Chapter 22

“Wow!”

I chased after him by calling his name. Then I surreptitiously looked behind me, and saw the priest with an intrigued expression on his face and Sia with a fierce glint on her eyes.

As our two eyes met, Sia flinched and immediately unraveled her facial expression. Then she made a very unnatural smile.

And with a slight frown on my forehead, I looked back at Calix and Letty again.

‘Something doesn’t seem right······.’

It seems that something is going on in Sia’s mind. As if she plans to hurt Letty······ No, that can’t be. She’s still the Divine Lady, that’s impossible. The look in her eyes just now must be towards Calix. Why would she glare at an innocent child who doesn’t know anything?

‘However, it’s much better to be careful.’

There’s nothing wrong with being cautious. Deciding that I should be vigilant against Sia moving forward, I went and stood on Calix and Letty’s side.

It was none other than in front of a travel carriage pulled over on the street where Calix headed with Letty.

The exterior is neat and simple but it looks luxurious, it should be the carriage that Calix and his group had used on their journey.

Calix put Letty down for a moment, then went into the carriage and brought something out. After immediately recognizing what it was, my eyes instantly opened-wide.

It was the birthday present of Letty that I carelessly dropped!

I was doubting about it from the beginning, but Calix really kept the gift.

Calix looks indifferently at Letty and handed the gift box. Letty apprehensively accepted the gift, and asked with twinkle in her eyes.

“Is it a gift for Letty? Is mister giving this to me?”

“No, it’s from your mother.”

At Calix’s stern response, Letty smiled broadly and looked back at me.

“Thank you, Mom!”

“You’re wecome, my daughter·····.”

I answered in a daze, alternately looking between Calix and Letty. The two infallibly look like father and daughter. Their hair color is also comparably similar.

Letty unwrapped the gift on the spot.

Oh, you should open it on your birthday celebration! I tried to stop Letty belatedly, but to no avail.

Letty, who quickly pulled out the music box, gave out exclamations as she looked through it.

“Wow, Mom, it’s so pretty! I love it!”

“No problem·····.”

I’m glad she likes it. Since the gift was delivered safely anyway, I smiled thinking that everything ended up well, however, Letty put the music box back on it’s package then came up to me.

“Mom, take care of Letty’s present!”

“Huh? S-sure.”

I answered reflexively and when I came back to my senses, the present is already in my hands. Letty? As I raised my head while calling the child’s name, I saw Letty stretching her arms toward Calix.

“Y-You want me to carry you again?”

“Yes~!”

“I’d just gave you a present.”

“But it’s not really mister who gave it to me!”

“·····.”

“Hold Letty! Then let’s go home and celebrate Letty’s birthday together!”

Even I, Letty’s mother, was surprised by my daughter’s shamelessness.

In the end, after failing to convince Letty, Calix had no choice but to walk to our house while holding Letty in his arms, as if she were a princess.

Upon arriving home, Alice and the Osborne father and son gave us a warm welcome. But for only Letty and me, of course.

Because when the three saw Calix, they had a wry look on their faces. It’s natural that their impression of Calix won’t be good······.

‘There’s no helping it.’

I first went into the bathroom and washed myself. I can’t make a birthday cake wet with seawater.

I didn’t know until I washed up, but there was a bluish bruise on my ankle that was grasped by the evil spirit.

What do I do with this? It would heal over time, but it was unsightly. I don’t want to worry anyone.

Thinking that I should wear long socks that would go up to my calf, I came out of the bathroom.

I was yawning while wearing a loose gown, when a black figure, sitting on the bed suddenly came into view. Ugh?! I was so frightened that I almost fell backwards.

“Ca, Calix?”

“·····.”

The identity of the black figure who was sitting on my bed was none other than Calix. And as if he had just washed up, drops of water were still dripping from his hair, and somehow this time, he was once again dressed only in black. Doesn’t he have any colored clothes······.

‘But I don’t remember Calix liking black······?’

I was befuddled and when I glanced at him, I saw Calix’s tenacious gaze brushing over me from top to bottom.

“Why······?”

I followed his gaze and looked up and down my body. And realized. The gown I’m wearing was half-unfasten.

Ugh! I screamed and quickly adjusted my collar.

Calix looked at me with a dumbfounded expression on his face. As I could feel my cheeks burning, I furtively avoided his gaze.

Then, Calix slowly strode towards me.

“What are you so ashamed of?”

“O-Obviously becau······.”

“Haven’t we already seen everything there was to see between each other? Laure.”

Calix said in a low captivating voice.

“No, but still·····.”

He pulled me close to him and held me in his arms. Ahh.. A moan naturally flowed out of my lips. The strange atmosphere stifled me. B-But I need to bake a cake.

“Laure.”

“Yes······.”

Calix put his lips on the nape of my neck and whispered.

“Is it true that he’s not your real husband?”

“······That.”

How did he······? As I gasped for breathe due to the sudden question, Calix continued with a cool smile on his lips.

“Every citizen passing by says Letizia is not Will Osborne’s daughter and you’re a single mother. How would I not know?”

“·····.”

“So I asked him myself, and he confessed everything. That he’s disguising himself as your husband just to protect you and your daughter.”

I tilted my head down, moistening my lips. I knew it was something that Calix would definitely found out someday, but I didn’t know he would discover it this soon. And since earlier he·······.

“Ca, Calix, stop!”

I tried to push him out of embarrassment. However, I couldn’t move while he was holding me so tight. His hand, touching my bare skin, didn’t halt. From the small of my back to my waist, and then······.

“Ahhh, Calix stop! We have to prepare for Letty’s birthday!”

I kicked him out of desperation. Though it only hurt my feet, Calix backed off with a look of regret on his face at least. Then he gazed at me as if was going to eat me and said, growling.

“I’m starving. Laure.”

“·····.”

“Don’t tell me you thought that I would have already slept with another woman because I couldn’t overcome my desires, don’t you? Laure. You’re the only one I want. You’re the only one I need.”

“I······ wouldn’t think of such thing.”

Alarmed of his intense expression, I stepped back. Then, Calix softly sighed. He swept his hair backwards and said.

“I’m about to go crazy because I want to hold you. Right here, right now.”

“·····.”

“But the birthday celebration of the child should come first. You should get dressed, Laure.”

“·····Thank you.”

I approached the closet with a sigh of relief.

As I hurry to get my clothes out and change, the whole process was watched closely by Calix.

Whether he knew my determination to hide in shame or not, he just sat there in a relaxed, sentimental way, enjoying the view.

“Do you have any salve to apply on your ankle?”

Calix asked out of the blue. My bruised ankle seemed to be bothering him.

This will get better in time after all so it doesn’t bother me. I shook my head and answered.

“No, but this should quickly heal soon. Don’t worry.”

“·····.”

Calix gave a sidelong scowl at me as if disapproving, then he took out something out of his trousers pocket one by one, and said.

“Get all your clothes on, then come here for a moment.”

“It’s fine······.”

“It’s not fine.”

“Yes~.”

I don’t want to get into an argument with him, so I quietly agreed. As I approached with all the buttons on my blouse fastened, Calix pulled my arm and made me sit next to him.

“It will sting, so you have to hold on for a bit.”

The items he took out were ointments and bandages. Calix put my ankles on his lap and began to apply medicine gently.

When the sticky ointment covers the bruised area, a burning sensation was suddenly felt just like as he said. But it was bearable.

I smiled at Calix as we make eye contact. He was quietly checking if I was okay.

“It’s done.”

With the bandage wrapped neatly, Calix sat me upright. Then when I tried to put on my socks, he snatched them quickly and knelt on his knees.

“Calix, I can wear it myself······.”

“Stay still. Laure.”

He retorted calmly and began to put the socks on my feet.

But I am not kid. Somehow, the situation was embarrassing and my face was burning. After Calix finished putting my socks on and lifted his head, my face must be as red as a ripe tomato.

“Cute.”

“Y-Yes?”

I muttered, and Calix gently kissed me on the cheek. Then he took out my shoes from under the bed, put them on me himself, and lifted me up. I shuddered in surprise.

“What, what is it? I can still walk!”

“We have to go down the stairs, so I will only carry you down to the first floor.”

“Haa······.”

What if someone sees me like this? I was so embarrassed that I buried my face in the palm of my hands. Then Calix let out a pleasant laugh and strode out of the room.

“Ha, it’s······ done!”

I put the last decoration on with my trembling hands. At last, the birthday cake is complete. All right, now everything’s perfect!

It’s now five o’clock in the morning and Letty is fast asleep. Only the adults stayed up all night like owls to make a birthday feast for Letty.

“I would like to thank everyone for your hard work. Though it’s been a crazy day.”

I said, looking back at Will, Sean, and Alice. They nodded and smiled weakly. They looked exhausted from cooking all night.

I made an apologetic expression. I’ll just have to take care of everyone’s dinner for the time being······ Oh, but on the other hand.

I glanced at Calix in the corner. He was wearing dark clothes from top to bottom like a child of darkness and was sitting in the shade.

‘······We can’t keep staying here like this.’

Calix will definitely take me back to the capital. Even if I didn’t want him to, there was no mistake that he will do it.

Furthermore, I felt the need to be by his side. He was the second most precious person in my life after Letizia.

I couldn’t turn a blind eye to Calix, who was in such a broken state. I had to take care of him.

‘Would Sean and Will understand?’

We’ve been doing great like a real family, they would probably be extremely devastated if we suddenly left.

However, leaving the island with Calix was the only option that I have.

If I refuse to go because of Will and Sean, their safety will definitely be in danger because Calix won’t allow it.

If he had been as rational as before, talking to him might actually work. But right now he’s······.

I recalled Calix’s mad eyes and his voice saying he’s out of his mind.

He doesn’t even know that I was in a much more distressed state right now than I could ever be.

He seemed to be holding back because I promised not to run away, but still, I could sometimes see a dangerous impulse cross his eyes, while he was looking at me······ I could see he wanted to grab a hold of me and keep me locked up.

‘Nevertheless, I’m more scared of my fate going back to it’s original path as the novel once I go back to the capital.’

Calix didn’t know what I was afraid of because I never told him.

And I don’t even know how or where to start confessing.

The truth is, I’m actually living my second life, and this is a fictional world inside a novel, and somehow, the gruesome contents of the novel I’ve seen in my previous life appears in my dreams and torments me······.

I wonder if he’ll believe me. Everyone will think it’s just an absurd story. They’ll just think I’m being crazy.

‘However, I was a little relieved.’

Calix’s attitude towards Sia······. 

‘I thought it’s inevitable for Calix to fall in love with Sia.’

My heart was pounding. Could it be possible to change the fate that haunts me?

No, hasn’t fate already left its very own trajectory of destiny?