Chapter 56
Killian bent down and pressed a kiss to her lower abdomen. If he stayed any longer, he felt he might wake her again and force himself on her, so with reluctance, he turned and left the bedroom.
After he was gone, Adelaide quietly opened her eyes in the darkness. She frantically scrubbed at the spot where his lips had touched her skin.
‘A baby…? He wants a baby?’
If she truly became pregnant, as he said, perhaps her hatred for him might fade.
And that was the future Adelaide feared the most.
She scrubbed harder, her rough hands reddening the skin of her lower belly until it burned. If she could, she would have cut off the strands of hair he had touched, torn apart the clothes he had kissed.
But she couldn’t.
“Your Highness, you must behave exactly as you always do.”
Marcella’s advice echoed in her mind. If Killian noticed anything unusual, Fabian’s involvement would surely be exposed. That couldn’t happen. Not for Fabian, who had helped her, and not for her family.
“I’ll handle the letters from now on. If there’s anything you want to say to your family, give it to me.”
Marcella had gone on to give her careful instructions. Don’t write anything too personal. Burn every letter immediately after reading it.
“Something could go wrong during delivery. The same applies in reverse.”
Marcella had advised her to keep their exchanges simple—just brief updates, nothing more.
And above all: act the same as always.
It sounded simple. In reality, it was hard to fulfill.
“…I just have to endure. Nothing’s changed.”
Adelaide took a slow, steady breath. Her ragged breathing gradually calmed. It was true that nothing had changed.
The only difference was that she now knew her family was safe. Even if she had stepped back from the very worst, she was still in hell.
* * *
Morning came.
Even knowing she had slept separately from Killian, Adelaide woke early, tension pulling her from sleep. The routine of their nights had already become a habit.
Her clothes hadn’t been changed this time. The bed, which had always been left in disarray, was just as it was.
A strange sense of relief washed over her, and just as she was about to exhale, Killian entered the room.
Adelaide instinctively swallowed. She tried to recall Marcella’s words, but she couldn’t even remember how she usually acted around him.
“You’re up early.”
“…Mm.”
Adelaide nodded awkwardly. Killian looked at her. That look—like something was off—made her heart drop.
“What?”
“Nothing. It just feels like your mood’s a bit different.”
As he spoke, he stepped closer. Adelaide stared up at him, tension evident in her eyes.
“Don’t look at me like that. Do you think I’m going to eat you?”
He flicked her forehead lightly with his finger.
“You look a bit better. Must be from resting.”
He raised a brow slightly. Compared to how she had looked yesterday morning—like a corpse—there was a faint hint of life in her now.
“Ah… yeah. I think so.”
“Then get more rest. You must’ve been exhausted—you fell asleep so early yesterday.”
With that, Killian stepped back. Adelaide blinked, slightly stunned by his reaction.
“What? Or… are you hoping for a morning like yesterday?”
“Ah! No—! I mean—well… if you wanted, then of course I should…”
She had blurted out her true feelings before quickly correcting herself, remembering Marcella’s warning. Her words tumbled over each other in confusion.
“Looks like that rest really did you some good.”
Killian let out a soft, amused laugh.
Perhaps it was because of the strange mood he’d been in last night. But something about her this morning reminded him of how things used to be.
And Adelaide wasn’t the only one thinking of the past.
“Don’t worry. Even if you beg me to hold you, I won’t touch you today.”
At his crooked smile, Adelaide quickly turned her gaze away.
This kind of conversation wasn’t right anymore. There was nothing left between them that could be shared.
Only hatred and disgust.
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.