I Didn’t Know I Had Two Husbands - Chapter 48

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The next morning, Elaria opened her eyes in Lucian’s bedroom.

“You awake?”

As if he had been waiting, a voice spoke. She felt the presence pressed tightly against her back, arms wrapped around her. There had definitely been two of them last night, yet there was only one person in the bed now.

Usually, the one who woke up with her in the morning was Noctis. But wasn’t this Lucian’s room? Unable to tell who was behind her, she realized from his next words.

“Ella, are you very tired?”

It was something she had learned after spending the night with both men yesterday. Lucian called her ‘Ria’, and Noctis called her ‘Ella’. It was strange. Only now were they calling her by nicknames.

Still, it gave her a little sense of reassurance. She could already tell them apart, but if they truly intended to deceive her, she felt she would have no choice but to be fooled.

Was it strange to feel grateful that the two men had created differences between themselves?

“…Noctis.”

Her throat was so hoarse she couldn’t continue speaking. She had only managed to say his name, yet he suddenly pulled her tightly into his arms.

“Ugh, I can’t breathe.”

“Ah, sorry.”

At her words, Noctis quickly loosened his arms, but he was struggling to contain his excitement. He was so happy that Elaria had called his name that his fingertips trembled.

“Ah, Ella…”

Instead of hugging her tightly again, he pressed his forehead against her round shoulder and rubbed against it, letting out a soft groan. Elaria felt strange. His behavior was familiar.

Her mind recognized him as a different person, but her heart did not. It accepted him comfortably, as someone she had already known well.

Gathering her courage, Elaria turned her body. Her whole body ached and protested, but she wanted to see Noctis’s face.

“Ah.”

Seeing him up close, she involuntarily drew in a sharp breath. Clear green eyes were staring straight at her. In the sunlight, they looked even more transparent, carrying a fresh green hue like new sprouts.

“…Noctis.”

“Yes, Elaria.”

He had always stopped her whenever she tried to call Lucian’s name. At the time, she had thought it was simply a way of punishing her, but perhaps he had only wanted to hear his own name.

Realizing that, Elaria felt a little sorry for him, who must have lived being called by someone else’s name since childhood. She reached out and cupped his cheek. Though the color of his eyes was different, his features were exactly as she remembered.

“Noctis…”

“…Yes.”

“Noctis.”

“Yes, Elaria.”

Feeling her touch, he quietly closed his eyes. He savored the way she gently called his name with his whole body. Like a tamed beast, he stayed still, feeling her touch and listening to his name, until a knock sounded on the bedroom door, making his eyes snap open.

“Who is it.”

His voice carried irritation at having their time interrupted. He pulled the blanket up to cover her body.

“Master, it’s Lawrence. I’ve brought your clothes.”

“…Wait.”

Come to think of it, there had been times when a different servant came instead of the head butler. Back then, she had thought Benjamin was simply busy as the head butler, but it seemed the two of them had separate personal attendants.

Noctis pressed his lips firmly to her forehead before pulling away.

“I’ll call Amanda for you. Let’s eat together later.”

“…Okay.”

Springing up lightly, Noctis walked out without clothes. Elaria watched his back while pulling the blanket halfway over her face.

From behind, it was impossible to tell whether he was Noctis or Lucian. Their bodies were identical. Even their gait was the same, which made it even harder to distinguish them.

How much effort must they have put in to become so indistinguishably alike?

Elaria slowly forced herself to sit up. Her feelings were complicated, but the fact that she was the Duchess did not change. And hadn’t Lucian said yesterday that she couldn’t run away?

“…It’s not like I wanted to run away.”

Her heart and mind were tangled. She felt hurt, even betrayed at times, yet her conclusion was always the same.

Even so, she had no intention of leaving their side.

Only then did she understand what Lucian had said yesterday. You like us. Those words echoed in her ears.

Elaria recalled the green eyes that had looked at her so affectionately just moments ago. Though the color had changed, she realized the warmth within them had not.