Dylan’s eyes remained fixed on her —watching her, as she momentarily shrank back, almost as if she were afraid of him.

He wanted to laugh at that.

If only she remembered how his life ... his very existence had once been at her mercy, she wouldn’t have looked at him the same way.

The corners of his lips lifted into a faint smirk.

"It’s time for breakfast. Get ready and come down."

And with that, he turned and left without another word.

Behind him, Adelyn remained seated on the bed, her brows drawn together in confusion as she tried to comprehend what he had meant earlier —when he said he wouldn’t leave her.

Did he mean that he wouldn’t let her go once he realized she had lied to him?

The thought crossed her mind, almost enough to make her uneasy. But just as quickly, another thought surfaced, easing that tension.

They hadn’t progressed that far in their so-called relationship yet. There were no deep emotions involved —nothing intense enough to make him obsess over her.

So why wouldn’t he let her go?

Once he realized how weak and superficial the bond between them truly was, he would naturally accept a breakup.

She just needed to wait a little longer before bringing it up seriously.

Adelyn was still lost in her thoughts when a soft, tender touch against her skin brought her back to the present. She blinked and turned, only to find Eira looking up at her, her eyes filled with concern.

"Baby ..."

"Mama, did Dada upset you?" the little girl asked softly.

Her voice was gentle, but within her clear eyes, Adelyn could see a small, flickering flame —as if she was simply waiting for an answer. Just one word, and the girl would probably run off to confront her father on her behalf.

So young, yet her protective instincts were already so strong.

The realization melted Adelyn’s heart instantly.

She slowly reached out to cup Eira’s cheek. "No, sweetheart ... Mama isn’t upset at all. I was just faking it earlier to avoid your Dada’s scolding."

She couldn’t bear to make the little one worry.

Eira’s concern was far too precious, and Adelyn couldn’t accept the idea of it being wasted on something like this.

Little Eira blinked, clearly not fully understanding.

Tilting her head slightly, she studied her mother carefully, as if trying to verify the truth on her own.

Adelyn understood that look. Patiently, she let the girl observe her.

Only when Eira’s gaze finally softened did Adelyn continue, gently explaining it to her, "Sometimes, it’s okay to fake things. As long as it’s not hurting anyone seriously, it’s fine."

Eira nodded quietly, as if she understood —at least to some extent.

Adelyn smiled at that.

Then, glancing at the time, she remembered she still had training to attend. She couldn’t afford to linger in bed any longer.

Turning back to Eira, she tapped her nose lightly. "Did you brush your teeth?"

Eira paused for a moment before shaking her head.

Earlier that morning, when she had woken up and didn’t find her mama beside her, she had almost thought everything from the night before had just been a dream.

Her eyes had welled up with tears, and she had been on the verge of crying —until her Dada came and told her it wasn’t a dream.

Her mama had really come back.

And she was just in another room.

Without wasting a second, Eira had rushed out to check, only calming down when she saw her mother with her own eyes.

"Eira came first to you," she said now, her small voice carrying a hint of pride.

Adelyn nodded as warmth filled in her heart.

"That’s fine. After all, if Little Eira hadn’t come looking for me, how have my morning been this beautiful?" she said, tapping her nose affectionately again, making the little girl blush in an instant.

"But baby ... we can’t stay like this for too long without brushing our teeth," she added with a soft chuckle. "Breakfast is ready and your Dada came to personally invite us. So, how about we quickly get ready and head down?"

Eira nodded eagerly. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Then ... without another second of hesitation, she climbed down from the bed and made her way out of the room.

Adelyn had been about to ask if she needed help, but seeing how confidently the little girl moved, she realized there was no need.

After Eira left, Adelyn finally got down from the bed as well.

However, just as she took her first step, she paused and glanced back at the bed.

Her brows furrowed slightly.

The creases on the sheets were normal —after all, she had slept there the entire night. But something about it felt ... off.

As if she hadn’t been the only one there.

Even her body felt slightly strange, as though she could still sense the lingering warmth of someone’s arms wrapped around her.

This ...

Was she just being paranoid?

————————————————

Meanwhile—

On the other side,

Clara walked downstairs, her gaze sweeping across the area as she searched for Charlotte. But no matter where she looked, her mother was nowhere to be seen.

Her brows slowly drew together.

Just then, she spotted Matilda.

"Aunt Matilda," she called, walking over to her. "Where is Mom? Didn’t you call her down for breakfast?"

The night before, under the effects of the medicine, Clara hadn’t been able to stay awake for long. She hadn’t even managed to wait for Charlotte to return.

All she knew was that her mother hadn’t come back until quite late in the evening.

Could something have happened?

Did Adelyn realize everything and decide to return home?

The thought unsettled her, and almost instinctively, she turned her gaze toward the stairs.

"Madam returned quite late last night," Matilda replied, her voice tinged with slight worry. "She didn’t have dinner. And even this morning, when I went to call her, she didn’t respond."

Clara’s frown deepened.

"She didn’t respond?" she repeated.

Matilda nodded. "I was just about to inform Second Young Master about it."

"It’s fine," Clara interrupted, stopping her. "Don’t tell Liam. I’ll go check on Mom myself."

With that, she turned and headed upstairs.

For a moment, she had thought Adelyn might have returned.

But now, hearing about Charlotte’s unusual behavior, a sense of relief quietly settled within her.

If Adelyn had truly come back, her mother wouldn’t be acting like this —skipping meals and isolating herself.

No...

Something else must have happened.