Chapter 4.1

Lian returned around dawn.  

The reason she remembered the time so clearly was because she had been sitting in the garden, waiting for him, ever since late at night. At some point, she had dozed off, but his voice startled her awake.  

“Hestia? Why are you out here? It’s cold.”  

Before her eyes were fully open, he had already pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. Wrapping his cloak around her like a blanket, he hurried toward his room.  

The scene brought back memories of the day of the fire, when Lian had saved her and Amber. Back then, he had also covered her with his cloak and carried her quickly with long strides while she gazed up at his serious face through blurry eyes.  

The memory filled her heart with a bittersweet warmth. As soon as he placed her on the bed, she clung to him, wrapping her arms around his neck as if to stop him from leaving. Pressing her cheek against the side of his neck, which carried the scent of the outdoors, she asked, 

“Did you get back safely?”  

Lian gently stroked the back of her head as he held her close and replied,

“Yes, I’m back safely.”  

She couldn’t bring herself to ask what he had been doing.  

In truth, that was the question that had plagued her the most while she waited for him. But she didn’t yet have the courage to question him or demand an explanation for his actions. Instead, she clung to him, her emotions swirling with frustration and helplessness.  

It was then that Lian spoke, his voice tinged with worry.  

“Wait a moment, you feel like you have a fever.”  

“Oh, it’s nothing. I must’ve just been outside too long. It’ll go down soon. I just need to wash up with some warm water.”  

“Is that so? I was just about to wash up myself. Perfect timing, then.”  

He spoke as if he had found an excuse, his tone casual. Before she knew it, he was undoing his cloak, along with the buttons of his shirt and even the ties of his trousers. There was a subtle hint of desire in his voice.  

It wasn’t until then that she snapped out of her daze, her eyes widening in alarm.  

“Are you saying we should bathe together?”  

Startled by her reaction, Lian looked at her as if to ask, ‘Why not?’ He leaned in close, his beautiful, handsome face softening into an expression of feigned hurt, his eyebrows drooping as he blinked at her.  

“I… I mean… it’s a bit embarrassing…”  

“What’s there to be embarrassed about? I already know every part of your body.”  

His blunt response was startlingly candid. It was true, after all; they had reconciled only three days ago, and the number of times they had shared a bed was already nearing ten.  

“But still…”  

“Why? Don’t you want to bathe with me? I think it would be nice.”  

Lian pleaded sweetly, his amber eyes blinking slowly, filled with affection. Yet, beneath that affection, there was a faint but unmistakable flicker of desire.  

In the end, she hesitated, fumbling for words as her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Her voice trembled as she finally confessed her feelings.  

“It’s not that I don’t want to… but I told you it’s a dangerous day for me. If we bathe together… I might lose control.”  

It was a mix of determination and shyness that made her squeeze her eyes shut as she spoke. But when there was no immediate response, she cracked one eye open to find Lian staring at her, his expression filled with surprise and delight.  

“What do you mean by ‘lose control’? Do you like my body that much?”  

“Ugh, don’t ask so bluntly…”  

“Is it true? Hm? Tell me.”  

Before she could respond, he had already lifted her into his arms and stood up. He strode toward the bathroom with determined steps, completely ignoring the meaning behind her earlier words.  

This was bad. If things continued like this, it would be impossible to avoid seeing each other’s bare bodies, and the situation would undoubtedly spiral into something more. She felt a wave of panic.  

“Stop, I told you no!” 

She protested, struggling to escape his hold.  

But Lian, using one hand to turn on the hot water in the tub, held her firmly with the other, preventing her from getting away. Then, without warning, he kissed her.  

She was struck by how easily his strong physique allowed him to hold her with one arm. In that moment of awe, she felt his tongue press against hers, his kiss soft yet insistent. Her rationality seemed to melt away under the warmth of his touch.  

“After hearing what you said, how could I possibly let you go? Let’s just bathe together.”  

“Don’t joke around. Like I said, it’s a dangerous day for me—”  

“Hestia, want me more.”  

His voice cut her off, firm yet tinged with a pleading note.  

Before she could protest further, he began undressing. His trousers fell to the floor with a soft thud, and as she glanced down, her eyes widened.  

He placed her gently into the warm tub, her nightgown soaking through as he swiftly pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside.  

Sitting in the tub, her damp gown clinging to her skin, she couldn’t help but stare at his sculpted figure. Her face flushed red, and her mind went blank.  

He, on the other hand, seemed overjoyed by her expression. Climbing into the tub, he repeated his earlier plea, his voice filled with longing.  

“Want me more. Love me more.”  

As he gently lifted the hem of her wet gown, his hand brushed against her skin, sending shivers through her body. Even that small touch left her feeling dizzy.  

Looking into her eyes, he spoke again, his voice soft yet filled with determination.  

“That way… you won’t leave me. I want to make sure you can’t even think about it.”  

So, it was about this again.  

It was clear that he hadn’t fully understood what she had said earlier in the day. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so insistent about this.  

“But like I said before, I can’t afford to raise a child right now. And if that happens, I won’t be able to stay by your side. If word gets out that you have an illegitimate child, it’ll cause trouble for you—”  

“Then it won’t be an illegitimate child.”  

“What…?”  

“There’s a simple solution, Hestia. We just have to get married.”  

Marriage? Did he just say marriage? With me?  

Blinking in disbelief, she stared at him as he calmly continued. One hand gently slid her wet gown off her shoulders, while the other brushed back the strands of hair stuck to her damp cheeks.  

“If we’re married, then any child we have won’t be considered illegitimate. They’ll simply be our child, yours and mine.”  

“Wait… what are you saying?”  

“I’m proposing to you.”  

As he spoke, her gown slipped off completely. Trembling, she looked up at him, her voice shaking as she tried to confirm what she had just heard.  

Was he really proposing to me? Was he truly asking to marry me?  

“I couldn’t think of anything but you when I woke up. I want to be your husband. Will you marry me?”  

Taking her hand in his, he pressed a deep kiss to the back of it, nodding as if to affirm his own words.  

“I was planning to do this properly tomorrow, but I got impatient and ended up doing it like this. It’s not very romantic, is it?”  

He smiled bitterly, as if disappointed in himself. Then, as if to explain, he added that the reason he had gone out earlier was to prepare for his proposal.  

“Was that why you went out earlier……?”  

“Yes. I’ll make tomorrow a wonderful day, so look forward to it.”  

Lian spoke with a confident tone, his beautiful amber eyes curving into a smile filled with both self-assurance and affection.  

He wanted to marry me……. He had gone out to prepare for our wedding…….  

“Was it really for me……?”  

Hestia’s slow-to-process thoughts finally began to sharpen, albeit a step too late. Then, suddenly, a wave of emotion surged within her. Ah, he hadn’t been preparing for a farewell; he had been moving to ensure they could be together.  

It was the first time Hestia had ever heard something like this from anyone. And to think that the person saying it was someone she loved—it felt impossible to believe the reality unfolding before her.  

Caught in trembling emotions, she immediately ran into his arms. With the sound of water splashing, Lian’s firm and warm skin touched her cheek. Perhaps because they were both wet from the bathwater, their bodies felt even closer than usual.  

Hestia could hear his heart pounding loudly and rapidly. It seemed he had been startled by her sudden embrace.  

“Hearing those words feels like a dream……”  

Lian appeared momentarily tense, as if anxious about her response, but as soon as she spoke with affirmation, he let out a long sigh of relief. Then, with a low chuckle, he wrapped his arms around her. His gentle touch carried a sense of reassurance.  

“So, does that mean you’ll accept my proposal?”  

“I… well…”  

But just as Hestia was about to answer, a sudden wave of emotion welled up from deep inside her. Tears began to pour from her eyes, soaking her from her neck downward.  

It was as if all the fears she had suppressed over the past few months about their parting had burst forth at once.  

Ah, she no longer needed to hide those fears in her heart. She wouldn’t have to part with him.  

Overwhelmed with gratitude, she began to sob.  

“Why are you crying all of a sudden? Weren’t you happy?”  

Lian immediately pulled her away from his embrace and cupped her cheeks gently with both hands. His expression was filled with concern as he saw the tears falling from her eyes. He looked at her with a hint of sadness, trying to gauge her reaction.  

“I’m sorry, did I make you feel pressured? If that’s the case, you can take more time to think about it……”  

“No, it’s not that. I’m happy. I’m so happy, that’s why I’m crying……. I can’t believe it……. That you’re proposing to me.”  

At her answer, Lian let out a sigh of relief before pressing a kiss to her forehead. Then, with a soft smile, he added, “I’m glad to hear that.” He admitted that he had been worried she might reject him, and how happy he was that she didn’t.  

In response, Hestia lifted her head and pressed a brief kiss to his lips, as if to reassure him of her feelings.  

“Why would you worry about that? I’m certain I love you more than you love me.”  

Lian’s expression shifted to one of surprise as he looked down at her. Then, furrowing his brows with a wry smile, he replied, 

“I think you’ve got it wrong. It’s definitely the other way around.”  

The two of them immediately began sharing a deep kiss.  

Each time their positions shifted slightly, the warm water around them rippled gently, creating soft splashing sounds. Surrounded by the heat of the water, their bodies, and their passionate kisses, Hestia felt her mind grow hazy. It was as if she were in a hot, blissful dream.  

When they finally broke apart to catch their breath, Lian gazed down at her with smoldering eyes and asked again, 

“Hestia, you’ll really accept my proposal, right? You can’t take it back now.”  

Why did such a wonderful man sound as if he were pleading? Their roles should have been reversed.  

Instead of answering directly, Hestia posed a question of her own.  

“What about you, Lian…… Are you sure you want to marry me? Aren’t you deciding this too impulsively?”  

“Not at all. I want to be with you from now on. I don’t want anyone else.”  

“But shouldn’t you think about this more calmly, after your memories return……”  

“There’s no need for that. I’ve already told you before—I’ll still love you, no matter what. So what does it matter when we do this? If we delayed any longer, you would have left me, wouldn’t you? You’d think you were doing it for my sake and disappear. I don’t want that anymore.”  

Lian pressed his forehead against hers, his beautiful eyes gazing deeply into hers. His warm gaze was filled with a tender longing that seemed to come from the depths of his heart.  

“But I…… I’m so happy right now…… and yet, at the same time, I’m a little scared.”  

To receive such overwhelming love, to be proposed to—it filled her with joy, but also with fear. After losing her family at a young age, Hestia had never been such an important presence in someone’s life.