Chapter 34

“You don’t need to apologize for that, Carlos.”

Aneta spoke in a weary voice to Carlos, who was sitting by the bed. He still looked remorseful as he caressing her hand.

His hand was cold, perhaps from being outside. Despite the stark contrast in temperature, she didn’t push it away, as she missed the coolness.

“What’s that you brought in?”

Aneta changed the subject, referring to the item he had set aside.

“Oh. I made it for you to have when you woke up.”

Carlos finally showed her what he had put aside. It was a liquid slightly darker than strawberry milk, in a transparent glass.

“A strawberry shake?”

“This is what you used to drink whenever you weren’t feeling well, right?”

Carlos asked with confidence. He recalled hearing Aneta instruct a maid in the kitchen on how to make it and had recreated it based on that memory.

“…I didn’t think I had it that often, but you remembered.”

“How could I forget? It’s something about you.”

Carlos helped her sit up, slipping his hand behind her back to support her.

Leaning heavily against the headboard, Aneta took the glass he handed her, urging her to drink it slowly.

Her swollen throat made it difficult to swallow. After tasting the pink shake, she paused and set the glass down for a moment.

“How is it?”

“It’s delicious.”

She gave the answer he was clearly hoping for, seeing his expectant face.

“This was actually something my mother used to make for me. When I was a child, I was frequently sick, and she would always make this for me.”

During her time at the Adenauer mansion, she had avoided even mentioning shakes or anything similar, fearing it might sadden Isabel. She had only requested it a few times at the Baltimor estate, and she was surprised he had remembered.

Feeling his love for her once again, Aneta caressed the smooth surface of the glass. She then realized its size.

“But you… it seems you failed to control the portion size.”

It hadn’t seemed large in his hands, but now that she held it, the amount was daunting.

She looked at the oversized glass filled to the brim with the shake and worried about whether she could finish it.

“If it’s too much, you don’t have to finish it.”

“I’ll keep it by my side and drink it slowly… Thank you.”

She hadn’t been able to taste anything while eating soup, but now the sweet flavor lingered on her tongue.

Aneta took a few more sips of the shake before carefully handing the glass back to Carlos.

“Can I have some too?”

“You might catch my cold.”

“It’s fine.”

Carlos took the glass and deliberately drank from the side where her lips had been. Aneta made a curious expression, but Carlos didn’t mind and let the sweet liquid fill his mouth.

He swallowed, his Adam’s apple moving noticeably under his slightly wrinkled shirt.

Aneta found herself unconsciously staring at the movement of his Adam’s apple.

“It’s very sweet. Almost overwhelmingly so.”

Noticing her gaze, Carlos’s eyes curved slightly in amusement. He could easily guess where her eyes were fixed.

“They say that sharing a cold helps it go away. Maybe I can take it from you.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“No, but just for this moment, I’d like to believe it.”

His golden eyes were clearly focused on her lips.

Aneta touched her forehead, still warm from the fever.

“I don’t have the energy for this.”

“I don’t intend to push you. But still…”

Carlos’s face drew closer with his unfinished sentence. Reflexively, Aneta tried to pull her head back, but a throbbing headache made her pause.

In that brief moment, Carlos’s lips quickly brushed against hers.

With a soft sound, a faint strawberry fragrance wafted and dissipated from the tip of his nose.

“This much is okay, right?”

Carlos smiled as if he had received his rightful reward.

Even after that, Carlos continued to care for Aneta. She had to accept the soup that he cooled to a suitable temperature and offered to her.

She had expressed her desire to feed herself, but Isabel had sided with Carlos when she brought the soup, leaving Aneta no choice but to comply with the butler’s decision.

The thin soup was relatively easy to swallow. Once she confirmed the bowl was empty, she leaned back against the headboard, feeling as if her body had turned into waterlogged cotton.

“Even if it’s tough, try to sit up for a bit. Lying down immediately after eating isn’t good for you.”

Aneta nodded slightly. She thought she was feeling better, but even that small movement made her groan.

A maid waiting in the hallway took the used dishes away.

Watching the door close, Aneta checked the clock. The short hand had already reached eight o’clock.

She had reluctantly sent Carlos away for dinner, but it was hardly enough rest. Aneta decided it was time for him to return to the estate.

“You should go back to the estate, Carlos.”

“Am I making you uncomfortable?”

Carlos’s eyes, once sharp, now drooped sadly. It was hard to believe this was the same man who used to fiercely ward off unwanted advances with a piercing glare.

“It’s not that you’re making me uncomfortable, but you must be tired too.”

Taking care of a patient is never an easy task. Aneta felt uneasy, thinking that he had wasted his precious day off because of her.

“If I’m not making you uncomfortable, at least let me stay until you take your medicine and fall asleep.”

For Carlos, the time spent with her was far more important than a mere holiday, and he refused to back down.

He spoke softly, his voice tinged with a quiet melancholy.

“Please.”

At his final word, Aneta reluctantly nodded.

***

Aneta woke up from her restless sleep to find that Carlos had indeed left. Only then did she close her eyes again, her mind quickly clouding over thanks to the lingering effects of the medicine.

In the deepening darkness, a strange light suddenly flashed. It cut through the air like a white streak, illuminating the space momentarily.

In that light, Aneta found herself dreaming once more. This time, she dreamed she had disappeared from his side.

No matter where she looked in the dream, she couldn’t find herself. Despite this, Carlos appeared happy. He laughed as if he had forgotten all about her, another woman cradled in his arms.

The smile that once was solely for her now belonged to another. This realization didn’t sit well with her.

A sense of unknown dread washed over Aneta, and she instinctively reached out for Carlos.

But just like in the previous dream, she couldn’t grasp him.

Her outstretched hand passed through his body, and with that, Aneta was thrust out of the dream once more.

Though she knew she was awake, she didn’t want to open her eyes. Her chest felt tight, as if weighed down by some unidentifiable emotion.

She wanted to place a hand over her heart, where the strange feeling lingered. But something was hindering her movement, wrapped around her upper body.

Startled, Aneta opened her eyes. She didn’t even notice the throbbing in her head as she lifted her gaze, only to see the same face she had seen in her dream.

Carlos, who she thought had left, was actually sleeping soundly while holding her close.

Frowning at the unexpected situation, she felt his hand start to move, caressing her arm and waist.

This wasn’t entirely unfamiliar; it had happened occasionally even before their divorce. Still, it would undoubtedly cause a misunderstanding if anyone else saw them.

The time when it was normal to spend nights together had long passed. Aneta decided it was best to wake him before Isabel or the maids walked in.

She placed her hands on Carlos’s chest, the familiar contours beneath her palms bringing back vivid memories.

Ignoring the clear sensations, Aneta tried to extricate herself from his embrace, but he didn’t budge.

The more she struggled, the tighter his arm around her waist became, pulling her even closer.

This confirmed Aneta’s suspicion: Carlos was awake.

As if to prove her point, his hand gently traced the line of her waist. Aneta grabbed his hand to stop him.

“Carlos.”

“Mmm…”

Despite her calling his name, he continued to pretend to sleep. Even when his low, rumbling voice whispered against her neck, Aneta wasn’t fooled.

“I know you’re not asleep.”

“Caught me,” he admitted.

When she spoke firmly, leaving no room for denial, Carlos finally opened his eyes.

As he pulled back slightly to meet her gaze, she saw a face devoid of any sleepiness.

“Good morning, Aneta.”

A smile as fresh as the morning sunlight spread across his face.

“That smile won’t work on me.”

Aneta refused to be swayed by his attempt to play innocent.

“How long have you been awake?”

“Since you touched me.”

She hoped he hadn’t been watching her sleep, but his answer carried a subtle implication.

“That sounds a bit strange.”

“How could I not wake up when you were touching me so boldly?”

“Still sounds strange.”

“Well, I don’t see it that way. I’m just stating the facts.”

Carlos replied nonchalantly and attempted to kiss her forehead, but Aneta managed to block him by pressing against his forehead. With her other hand, she poked his chest repeatedly, signaling him to move away.

Instead, he gently wrapped his fingers around hers.

“You know that spot is sensitive.”

“I don’t know. I’ve forgotten all about such things.”

It was something she no longer needed to remember. Drawing a clear line, Carlos’s mouth twisted into a slight grin.

Aneta didn’t avoid his disapproving gaze. She skillfully changed the subject.

“I checked to make sure you’d left. Why are you still here?”

When she shot him a look that questioned if he had indeed gone to the mansion, he shook his head.

“Don’t worry, I kept my promise. I just came back briefly.”

“How did you get back into my bedroom?”

Of all places, it was the master’s bedroom. Not an easy place to access. She had a strong suspicion, but hoped it wasn’t true.

“Through the window.”

Why do her ominous premonitions always come true? As expected, hearing that he used his ability made Aneta frown.

“Using your powers like that again…”

“I had no choice. There’s a big hole in my bedroom wall, you see.”

If an assassination attempt had occurred, Carlos wouldn’t have been lounging around here. He would have ruthlessly hunted down the attackers and their masterminds. Aneta asked with certainty.

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“My hands were shaking uncontrollably with worry for you, and I accidentally…”

It was clear he had done this because she had told him to leave. Aneta sighed deeply at the thought that this rational man had resorted to such actions.

“I was thinking of staying here until the wall is fixed.”

“No.”

Aneta cut him off, not wanting to hear more. He then gave her the same sad look as yesterday.

“You’re going to leave me defenseless?”

“Defenseless?”

The ducal estate, with the second-largest knightly order after the imperial palace, defenseless? Aneta couldn’t help but feel a disconnect. Besides, he had the power of Glory.

“The power of Glory you possess can kill a person without lifting a finger.”

Who would dare challenge someone like that?

“Actually… I’m worried. I’ve never seen you this sick before.”

Unable to focus on anything else, he found himself creating excuses. Carlos confessed as he interlocked his fingers with hers.

“I want to take care of you until you’re fully recovered. Aneta, please allow me.”

“What about your work?”

“I took leave.”

He said it as if he had been waiting for this question. Aneta swallowed a sigh. It seemed he had come with a plan.

Aneta looked at her hand clasped in his. His warmth was comforting. She couldn’t bring herself to push him away.

No, she didn’t want to push him away.

Was it the influence of the dream she had just had? Aneta couldn’t find an answer but surrendered once more.

“…One week. No more than that.”

Carlos’s expression brightened at her implicit consent.

“Are you giving me permission?”

“You already took leave, didn’t you? Even if I said no, you wouldn’t give up.”

It was too late to worry about rumors. She had hoped his unrequited love would tire him out and he would leave on his own. But now things seemed to have changed a bit.

Aneta discovered that she was particularly weak when it came to him. If she let him get a little closer, she might genuinely start to care for him.

‘Does that mean I should distance myself now?’

Aneta decided there was no reason to do so. She no longer needed to fear harboring any emotions for him.

The original storyline had already twisted beyond recognition, and the story she knew no longer existed.

So now, it would be okay to act according to her heart.