Chapter Thirty-Three: The Night of Revealed Truth

Clank!

The door to Lord William’s bedroom opened, and Dr. Morgan came out with Frederick.

I got up from the sofa and ran over to the doctor. Elsa followed close behind.

“Doctor, Lord William is…”

“He’s fine. As I said in the beginning, his life isn’t in danger, so don’t worry, Ma’am.”

Hearing that, I breathed a sigh of relief. Elsa gently placed her hand on my back to support me.

“He’s awake, so you can visit him. I’ll check on the duke again later, so please call me if you need anything. Just make sure he doesn’t get out of bed.”

“Yes, thank you.”

When I bowed, the doctor smiled and said, “It’s a doctor’s job.” Dr. Morgan patted my shoulder as usual, before leaving the room with Frederick. I saw him off and headed toward Lord William’s bedroom.

After dealing with Sandra at the Allwyn House, Lord William and the duke were immediately taken to the marquis’ house, the nearest and safest place for them to receive treatment. There, Dr. Morgan, his daughter, and son-in-law were waiting for them.

According to Lord William, other than the burns he suffered from the liquid, the rest were minor wounds from being whipped and beaten, and asked that the duke be given priority. When the duke arrived at the mansion, he was barely conscious and his body was convulsing from the poison.

However, thanks to Dr. Morgan’s swift treatment, the duke survived and was now asleep in the guest room. Afterward, the doctor strictly confined him to bed for a week. The duke would be the guest of our house for at least that week.

At the mansion, Cedric had been suppressing his tears as he waited, but the moment he saw Lord William and I, he burst into tears. Until just a moment ago, he’d been clinging to me, wailing loudly. Elsa carried him to the bed in my room after that.

Night had fallen, and the moon was floating outside the window. The candlelight and the moonlight streaming in through the window softly lit up the room.

Lord William, who was leaning against the cushion, noticed me. He turned around and gave me a small smile. My heart ached when I saw him wrapped in bandages and gauze.

Unable to stay still, I ran over to the bed. I wanted to hug him, but I held back because I didn’t want to hurt him.

“Lord William…”

“It’s okay, Liliana. Come here.”

“N-no, you can’t. Your wound will sting.”

Lord William outstretched his arms toward me, but I shook my head. He gave me a sullen look, and in the next moment, I found myself within his embrace. I tried to ask Elsa for help, but when I turned around, she was nowhere to be found. Strange, I was sure she was by my side a moment ago…

Thinking about his wound, I couldn’t resist.

“Lord William, your wound—…”

“Aah, it’s Liliana”

Interrupting my plea, Lord William buried his nose in my hair and exhaled. The relief in his voice and words made me realize that he was also worried about me.

I finally succumbed to the warmth of his strong arms and buried my face in his chest, which smelled of disinfectant.

“Lord William, Lord William.”

Relief washed over me as I heard the constant sound of his heartbeat, spilling out along with my tears. I gingerly put my arms around his broad back. His embrace tightened even further.

“Where’s Ceddie…?”

“He’s asleep in my room, exhausted from crying.”

“I see.” Lord William muttered, sinking into the pile of cushions. When I tried to move away so as not to put my weight on him, he firmly drew me closer.

“…Does it hurt?”

I stared at his right shoulder, which was wrapped with a thick layer of gauze and white bandage.

“It’s a burn about the size of my hand… It’ll leave a scar, but my body is already covered in wounds, so it doesn’t matter. I’m proud that I was able to protect you.”

Lord William smiled proudly. Unable to say anything back, I buried my face in his chest.

Then, his big hand stroked my hair as usual.

“Oh, by the way, what about your headache? Does it still hurt?”

“Oh, it’s fine now. Sleeping drugs don’t usually work on me. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you there.”

He smiled wryly and I shook my head.

Lord William was already in a daze from the terrible headache, so it wasn’t surprising that he was vulnerable to the drug.

“…Uhm, what about your memories?”

“I’ve remembered every single thing. Thanks to that, I’m dying to kneel down before you.”

I blinked at the words I’d never expected. Lord William seemed pained.

“…On our wedding night… I said some heartless things to you.”

I shook my head.

However, Lord William’s expression didn’t brighten.

“I learned about you when I was at a party somewhere. Sandra and Margaret were there, and by chance, they were talking to some ladies near me. Your name came up.”

“…Me?”

“Yes… They said you were sickly, and acted like caring stepmother and stepsister, worrying about you and all. They said they’d send you flowers when you couldn’t get out of bed, and that they hoped you could have a taste of the delicious sweets… Apparently, they were worried sick when you had a fever. They said it was because you’re the precious daughter left by the late Lady Catherine.”

I couldn’t say anything, so I smiled vaguely in return.

Both Sandra and my stepsister were vain, so it wasn’t strange for them to say things like that in public.

“…But I’m just as vile.”

A bitter smile tugged on Lord William’s lips.

“Afterward, I sent someone to look into it. Although it was unclear whether you were sickly or not, I heard that you have a scar here, and…”

His big hand touched my left solar plexus. It shocked me, but I didn’t mind.

Lord William had accepted my scar and even shed tears for me. That alone made me feel like I could accept this scar. Of course, whether or not I liked it was another matter.

“Back then, I concluded that you weren’t a suitable wife. I also found out that Count Eighton was in debt. Both worked in my favor.” He chuckled.

The night breeze blew in through the open window, causing the candle flame to flicker. I felt like Lord William would vanish into the closing darkness, so I rested my hand against his belly and looked into his face.

“As a matter of course, a sickly person wouldn’t go out into society.  Count Eighton wasn’t influential, so there was no benefit to marrying him. But I wouldn’t be suffering any loss, either. Thirty million rills were a small price to pay. Well, anything that could be solved with money, basically. …And I, I thought that if you have an ugly scar, you wouldn’t cheat on me. You wouldn’t leave me. I’m the worst, aren’t I?”

He whispered in a husky voice, and his self-deprecating smile made my heart ache. On a closer look, suppressed hatred and sorrow were etched in his handsome face.

“I was afraid to trust you.”

A brittle voice fell.

“I was afraid that if I trust you, I’d be betrayed again, so I avoided you by going to work. Frederick, Arthur, and Elsa told me to return over and over again. They told me about your fever, or your difficulty eating, but I shrugged it off, saying you were faking it. But then… I lost my memory and ended up taking advantage of your kindness.”

I clutched his big hand even tighter and shook my head.

“…Betrayal by someone you care about is deeply painful. Even the strongest knight can be weakened by it.”

He stared at me with helpless blue eyes like an abandoned child.

“…I’m so sorry. I did some really, really awful things to you. I’d understand if you won’t forgive me, or if you were to ask for a divorce. I ignored you—I neglected you as a husband. But…”

Blue eyes narrowed in pain as he cupped my cheeks, pulling me closer.

His lips touched mine. A brief, soft kiss.

“Liliana. I love you with all my heart.”

I froze, my eyes wide open, as I heard the words spoken by his lips.

“I know it’s selfish, but I adore you. Your gentle smile, and the way you stand tall with dignity. You’re the only woman I love.”

His stern voice and expression conveyed his sincere feelings.

I placed my hand on his left shoulder, slightly leaning forward. I softly kissed his lips just as he had done. His blue eyes widened in shock as he huskily called my name, “Liliana.”

I found myself unable to doubt his words. Even though a year ago, I wouldn’t have believed them.

Nevertheless, I’d witnessed it for myself. Lord William protected me with his sturdy body. Despite suffering from head-splitting pain, he said he didn’t want to forget me. He gave me an incredibly gentle smile. He cherished and protected both me and Cedric with his whole being.

So, how could I doubt those words?

“…Lord William, what do I do?”

I peered into his blue eyes, which I loved so much, yet I couldn’t see them very well due to the tears.

“I’m so happy, it feels like I’m dreaming… I’m so happy, I might die.”

I wrapped my arms around his taut neck and hugged him. Lord William held me excruciatingly tight, but I basked in the pain.

“N-no, you can’t. I’ll die.”

Lord William said, sounding somewhat anxious.

I relaxed my arms and let go of his body a little. Lord William’s fingers gently wiped my tears.

“I’m so sorry. If I get out of bed now, I’ll get in trouble, so can I prostrate myself to you properly at a later date?”

“P-prostrate?! There’s no need for that…!”

“But I won’t be satisfied unless I do that.”

When I shook my head in a panic, Lord William spoke with a dejected look on his face.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hurt at all, but Lord William didn’t beat me, whip me, or lock me in my room. I’m truly alright.”

“But I left you alone for a year and didn’t even come to see you when you got sick and collapsed. You have the right to be angry, right?”

“I can’t be angry… Ah, well, if that’s the case, can you please grant me two requests?”

I looked up at Lord William, who lit up and nodded happily.

“…Please live longer than me, even if it’s just a day, an hour, or even a second.”

“I understand. I’m ten years older than you, but I’m confident in my physical strength, so I’ll be more careful about my health than ever from now on.”

Lord William nodded immediately.

I smiled happily, rubbing my cheek against his chest. His big hands stroked my hair.

“What about the other request?”

Now that I was about to ask him, I felt much more nervous than before.

I buried my face in Lord William’s chest and glanced up at him.

“…One more time.”

I spoke nervously.

Lord William smiled gently and tilted his head. My heart was beating so hard.

“Just one more time, can you please say ‘I love you’…?”

Blue eyes blinked, and in the next moment, they narrowed. He kissed my face, and I squirmed due to the ticklish sensation, joy, and embarrassment. Lord William refused to let me go.

“I’ll repeat it as many times as you like. I love you, Liliana. My one true love. My beloved. I love you more than anyone else in this world.”

My knees almost gave way as he whispered sweet words in my ear. When I looked up, Lord William showed me his trademark sweet smile, making me yelp. I covered my face with both hands and leaned toward Lord William. If I couldn’t escape, I wanted to at least hide my red face.

Apparently, my wicked husband wouldn’t allow that. His big hands grabbed mine, prying them apart as he peered into my face.

“What about you, Liliana? Don’t you have something to say to me as well?”

He pressed his lips against the tip of my nose.

I was so embarrassed, I wanted to cry. However, there was something I’d always wanted to tell Lord William. Actually, it might be impossible for me to hide my feelings in front of Lord William.

After all, they always came pouring out without me knowing. His smile, his words, his voice, my feelings for him overflowed from my entire body.

“I’ve always loved you.”

It didn’t work. My cheeks relaxed and a smile spread across my face.

“I love you, Lord William.”

As soon as I finished speaking, my lips were sealed and I was drawn to him.

Then, kisses rained down all over my face. In-between kisses, sweet words like “I love you,” “You’re cute,” and “You’re adorable” showered on me like candies, my heart was about to burst.

“L-Lord William, please head to bed soon. I’m worried about Ceddie, so…”

I was surprised when he kissed my neck for some reason.

“I love you, Lina.”

His hot breath tickled my ear along with his deep, sweet voice, and I flinched.

“…Lord William?”

Something was different about him. I anxiously stared at him. His usually gentle blue eyes were twinkling for some reason.

“W-what’s the matter?”

“Can we redo our wedding night? I’m weakened right now, so it’s less burden on you. Tomorrow is my day off, anyway. So, if anything happens to you, I can take care of you.”

“Uhm, what are you talking about?”

The wedding night was the first night we spent together as a main couple. We certainly didn’t spend it together, but I was invited to dinner with him in the dining room and collapsed. Afterward, we slept and woke up together in the morning. Wasn’t that a proper wedding night? Or was there some special ceremony I didn’t know about that required strength?

I was in utmost confusion.

“I want you.”

Lord William drew his face closer, and I shut my eyes tightly.

“Hueeeee…. Sister… Brother-in-Law…”

“Lord Cedric, it’s okay! O-oh no…! Milady! I know you’re busy, but uh, Lord Cedric wakes up!”

From the other side of the door, I could hear Cedric crying and Ariana’s panicked voice.

“…Ugh, it’s okay.” Lord William said, hugging me tightly while making a dejected sound for some reason.

The door opened and Cedric, crying loudly, let go of Ariana’s hand and came rushing in to us. Lord William and I both embraced Cedric, who leaped into our open arms.

“Sister, Brother-in-Law.”

Cedric clung to Lord William and I with his small hands.

“I’m sorry. He woke up in the middle of the night and got scared when he couldn’t find you.” Ariana explained.

I hugged Cedric tightly, kissing his pale golden hair and rubbing my cheek against his.

“Sorry, Ceddie. I was checking on Lord William. I’m going back now, so let’s sleep together.”

“What? No! I want to sleep together!”

For some reason, Lord William embraced us as we tried to leave.

“B-but, your wound might reopen…”

“It’s fine! Tis’ just a scratch! I’d rather be with you and Ceddie!”

“I also want to sleep with Brother-in-Law.”

Bawling his eyes out, Cedric also said the same thing.

“It’s alright, Milady. Strength is the master’s only good point.”

Elsa appeared from behind Ariana and said with a smile.

“Liliana, you heard Elsa. So, let’s sleep together? Please? Pretty please? In exchange, I’ll give up on a lot of things…”

I didn’t really understand what was going on, but Lord William kept insisting so desperately that had no choice but to relent and nod.

Then, as always, I laid down in Lord William’s arms, with Cedric in the middle. Ariana closed the window and curtains, while Elsa snuffed out the candles. The room became completely dark.

“Good night.”

I replied to Elsa and Ariana. Their footsteps faded away, followed by the sound of the door opening and closing.

Cedric was still clinging to Lord Wiliam, and after a few words, he was asleep again. I hugged him tightly, gently caressing his small head.

“I’ll tell him about his mother tomorrow, when he’s feeling better.” Lord William muttered, wiping away Ceddie’s tears.

I nodded and tightened my arms around Cedric. Lord William also did the same to us.

In his arms, I felt happiness, sadness, and relief all at the same time, and I followed Cedric into the world of slumber.

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***T/N: William is so adorable…

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