Five Years as His Secret Lover

Chapter 4 A Cruel Bargain

When I woke up in Harborfell Central Hospital, Adrian was sitting beside my bed.

In the five years we had been together, the number of times he had shown concern for me could be counted on one hand. As far as I could remember, there had only been once.

That time, I had a fever that refused to break. Medicine and injections did nothing. Even wrapped in a thick down blanket, I still shivered uncontrollably. Adrian simply took off his shirt and pressed me beneath him.

"I don't think medicine works as well as exercise for bringing down a fever."

The next morning, my fever miraculously disappeared. Afterward, he held me in his arms, looking extremely pleased with himself. He called himself a miracle doctor and said that if I ever got sick again, he would treat me for free. Well… almost free. He only wanted a little compensation.

Back then, what kind of feelings had he really had for me?

"Still acting?" His cold voice snapped me back to reality.

"W-what?"

He looked at me with open disdain. "Do you really want me to spell it out? You and Tessa staged that whole scene together, didn't you? Just to get my attention and win my sympathy. I told you long ago to stay away from her. You used to be obedient and simple. Look at what you've become now. Do you really want to wear down the last bit of goodwill between us until I completely despise you?"

Knowing how little I meant to him, I no longer had the strength to defend myself. I gritted my teeth and shifted into a more comfortable position.

"N-next time… it w-won't happen. Let Tessa… t-take care of me."

When he noticed me looking around the room, he spoke first.

"No need to look for her. You won't be seeing her for a while."

Ignoring the tearing pain throughout my body, I forced myself to sit upright.

"W-what… d-did you do to her?"

His expression remained indifferent.

"I'm the Prince of Harborfell, after all. She insulted me in public. If I don't teach her a lesson, how am I supposed to maintain my standing in Harborfell City?"

Panic surged through me.

Years ago, the kidnappers had said something very similar when they discovered that Tessa had helped cover for Adrian. She had been only six years old when they locked her inside a dark room. When she finally came out, one of her ears was gone.

Back then, I hadn't been able to protect her.

This time, I refused to repeat that mistake.

I struggled to climb out of bed, ready to kneel before him. "S-she's innocent. If y-you're angry, t-take it out on me. Don't drag… innocent people into this."

He stopped me before I could kneel.

A faint smile curved his lips. "You want me to let her go?"

I nodded desperately.

"That's not impossible," he said slowly.

His gaze drifted over me with deliberate meaning. "But we've never tried anything here in Harborfell Central Hospital, have we? Why don't we change that?"

He closed his eyes and leaned down to kiss me.

Just before his lips touched mine, I turned my head away.

He froze. A trace of anger appeared in his eyes. "You're rejecting me?"

His behavior left me completely confused.

"A-aren't you in love with Ms. Vale? H-how can you do this without betraying her?"

His long fingers brushed my cheek, and his thumb traced my pale lips just as it had done countless times before.

"In three days, I'm going to propose to her," he said calmly. "Until then, I'm still single. What I do with other women doesn't count as betrayal."

"And besides," he added softly, "Vivian is pure and kind. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"I do."

My repeated refusals clearly irritated him. He grabbed my chin tightly.

"Lucia, it seems I've been too good to you. If you don't want to cooperate, that's fine. Your friend attacked me in public. So many people saw it. I'm afraid she won't be able to avoid some time in prison."

Using Tessa as leverage was something I had never expected from him.

During the five years we had been together, I thought I understood Adrian well. Everyone said he was ruthless and unforgiving, someone who would take revenge for the smallest offense. I never believed it, because I had experienced his gentleness.

But now that I was seeing this cold, ruthless side of him, I suddenly realized something. Maybe this had always been the real Adrian.

I looked at him and asked quietly, "W-what do you l-love about Ms. Vale?"

He seemed surprised by the question. After staring at me for a moment, his expression softened.

"Vivian is my savior. When I escaped that nightmare, I swore I would repay her. I would grant any request she makes."

I met his gaze seriously.

"W-what if I said… I was the one who s-saved you?"