LDAD 77

LDAD

Posted by Arsiii_here, Released on September 16, 2025

Chapter 77

By the time Amelia finally pushed Ivan away, saying she truly hated it now, the sunset was already sinking low. It felt like hours had passed, yet Ian still hadn’t woken up. That at least was a relief.

Ivan’s hand trailed over Amelia’s shoulder and collarbone. She didn’t even have the strength to scold him for touching her. Leaning weakly against Ivan’s firm body as though it were a cushion, Amelia blinked languidly. Her mind was already halfway submerged into unconsciousness.

“Don’t you have any questions?”

But the moment Ivan asked that, she couldn’t simply fall asleep. Amelia tightened her waist against the body she leaned on and pushed herself upright. Ivan instinctively caught her by the waist to steady her.

“Why were Lady Clarke and Ian together?”

“She said she wanted to see the child once.”

“No.”

Amelia stated her refusal firmly. Ivan watched her stubborn face for a moment, then slowly lifted the corner of his lips.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

And he promised that the three of them would never meet again.

“And also…”

Ivan’s reply had been swift and crisp, but Amelia still had words left unspoken. He didn’t press her, simply waited for her to continue.

“Until we’re married, don’t let me go in and out of the Imperial Palace.”

That was all, after a moment of hesitation. Just a modest wish—that until their marriage, she wouldn’t have to see that face at the palace.

“Alright.”

But underneath that modest request lay the petty emotion of jealousy. Ivan found that secretly satisfying. That was why he kissed her again.

Strangely, whenever he looked at Amelia, his body stirred. A desire and impulse he had never felt even when other women threw themselves at him. It was unfamiliar even for him, yet not unpleasant. It only made the long time he hadn’t had her feel foolish.

“Stop…”

The brief kisses strung together deepened before long. Ivan’s hand slipped naturally beneath her skirts. Amelia clutched the insolent hand that had already reached her thigh, resisting. He had given her pleasure on the bed, but now it was too much. Her energy was long since spent.

“You’ve rested a little.”

Ivan whispered seductively, eyes glinting, as though to say: when else would they have such time to cling to each other without worry? And that was true.

As though sensing his mother’s distress, Ian suddenly burst into tears. Amelia slid off Ivan’s body and scrambled to her feet. Ivan also stood, planting his feet on the floor. Amelia turned quickly, trying to leave the room.

“I’ll go.”

At that moment, Ivan’s long arm wrapped around her waist. Amelia gasped in surprise and froze.

“Fix your clothes before coming out.”

A light kiss brushed the back of her neck. With only his shirt slightly rumpled and otherwise neat as ever, Ivan walked out first. Not long after he left, the summoning bell rang.

Amelia checked her appearance once more, took a deep breath, and stepped outside. Ivan was standing before the cradle, holding Ian in his arms.

“Has young master Ian awoken?”

Mrs. Howard entered the room, as if she had been waiting, and reached out for the child.

“Oh my, you were here—”

“Ian wasn’t in his cradle, so I waited, but I was tired and dozed off in the side room. I didn’t realize how much time had passed.”

She had spotted Amelia coming out of the side chamber at almost the same moment. Mrs. Howard looked startled at first, but quickly nodded at Amelia’s clumsy excuse. After all, Amelia and Ivan had a child together. Whether they had simply talked about Ian, or “spoken with their bodies,” it was hardly strange.

“I’ve brought water, Madam.”

Just then, a maid entered carrying a water jug, breaking the heavy silence that had weighed on the room.

“Leave it there.”

“I’ll be going now.”

With that, Ivan announced his departure and moved to leave. The maid quickly placed the jug on the table and opened the door for him. Ivan slipped out naturally.

“……”

Just before leaving, he turned his head back for a final glance. He cast one last look at Amelia, then faced forward again. All within the briefest span before the door shut—a short, natural, yet subtle and secretive gesture.

As if to prove that their relationship amounted to nothing more than that. Amelia forced herself to ignore the emotions pounding in her chest.

It wasn’t a relationship that could last long anyway. Even so, she couldn’t stop the gloom from creeping in.

A day later, Aaron sent a letter with no explanation other than that he wished to meet. Amelia readily agreed, even to such a curt summons. They both had things to say.

From the moment she entered the room, Aaron fixed his gaze on her. Amelia returned the look indifferently, knowing he was trying to read her thoughts.

“The Duke of Russell?”

“I tried persuading him, but he said there’s no need to take such risks. In a year and a half, the Emperor will break his promise on his own. If we wait, opportunity will come naturally.”

As the maid placed teacups and left, Amelia sat across from him. She had already dismissed everyone else, making it easier for them to speak frankly.

“Why?”

“Because it’s not worth taking the risk now. That was his reasoning, and I agreed.”

Amelia stared at him in silence, her eyes condemning him as useless. Aaron hadn’t changed, even after his feelings for her were exposed. He neither lost his composure nor allowed himself to be swayed. He was remarkable in his own way.

“Still, I heard something curious. You said Ian’s father had blond hair and green eyes, didn’t you?”

Aaron, sipping tea leisurely, brought up Ian’s father as though in passing.

“But a woman who bore a child to an apprentice priest named Ricky came to the temple and said he had blond hair and blue eyes.”

Amelia’s eyes wavered uncontrollably for an instant. How should she respond? She hadn’t expected today’s conversation with Aaron to go in this direction.

“…Is that so?”

That was all she could manage, feigning ignorance. Aaron’s piercing stare suggested he wasn’t fooled. He seemed to know there was something between her and Ivan, even if only from scattered clues.

“I have a question.”

He hadn’t said it aloud, but Amelia knew.

“Go ahead.”

“If I held a major card, would the Duke move?”

Maybe she could use this chance. After all, Ivan himself had said there was no way to prove Ian was his son.

Aaron remained composed as ever. No matter if Amelia laughed, cried, or despaired, he never lost his pace. If anything, he seemed pleased that he was entangled in all her emotions.

“It would depend on how powerful that card is.”

But there were cracks in his calm façade too—when he realized Amelia had borne another man’s child, when he realized she had loved Ivan, when he realized she would rather accept even someone she despised than lose to Ivan.

The moment he truly realized he could never have her.

“You said Ricky was a false name, didn’t you?”

“……”

“I know why it was false. And I know who he really was.”

At Amelia’s words, Aaron’s grip on the teacup tightened. She saw his fingers blanch from the pressure. She was certain then—her judgment had been right.

“You might not believe me…”

“……”

“Ian is the Emperor’s son. At first, I didn’t know. He only approached me to use me for uncovering the temple’s secrets.”

Silence filled the room. But Amelia knew what it was: silence born of blinding rage.

“I can’t forgive him—for abandoning both me and Ian, just to go off and live happily with someone else.”

All her doubts and questions had been answered. The truth was that her heart had always turned toward the same man.

“……”

Aaron’s blue eyes surged like a stormy sea. The sight made Amelia feel like laughing. But instead of laughter, tears spilled out.

“No one will believe me since I have no proof—that’s what he told me, Aaron. I hate him for that.”

“……”

“I want to kill him…”

It was ironic, but for the first time she could finally voice the despair and betrayal she had once felt toward Ivan.