Wicked Husband-Chapter 180 - 179

s soon as she emerged into the open air, Eileen took a deep breath. Fresh air rushed into her lungs. The space where they had been trapped had air circulation, but the enclosure had still felt suffocating. Now, under the open sky, she felt like she could finally breathe properly.

She was still catching her breath when she was suddenly enveloped in a tight embrace.

Eileen’s eyes widened in surprise.

Cesare’s chest rose and fell dramatically. His breathing was erratic, unstable. There was no way he was this exhausted from simply pulling her up.

"..."

He said nothing, just held her tightly.

Eileen blinked in confusion. It was impossible, but it felt as though Cesare was trembling. She could barely believe the faint vibrations she felt against her own body.

She wanted to check his expression, but his face was buried against her, hidden from view. After a moment of hesitation, she slowly returned his embrace.

Thump. Thump.

She could feel his heartbeat racing. Or maybe it was hers. Perhaps it was both.

In the silence of the long embrace, their hearts gradually slowed, their rapid beats settling into a steady rhythm.

Only after the tremors had completely subsided did Eileen finally speak, cautiously.

"I... wasn’t scared at all."

She wasn’t sure if her words held any meaning.

"Because I knew you would come."

She simply wanted him to know. That even in the deepest darkness, she had been at peace, because he existed.

"You’ve always saved me."

After her quiet confession faded into the air, Cesare remained silent for a long time.

Then, suddenly, he laughed softly.

Tightening his arms around her, he whispered,

"I was scared, Eileen."

***

The Duke of Farbellini was in a frenzy in front of the collapsed shrine, shouting and flailing wildly. His outbursts were delaying the rescue operation, to the point that soldiers had to restrain him.

When Ornella was finally rescued, the duke saw the pitiful state of his precious only daughter. Without hesitation, he struck one of the workers assisting with the rescue.

He needed someone to blame for his daughter’s injuries. The laborer, who had worked tirelessly to save lives, could only endure the injustice, no one dared protest against the Duke of Farbellini.

Fortunately, the duke soon regained his senses. He realized that now was not the time for rage, his daughter’s treatment was the priority.

He hurriedly took Ornella back to the ducal estate. He had already sought out a renowned physician specializing in trauma care, in addition to their personal doctor. They would begin treatment immediately.

Just before leaving the ruins of the collapsed shrine, the Duke of Farbellini turned to look at Eileen. Their gazes met, but he said nothing.

It was obvious who had administered Ornella’s first aid. They had been trapped together, there was no one else who could have done it. Yet, there was no word of gratitude. The duke only stared at Eileen for a long moment before turning away.

Eileen wilted under his gaze. There was no gratitude in his expression, only an inexplicable anger.

Is it because I was the only one who came out unharmed?

Among those trapped in the shrine, Eileen was the only one rescued without a single scratch. The other guards and priests had all suffered serious injuries, and some had even died.

Only Eileen had emerged unscathed. It was nothing short of a miracle.

When she was pulled from the rubble, Senon, who had been anxiously waiting outside, let out a strangled sob. He checked her condition, his voice shaking with emotion.

She wanted to reassure him that she was fine. But somehow, she couldn’t.

"..."

Eileen fidgeted, pulling her blanket tighter around herself.

Immediately, a large hand reached out and carefully adjusted the blanket for her again.

Feeling a little embarrassed, she peeked up. Cesare was watching her silently. Flustered, Eileen quickly averted her gaze. Cesare, without a word, pulled her back into his embrace.

Since the moment she had been rescued from the ruins, Eileen had been in Cesare’s arms the entire time.

At first, she had clung to him out of sheer relief. But as time passed, she started to feel embarrassed.

Countless people had gathered for the rescue effort, and she was very aware of the many eyes watching them. Being held so openly by Cesare made her feel self-conscious.

She had asked him to let her down, but he ignored her request completely. The best compromise she could get was for him to carry her with only one arm, to maintain the illusion that his injured shoulder was still a problem.

Even after they arrived at the Grand Duke’s estate, Cesare stepped out of the carriage, still carrying Eileen as if it were the most natural thing in the world. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"My lady!"

Sonio, who had been anxiously pacing at the mansion’s entrance, ran toward them. He looked as if he had aged ten years in a matter of hours. The moment he saw that Eileen was safe, he collapsed in relief.

The other servants gasped and rushed to support him. Eileen, startled, reached out toward him, only to realize she was still in Cesare’s arms. Her hand waved uselessly in the air.

"Thank goodness... It’s such a relief... truly...."

Sonio repeated the words over and over, his eyes misty with tears.

Despite his emotional state, he quickly began fussing over her.

"Forgive this old man’s foolishness. You must be exhausted. I’ll have your meal brought to your chambers. The bath is already prepared, and I shall–"

"I will do it."

At Cesare’s words, both Eileen and Sonio froze. Cesare, however, didn’t wait for a response. Without hesitation, he carried Eileen inside.

Still dazed, Eileen only realized what was happening once her clothes started coming off.

He was seriously planning to bathe her himself.

"C-Cesare! I can do it alone...!"

Her protest fell on deaf ears. Cesare said nothing as he stripped away the tattered dress, his eyes narrowing.

Now that she thought about it, this was the dress Cesare had gifted her. The realization made her feel guilty, she had torn it apart to treat Ornella.

While Cesare undressed her effortlessly, she stammered out an explanation.

"The dress... I had to use it for Ornella’s first aid. She was bleeding heavily, so I had to stop the bleeding and splint her broken arm...."

Somewhere in the middle of her rambling, she realized she was completely n@ked.

**