KMKS 22

chapter 22

The brief surge of emotion made Sarah hesitate even more.

While she lingered, Aiden sounded the alarm toward her once again.

“Do you really think you’ve lost?”

“…….”

It was a voice strong enough to pierce the window.

Even though Sarah knew he wasn’t blaming her, she bit her lip.

Unfortunately, her thoughts hadn’t changed yet.

She was still afraid to look out the window, worried that it might actually rain.

Whether she wanted it or not, Sarah’s approach to life had mostly been passive until now.

She ended up in an orphanage after her parents died, and she was chosen by the Count and Countess Dorsen.

Even her marriage to Viscount Aiden Spencer, almost as if sold off, hadn’t been her choice.

She had no strength to stand on her own, so she had often been pushed along by adults.

Even in the viscount’s mansion, Sarah’s own thoughts didn’t matter much.

[Do you really think you’ve lost?]

Aiden, despite having lost his memory, was asking about her thoughts.

The longer she hesitated to answer, the more Sarah’s head drooped.

She had already observed enough signs over several days to predict rain, but she couldn’t be certain it wouldn’t come.

Alone, she couldn’t help but think of Duke Winston, whom she couldn’t avoid.

On a day like today, with the rain about to pour, it was hard for Sarah to hope for clear skies.

So her answer was…

“……Maybe.”

That she might have lost.

Her hopes had always been disappointed, and each time, her disappointment became a wound.

So, to protect herself, she had stopped even hoping before getting hurt.

But…

“Do you know something?”

“…….”

“Today isn’t over yet.”

What did he mean by that? It was as if he were telling her not to give up yet.

Even a small spark of hope reached Sarah through the window.

She gripped the curtain tightly. When she turned her head, the clock’s hands showed it was still before midnight.

If she pulled back the curtain, Aiden would be standing there, but he felt so far away.

Could she face the view outside without breaking down again?

Sarah’s hesitant figure seemed to reflect outside the window through the curtain.

Aiden’s voice came again.

“Don’t you want to see it?”

See what?

It was probably a simple question—whether she wanted to see if it was raining.

But another thought intruded into Sarah’s mind.

“…I want to see it.”

She bit her lip tightly.

The truth was, it wasn’t about seeing the result of the bet.

If it was Aiden, the one who encouraged her, that she wanted to see, then perhaps she could pull back even a single layer of the curtain herself.

At that moment, Sarah remembered what Aiden had done for her, even without his memory.

[Maybe it’s only natural. To look after your wife without ignoring her.]

He hadn’t ignored her when she fell and had helped her up.

Not only that, he had taken her to his room and applied ointment to her ankle.

He rarely shared meals with her, yet he even suggested she eat.

[Eat. You must eat well, my wife.]

He had arranged for the staff to serve her first proper meals.

He had given her the food himself and never pressured her when she was slow or hesitant.

Sometimes he even gently chided her to take her time.

And on an ordinary day, he gave her a bouquet of flowers.

[I don’t know why exactly. I just wanted to reach out to you, my wife.]

When she once asked him the reason, he said that.

Just because she was his “wife,” Aiden reached out to her.

Sarah’s green eyes wavered. Aiden must be standing outside, looking at her now.

Just as he had reached out first, now it seemed it was her turn.

“If it’s raining…?”

Then all the more, she had to face him. He might be standing in the rain outside.

Her hands began to sweat as she gripped the curtain, but she pulled it back as if entranced.

It must have been worry for Aiden.

As she slowly drew the curtain, the scene outside cleared as if by magic.

Though it was late at night, the clouds gradually parted, revealing the sky’s original color.

Stars that had been hidden by the cloudy sky now shone faintly but clearly.

Underneath, Aiden stood waving toward Sarah on the second floor.

“My wife!”

Sarah never imagined that the blonde hair flowing in the wind and his bright smile would suit him so well.

He had always looked grim at her, as though all disasters came from her.

“He’s smiling…”

Her lips curved slightly at the sight of his tidy teeth.

Aiden’s smile at her looked completely natural.

If it hadn’t been for Aiden standing there, she wouldn’t have dared to draw back the curtain.

Rain or not, she would have remained in her shadowed room, reliving nightmares that would eat at her every night.

No matter who he had been before, the current Aiden was someone who gave her the strength to rise.

Perhaps more than she could even muster herself.

He was doing what she couldn’t.

Thinking this, Sarah wanted to run to him immediately.

“…Is that okay?”

Her heart raced irregularly. She had never felt so impulsive.

Startled by her own surge of thoughts for a moment.

But on a day like today, perhaps it was okay to be brave one more time.

“…Wait!”

Sarah called out to Aiden and hurried down to meet him.

Had Aiden seen her rush, he might have told her to come slowly out of concern, but she couldn’t make him wait any longer.

She wanted to convey her gratitude quickly.

Even the curtains fluttering in the wind through the open window seemed to push her forward.

“Milady, are you really going out like this? It’s chilly with the wind…!”

Ignoring Bibi’s attempt to give her a shawl, Sarah ran down the stairs.

She moved carefully to avoid falling but couldn’t slow her pace.

The wooden stairs creaked under her weight, but her excitement drowned out the sound.

Outside, Aiden was still smiling, welcoming her.

“Why are you in such a hurry?”

Up close, he seemed concerned that she had come out without an outer coat.

“Isn’t it chilly?”

“I’m fine…”

Sarah truly was fine.

Though the night wind was cold, just thinking of seeing him warmed her entire body.

Still, she felt a little embarrassed for rushing out.

Aiden furrowed his brows and scratched his cheek.

Then, with a faint sigh, he quickly removed his coat and draped it over Sarah.

“Wear this at least.”

The coat on Sarah’s shoulders carried a clean, fresh scent.

The husband’s scent, which she had never noticed before, tickled her nose and almost made her sneeze.

Looking at Aiden, she realized he seemed larger than usual, though she’d never thought of him as imposing before.

“Thank you. I thought you’d be disappointed in me today.”

“That’s impossible. I’m the one who lost.”

Sarah adjusted the coat around her shoulders, feeling his warmth.

“Did you, by any chance, feel disappointed in me?”

“No.”

He continued with a playful smile.

“I wanted to show you that your words have weight too.”

Until now, her words had carried little power. They had often been ignored by her husband and even the staff.

So she often chose silence over speaking.

Silence sometimes made awkward situations pass quickly.

If Sarah remained still, everyone would vent their frustrations and then return to their tasks.

She had grown accustomed to this pattern.

Yet, Aiden said her words had weight.

Sarah fidgeted with the coat around her shoulders, words swirling in her mind.

Now she knew clearly what she wanted.

“…You asked about my wish.”

Sarah looked up at Aiden. His blue eyes seemed to widen slightly.

As she parted her lips, a strong wind enveloped them both.

“….”

Her wish wasn’t for him to remain unconscious or for her to leave the viscount’s mansion.

Her lips whispered, and Aiden’s Adam’s apple moved visibly.

After a brief silence, Sarah closed her eyes tightly and spoke.

“I wish your memories would never come back.”

Aiden, without his memory, had been kind to her.

Just as her first proper meal had been sweet, she wanted to experience more of Aiden’s new side.

Did he realize she was starting to look forward to her daily life with him?

And that it made her feel fulfilled each day?

The rustling leaves in the garden whispered through the wind.

She didn’t want to lose his kindness.

Unconsciously, Sarah gripped his sleeve tightly and spoke with conviction.

“That’s my wish.”

She wanted Aiden to grant that wish.

If it came true, she felt she could expect a small happiness.

Aiden’s gaze fell to her hand holding his sleeve. Sarah’s damp voice lingered by his ear.