: 3

3

After an hour of busying myself in the kitchen, a plate of cute bear-shaped cookies and a cup of aromatic black coffee sat before me.

In the end, I picked up the bear cookies and had a servant pour out the coffee.

The thought of Soren Alaric's scowling face, like someone owed him hundreds of millions, made me decide I'd rather go find my precious son.

"Mommy!"

The little dumpling, who had been listless just a moment ago, immediately came scurrying over to me the second he saw me.

I crouched down, wrapped one arm around the little guy, and showed him the cookies. "Mommy made these cookies for Leo, see? They're even shaped like little bears."

The little one's eyes lit up, but he was reluctant to eat them.

"The little bears are so cute!"

"Go on, eat them. From now on, Mommy will make cookies for Leo every single day, okay?"

"Really?"

"Of course!"

"Then... will you sleep for a long, long time again, Mommy?"

"I won't."

"Is it because Mommy is Sleeping Beauty?"

'I had no idea where Leo got that idea, but you have to humor a child.'

I nodded. "That's right. Mommy's awake now, so I'll stay with Leo forever."

Leo grabbed my pant leg and started pulling me toward the door. "Then let's go find Daddy! Leo was at Grandma's house this month, and I really, really missed Daddy."

"And I really, really missed Mommy, too, of course!"

With that, he suddenly let go of my hand and dashed straight for the study!

My heart seized, and I quickly reached out to pull him back—

But I was a step too late.

Leo had already pushed open the study door, which had been left ajar.

Before I could even look up, I felt two sharp gazes fixed on me.

A cold sweat broke out on my skin.

I didn't dare look at Soren Alaric. I just scooped Leo up and said, "Daddy's busy with work. We shouldn't bother him."

Soren Alaric reached up and took off the glasses perched on his nose, revealing a pair of phoenix eyes with exceptionally smooth lines.

His whole face looked utterly languid as he narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I just finished."

"Yay! Then let's all play together!"

And so, Soren Alaric and I spent the next hour playing with Leo in the toy room. Leo eventually fell asleep in my arms, his little mouth smacking as if he were dreaming of something delicious.

'He's just so adorable!'

I gazed at Leo, my heart overflowing with motherly love and a grin stretching from ear to ear.

'I never would have dreamed it. This soft, precious baby, as perfect as a jade carving, is actually my son. I gave birth to him. I'm so amazing!'

'And something else I wouldn't have even dared to dream of...'

I secretly lifted my head to sneak a peek.

And my gaze crashed right into Soren Alaric's. His eyes were as dark as the deepest ocean floor, so profound they could pull you in.

'Has he been watching me this whole time?'

THUMP-THUMP!

My heart suddenly lost its rhythm!

4

Soren suddenly leaned in close. "I'll take Leo back to his room."

His voice, deliberately hushed, held a hint of tenderness. He was so close I could feel the warm puff of his breath against my ear.

I felt an invisible current shoot through me, leaving me tingling all over.

My cheeks burned, and my whole body went rigid.

The moment he lifted Leo—

All the buttons on my shirt were ripped open!

Leo's little hand was clenched tightly around the front of my shirt.

A cool night breeze drifted in through the window, washing over my exposed chest. The chill made me shiver, and I instinctively tried to pull my shirt closed.

But Leo's grip was too tight. I didn't dare pull too hard, afraid I'd wake him.

"I'll hold Leo. You ease your shirt out," Soren said.

His gaze never wavered from Leo's sleeping face.

I murmured my assent and carefully worked my shirt free from Leo's grasp.

Those ten short minutes felt like a century.

Once Soren left with Leo, I let out a huge sigh of relief and quickly did up my buttons. But then I thought better of it and went back to the room to change into a pullover pajama top.

I really didn't want a repeat of that awkward moment.

"Alright, I understand."

I'd just heard Soren's voice from outside when he pushed the door open and walked in.

I quickly pretended to be asleep.

Soren closed the door, grabbed his pajamas, and went into the bathroom to shower. When he finally lay down beside me, he made every movement as quiet as possible.

'Oh my god. My ultimate crush is lying right next to me!'

I went completely rigid.

'You can't blame me for being so worked up. I have no memory of marrying my crush or having his child. For me, only this moment is real.'

"Carys, I know you're not asleep."

'Soren really wasn't easy to fool.' I gave up the act.

But I didn't say anything, because I had no idea what to say.

'If I told him I'd time-traveled from ten years in the past, he'd probably have me committed to a mental hospital on the spot.'

"Yvonne said the memory loss is a normal symptom."

"Yvonne?"

"You said she's your best friend."

'To be honest, I had no memory of anyone named Yvonne. We must have met sometime in the last ten years.'

"Don't be nervous."

He rolled over and pulled me into his arms. He whispered by my ear, his voice a seductive, hazy murmur that was utterly captivating. A familiar agarwood fragrance filled my senses, mingling with the cool night air. I couldn't help but close my eyes and slowly begin to relax.

He promised, "I'll get back our memories of falling in love."