Chapter 74

Slowly opening my eyes, I saw an unfamiliar, luxurious ceiling.

"……u……"

Though luxurious, it was nothing like Grace's gaudy and flashy room; it was elegant and refined.

I felt as if I had slept for a long time, and my head was fuzzy. I wondered if my body would still move, and when I focused on my right hand, I realized it was wrapped in something warm.

"Are you awake?"

Turning my gaze to the right, I saw Zain sitting in a chair beside the bed, holding my hand in both of his. His face was pale, and his eyes were slightly red.

My head gradually cleared, and I remembered losing consciousness in the forest. I also realized that I was in the Windslett Duke's residence.

I slowly sat up and faced Zain.

"……I'm sorry……"

Words spilled out of my mouth, but I wasn't sure what I was apologizing for. There were too many things to feel guilty about: the many times I had tried to break up and hurt him, my reckless actions to save him, and the worry I had caused.

"I'm glad you're safe, Zain."

Relief washed over me, and my lips curved into a smile. In the next moment, I was pulled into Zain's arms.

"You're really sneaky. I was going to be angry, but now I can't even manage that."

His concern was evident in his voice and the way he held me.

"The doctor said there was nothing wrong, but I couldn't focus on anything until I saw you moving and talking."

It seemed I had been unconscious for two full days, and Zain hadn't slept during that time, which made me feel guilty and my heart ached.

Despite being exposed to so much miasma and suffering, there was no sign of any abnormality. It was hard to believe, but my body felt surprisingly light.

──Could it be because of that golden light?

"Um, is Evan alright!?"

"He's fine. He protected you until the end. I explained the situation to the Sentsberry Duke and asked if we could treat you at our home."

However, I couldn't imagine his daughter-loving father giving permission so easily.

Seeing my doubt, Zain continued with a blinding smile.

"When I told him I wanted to be your lover and proposed marriage, he accepted everything happily. He said that while the men you've dated before were hopeless, he could trust me and entrust his daughter to me."

"??????"

Grace had indeed dated a series of hopeless men, and Zain Windslett's reputation and character were well-known to her father.

I could understand why he would trust Zain, but still.

"Marriage…?"

I couldn't hide my shock. It was the first time I had heard Zain mention marriage.

"I'm thinking about our future, so it's only natural."

Zain's matter-of-fact tone only increased my confusion.

"But, you didn't contact me at all, and you kissed Charlotte…"

"I was just keeping our agreement to keep our distance. – What do you mean by 'kiss'?"

"Well, at the ball the other day, I saw you and Lady Charlotte kissing and embracing in the garden."

Even as I spoke, my heart ached, but Zain nodded in understanding.

"I was just supporting her because she was about to fall over from being drunk. It probably looked like a kiss because our faces were close."

"Really?"

"I have no feelings for her, and I don't think of her in any way."

Zain's serious expression and clear words made it obvious that he had no romantic feelings for Charlotte and nothing to feel guilty about.

Zain was not the type to lie.

"So, it was just a misunderstanding…?"

"Yes."

Standing before Zain's matter-of-fact response, I felt embarrassed by how cliché the situation was.

But given the circumstances and Charlotte's expression, it was understandable that it looked that way. Even Ranheart had misunderstood.

– Even if Zain had no feelings, Charlotte must have felt differently.

Despite the difficult situation for Grace Sentsberry, I felt a deep sense of relief.

"I didn't expect you to see that. And if you thought I had feelings for Clive, I'm truly hurt. I've always only had eyes for you."

Hearing his sincere words, my heart raced.

Before I could respond, Zain leaned in closer.

"More importantly, I was hurt to see you embracing Ranheart Gardner."

"Wh-what?"

I hadn't even imagined that Zain had seen that scene.

In the darkness, embracing Ranheart, it was understandable that he might have misunderstood. Most of all, I remembered clinging to him because I was crying.

"You were supposed to keep your distance, but you betrayed me."

"N-no! That was because I was crying, and…"

I stopped myself abruptly, but Zain didn't miss it.

He seemed to realize I had been crying, and his eyes widened slightly before his lips curved into a beautiful arc.

"Why were you crying that day, in that place?"

"……W-well, that's…"

Of course, I knew the reason, but I couldn't let Zain figure it out.

"It's none of your business, Zain!"

Unable to think of a good excuse, I pushed him away, and Zain's lips twitched into a smile.

"You must really like me if you cried that much."