Taking a deep breath, Zivon added, “…Basically, I want you and the children to take better care of yourselves from today onward… Is that doable?” Slightly caught off guard by his request, Xavia replied, “…But I’m perfectly healthy-” “I know, but… I just want you and the kids to go for occasional check-ups, alright…? I really don’t want to risk any more than we should…” …True enough, they had already suffered plenty… And in the end, Xavia pursed her lips before nodding. Smiling in response, Zivon then patted her head before reaching out for her clothes… and after flinching a little, Xavia asked, “…W-what are you-” “Hmm? I just intend to do your laundry for you… Unless… You’re feeling frisky…?” replied Zivon with a chuckle, prompting Xavia to blush. Sure, they were married, but… honestly, they hadn’t done it all that much, which was why she was still a little shy when it came to such topics… Still. “…I could do your laundry too…” Pausing for a moment, Zivon replied, “…It’
Eyes widened in horror, Xavia couldn’t help but gasp when she saw all the wounds littered across Zivon’s chest! What the hell had he gone through…?! With how shocked she looked, Zivon couldn’t help but purse his lips before saying, “…Xav, listen to me-” “How did you get these…? Tell me everything now…!” interrupted the trembling Xavia who seriously couldn’t believe that he’d keep all this from her. Feeling helpless, Zivon sighed before explaining, “…I had to go to many dangerous places at the start just to get a hint as to where Fabiola could be… And one of the places was a dock. Basically, I was under the guise of a fisherman for a while, and since fishermen typically look beaten up… well, these wounds are self-inflicted. I just wanted to make them believe me…” Thanks to that, he had been able to blend in with the others at the dock, which prevented Joseph from sensing his presence for the longest time… Though Zivon said it so casually, Xavia’s heart still throbbed as she ge
It was only at nine the next morning when Xavia finally woke up again… and upon realizing what time it was, she instantly sat up in shock while exclaiming, “T-the kids! School! Darn it, this is all your fault-” Before she could continue, Zivon pulled her into his arms before saying, “Hey, relax… I’ve already told your parents to send the kids to school…” Though Xavia was relieved to hear that, she couldn’t help but note that they had slept together and failed to send their kids to school on the very first day he returned… “…At least have your priorities right…” grumbled Xavia as she recalled everything that had happened last night. “Between that and being with you, I choose you…” replied Zivon as he kissed her forehead before falling asleep again… The truth was, he hadn’t been able to sleep soundly in forever, and it was only now that he was finally able to relax enough to get some shut-eye… She knew how tired he was just from how quickly he had dozed off, and following a s
Raising a slight brow, Zivon replied, “…Where is this coming from again?” “…You only came home because Ian told me about my condition, right? Don’t even try denying it after you brought up that bit about us taking better care of ourselves last night…” …She had seen right through him, huh? Before he could even think of a proper reply, Xavia suddenly held his hand while saying, “…Thank you, Von… For you to prioritize me instead of Fabiola… That had to be a tough decision, right…?” Gently squeezing her hand, Zivon replied, “Not at all. Sure, she’s my child, but you’re always going to be more important than anyone else…” “…Hey. What would the kids think if they heard that…?” “Doesn’t matter. I’m only telling the truth about what I feel. Also, I believe that my actions are a good example for the kids when they grow up. Wouldn’t you say so? I certainly think that they’ll understand my reasoning.” Rolling her eyes, Xavia grumbled, “No matter what you say, you have to prioritize ou
Before he could ask, Zayne finished reading the results and said, “So… though your condition is much worse compared to Xavia’s, it isn’t life-threatening, so that’s a plus... Also, speaking of Xavia, why don’t we try getting more blood from her to see if it helps-” “Negative. She’s still recovering as well, and I refuse to accept her blood if it isn’t truly needed,” replied Zivon who hated the idea of his sweet wife being reduced to nothing but a blood bag. Patting Zivon’s shoulder, Zayne then said, “Fine, fine… Well, since that idea is out the window, you should start working with my medical team to help you heal faster. Any objections?” Following a slight pause, Zivon replied, “…None. If we’re doing this, though, station those professors at my villa. That way, they can be ‘family doctors’ while also treating me in the background. I believe this is the best way if I want to keep Xavia in the dark.” “Can do.” It wasn’t long after when the professionals showed up at the villa…
“I’ve cracked the code…! Remember how you became slightly dependent on Jenna back when you first received her blood? Well, though you started healing even faster when you got Xavia’s blood, you soon left to search for Fabiola, and…” “…Since Xav’s blood healed me even more, my body is more dependent on her?” concluded Zivon who now had a raised brow. “Bingo! Remember, you weren’t fully healed yet at the time, so when you suddenly had to part ways with Xavia for so long, your body began showing negative side effects just so that you would return to her side! It’s the reason why you’re healing so quickly now that you two are together again!” “…Long story short, I can’t leave Xav’s side for the time being? Actually, hold on, don’t you think that proposal is rather ridiculous?” replied Zivon with a frown. “How so? All the evidence is there, and remember, Fiona’s concoction was extremely unpredictable, so this outcome shouldn’t be too hard to believe.” Though speechless, Zivon had
It was barely a minute later when Xavia heard her phone ringing… and after groggily getting up, she slowly muttered, “Hello…?” “X-Xavia! Come over! Quick! Zivon needs a blood transfusion!” Instantly jolting awake, Xavia replied, “W-what? Wasn’t he fine when he left?!” “He was, but… damn it! If only I hadn’t allowed him to conduct that experiment…!” “…Experiment? Zayne, what’s happening?” replied the anxious Xavia. Hadn’t Zivon’s sole goal been to look for Fabiola? Why was there suddenly an experiment?! Knowing that there was no point in hiding things anymore, Zayne sighed before explaining everything to her… and after getting her up to date, he was prompted to add, “You know, had I not heard his fall, he could’ve easily died just now… So just… Please come over…” After hearing all that, Xavia found herself trembling in fear. Zivon… could’ve died there and then…! What a horrifying thought…! With her voice now quivering, Xavia replied, “W-where are you…?” “…Sorry, I should’v
Xavia’s words echoed in Zivon’s mind… but even so, he didn’t have the energy to even respond. Seeing that, Zayne couldn’t help but clench his fists. He shouldn’t have agreed with his foolish plan…! And that damned Fiona…! God, how he wanted to revive her just so that he could kill her again…! His train of thought was cut short when the captain reported, “Approaching the helicopter in ten kilometers!” Shaking his head, Zayne got to his feet and replied, “…Report again once we’re three kilometers from them. And get ready to open the hatch…!” It didn’t take long for the distance to be reached, and this prompted Zayne to look at the unconscious Zivon before saying, “…Pull through, you hear me? Help is on the way…! Remember, if you die, then Xavia and your children will have nobody else to love…!” Following that, Zayne pulled the hatch open… and barely a minute later, the helicopter appeared! Just as he was about to tell Xavia to be careful, Zayne’s jaw nearly dropped when he watche
Staring in shock at the kneeling man, Yulia mustered her remaining sanity as she replied, “B-but you’re younger-” “Even if that’s the case, doesn’t that mean that I’m much more ‘capable’ than your older pursuers…?” …Why were his words so suggestive all of a sudden?! Forcing herself to calm down, she took a deep breath before saying, “…Elliot, I’m not sure what spurred this decision, but… I’m not the one for you. Please find someone your age. I’m sorry.” After saying that, she strode straight for the car… but before she could start the engine, she couldn’t help but notice how desolate he looked standing under the pouring rain… Clenching her fists, it took her a while to finally sigh and walk back to him… “…Are you really sure about this?” asked Yulia, much to Elliot’s delight. “I am! Please! Give me a chance! You won’t regret it!” …When he put it that way, all Yulia could do was help him up before finally deciding to return his kiss… Sure, things had taken a sudden, unex
She stared in horror as he removed his shirt right there and then! “W-what are you doing?!” yelped the startled woman as she quickly looked the other way. “…Huh? I mean, I’m drenched, so…” “E-even so, you shouldn’t change right in front of me!” “…Yulia, we bathed together as children… It’s not like you haven’t seen everything already…” “Y-you can’t compare that to this situation…!” “Fine, fine, I… Um… Go cook, I guess… I’ll go get a change upstairs first…” muttered Elliot as he headed upstairs. Yulia herself had to try her best to calm down! After all, Elliot had been plaguing her mind in the past few days, and… she even had dreams where he had… …No! She couldn’t be thinking about such things! She needed to cook! Maybe that would help get her mind out of the gutter! Once that was done, she’d leave and finally start devising a plan to get rid of him…! As Yulia scurried off, Elliot himself was currently staring at an old photo that showed him eating some candy in Yulia’
Just as she had arrived at her car, the president of the Halls Group suddenly walked up to her, a bouquet in hand! The Halls Group had collaborated several times with the Burtons before, and because of that, she was well acquainted with the man. Sadly, he had also proposed to her on multiple occasions… and though she kept rejecting him, he never seemed to get the hint! “There you are, Miss Burton… Since you’re off work, I was wondering if you’d join me for dinner tonight…” asked the charming man. Feeling awkward, she was just about to come up with an excuse when Elliot suddenly grabbed her by the waist and said, “Oh? Another one of your admirers, Yulia…? Sorry, but she already has a boyfriend, my man. If that doesn’t deter you enough, then you should know that she prefers her partners younger. Now please leave.” Startled to hear that, the man glanced at Yulia, his eyes begging for an explanation… Yulia herself was eager to just escape this embarrassing situation, but before s
With that tale done, it was now time to return to Yulia’s story… Ever since she was a child, she had undergone countless hardships with her mother… and even after she was able to reunite with her father, things didn’t go much easier from there. To make matters worse, Fabiola ended up getting kidnapped for the longest time, resulting in Frank ending up the way he was today… Because of all that, it only made sense that she’d mature much sooner than others her age, and unlike the naïve girl she used to be, she was an extremely competent woman today. Alas, because of how used she became with working, she soon lost the urge to find herself a romantic interest… Things continued that way until… Well, that time that Elliot… …Wait, what was she thinking?! He was younger than her, for heaven’s sake! Quickly shaking her head, she attempted to force herself to concentrate on work again… But before long, a knock was heard on the door. After being allowed in, the department manager entered t
Knowing that there was no point in keeping things a secret anymore, Rea took a deep breath before saying, “…Alright, so… The truth is, I’ve always been highly competent, but… I’ve been pretending to be useless just so that you’d eventually marry me… The trip my parents are taking… That was my suggestion too…” Feeling speechless, it took Frank a long while to reply, “…So you weren’t really drunk when you did all that last night?” Pursing her lips, Rea awkwardly muttered, “…I wasn’t… Luna suggested it, and since it sounded like a good idea to accelerate things…” …Fucking hell, to think that he had fallen straight into her trap without even putting up a fight! Watching as he glowered at her, Rea gulped before adding, “A-anyway, now that we’re married and there’s potentially a baby in my belly, you won’t divorce me, right…?” “…Oh, believe me when I say that divorce is the easy way out! From today onward, I’m making you pay for your actions for the rest of your life!” Fast forwa
Fast forward to the next morning, Rea awoke with a yawn… What a nice sleep… Wait. Why was she naked? And why was Frank…?! Her following scream immediately woke the icy man up… and upon looking at her, he was immediately reminded of what had transpired last night! Essentially, Rea ended up clinging to him, and though he initially wanted to just carry her to bed to let her rest… Damn it! Had she really been that sensual?! How had he lost control so easily?! His train of thought was cut short when he realized that Rea was bawling her eyes out… and after rubbing his temples, he was prompted to say, “…Why are you crying when you’re the one who initiated this? I’ll have you know that I never forced you-” “I-I know, but…! I’ve just…! This is my first time…!” whimpered the quivering woman, prompting Frank to purse his lips. As if he wasn’t in the same situation… “…You’re not alone there.” “It’s not the same! Men are free to sleep with whoever they want but when it comes to women, I’l
“Say, wouldn’t you agree that the food smells delicious…? Why don’t I teach you how to grill, Rea…? Oh, but make sure to take your clothes off first before we start! Wouldn’t want them to get dirty…” With how drunk Rea was, she wasn’t able to fully register his words… and just as he was about to touch her clothes, an icy voice roared, “Stop right there…!” Instantly feeling a shiver run down his spine, the man turned around… and to his horror, it was Frank! Young Master Burton’s perpetually icy son…! Why the hell was he here?! Before the frightened intern could think of how to even react, Frank walked up to him and growled, “Leave now before I chop your hands off…! Don’t make me repeat myself!” Nodding in terror, the man frantically bolted off… and once he was out of sight, Frank glared at the tipsy Rea before adding, “This is what you meant by learning how to be more responsible…?!” “Huh…? But the food really did smell super good… I want to learn…” mumbled the drunk woman.
After leaving his office, he headed off to look for Rea. She had said that she wanted to use the bathroom, but… It had already been half an hour since she disappeared. What trouble had that idiot gotten herself into this time? Thankfully, it wasn’t long before he found her laughing along with some of his interns… When the interns saw him, they were quick to bow and say, “Good morning, Mr. Burton.” Barely even glancing at them, Frank looked at Rea and said, “It’s time to head home.” “I… Won’t be following you back…” “…And why is that? Are your parents back?” “No, it’s just… These are my good friends back from school, and they’ve been staying together to learn to be more independent… With that said… I think that staying with them will be a good start for me to learn more about how the world works. Thank you for taking care of me up till this point, Frank… I won’t bother you anymore.” Raising a slight brow, Frank then looked at the interns for a while before saying, “…Are you
Regardless, after leaving her in the room, Frank returned to the shower to cool himself off… but no matter what he did, he simply remained irked. It got to the point where he couldn’t relax at all, and after wrapping a towel around his waist, he grabbed his phone to send his father a text. ‘Was there really nobody else who could’ve taken care of Rea?’ ‘What? Can’t even care for a woman properly.’ ‘I’m a busy man.’ ‘I trust in your time management skills.’ …Though he really wanted to tell Zivon that he had misplaced his trust in him, he didn’t want to disappoint his father either. With that, all he could do was clench his fists before giving Rea’s parents a call… “Hello? Frank? Why are you calling at this time of night?” “…When are you and Uncle Saltman returning, Aunt?” asked Frank who wanted them to take back their idiot already! “…Huh? What was that? Sorry, the line isn’t very good… I hope Rea isn’t giving you too hard a time! Don’t worry, we’ll be back after about a