Part 5

Mafia.

The future leader of a criminal organization.

And I had foolishly claimed to be his wife?

Where the hell had my common sense gone?

From that moment on, I no longer looked at Kael as a sick man. I looked at him as someone I needed to fear. When he finally stirred from unconsciousness, his eyes fluttered open as he stared at the bedroom ceiling. A moment later, he turned toward me, where I stood leaning against the doorframe.

He patted the empty side of the bed. "Why are you standing over there? Come here," Kael said, his voice hoarse. "I promise I won't hurt you again."

How could I possibly come closer to you, Kael? Just seeing you in my room terrified me now, let alone sharing a bed with you.

I shook my head, rubbing my arms. "You should get some rest. I'll make you some soup."

Kael said nothing, but the pleading look in his eyes slowly gave way to hurt at my rejection.

I hurried out of the room, leaving him alone. While preparing the meal in the kitchen, my eyes settled on the pot of beef soup I had just finished cooking.

A crazy thought crossed my mind.

What if I poisoned him? If he died, wouldn't all of this finally be over?

I immediately bit down hard on my lip. But if Kael died, would I end up in prison? Mitch would definitely investigate the case to the very end. Then again, maybe prison was still better than being murdered. But... did I really have the nerve to do something that insane?

I clicked my tongue. Damn it. What the hell am I thinking?

Slowly, I ladled the soup into a bowl and placed it on a tray. Just as I turned around, I heard the bed creak, followed by approaching footsteps. Kael walked toward me with a pitiful expression.

"Ivy," he called.

"Yeah?" I answered, startled as I instinctively took a step back. The tray trembled in my hands, making the bowl rattle softly against it.

Kael raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you shaking like that?" he asked, stepping closer and taking the tray from my hands.

"Huh? Shaking?" I denied, retreating another step. "You just surprised me by coming out of the bedroom. You're still sick, so you should be resting," I said, making excuses while continuing to circle around the table.

Kael's thick brows drew together. "I see." He lowered his gaze to the bowl of soup in his hands. "I understand why you're acting like this. You're still afraid of me."

You know that.

I forced a shake of my head. "I'm not afraid of you."

"You are. I can see it all over your face." Kael sat down in a chair and buried his face in his hands. "I was a terrible husband."

For several long seconds, neither of us spoke. I simply stood behind the chair, gripping its back so tightly my fingers ached. Across from me, Kael remained motionless with his head bowed. His hands clenched into fists on the table. A second later, his shoulders began to tremble, followed by the sound of quiet sobs.

Huh?

"Kael?"

"I'm sorry, Ivy. I'm so sorry. I promise I'll never do anything to hurt you again," he said, his voice rough with emotion. He lifted his tear-streaked face to look at me. "Please... give me another chance."

Huh?

"Wait... why is he so emotional?"

Could the doctor really have been right? Was there actually something wrong with his brain? Damn it. The story I'd made up had turned this intimidating man into a complete crybaby. With his imposing build and fierce appearance, the tears streaming down his face felt strangely out of place.

I wanted to go to him, but stopped myself as Mitch's warning echoed in my mind.

Kael looked at me with tear-filled eyes. "See? You can't even stand to be near me."

My hands clenched into fists. The truth about who Kael really was felt like chains holding me back. "That's not it," I protested.

"Ivy, please... give me a chance to make everything right."

"Kael, you should eat first. Don't overthink this," I interrupted.

Besides, I didn't want to talk about it anymore. Kael's condition still wasn't stable. If he kept dwelling on this, it might only make things worse.

"How can I eat when my own wife is terrified just to look at me?" he said sadly. His large hands curled into tight fists until the veins beneath his skin stood out.

I swallowed hard. "Kael..."

"Give me that chance, Ivy. Even if you still hate me afterward, that's okay. I'll accept it. Just... give me one chance," he pleaded. This time, I truly didn't know what to make of him.

The decision was mine now. Should I let this lie-filled charade continue, or end it here?

When our eyes met, something stirred inside my chest. Just a minute ago, I'd been terrified after learning he was a mafia leader. But now, seeing the desperate look on his face, I knew I couldn't bring myself to refuse him.

Kael's reddened eyes never left mine. His shoulders sagged. The big man looked as though he'd lost the one thing keeping him standing.

Damn it. Right now, he looked like a little puppy that needed someone to hold him.

"...Okay," I said quietly.

A broad smile spread across his face. Without another word, he immediately started eating the soup.

"Careful, it's hot," I warned.

Kael didn't seem to care. He simply gave me a faint smile and sipped the broth.

That little emotional drama was finally over.

Now I had a different problem.

The bed.

After taking his medicine, Kael pulled off his shirt, leaving only a pair of sweatpants. As for me, someone who was used to sleeping in nothing more than an oversized T-shirt without a bra, I now had to get used to sleeping fully dressed.

Kael lay down beside me while I remained as stiff as a board. My fingers tightened around the blanket. It was the first time I'd ever shared a bed with a man.

To make matters worse, he was a criminal.

The mattress dipped as Kael rolled onto his side to face me. I quickly turned my back to him instead.

A quiet sigh escaped his lips.

"You're avoiding me again."

"I'm not. I always sleep on my side," I argued, scooting closer to the edge of the bed.

But the moment I felt something press against my back, I realized Kael had wrapped his arms around me from behind.

My entire body went rigid.

"You're warm," Kael whispered against the curve of my neck. His breath brushed softly across my skin. "Ivy, I've been wondering. Why do you sleep wearing a T-shirt and a jacket? Aren't you hot?"

"No."

Truthfully, I was.

But I had no intention of taking either of them off. Knowing Kael could suffer from hypersexuality was more than enough to put me on high alert.

"Alright," Kael said gently before pressing a kiss to the back of my neck.

Slowly, he let go of me and rolled away.

The second he fell asleep, I quietly slipped out of bed.

I was going to sleep on the couch if I wanted to keep myself safe.

Unfortunately, just as I was about to leave the bed, Kael's voice stopped me.

"Ivy, how long have we been married?"

His tone had changed.

Flat.

Cold.

I turned to look at him. "Huh?"

"How long have we been married?" he repeated.

"One year," I answered off the top of my head.

Kael sat up and looked toward the wardrobe.

I followed his gaze.

"Oh yeah? One year." He turned back to me, studying me with a probing look. "Then why are there only a few sets of my clothes in the closet?"

Shit.

I'd only kept a handful of Kael's clothes because Mitch had been the one who bought them. I never imagined he'd notice something that specific.

"And one more thing." Kael's eyes narrowed with curiosity. "I saw a photo in your wardrobe. You and another man."

His expression turned questioning.

"Who is he?"

Damn it.

He saw my picture with Jason?