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

Chapter 317: Lex’s Sacrifice

Lani looked at him in confusion. "Why did you drag me all the way over here?"

They had finally secured the sacred artifact and could at last relax for a while. He had been planning to spend more time playing with the five little ones before Nina eventually left Sea Blue City. She had already told them that she still needed to search for the remaining sacred artifacts.

Besides, everyone was preparing for the celebration banquet.

"Father, I need your help with something," Lex said softly.

The instant the rough, hoarse voice reached his ears, Lani froze in shock. "Lex, your voice..."

Disbelief filled his face. "What happened to your voice? Why has it suddenly become like this?"

He had been perfectly fine when he left. How had he returned like this? What exactly had happened?

For the merfolk, one’s voice was unimaginably important, yet this reckless child had failed to protect his own.

"I... I made a deal with the guardian of the sacred artifact."

Lex proceeded to tell him everything that had happened inside the temple.

After hearing the story, Lani was utterly stunned. "There are beastmen with abilities like that?"

The power to exchange someone’s voice and appearance was something he had never even heard of before. Still, he knew Lex would never lie to him, nor did he have any reason to.

After a long silence, he let out a sigh. "The fact that you were willing to sacrifice this much for Nina already says enough. Does she know about any of this?"

Knowing Nina’s character, if she learned what Lex had done for her, there was no way she would remain indifferent. At the very least, she would have spoken to him or Rosen about it.

This foolish son of his truly loved Nina deeply. For her sake, he had willingly given up everything precious to him.

Lex lowered his gaze. "No. I never told her, and I do not intend to."

Lani frowned, unable to understand. "What do you mean by that?"

His son did not want Nina to know about the sacrifices he had made for her?

"I... I can never be with Nina."

A trace of loneliness flickered across Lex’s eyes. "Father, the reason I brought you here is because I want you to help me keep the matter of the merman pearl a secret. Don’t tell Nina that I gave mine to her."

There was no future between them anymore. Telling her would only burden her heart.

Worse, Nina might become angry with him. He did not want even the few remaining days they had together to end in bitterness.

"Why would you think like this?" Lani objected immediately. "Your voice and appearance are not necessarily beyond saving. I will find a way to help you recover them."

Then his expression darkened. "And what about Dian? What is he supposed to do? How will he give his merman pearl to Nina?"

"Recover?" Lex laughed softly, but the sound carried nothing except bitter self-mockery. "Recover how? Who would willingly exchange their voice and appearance for mine?"

Even if such a person existed, who else possessed abilities like that mysterious beastman?

Who in this world would casually hand over something as precious as their own voice and appearance to another person?

What male would not want an attractive appearance? Only with good looks could they have an advantage during courtship and avoid being rejected.

Guilt filled Lex’s voice. "Nina only really needs one merman pearl. Even if Dian does not give her his, it will not matter. Or he can wait and find another chance to give it to her later."

"Maybe... maybe there really is someone willing to do it."

Lani looked at him seriously. "As for finding a beastman with that kind of ability, I will help you search. We can ask the High Priest of Sea Blue City. Perhaps he has a solution. And if all else fails, we can try to find that beastman again."

Deep down, Lani knew Lex was right. Neither kind of person would be easy to find. Still, there had to be some hope left to hold onto.

"But how long would that take?" Lex’s expression turned bitter. "My voice has already become like this. I do not even dare speak to Nina anymore because I do not want her hearing me sound this way. I want the version of me in her heart to remain the same. Even if I was never perfect, at least I was not broken."

Pain flashed through his eyes.

"And in a few days, my face will become ugly too. How am I supposed to face her then? I do not want Nina to see me like that. I do not want her to see me become hideous."

He could not accept the thought of Nina witnessing his ugliness. He simply could not bear it.

That was why he refused to tell her the truth. He did not want her troubled because of him either.

"Lex, I understand how you feel," Lani said helplessly. "But we already hid the truth from Nina once before. Do you really want to deceive her again?"

He understood his son’s thoughts all too well. No male would want the female he loved to see him at his most miserable and disfigured.

"Father, I have no other choice. Do you understand?" Lex’s eyes filled with desperation. "Since you understand me, then please help me. I only want these last few days to pass normally. I want to spend more time with Nina and leave behind a few more memories. After this, I may never be able to see her again."

There was naked pleading in his gaze.

"Father... please help me, alright?"

If Nina learned about the merman pearl, she might become angry with him. He did not want even these final days to end with distance between them.

Perhaps for the rest of his life, these memories would be all he had left to survive on.

"Lex, what if Nina does not mind? What if she is willing to accept you anyway?" Lani tried to persuade him gently. "You know how kind she is. She would never abandon you."

He felt that Lex had already begun giving up on himself.

"I know." Lex lowered his eyes. "But I do not want to become Nina’s burden. And I cannot face her with a ruined appearance."

He looked at Lani quietly. "Father, put yourself in my place. If it were you, would you truly want to stay by the side of the woman you loved in this condition?"

Lani’s heart ached as he looked at his son. After a long silence, he sighed deeply.

"Fine. I understand. I will help you."

Because if it had been him, he knew he would have made the exact same choice.

"Thank you, Father."

Lex quickly suppressed the emotions in his eyes and forced himself to smile faintly. "Come on. Let’s go help with the celebration banquet."

Lani sighed inwardly before following him away to help prepare the feast.

The celebration banquet was lively and joyful, filled with laughter and excitement from every direction.

Yet amid all the happiness, only Lex and Lani remained distracted, their hearts heavy with thoughts they could not share.