I can hear the heartbeat. It’s the most certain way to know soone is alive.
I held Liam Moore tightly, my ear pressed against his chest, and closed my eyes for a mont. Despite my constant nagging, right now I just wanted to relish the fact that Liam was alive.
He didn’t respond to my words. Maybe he was reflecting on his actions. With a slight glance, I could see only his chin and tightly clenched lips.
“Liam.”
“Yes, did you call ?”
His reply ca imdiately. As I scolded him for a bit, I realized it wasn’t fair to pressure him to be honest while I, too, had my own secrets.
“I t Plurititas.”
So I revealed one of my biggest secrets (excluding the fact that this is all a ga).
His reaction was imdiate. He jerked upright but fell back down from the pain in his chest. Coughing violently, he scread in a strained, cracked voice.
“What? What did you say?”
“I said I t Plurititas.”
Plurititas. Liam muttered the na, and a headache seed to take over him. Both chest pain and a headache. I probably should have given him more ti before telling him.
“His face is young, but he acts like an old man. Still, he recognized the device on the dahlia. Even though it’s not his field of expertise.”
“Besides that, did he threaten you or take so part of your body as collateral, or draw your blood?”
“Oh, my hand. He wanted to make a cast of it, so I let him. He really just made the cast and sent away. He even gave a gift.”
A gift. Now Liam Moore looked confused. “What exactly did you do?” he asked, indicating how bad his relationship with Plurititas had been.
I ended up laughing.
“There’s no way he’d give a gift to just anyone. And certainly not out of pure intention! You weren’t supposed to et him in the first place. You just had a private audience with the one person you should stay far away from.”
“But he just gave it to . Oh, here it is. This ring.”
It was a ring with a bright blue gemstone, now devoid of its light. It had shone like a disco ball in the cave but seed to have lost its power. Liam, holding the ring, looked at with his mouth agape.
“…No way he’d give it with pure intentions.”
He kept repeating those words. Poor Liam Moore, he was truly shocked.
“It was okay to accept it, right?”
“Well, it just functions like a warning light. It’s the giver that’s the problem.”
“I couldn’t help it. I’ll just buy him a cake next ti.”
“Please, I beg you, don’t shock more than this…”
He looked so desperate as he leaned on , pleading. I almost answered affirmatively, but no, there was still one more thing.
“I also t Owen.”
“O—Owen?”
He shrieked.
“I also found out your na is William Moore.”
Yes, William Schofield Moore.
“You managed to keep your mouth shut all this ti, William Schofield Moore.”
Even though he was sick, he energetically jumped up and knelt on the bed. If I had known I could take him from heaven to hell with just a few words, I would have done it sooner.
Kneeling, William spoke.
“…I didn’t an to hide it.”
For the record, I’m not mad.
“Oh, really? I had to hear my roommate and boss’s real na from soone else after two years.”
“…”
Oh, the silence is long.
“And we’re not just roommates, are we? Honestly, we’ve been quite intimate for re roommates, haven’t we? And then you go missing? In that situation, a strange man tells , ‘Actually, his na is William.’ Care to explain, Mr. William Schofield Moore?”
“I’m sorry.”
The apology ca quickly. I might have felt better, but no, I was already feeling better. I’m not mad.
William was still watching my reaction. His almond-shaped eyes looked down, full of guilt. His black eyelashes cast a faint shadow like a curtain.
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t an to.”
“At least you know you’re sorry. I thought you were a shaless brute who felt no guilt being called by a nickna for two years.”
“Jane…”
He was almost begging now. His pleading eyes might even have been watery. His ash-grey eyes trembled as they looked at . Honestly, it was a bit satisfying.
“Oh dear.”
An all-too-familiar voice interrupted. Now, recognizing voices, I saw the uninvited guest, Herschel Hopkins, holding the hospital door handle, stunned.
I dreaded how this looked. With his godson kneeling in front of like he had done sothing terribly wrong, how could I explain this? And I decided not to explain.
“Ah, just in ti. Mr. Herschel Hopkins, co in.”
I don’t know what he took my permission as, but just in ti. Look, your godson is kneeling! He hid his real na from for two years! Before I could lant, Herschel cautiously asked. One knee was already down.
Why are you kneeling?
“Should I… kneel too?”
Damn, the godfather and godson.
＊ ＊ ＊
In the end, I had to make them both sit down. Both of them were weak and unwell. Kneeling was ridiculous. Although I’m not entirely healthy either, these two were on a different level. Herschel Hopkins looked like a sickly old man, and Liam Moore… What more could I say? The fact that he was awake might just be due to adrenaline.
“Alright, children.”
I declared to the two n who were anything but children.
“Let’s have a confession session.”
Liam Moore raised his hand.
“Ma’am, from where to where should I confess?”
“That’s not a term children should use, Liam Moore. Points off.”
“Eton never deducted points from .”
He pouted. But this isn’t Eton, and I’m a an adult who does as she pleases. Liam’s mild rebellion was pointless. He blinked his eyes, looking up at with drooping eyebrows. He tried to look cute, but too bad, it didn’t work.
“As a hint, I like very honest answers.”
I must have looked resolute because Liam’s lips quivered. The dried blood made them look pitiful.
“But…”
“Mr. Moore.”
Herschel, using the old title for Liam, stood with his back to the moonlit window, facing us. His tired face was shadowed in blue. Liam responded.
“…Hopkins.”
“It’s over now.”
“You shouldn’t say that.”
Why are they baring their teeth at each other again? Herschel’s expression was cold, almost as if he was pressuring Liam. He was urging him to tell the truth. I could sense that much. Herschel spoke again.
“…We need to know to prepare.”
Prepare for what?
Ah, and suddenly, Owen’s story flashed through my mind. What happened to Mrs. Hopkins.
I couldn’t even begin to imagine the extent of his regret. He loved his wife deeply, as they said.
Herschel had already experienced the consequences of hiding sothing. Now, he was giving Liam bitter advice based on that experience. Regret cos too late. It’s obvious.
“We’ve lasted this long. I understand Mr. Moore’s feelings, but you need proper protection now. There’s no guarantee this won’t happen again.”
“It won’t happen again. I won’t let it.”
“What if, next ti, it’s Jane who disappears?”
Liam Moore’s mouth shut tightly like a clam. He bit his lips, and his eyes fell on . Confusion, fear, and hesitation swirled in his ash-grey eyes.
I looked into his eyes for a long ti. I didn’t speak or urge him.
“…Don’t be reckless. We can’t resist. We can only buy ti.”
“I…”
His voice was hoarse.
I glanced at Herschel Hopkins. He was smiling softly. When our eyes t, he gave a warm smile, reassuring . The old wedding ring was back on his finger.
Honestly, I was a bit scared. I feared the world Liam Moore saw because I had seen a glimpse of that king.
That king sensed my secret. Once discovered, I couldn’t escape, no matter what I did. My struggles were useless. I only survived by piquing his interest. Such luck wouldn’t co again.
I interrupted Liam Moore.
“I want to know.”
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