* * *
Adam slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing to fill his vision was a blinding light.
He squinted at the morning sun.
‘Morning?’
It had definitely been evening.
He had seen the sun setting with his own eyes.
Turning his head, he saw a window and curtains—he was in his room on the second floor of the villa.
His whole body ached, as if he’d been beaten from head to toe.
The pain hit the moment he opened his eyes, making him wince.
“You were only asleep. You’ve been through an ordeal.”
A voice spoke.
Adam turned toward the sound.
The door was half-open, and through the gap he could see several people.
“Really, there’s no need to worry. He even woke briefly at dawn, didn’t he?”
“He did. The problem was he didn’t seem to recognize us at all.”
“…That was only because he was so exhausted. Once he wakes properly, I’ll give him his medicine right away.”
The one explaining was the doctor who had been checking on Adam’s condition regularly.
He was flustered, but firm in his opinion.
A lady standing beside him nodded quickly.
“That’s right, Your Graces. And it’s not uncommon for expectant mothers to faint. They always regain consciousness afterward.”
“And there must have been cases where they didn’t. That could happen to Adam too.”
Adam wanted to speak—to tell them he was awake now and they didn’t need to worry.
But his throat tickled instead.
His mouth had gone dry while he slept.
“Cough, cough!”
The sound made everyone rush into the room.
When Adam’s eyes met the two dukes, relief lit their faces.
Chester sat down beside the bed and took Adam’s hand, lacing their fingers tightly.
“You’re awake?”
His voice was a little hoarse, unlike its usual smooth tone.
Chester pressed his palm to Adam’s forehead, clearly checking for fever.
“Yes. Cough!”
“Drink.”
Isaac handed him a glass full of clear water.
Adam took it with both hands and drank eagerly.
The faint scent of lemon and rosemary lingered in the cool water as it slid down his throat.
“Ha…”
At last, his head felt clear.
He looked at Isaac as the man took the glass back.
His face had grown gaunt overnight, with bluish shadows under his eyes and slightly sunken cheeks, as if he hadn’t slept at all.
“Are you alright?”
Adam asked cautiously.
A faint smile touched Isaac’s lips.
“Shouldn’t you worry about yourself first?”
Adam instinctively touched his own face at that.
His cheeks were smeared with ointment, and looking down, he saw cuts and scrapes on his neck and arms.
“Does it hurt?”
Chester asked.
Adam was now staring at his fingers.
One fingernail that had been bent back was gone—someone must have trimmed it for him.
The fingertips were bruised dark blue from strain.
“A little.”
“A little?”
“…Alright, a lot. But I can bear it.”
“Foolish Adam.”
Chester sighed.
“And yet you tried to kill yourself? Falling off a cliff hurts a lot more than this. It shatters your whole body.”
“Haha.”
“Yeah, laugh. You probably have nothing to say.”
Despite his sharp words, Chester’s hand stroking him was still gentle.
Adam was leaning into the touch when—“Ah!”—he gasped.
“Is the baby alright?”
A chill ran down his spine. He quickly threw back the covers to check his stomach.
Other than the fact he was dressed in clean clothes, he couldn’t tell much.
‘Surely I haven’t miscarried…’
They’d warned him not to overexert himself.
Yet yesterday, he’d run, hidden in a freezing cave, even fainted.
Anxiety quickened his heartbeat.
“Don’t worry about the baby,” Isaac said calmly.
Adam turned to him.
Isaac continued in an even tone,
“The baby doesn’t matter. As long as we have you.”
Then he coughed lightly, a faint blush tinting his cheeks.
With the flush, his beauty seemed to blaze back to life.
But Adam had no time to admire it. His mouth fell open in shock.
“W-what do you mean? Don’t… don’t worry about it? That it’s fine if there isn’t one?”
Tears welled up instantly—the tears he had been holding back since yesterday.
Clear drops spilled down his cheeks.
“Did… did I miscarry?”
“What?”
Adam wiped his face with the back of his hand, but the tears wouldn’t stop.
He bit his lip to hold back sobs.
“Ha.”
Chester let out a short, incredulous laugh, then shot Isaac a look.
“Brother, this is the first time in my life I’ve ever thought you pathetic.”
“…Seems I caused a misunderstanding.”
“Why would you phrase it like that? Even I was startled.”
Chester took Adam’s trembling hand.
“Adam, Adam, calm down. You didn’t miscarry.”
“…What?”
“I said, you didn’t miscarry. My brother just… wanted to tell you you’re far more important than the baby. That he wants you to take care of yourself. Hah… even Isaac Carlisle turns into an idiot in love.”
Isaac didn’t get angry at being called an idiot.
He only stayed silent, then quietly apologized.
“Yes, the baby’s fine. I made you worry for nothing.”
Only then did relief wash over Adam.
And with it, the tears he’d been holding back broke free.
Clutching the blanket, he cried like a child.
“Hhhk… hh-hh…”
The brothers looked visibly flustered.
It was the first time Adam had ever cried so openly in front of them.
“Don’t cry. Don’t, Adam.”
Isaac’s voice was rough.
“It was my fault.”
“N-no.”
Adam wiped his swollen eyes.
After crying his fill, he felt oddly lighter inside. With his eyes still puffy, he smiled.
“I’m crying from relief. You must have been worried.”
Looking at Adam’s worn face, Isaac took his hand and kissed the back of it softly.
A smile touched his lips.
“You said you loved us.”
The murmur carried tenderness.
Adam blinked quickly—then yesterday’s events came rushing back. His ears grew hot.
“That’s…”
“I feel the same.”
Adam froze at the words.
Had he just heard right?
“I love you.”
Isaac held Adam’s hand, his golden hair blazing in the morning light.
“I’m in love with you, Adam.”
Love… in love…
Not one of the words felt foreign.
Adam mouthed love silently, heat spreading across his face.
“I must still be dreaming.”
“…?”
“Right? This is a dream?”
“What if it were?”
“…No.”
The answer slipped out before Adam could think.
“I wish this were real. Really, I do.”
Once he’d let his feelings spill out, Adam’s heart thudded violently.
Hesitating, he gripped the blanket.
The helplessness he felt was so embarrassing he could hardly stand it.
Just as he was about to lift the blanket to hide his face—
“Don’t hide. You look really good right now.”
The one who spoke was Chester.
He gently pulled the blanket down from Adam’s face.
“Ah…”
“Mm.”
Chester gave a small smile—awkward, yet unable to hide his joy.
“I like you too, Adam. I love you, deeply.”
The softness of his voice, the fingers brushing back his tousled hair, the warmth of his forehead touching Adam’s—all of it overflowed with warmth.
“From the first moment I met you until now… there hasn’t been a time I wasn’t drawn to you. It just took me a long time to admit it.”
That final confession struck Adam right in the heart.
“This isn’t a dream, Adam. We love you.”
The duchess and the doctor quietly stepped out, knowing the three of them needed their time alone.
As the door closed, Adam was still frozen, unable to hide the shock on his face.
* * *
