* * *
Ashton kissed him over and over, whispering comfort into his skin.
They shared their wounds, seeking solace in each other’s bodies.
And as the night stretched on, Remy’s trembling gradually stilled.
By the time his sobs had completely faded, the sun had already sunk low in the sky.
His legs, which had been lifted into the air, finally fell back onto the couch.
The sofa’s movements, which had rocked steadily for so long, finally came to a halt.
A sticky warmth dripped down his outstretched thigh.
“Remy.”
Ashton gathered Remy’s exhausted body into his arms.
He had reached his peak countless times, his feverish skin still flushed.
Holding him close, Ashton murmured words meant for no one else to hear.
“I love you.”
He pressed one last kiss against Remy’s lips.
A deep silence fell over the room.
Remy woke up several hours after passing out.
Clutching his head, which felt like it was about to split open, he barely managed to sit up.
The room, now cloaked in darkness, was silent, save for the occasional sound of Ashton’s breathing beside him.
In the dim candlelight, Remy quietly gazed down at Ashton.
With each steady breath, his well-defined back rose and fell.
Carefully, Remy placed his hand over the marks he had left—faint scratches where his nails had dug in deep.
He hesitantly traced his fingers over them, afraid he might wake Ashton.
The fleeting touch brought back vivid memories of that heated moment—the sensation of sweat-slicked skin cooling down, the ragged breaths that had poured over his face, and the expression of desperate longing in Ashton’s eyes.
Every detail was still painfully clear.
A sudden wave of sorrow washed over Remy.
The thought that he might never see Ashton again struck him hard.
That insufferable Alpha, whom he had constantly claimed to despise—why did the idea of losing him feel so unbearably sad?
Had he grown attached without realizing it?
After all that time insisting he couldn’t stand him…
Was it too late to deny it now?
He didn’t understand why his heart felt this way.
He only knew that he was overcome with grief, his tears spilling uncontrollably.
“…Ah.”
And then, a thought occurred to him.
Maybe, just maybe, he had been happy here.
Even if he wouldn’t call it happiness, the memories he had made in this place felt precious.
Not just with Ashton, but with the others as well.
Having lost all recollection of his past life, the only memories he had left were from his time here.
If he lost even those, Remy felt like he would be utterly devastated.
The people he met here—they were all important to him.
Not just Oliver, but his two younger brothers, Rex, and even Chandler, who had quietly looked after him.
‘Ashton…’
If he had to name the person he had spent the most time with here, it would undoubtedly be Ashton.
He had never really stopped to think about it before, too busy bickering with him.
But looking back, no one else had ever comforted him or given him strength the way Ashton had.
Memories of their time together flooded his mind.
The first time he had stormed into Ashton’s home, catching him off guard.
The way Ashton had fussed over him while tending to his injured hand.
The night he had dragged him into an empty forest to teach him how to dance.
Splashing around in his private pool together.
Being carried on Ashton’s back down the slopes of Mount Molaris.
Despite his tears, a soft laugh escaped Remy.
He couldn’t help it—thinking about Ashton’s shameless antics was oddly amusing.
The first time they met, Ashton had been suffocatingly sexy.
While they were together, he was insufferably annoying.
And when their bodies intertwined… he had been almost unbearably breathtaking.
Maybe that was why, no matter how many times Remy had said he hated him, he had never been able to push him away.
Sometimes kind, sometimes infuriating, and sometimes impossibly seductive—who could ever resist an Alpha like him?
Being around Ashton made him feel like an absolute fool.
He was being swept away, helpless against the relentless pull of his presence.
There was no way to fight it.
And now, Remy was beginning to wonder… Maybe his feelings for Ashton were…
“…You’re awake?”
Ashton’s quiet voice broke through the silence.
Without a word, Remy let his tears fall.
Ashton reached out, gently brushing them away.
A faint smile played on his lips as he pulled Remy into his arms.
“Why do you keep crying?” he murmured teasingly.
“It’s making my heart ache.”
He pressed a soft kiss to Remy’s forehead.
Remy didn’t answer.
His only response was more silent sobs, his tears flowing even harder at Ashton’s tenderness.
“Remy.”
Ashton held him close, stroking his small frame as if trying to soothe him.
Thump, thump.
Even through his trembling chest, Remy could hear the steady rhythm of Ashton’s heartbeat.
Slowly, his own sobs began to subside.
He buried his tear-streaked face against the warm scent of flowers.
“No matter where you are, no matter what you do… I’ll always support you.”
Ashton whispered those words into his hair, his voice laced with unspoken pain.
“I want to be your strength. I’ll always be behind you. Whenever you need me.”
And with that, Remy finally broke down.
I wish I had never known you.
No, I wish I had never met you at all.
Now that he had to leave Ashton behind, the pain was unbearable.
The moments he wished he could forget stabbed at him like sharp needles, piercing his heart over and over again.
“So don’t be sad, Remy.”
Remy lifted his head from Ashton’s embrace.
Then, without hesitation, he climbed onto Ashton’s lap and pressed his lips against his.
The kiss was desperate, messy, filled with unspoken emotions.
As if trying to console him, Ashton responded just as gently, accepting everything Remy poured into it.
Their lips remained locked, wet with tears, for a long time.
When Remy finally pulled away, his tear-filled eyes fixated on the Alpha beneath him.
‘Because this…’
‘This will be my last memory of you.’
Slowly, he reached back, gripping onto Ashton’s body and pulling him deep inside.
A sharp gasp left his lips as he felt Ashton filling him, an overwhelming heat pressing in.
He clenched around the sensation, his body trembling as he lowered himself further.
Ashton’s hands found his waist, his grip tightening as Remy began to move.
And with that, their final night began.
The Day of the Final Confrontation.
The long-awaited day had finally arrived.
On the morning of the grand ball, Remy began preparing early.
Watching him put extra care into his appearance, Chandler couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
The young master seemed… absentminded.
Even as the tailor draped the newly tailored evening coat over his shoulders, even as the attendants carefully combed through his golden locks—
Remy simply stared blankly into the mirror, lost in thought.
It was a far cry from his usual self.
“Did something happen between you and the young duke last night, my lord?”
Chandler waited until the attendants had left before asking cautiously.
“…Huh?”
Remy finally blinked, as if snapping back to reality. He met Chandler’s gaze through the mirror.
“You look extremely exhausted today. Normally, you’re always drained after the young duke visits, but today seems… different.”
“Ah…”
Chandler wasn’t an idiot. He must have known about his relationship with Ashton.
In fact, it wasn’t just Chandler—any servant in this house could have figured it out.
There were times when they had spent entire nights locked away in this room.
Besides, Chandler had overheard a conversation between them once before.
“…It’s nothing.” Remy shook his head.
“I’m just tired. That’s all.”
* * *
