"Oh, Bunny, whatever you’re doing to ... you have to stop—before it’s too late," a voice whispered, deep and undeniably Zethan’s.
Her eyes were still closed, just about to drift off when his voice pulled her back. She felt him gently tuck her hair behind her ear, his whisper soft against her skin.
"You have such beautiful hair, Bunny... and yet you chose to change its color," he murmured.
He pulled her closer, as if the cuddling they were already doing wasn’t close enough. His warm, intoxicating scent wrapped around her, and she struggled to compose herself even as her heart pounded loudly in her chest. His fingers ran slowly through her hair, calming her body, while she silently fought to stay awake.
This... this was pure temptation.
And it was even harder to resist with her eyes closed.
"When I get attached, I get obsessed. When I’m obsessed, addiction takes place. And when addiction happens... I lose my mind."
He paused.
"If you ever see pulling away from you, it’s for your own safety. And right now, it seems I’m getting obsessed with you, my little—"
She felt him suddenly stiffen.
Her heartbeat quickened.
D..Did he know?
Did he just realize sothing?
"Bunny..."
His deep voice called again. She felt him pull away, the warmth of his embrace fading. Even with her eyes still closed, she could feel his intense gaze on her.
"Rosey..."
He stretched her na, dragging it out as if testing her reaction.
"I’m sleeping, sto—"
Her eyes snapped open in shock at her own words—too late.
She t Zethan’s glinting eyes. Her lips pressed into a thin line as he let out a chuckle.
"It seems you heard everything I said, huh?" he teased.
Rose frantically shook her head.
"No—no! I didn’t hear anythi—"
She gasped when he suddenly pulled her to him, his hand trailing down her bare back, his touch igniting sweet tremors.
"Ahhn..."
A soft moan escaped her lips.
"Tell , Bunny... did you hear what I said?" he asked again, his voice low and dangerous.
Rose turned her gaze away, her cheeks burning.
"It seems you still want touching you, huh?" he whispered near her ear as he shifted her, pressing her back fully against his chest in their spooned position.
"Are you lying, sweetheart?" he asked again, his lips curling into a slow, dark smile.
"I... I’m not—ahhhck!"
Her words cut off when he slipped a hand between her legs, spreading them as his thumb teased her inner thigh, sliding up and down. Her whole body shuddered in response. His other hand cupped her breast, squeezing it deeply, earning another moan.
"Ahhhhm..."
Her eyes flew wide as his thumb slipped lower, curling inside her.
"Tell , Bunny. Did you hear?"
Rose’s chest rose and fell rapidly.
"Yes... I heard it all... ahh..."
Zethan grinned softly, satisfaction dripping from his voice.
"Good girl."
****
Lilia’s body jolted awake. She gasped, eyes wide with panic as she tried to calm her pounding heart. Her lips pressed together tightly.
Zethan rushed to her side, concern etched across his face. He sat beside her and pulled her into his arms.
"Don’t be scared, wife. I’m here," he whispered gently.
His words—and scent—cald her, grounding her again. As her heartbeat began to slow, she turned toward the window.
Was it already evening?
Her eyes widened.
Had she slept that long?
Zethan, noticing her startled expression, let out a small laugh.
"You’ve been sleeping for hours. I got so worried. Then I realized..." he paused and added shalessly, "it was my fault—for fucking you till sunrise."
Lilia’s face burned at his blunt words. She turned her gaze to the side, flustered. This man was truly shaless. Unbelievable.
Their eyes t, and Zethan gave her a warm smile.
"I made pancakes and tea. Co see—I made them well."
He stood to leave but paused when he saw Lilia still sitting there, motionless. Sothing was off. He studied her face carefully.
"Did sothing happen in your dream?" he asked, his voice gentle, concerned.
He knew her too well. Whenever she got like this—quiet, distant—it ant sothing was wrong.
She didn’t answer. Her lips opened, then closed again, like she wanted to speak but couldn’t find the words.
Zethan sat back down beside her, pulling her into a warm hug.
But this ti, she didn’t hug him back. Her arms didn’t wrap around his neck.
He stiffened.
Sothing was definitely wrong.
Lilia turned her face toward him, her voice quiet and fragile.
"Zethan... have your past mories returned?"
Zethan’s body went still. His eyes widened as he stared at her, then he slowly nodded.
"Yes, my wife," he said softly.
Her next words ca out barely above a whisper, pain laced in every syllable.
"Then why didn’t you tell ?"
Zethan beca silent. The way Lilia looked at him—it was heartbreaking. The hurt in her eyes, the quiet disappointnt—it was enough to make anyone look away.
"We promised not to keep anything from each other..." she added, her voice cracking ever so slightly.
But the truth was, Zethan hadn’t even thought to tell her. His mind had been consud by Lilia—by everything that surrounded her. He wanted to be with her, to spend more ti with her, but he had told himself he would tell her once they reached the land of the living. He had thought about it, once or twice... but he dismissed it as the past. A past that should stay buried.
He told himself it wasn’t necessary to say anything. That it wouldn’t matter.
But now, as he looked at Lilia... he knew he had been wrong.
He had always known she would feel this way. That she would be hurt.
And deep down, the truth was even more difficult.
He wanted her to get her mories back too.
He wanted her to rember everything—on her own.
But he didn’t know how to tell her that.
How could he explain the guilt? The confusion?
Still, none of it excused his silence.
He had been wrong.
Very wrong.
And now, she knew.
"I’m sorry," he said softly, his voice barely a whisper, eyes filled with quiet sorrow. He looked into hers—and the brokenness he saw there twisted sothing deep inside him.
Who would’ve thought their trip would turn out like this?
Definitely not him.
And certainly not her.
Lilia had felt no pain earlier, assuming he hadn’t rembered yet. But when he nodded—when he confird it—the ache that squeezed her chest was unbearable.
She never expected him to actually keep such a thing from her.
"My mories are back, Zethan... a-all of them. Every s-single one," she whispered, her voice fragile as her gaze t his.
His eyes dilated.
"Y-You rember?" he asked, almost breathless.
She nodded. And as she did, tears began to stream down her cheeks—soft and steady, as though they couldn’t be stopped.
"Oh... Z-Zethan, don’t tell I reincarnated again... just to et you," she cried, her shoulders trembling with every word as she felt greatful.
Zethan nodded solemnly.
"Yes, sweetheart. You were given a second chance... you beca my wife in both the past and present. No wonder your mories weren’t lost. I was only told I would et you again—and..kil.. that you would be the one to bring back my mories.
"To find my wife again... or lose her forever. It was like a test. When I first saw you, I thought there was no way you were her. You had inky black hair, and the only clear mory I had... was of a woman with blonde hair."
He paused, cupping her cheeks, gently wiping her tears away.
"They played tricks on , love... to see if our bond was strong enough. To see if our love could make us recognize each other—soul to soul."
The mont those words left his mouth, Lilia broke into sobs.
"Oh, Zethan... but after everything... our love conquered it all, didn’t it?" she asked in a trembling voice, searching his eyes for hope.
Zethan nodded slowly, his gaze tender.
"Yes, it did, my love."
Lilia pulled him into a gentle hug, burying her face in the warmth of his chest.
"I can already imagine how many centuries you must have fought and waited," she whispered. "No wonder you accepted that night as it was your way of looking for her... All of this... it was fate. My husband..." she pulled back slightly and kissed his cheek. "Who would have ever thought sothing like this was possible?"
Zethan nodded as she cupped his face. He held her hands, his much larger ones covering hers tenderly.
"I... I... I can already—"
Her voice broke as she sniffled, trying to hold herself together.
"I can already imagine the kind of pain you carried in your chest."
Zethan’s gaze dimd with the weight of mory.
"At one point... fear consud . I thought I was responsible for my wife’s death," he confessed, his voice heavy, trembling.
Lilia’s eyes widened. She had never seen that look in his eyes before—so raw, so broken. The pain in his expression made her own chest ache. She could only imagine how hard it must have been, searching across lifetis for soone your heart refused to forget.
She reached out, brushing his cheek gently.
"I’m glad I t you... both in the past and the present," she whispered, her words like a balm to his soul.
But just as Zethan was about to respond, his eyes flashed red, a flicker of rage burning behind them.
"I would have tortured that man..." he growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Lilia quickly shook her head.
"N-No, Zethan... it wasn’t Frederick that killed "
His eyes t hers, confused and still dark with fury.
She hesitated, then whispered the truth.
"It was... your cousin."
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