She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 86

Because It's Hard to Control Myself

Late that night, while everyone slept, Sierra stepped into Cassius' room wearing pajamas over a negligee, creating a rather ridiculous appearance. Propriety forbade an unmarried man and woman from sharing a room. Consequently, she intended to slip into his chamber like a thief.

Holding a pillow tightly, Sierra prepared to open her door when the closed window suddenly slid open from the outside. She blinked in surprise, her eyes widening.

A slender crescent moon embroidered the dark velvet night with faint light. A tall man climbed inside through the window frame.

[Cassius] "I came to fetch you."

Though the darkness obscured his features, a charming smile clearly curved his eyes.

[Sierra] "I was about to come over......"

Cassius had anticipated her move. He stepped away from the window and approached her. As she clutched her pillow, he gathered her into his arms.

[Cassius] "A gentleman always escorts a lady."

He easily carried her off to his bedroom.

---

Silence filled the dim room, rendering even their breathing audible. Holding Sierra against his chest, he spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

[Cassius] "Relax your body."

She refused to admit that nerves had turned her rigid.

[Cassius] "You are on a bed, so make yourself comfortable."

She wanted to ask why he insisted on phrases that triggered such provocative thoughts. Yet, his expression remained perfectly pure. She blinked, narrowing her eyes.

[Sierra] "Uh, right."

Why am I the only one panicking here?

Calling this a shared night felt strange. Given his rigid, old-fashioned nature, he would likely keep his promise to only hold hands.

Just as Sierra exhaled a soft sigh and tried to relax, Cassius suddenly gripped her shoulders.

[Sierra] "Oh, wait......"

[Cassius] "Pull up the blanket too."

This situation lacked any romantic atmosphere. Instead, Sierra resembled a broken doll being fussed over by a protective mother bird. Cassius' hand lightly brushed against her skin as he arranged the covers, but his touch pulled away cleanly.

Nothing is happening. Not that I expected anything to happen!

Sierra excused her inner thoughts, lying awkwardly beside Cassius under the same blanket. Sharing a blanket and staring at the same ceiling in the dead of night felt bizarre.

Still, their quiet conversation brought comfort. Strangely, whenever his fingers brushed against hers, a pleasant warmth bloomed inside her.

[Cassius] "Close your eyes."

His low, drowsy voice drifted into her ear.

[Sierra] "R-Right. Good night."

Though her eyes remained wide awake, Cassius intended nothing more than to hold her hand. Warmth radiated from his rough, calloused palm as he squeezed her fingers tightly.

Lying face to face, he leaned closer, a husky whisper escaping his lips.

[Cassius] "Go to sleep. If you keep staring at me like that, it becomes difficult to control myself."

[Sierra] "What?"

He guided her hand to his chest. Contrary to his tranquil expression, his heart hammered frantically.

[Cassius] "I am barely holding back right now."

Startled by the rapid pounding beneath her fingertips, Sierra immediately pulled her hand back.

[Sierra] "R-Right."

His warm breath tickling her earlobe sent a shiver down her spine. She stammered out her words in a rush.

[Sierra] "See...... my eyes are closed!"

He recaptured her hand, squeezing her fingers firmly once more.

[Cassius] "Good night. I will sing you a lullaby."

The room went dark as the night deepened. Fortunately, closing her eyes brought a wave of exhaustion. Cassius' low, hummed lullaby eased her mind. Forgetting her earlier tension, Sierra fell into a deep sleep. In her drifting consciousness, his hand gently brushed her damp hair away from her forehead.

---

Hours passed.

In the pitch-black hours before dawn, Sierra woke abruptly, realizing something was wrong with Cassius. He tossed and turned, letting out a frustrated groan. An intense despair filled his voice, prompting a startled Sierra to examine his face.

[Cassius] "Ugh......"

Despite her call, he remained trapped in sleep. Instead, he muttered like a sleepwalker.

[Cassius] "Don't die."

Sierra opened her mouth to call his name again, but she froze. Tears streamed down his face.

What kind of nightmare causes such deep agony?

A single nightmare was common enough; Sierra frequently faced terrifying dreams herself—dreams where Hanael vanished or where Sierra died. It was natural for Cassius to have a bad dream.

Moreover......

Did he ask me to stay because he was terrified of his nightmares? If so, he has a tender side.

Sierra let out a soft chuckle. Using her sleeve, she gently dabbed at his forehead and eyes, wiping away the sweat and tears.

She dismissed it that night. But as they continued to share the bed over the next few days, Cassius' condition grew increasingly severe.

[Cassius] "I will sleep alone from now on."

He stared at her, his expression unyielding. But Sierra refused to back down. She questioned him seriously.

[Sierra] "Why?"

He answered honestly, his voice quiet.

[Cassius] "I don't want to show you my weak side."

His reasoning made sense. Sierra understood his pride entirely.

[Sierra] "I would feel the same way."

Believing she accepted his decision, he offered a warm smile, masking his exhaustion.

[Sierra] "But I don't care. Can we please just sleep together?"

He went completely daze-faced. This man, notorious for his icy demeanor and slaughtering monsters, looked utterly lost.

[Cassius] "Really?"

[Sierra] "Yes, really. I can't leave you alone. I am anxious too. You sob so terribly."

She offered a soft, half-teasing smile. Cassius stared at her, deeply memorizing the way she opened her heart to him. Her warm, protective gaze filled his chest with soft happiness once more.

Yet, a bitter aftertaste quickly ruined that fleeting joy. As if happiness and despair existed on a razor's edge, an ominous dread surged over him like a tidal wave.

Don't die, don't die...... Sierra, please.

The terrifying sensation felt so real it sent chills down his spine. Cassius bit his lower lip hard. He refused to burden Sierra with this terror. Shaking his head violently, he spoke with absolute finality.

[Cassius] "No. I will sleep alone. It is nothing major, so don't worry."

Despite his dismissive words, his state suggested a severe crisis. Sierra stared at his bloodless, pale face and his lip, which looked ready to bleed from the force of his bite.

[Sierra] "You look worried."

[Cassius] "......"

[Sierra] "What exactly is happening, Cassius?"

He parted his lips but shook his head firmly.

[Cassius] "It is nothing."

He refused to cause her any more distress. Observing his worsening condition, Sierra formed a clever plan. If Cassius refused to speak, she needed to find someone who could make him talk.

---

[G. Madam] "Is something troubling you?"

Sierra knew exactly who possessed the authority to handle Cassius—someone who loved him deeply and held the wisdom of age: the Grand Madam.

[G. Madam] "We have not shared a proper conversation in a while, and your skin looks rough."

Sierra held the older woman's wrinkled hands during their rare tea time, nodding gently.

[Sierra] "Ah......"

Sierra let out a faint sigh, her complexion turning pale. The Grand Madam knitted her brows in concern.

[G. Madam] "What on earth is happening to make you look like this?"

[Sierra] "The truth is...... I am worried about the Duke."

The Grand Madam set down her teacup, her face clouding with anxiety.

[G. Madam] "I heard the rumors."

She possessed eyes and ears throughout the estate. Having ruled the household for decades, her authority remained absolute. She had already gathered that Cassius' condition was deteriorating.

[G. Madam] "Cassius—rather, the Duke—is not doing well lately."

[Sierra] "Yes......"

[G. Madam] "The servants mentioned his state. They wonder what could be wrong, suspecting he suffers from severe nightmares."

She looked directly at Sierra, her sharp eyes studying the younger woman. She spoke softly.

[G. Madam] "Given that he completely locked down his bedchamber, something is definitely amiss."

Sierra rolled her eyes covertly. In truth, Cassius had locked the chamber doors because of her.

The Grand Madam still doesn't know. Nobody realized that Cassius and I have been sharing a bed.

A strange relief washed over her. But Sierra quickly focused back on the issue at hand. Opening her eyes wide, she continued.

[Sierra] "Yes. What should we do?"

Sierra took a sip of her tea, trusting the older woman's life experience to provide a better solution.

True to her decisive nature, the Grand Madam summoned both Sierra and Cassius to a hidden chamber adjoining her quarters that very evening.

[G. Madam] "Sierra, Cassius."

[Sierra] "Yes."

Cassius looked hollow and gaunt, a victim of relentless sleeplessness. Though puzzled by this sudden three-way meeting, Sierra clasped her hands politely and sat down.

[Cassius] "Why did you call for us?"

[G. Madam] "I heard your sleep has been troubled lately."

[Cassius] "......That is."

[G. Madam] "I know you cried out in the night recently, and I received word that you locked your chamber doors afterward. Don't attempt to fool an old woman."

The Grand Madam omitted the fact that his face grew paler by the day. Cassius narrowed his eyes, staring across the room.

[G. Madam] "I summoned a medium."

Sierra's eyes went wide. The door opened, and a strange-looking medium stepped inside. As all eyes locked onto the newcomer, the old woman blurted out her observations without hesitation.

[Medium] "I greet the Duke of Ideos. Your senses are remarkably sharp. Individuals like you frequently experience prophetic dreams."

Cassius' expression hardened into an icy mask at the mention of prophetic dreams. Yet, he was not coarse enough to yell or strike an old woman. He merely tilted her chin upward with his hand and whispered dangerously low.

[Cassius] "It is not a prophetic dream."

Though his tone remained frozen, a subtle tremor betrayed his final words, as if the medium had struck a nerve.

[Medium] "You must have witnessed a terrible vision. Yet, you desire answers."

Cassius narrowed his eyes. He clearly had absolutely no interest in whatever this woman wanted to say.

Despite facing his chilling gaze, the medium showed no fear. Her sharp blue eyes shifted directly to Sierra.

[Medium] "You want to know whether the lover beside you will actually die or not."

Shock pierced Sierra, her eyes widening.

[Sierra] "What? You dreamed that I died?"

Though Cassius kept his lips pressed into a tight line, Sierra realized the truth instantly. He had been enduring nightmares of her death this entire time.

A strange sensation washed over her. Cassius had never spoken a word about his dreams. How could this medium know the exact details of his nightmare?

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