heaven. Too bad it couldn't take away the pain from him.

"Shh..." Nicholas whispered. "It's okay. I'm here for you. Don't worry about it."

Nicholas was feeling terrible. He still had doubts. He knew Adrian was somehow innocent but he had doubts. It made him feel really bad. He should trust his lover completely not doubting him. He really loves Adrian.

"I didn't do it," Adrian cried. "I didn't do it I swear."

"Shh..." Nicholas soothed. "You'll be fine. Don't worry."

How could he be fine? He'd just been accused of poisoning his mother in law. That was really bad and he needed to find out why that had happened. He couldn't just stand and do nothing.

"Let's go to our room." Nicholas whispered.

He led Adrian to their room and held him in his arms for hours. He kept on feeling the pain each time Adrian sobbed. His shirt was wet with tears and he was heartbroken. So many questions filled his head and he needed answers or he'd go crazy thinking about all those things which were happening.

By the time Adrian stopped crying it was really late. Nicholas figured he needed something to eat. He couldn't just sit and watch him cry himself to death.

Adrian's head was hurting. His body was cold and his eyes were swollen from crying. What someone had done to him was unfair. He needed answers. He couldn't blame anyone else. Victoria had no enemies in the house. Adrian felt Jake might have had something to do with it but he wasn't sure. The guy loved Victoria like anything.

"Adrian!" Nicholas called as he slowly moved his arms from him. "I need to go somewhere. I'll be back okay. I just need to check on Gabriel."

Nicholas was happy Gabriel wasn't home to see what was going on. He was at least happy.

Adrian nodded and he laid on the bed as Nicholas left the room. He wondered whether Nicholas doubted him or not. He needed to find out what Nicholas thought about all this.

Adrian grabbed a pillow and rested his poor head on it. In just a few minutes, Nicholas came back with a plate of food. He sat on the bed and told Adrian to come closer. Adrian did as he was told but he was not ready to eat anything. Something was bothering him and he had to find out the complete truth about what was really in Nicholas' mind.

Nicholas took the food and slowly took it to Adrian's mouth. Adrian moved his face and it got Nicholas worried.

"Please," Nicholas spoke softly. "You need to eat something. You haven't had a thing since this afternoon. Are you not angry?"

Adrian sighed sadly. He was in pain and he would continue to be unless he got answers to his many questions.

"What are your thoughts about it," Adrian mumbled. A tear fell down his cheek.

"Please," Nicholas muttered. "I don't know what to think. My mother is well and that's what matters the most to me."

Adrian used his hand and raised his husband's face. He saw pain, anger and something that he couldn't understand clearly. He could also feel that his husband was afraid.

"You do believe, don't you?" Adrian asked, afraid by the answer he might get.

"Please, let's not talk about this." Nicholas begged, dropping the spoon on the plate. "I just want to forget about what happened. It is too painful to remember. Sure, I can't forget about what happened to my mother but I don't wanna talk about it."

"I need to know," Adrian said softly, rubbing his hands together. "I need to know whether my husband..."

"Please, I don't wanna talk about it," Nicholas said, slowly standing with the plate in his hands.

"But..."

"Go to sleep," Nicholas said, moving away from the bed with a big question mark on his head. "We both have had a long day. Just go to sleep." He began walking towards the door slowly. "Don't wait up for me. I will be gone for a while."

Before Adrian could say something, Nicholas shut the door. Adrian wondered and got hurt. By Nicholas' reaction it was all so clear that he doubted him. That hurt Adrian so much. Tears were pouring on his face once more. He knew and suspected that Nicholas doubted him but he was not gonna jump to any conclusions without hearing it from Nicholas' mouth.

Adrian slipped under the covers, held a pillow and cried himself to sleep. The pain kept on increasing and increasing with every passing second. There was no Nicholas to comfort him and that's why he cried himself to sleep.

****

Adrian slowly moved his hands on the bed. Realizing that his husband was not in the room, he quickly opened his eyes and rose from the bed. By the looks of it, his husband had slept in the room but it was clear that he was not there anymore. He needed to find him. That had never happened before and he got worried.

His husband no matter what was the last to wake up. Even if he woke up first, he never went out of the bed without kissing him with a wonderful good morning kiss. Where was that good morning kiss his husband gave him every morning? He was missing it a lot.

Something had happened last night and he knew that his husband was probably mad at him. He was gonna check if he was still in the room even though his heart was telling him that his husband was not in the room.

Adrian checked the bathroom, the clothes room and the other office but there was no sign of his husband. He got hurt so much but he had to cope with it. Maybe his husband had just woken up early to go check up on his mother. But why was he feeling that his husband was blaming him for Victoria's poisoning too?

Adrian sighed and he quickly rushed into the shower. He took a quick shower, put some clothes on and got nervous when the idea of going downstairs hit his brain. He was hungry and the only place he knew he could find food was at the dining. He knew the family members were probably having breakfast but why should he fear? He was not the one who had poisoned Victoria.

Adrian hoped Noah had just been mad and didn't mean anything he said. Once he goes to the dining room Noah would be smiling like he usually did, he hoped.

Adrian took a deep breath and he got out of the room. He went downstairs and wondered whether there were people in the house at all. It was too quiet.

He quickly rushed to the dining room and almost had a heart attack when he found the family members in the dining room having breakfast and looking lost. They didn't seem to notice him as they were all deeply lost in thought. He looked around and noticed that his husband, George, Jake and Victoria were not around. He was immediately filled with worry. Where was his husband?

"Oh," Granny smiled. "Adrian!"

Adrian raised his head and gasped. Now all eyes were on him and they seemed angry.

"Come," Granny smiled. "Join us for breakfast."

Adrian smiled faintly and began going towards the chair before he heard loud banging on the table. He stopped in his tracks and looked at Arianna, Clara and Noah furiously getting off the chairs.

Arianna hissed and that made him weak. They did hate him after all. Just two days ago they'd been having a wonderful dinner together but now they hated him. It was really painful. He just wished he could reverse everything and reject making Victoria's soup.

Adrian quickly gathered himself and sighed.

"Noah!" He called softly.

Noah quickly stopped and turned. He was furious and Adrian really hoped he had not triggered anything that would put him in any form of trouble.

"What?" Noah said, clenching his fists.

"Can I have a word with you?"

"Be quick!" Noah said, feeling so much anger. "I don't have whole day."

"I just wanna say I'm sorry," Adrian apologized, feeling tears building in his eyes. "I know I made the soup but I didn't put anything aside from the ingredients."

Noah just stood there and listened without saying anything. He needed to get it over with quickly. He didn't need to say anything to the stupid boy who had almost killed his mother.

"I just want you to trust me." Adrian said, rubbing a tear that had run down his cheek. "I just need the man who told me he's my brother. That is the man I want. I know you think I'm guilty because I made the soup but..."

"I'm sorry," Noah said angrily. "But I'm not your brother. Even if I was," He sighed and looked angrily at Adrian. "I don't want to be anymore. You and I share nothing. And please, stay away from me. I don't wanna see your face."

Noah quickly turned and stormed out of the dining, slamming the door really hard as he left. It made Adrian to shiver but that was painful too. He was really hoping he could reconcile with his brother in law but it was just too hard for him. Noah believed he had poisoned his mother and that was really painful.

Adrian lost his appetite. He slowly turned and headed for the door.

"Hey," Emily said, quickly rising from the chair. "Where are you going?"

Adrian turned and faced his aunt. He had no expression on his face and she seemed worried.

"Where are you going?" Emily asked. "Aren't you having your breakfast?"

Adrian looked at her and a tear ran down his face. He was really hurt by everything that was going on. He just wanted to sleep for a long time and find everything gone.

"I'm going to my room," He mumbled, rubbing his tear. "And I'm not hungry. Don't worry about me."

Emily sighed. "Are you angry with me?"

Adrian nodded his head. "No! It's just that..."

"I'm sorry," Emily apologized as she took his hands in hers. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything yesterday. It's just that I was confused."

"Don't worry," Adrian said as he tried to smile. "I understand completely. Your sister was poisoned by..."

"No!" Emily said softly, squeezing his hands. "Please, don't say that. I don't know what happened and to be honest I didn't know what to think. If you say you didn't poison her. I trust you didn't. She didn't even die so don't think that I'm mad at you."

"Yeah," granny said as she rose from the chair. "Don't worry about it. The Lord always redeems those that are innocent. If you are innocent he'll vindicate you. Don't worry about the others. They'll eventually talk to you."

"Thank you so much." Adrian said softly. "This really means a lot to me. I'll find a way to prove my innocence. It'll be hard but I know that I'll get somewhere."

"We'll be here if you need our help." Granny smiled as she moved her hand to caress his cheek.

"Thank you!" Adrian smiled. "I'll be in my room."

"Alright," Emily smiled. "I'll have some food sent over."

Adrian smiled faintly and he left the dining room. He didn't plan on coming out of his room as he feared he'd just ruin everyone else's day. He planned to stay in his room the whole day and wait for his husband.