Chapter 233
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
“Here, ah.”
“Ah…”
My lost appetite returned as soon as I felt his warm care. I happily accepted what he offered, though I couldn’t ignore the intuition that he was using food to block my questions.
“But why did you ask exactly what I said?”
“I was curious.”
“I was asking why you were curious? Don’t pretend you didn’t hear me.”
When I refused the chocolate he offered, keeping my lips shut, Killian finally spoke.
“I was jealous that you spoke to someone other than me.”
“Don’t lie. You’re not that petty. Not with jealousy like that.”
He chuckled, sweetly and bitterly, just like the chocolate he slipped into my mouth when I wasn’t paying attention.
“…You don’t know me.”
“I don’t know you because you always answer with something else instead of replying to my questions.”
Not this time. I wouldn’t let him sidestep.
“So answer me. First—why did you lie to the soldiers earlier? Why didn’t you let me say our names? And why must I say I don’t know and ask you instead?”
I poured out all the questions I had memorized while waiting for him.
“Uh… and… well… start with that one.”
I couldn’t remember some, but I would ask what I could now.
“Answer me!”
“…….”
He still didn’t answer, just stared, with those tired, sad eyes.
‘He must be exhausted. And drunk too.’
But that wasn’t my fault. His fault was avoiding answers and letting it go on until this late hour.
Normally, I might have let it slide and suggested we talk tomorrow. Not tonight. I issued an ultimatum.
“I won’t sleep until you answer everything.”
We would have good sleep from now on, so I could torment him all night first. Killian, already exhausted from everything today, ran a hand roughly through his hair, muttering.
“I won’t sleep anyway.”
“Stop avoiding the question. Are you really not going to answer?”
He rested his chin in his left hand, staring at me, murmuring like a lost man.
“I’m thinking.”
“Then consider this for your thinking. If you don’t answer, I won’t forgive you.”
“If you don’t forgive… what will you do?”
“Killian, it’s not about what I do. It’s about you breaking your promise. Remember the promise at Eisenthal? Now you’re a hero and wealthy again—do you think it’s fine to ignore a promise made to me?”
“That’s not it, Dana. Really, it’s not.”
“Then answer me.”
“And you’ll forgive me no matter what, if I do anser?”
“…What?”
Why does he need unconditional forgiveness before answering? The answer makes me nervous.
“Why are you this way?”
But curiosity outweighed fear.
“Tell me if you’ll forgive me first.”
“I have to hear it first, then decide.”
I’m no naive child who would forgive without hearing. He isn’t either, yet he’s behaving like one.
“You’re really not yourself.”
Usually, I would be the one whining, and he would console me. Now the roles are reversed.
“Are you worried I might leave? Don’t. I would never leave you.”
Finally, his previously dark expression brightened slightly. I could almost get him to speak if I gave him a little more reassurance.
“If you don’t believe me, how about believing that divorce isn’t possible?”
Divorce is practically impossible anyway. Even if I wanted to leave Killian, I couldn’t.
“Right… divorce isn’t… possible.”
I meant to give him reassurance, but Killian closed his eyes tightly, furrowing his brow, as if the certainty only confused him more.
“Death was the only, perhaps… the only answer…”
Death? He muttered something chilling and absurd.
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