Part 6

“It's my best friend,” I blurted out.

"He kissed your cheek?" Kael asked, his voice cold and completely devoid of emotion.

My mouth suddenly went dry at the look on his face. The doctor had warned me that Kael's emotions were like a storm constantly being stirred. One second he could seem as gentle and obedient as a loyal dog, the next he could turn frighteningly hostile over something trivial.

And now I'd triggered another emotion that was clearly far more dangerous for me.

"Isn't that normal? We're close."

Kael turned to me. "Then why are you carrying a blanket? You don't want to sleep in the same bed as your own husband?"

Oh no.

"I just..."

"You're afraid," he cut in, silencing me instantly.

Kael was remarkably good at reading people. He noticed every expression, every subtle shift in a situation. Maybe that came naturally from being a leader. It had probably become second nature to him.

I let out a weary sigh. At this point, any excuse I came up with would only dig me into a deeper hole. Carrying the blanket, I walked back to the bed and sat down on the edge.

"Kael, you're still recovering. Your body hasn't healed yet, and I sleep like the hands of a clock. I don't want to accidentally kick you in my sleep," I lied.

Kael fell silent for a moment, considering my words. We held each other's gaze without speaking.

"That's just a cliché excuse, isn't it? The truth is, you're scared of being with me."

He suddenly scooted closer and wrapped his arms around me.

Again.

His emotions had shifted in the span of mere seconds.

"Didn't I promise I wouldn't hurt you?" he murmured. "I always keep my promises, Ivy."

He released me, then gently held both of my shoulders.

"So... please, let's start over. Can we?"

I stayed silent, looking into the hope shining in his eyes. His hands gave my shoulders a gentle squeeze, as if reassuring me that giving him another chance wasn't such a terrible idea.

"Yeah," I answered softly.

Kael smiled.

It was unbelievably sweet.

"Let's go to sleep," he said.

That night, for the first time, I fell asleep without fear beside Kael. He held me as though I belonged to him, and never let go.

Not until morning.

Never in my life had I imagined that the mornings I'd always faced alone would one day feel different. When I opened my eyes, Kael was already watching me, his head resting against one hand.

He reached over and gently brushed my cheek.

"Morning, beautiful."

Damn.

Turns out he was pretty good at flirting.

I quickly sat up and slipped out from under the blanket, but Kael stopped me, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

"Kael, I need to get up and make breakfast."

"Why are you in such a hurry? I'm not hungry yet."

"I have to work," I said, even though my "work" was really just tending the vegetable garden beside the house. I also wrote children's stories that were occasionally published. Yeah, at least it gave me something to do.

"Work?" Kael asked, sitting up straighter. "Do I have a job too?"

I froze.

What kind of job could I possibly give Kael? In a remote place like this, most of the residents were retired. The younger ones usually worked in small shops or on farms.

Damn it. What was I supposed to tell him?

Just as I was scrambling for an answer, I heard a car pull up outside.

I got out of bed, walked to the window, and opened it.

A man stepped out of a sedan, dressed casually. He had a beard, blond hair tucked beneath a cap.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to recognize him.

The moment I realized it was Mitch in disguise, my eyes widened.

He began unloading several bags from the trunk, belongings that I immediately recognized as Kael's. Before Kael could come face-to-face with him, I needed to speak with Mitch first.

I hurried out of the bedroom and met him outside.

"Thank goodness you're here. Kael's been asking about his job, and why he only has a few changes of clothes in the closet," I said.

Mitch waved a dismissive hand before giving my shoulder a light pat.

"Relax," he said casually.

He carried a suitcase inside. Kael stepped out of the bedroom, eyeing Mitch with obvious displeasure.

"Who are you? Why are you here this early?" he asked.

"I'm just returning your belongings. Oh, and I don't need you working at my farm anymore. An irresponsible man like you doesn't deserve a job there!" Mitch declared, leaving me completely stunned.

So he'd already come up with a story of his own.

Thank goodness. At least now Kael had an explanation that made sense.

An explanation we had completely fabricated to deceive him.

I couldn't even imagine what would happen when his memories finally returned.

Mitch strode up to Kael and shoved a brown envelope against his chest.

"Here's your severance pay, you bastard!" he snapped, then turned around and walked right out of the house.

Kael stood there, dumbfounded.

He opened the envelope and pulled out a thick stack of cash.

"So... I just got fired?" he muttered.

"I guess so."

"Huh..." Kael scratched the back of his head. "I'm unemployed now. But at least this severance should be enough to keep us going for a month." He flashed a bright smile. "I'll find another job later."

I let out an amused snort.

Yeah, he really sounded like a responsible husband.

Kael never questioned why there were so few clothes in the closet again. After seeing the rest of his belongings inside the suitcase, he simply unpacked everything himself and neatly arranged them in the closet without asking for my help.

By late morning, even though he still hadn't fully recovered, Kael insisted on helping me in the garden. He helped clear a new plot of land where I planned to grow tomatoes. Just as I'd expected, even injured, Kael was incredibly strong.

"You like gardening?" he asked while we rested beneath a large tree, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a small towel.

"Not really. It just feels like a waste to leave a piece of land this big unused."

"Hmm. I'm lucky to have such a capable wife," he said with a smile. His gaze drifted toward the open field ahead. "By the way, what are we planting here?"

"Tomatoes. I ordered the seedlings from a friend. They should be arriving today..."

My voice trailed off.

Crap.

I'd completely forgotten Antony was coming today!

I shot to my feet and hurried toward the front yard.

But just as I reached it, Antony's car pulled in and came to a stop.

He waved cheerfully as he stepped out.

"I brought your order. Sorry it took a whole week," he said.

For a moment, I had no idea how to respond because, at that exact second, Kael walked over and casually slipped an arm around my waist.

One of Antony's eyebrows shot up.

"Ivy, who is this guy?"

Kael answered before I could.

"And who are you?" he asked coldly.

"Huh?" Antony blinked. "I'm Antony Todd, Ivy's neighbor. I live about two kilometers from here."

Then he looked back at me.

"Ivy... who is this guy?"

The words caught in my throat.

How was I supposed to explain this situation now?

"If you're our neighbor, then you should already know who I am," Kael said.

I wanted to stop him, but he spoke before I had the chance.

"I'm Ivy's husband."

Antony stared at me in confusion before turning back to Kael with complete disbelief.

"You're joking, right? Ivy's still single!"