KMKS 31

chapter 31

The next day, Sarah hurried downstairs to the first floor, worried about Aiden.
If he was suffering from a headache, she had planned to prepare some peppermint tea.

I hope nothing’s wrong.

[I’ll come out as soon as I’ve sorted my thoughts.]

That was probably what he had said.
It was the first time in a while she had seen such a serious expression on his face.
Since Aiden had looked unwell all the way back to the mansion the day before, Sarah had become anxious as well.

But, contrary to her worries, Aiden was sitting neatly on the sofa in the hall.

“Ar-Are you feeling okay?”

“Of course. Were you worrying about me all night?”

Of course…
Sarah quickly brought her hand to her cheek, feeling flustered.

Since when had she begun to worry about her husband’s headaches as if they were her own?
Aiden smiled, seemingly aware—or perhaps unaware—of Sarah’s feelings.

“Would you like some breakfast?”

He put down the newspaper he had been reading and slowly rose, extending his hand toward Sarah.
His touch was warm as before, but she sensed a subtle difference in his eyes.

“Tomato stew for breakfast, I see.”

Even as she sat at the table, Sarah’s instinctual unease did not disappear. She tried to calm herself.

“Would you like to try this first?”

“Th-Thank you.”

Aiden gently placed a sausage on her plate and asked softly,

“Madam… are you comfortable staying here?”

Sarah brought her hand to the glass of water, feeling the need to quench her throat.
Instead of answering with words, she nodded slightly.
The cool water flowed down her throat.

“Do you… ever feel like you want to leave or anything like that…?”

Aiden paused, looking at Sarah. He seemed to have realized it was an awkward question.
In the past, she might have wanted to leave, but thanks to her husband’s changed demeanor, she was enjoying a peaceful daily life.
Though she couldn’t bring herself to say it was because of him.

“I don’t think about that. I’m doing fine.”

Was there ever a more peaceful day than today?
As Sarah spoke, Aiden’s brow furrowed slightly.

“…I’m glad. I plan to go out once breakfast is over. It will take some time to return, so don’t wait too long.”

“Is something the matter?”

“Let’s just say it’s personal business.”

“I see…”

She felt an invisible wall, though perhaps it was just her imagination.
Sarah suppressed the wavering thoughts in her mind.
Aiden had never reported his outside schedule to her.
Just as he looked after others when needed, the annoyance of keeping track of things was just his usual nature, she told herself.

It’s best not to bother him.

She didn’t want to let their growing closeness drift apart.
Though the unusual atmosphere left a lingering unease, she had no choice but to endure it.

After finishing breakfast, while Aiden was out, Sarah busied herself tending to the plants.
Focusing on pruning dead branches helped her cut away distracting thoughts as well.

[Madam… are you comfortable staying here? Do you ever want to leave…?]

But she couldn’t stop thinking about Aiden’s subtly changed expression.
What did that question mean?
He surely noticed that she was more at ease than before.

“Ma’am!”

At that moment, Vivi, who had gone out early in the morning, rushed back into the house, her voice flushed with excitement.
She placed a baguette on the table and paced back and forth beside Sarah.

“Do you know who I just saw? I saw Leah at the bakery!”

“Leah?”

Hearing the familiar name, Sarah paused while wiping the leaves of the plants with a dry towel.
Leah had been a servant dismissed by Aiden for overstepping her boundaries.
Sarah hadn’t felt good about Leah, who had apparently stolen things from her room and was fired.

“She seemed thinner than before, probably from all the worry. I tried to speak to her, but she ran off—maybe she didn’t want to talk to former coworkers.”

“…I see.”

Being fired for a bad reason must have been awkward.
Leah had not been close to Vivi while staying here either.
Sarah took the scissors again to trim the dead branches she hadn’t finished.

“Oh! I kept watching to see where she moved to, and guess what? She was riding in the carriage of the Duke of Winston!”

Riding in the Duke of Winston’s carriage?
Sarah’s head tilted automatically.

“Is that true?”

“Yes. When the Duke visited our mansion recently, I remembered the carriage emblem—it was so pretty.”

“…”

“I’m certain! It had a unique feather design.”

Vivi was convinced her eyes weren’t deceiving her, and Sarah recognized the emblem as well.
If true, Leah was now employed by the Duke of Winston…

!

Sarah dropped the scissors she was holding. She couldn’t bring herself to pick them up even as they clattered on the floor.

“Madam, are you okay?”

Vivi’s words reminded her of Leah’s letter, which had hinted vaguely about the Duke.

[That person doesn’t seem ordinary.]

[Before the accident, he was like our head of household.]

The news she had burned flashed in her mind.
When she learned that the Duke of Winston was suffering from memory loss, something had felt off…
Now the worst-case scenario fit together like puzzle pieces.

Two people had lost their memories around the same time.
By sheer coincidence, they had become completely different from their known reputations.

[How dare he—this high-ranking and noble Duke of Winston!]

Why did her chest tighten whenever she faced the Duke? Why did his contemptuous gaze feel so familiar?
Why did the Duke resemble Aiden before the accident in certain ways?
She had dismissed it as imagination, but now…

[…Let’s have breakfast. Together.]

[Why not come slowly?]

The truly unfamiliar person was actually the husband she had seen every day for two years.
At first, she thought he was teasing her, acting like someone else, and found it strange.
But soon she realized he also had this gentle side, revealing a hidden aspect of himself she had never known.

Perhaps…

Sarah might have realized it.
The person inside Aiden’s body might not be her actual husband.

The two of them… swapped bodies…!

Sarah’s hand turned cold. Her face went pale.

[What kind of person was I before?]

Sarah felt emptiness in Aiden’s gaze as he asked.
He didn’t know.
Not yet.

She remembered when he had bent down to pass under a threshold taller than him.
And the Duke of Winston, who had been much taller than Aiden.
She had thought it strange then, but never imagined he could be someone else entirely.
The little things she had overlooked returned as clues.
Her lips trembled.

“Ar-Are you alright, ma’am?”

“Ah… yes.”

Sarah was surprised at her own relief.
He still didn’t know.
Selfishly, she wanted him to remain unaware.
Then Aiden could stay by her side as a kind husband.

He would eat with her, help her when she hurt her leg, not need to rush to avoid being late.
She wouldn’t have to worry about him getting drunk and loud at night, and if she fell asleep, he would cover her with a blanket.
A man who cared for her wellbeing with gentle eyes.

That’s why… he mustn’t know.

Even if the man had never met her, it didn’t matter.
He had been a complete stranger when sold to Aiden anyway.
Goosebumps ran down her arm.

The more she held the dry towel, the more she focused.
Now her complexion had returned, and she felt a fullness she hadn’t before.
Unfortunately, this was only possible because it wasn’t truly Aiden.
She couldn’t even imagine going back to the days of hunger.

But… doesn’t he have his own life?

Now Sarah’s worry shifted to him.
Leo Winston, the promising businessman.
Countless hands of admiration reached toward him.
If Aiden’s soul was in that man, the Duke’s business and image could collapse in an instant.

Can I ruin his life…?

Aiden had been a husband who had made her life difficult during their two-year marriage.
Even after his accident, she had hated him enough to feel he deserved punishment.
And now he was in the body of a stranger.

Knowing her husband’s nature wouldn’t change, Sarah felt conflicted about just letting things be.
She buried her face in her hands, shaking her head.
Similarly, the stranger was inside her husband’s body.
Realizing that, she couldn’t face him.

If he didn’t remember and she told him she was his wife…
Or if people said they were married…

What if he was kind to me only because he thought we were married?

If he realized they weren’t married, and he wasn’t truly her husband, how cold would he become?
Would he leave immediately to reclaim his body?
Then Sarah couldn’t stop him.

How could I possibly stop him?

Even if he believed the news about the Duke’s memory loss, he would need to know their bodies had been swapped.
If his memory hadn’t returned, would he believe Sarah’s ridiculous explanation?
Even if he did…

Is there a way to get his body back?

Even if there was, could she let him go? She wasn’t sure.
Overwhelmed by all these thoughts, Sarah collapsed where she stood.
A deep sigh escaped between her fingers covering her face.

“Ma’am…”

At that moment, Vivi, worried for Sarah, hurried over with tea.

“This will calm your mind if you drink it.”

Steam rose from the cup Vivi handed her.
Sarah had to make a choice before Aiden returned from his outing.
Should she tell him the truth, or let him remain unaware so he could stay by her side as her husband?

“Vivi… what should I do?”

Sarah’s voice cracked in the air. Her long-dry throat gathered moisture.
Her heart may have already leaned toward one choice.
Wouldn’t it be more frightening for the stranger inside her husband’s body to know than for Aiden himself to find out?
Sarah couldn’t blame herself for opening her heart unintentionally—it was survival instinct.
She had only mentioned Leah.
Vivi, unaware of the circumstances, blinked in confusion.