By Zephyria He faintly heard people’s voices. Words like blood pressure and bleeding were occasionally heard in the buzzing noise. Yu-jin felt a vibration as if his whole body was shaking, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. He vaguely felt deja vu. That’s right, something like this happened before. When was that?It felt like the sound of his own screams echoed in his ears. A voice filled with grief, wailing like crazy and calling Winston’s name.
What do I do, what do I do… Winston, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault, I’m sorry…
What did he say to Yu-jin, who kept repeating the same words and crying?
Are you hurt?
Winston raised his blood-soaked hand and stroked Yu-jin’s cheek as he asked.
Are you hurt, honey?
He frowned, panting heavily. Winston muttered, bewildered by his touch that kept groping Yu-jin’s cheeks, neck, and everywhere else.
Why, the blood… it won’t come off. Honey, where are you hurt?
You idiot, this is your blood…!
Yu-jin, who had been sobbing, finally burst into loud sobs. Ah, is that so. Winston smiled then.
Thank goodness, it’s not you who’s hurt.
Wake up, Winston! Get a grip!
Yu-jin shouted repeatedly, but Winston’s eyelids were gradually closing. Yu-jin could only cry over him, who was now limp without even answering. Please, if there is such a thing as a god. He prayed with all his heart. Please save Winston. You can take anything. I can even give you my life, please!
Just don’t take Winston away…!
The wish came true. God saved Winston and took Yu-jin’s life. Because Winston had completely left him since that day.
Tears welled up between his closed eyelids. Winston, what should I have done? Belated anguish raised its head. If I was going to lose you anyway, should I not have made that prayer back then?
I’ve never regretted it.
But I thought it was a relief that you were alive. Was it because I thought I would never see you again that I felt that way? If I had known that I would meet you again like this and receive your hatred and resentment all at once, would I have regretted praying for you to live?
You slept with my father!
With the last of the rough screams he spat out as if vomiting blood and the golden eyes glaring at him, he completely lost consciousness.
* * *
The Butler was startled and turned around at the sound of the door being thrown open violently. The man who opened the hospital room door was panting with his shoulders as if he had been running all along, and his face was pale.
“Mr. Campbell.”
As the Butler stepped back, muttering briefly, Winston immediately moved his steps and entered the hospital room.
“Mr. Campbell!”
At the sight of him suddenly staggering greatly, not only the bodyguards but even the usually taciturn Butler shouted in surprise and rushed towards him. Winston, who barely avoided the unsightly sight of falling, repeated rough breaths with his back bent deeply.
“I’m, okay.”
The barely flowing voice felt painfully squeezed out. He took his time to straighten his body, but even taking a few steps towards the bed seemed difficult as he continued to stagger. The medicine was still affecting him, and his body wouldn’t move as he wanted. He was struggling to even maintain his reason due to the throbbing medicine and pheromone flare-up in his blood vessels.
Winston, who barely reached the bedside, finally let out a deep sigh only after confirming Yu-jin, who was sleeping peacefully with a calm face. The Butler, who had been watching the man, opened his mouth at the right timing.
“Fortunately, we found him quickly, so you don’t have to worry too much. The bleeding wasn’t severe, and they said we can leave the hospital after observing the progress for a day or two.”
“…A day or two?”
Winston turned his gaze to the Butler for the first time. The Butler answered, seeing him frowning unpleasantly.
“They said he should be able to move… Shall I ask to extend the hospitalization?”
Winston was silent for a moment. Looking at Yu-jin’s pale face, it seemed like he would have to lie down for at least a year. But he wasn’t relieved to keep him in the hospital either. Yu-jin would probably want to return to the mansion immediately because of Angela. Then, could he stop that?
Lost in serious thought, Winston opened his mouth.
“What happened to Charlotte?”
In a normal case, she would have been handed over to the police. But the incident took place in the Campbell family’s mansion, and a member of the Campbell family caused it. This was by no means a normal case. The Butler answered, looking at the side of his master’s face, who was still panting and leaning his weight on the side rails with both hands as if it was difficult.
“The first young master took her.”
As expected. Charlotte probably knew that would happen to her too. Somehow, the family would protect her. The other party is Harold’s mistress, whom everyone in the family shuns.
Maybe she was even scolded for failing to kill him.
Thinking that, a mixture of ridicule, annoyance, anger, and all negative emotions made him even more unpleasant. The fact that he had stopped extracting the pheromones in the middle also contributed to making him feel bad.
“Didn’t she say why she did this?”
“Yes, but when we found her, she was saying this. You’re bad, why did you tell me that, I’m sorry, I had no choice to keep the secret… she said.”
“Secret?”
Winston frowned unconsciously. Was Yu-jin close enough to Charlotte to know her secret? Charlotte wouldn’t have said it since she committed such an act. But he had no idea what kind of family secret Yu-jin could have heard from somewhere else, and what kind of big secret it was that made Charlotte commit such an act.
First of all, he has to wait for Yu-jin to wake up. The most important thing was to confirm whether it was just a minor happening as the doctor said. And he was going to decide on the punishment after that. Could she be safe after daring to do this to Winston Campbell’s partner?
Winston, who had thought that far, suddenly felt strange. He was naturally assuming that Yu-jin was his partner. No, that’s wrong. Yu-jin is just enough as a mistress. When the contract period expires, he will divorce Yu-jin and marry another woman suitable for the family. Yu-jin should be locked up in the Separate Residence/Annex where he used to live. So that he can’t meet anyone or run away anywhere for the rest of his life.
Because he’s mine.
If he had done that earlier, this wouldn’t have happened. As he recalled his belated regret, the Butler spoke with difficulty.
“Um, and… the doctor says he has something important to tell you. Would you like to meet him now?”
Winston felt his heart sink for a moment. Why, when he said it would only take a day or two? Did something else happen to Yu-jin? Could this be a ridiculously big problem? What is it because of?
Numerous thoughts came to mind at once, but there was no answer among them. Winston felt a tremendous headache for a moment and slumped down in his seat.
“Mr. Campbell!”
“It’s okay.”
Winston answered, gritting his teeth at the Butler’s voice.
“The medicine hasn’t worn off yet. …Tell the doctor that I’ll meet him now. I’m okay.”
The Butler hesitated, but he couldn’t disobey the order. Behind him, who reluctantly left the hospital room, Winston was left alone with Yu-jin.
…I’m dizzy.
Nausea even rose due to the dizziness. The spot where he was injected throbbed and complained of pain, but that was just one of the minor problems that Winston had to fight now.
…My heart.
He grabbed the side rail with one hand and clutched his chest with the other.
It feels like my heart is going to explode.
A painful groan flowed from Winston’s mouth. Is this a side effect of the medicine? Or has the pheromone finally started to devour my body?
It’s okay, it doesn’t matter.
He vaguely recalled. He had never been alive for a single moment since that day. He somehow endured this far with a heart torn to pieces. Isn’t that enough?
No, not at all.
He glared at the air with bloodshot eyes. He’s only just come this far. He’s only just gotten it completely in his hands, but is he going to lose it again?
Absolutely not.
Winston repeated, barely raising his body. Even the trivial act of sitting in a chair was an act that required him to squeeze out the remaining strength.
Hoo, Winston, who let out a tired breath, slowly moved his gaze. Yu-jin’s face, still asleep, came into view.
If I were the protagonist in a fairy tale, I would kiss you here right now.
And the two would fall in love and live happily ever after. Because there would be no betrayal or resentment there.
Winnie.
Is it the aftereffects of the medicine? Winston began to confuse reality and the past. And unfortunately, the memory went back to that day. The day all the nightmares began.