The warm light of the dining room flickered softly against the wooden walls, casting long shadows across the table. Serena sat with her hands folded neatly, posture calm, her eyes brighter than they had been in weeks. She wasn't silent anymore. In fact, she had just scolded Caelis for putting too much salt in the soup. He laughed it off, amused, while Jason watched them both with a faint smile.
It almost felt normal.
Just as Serena lifted her glass, the heavy front door creaked open. Footsteps echoed—measured, deliberate—and a familiar chill followed. Caspian entered without knocking, flanked by a few of his men. His presence wiped the warmth clean off the air.
Behind him came a tall, tired-looking man in a coat: a doctor, carrying a small black bag.
"Forgive the intrusion," Caspian said, voice silk-laced with venom. "But I thought it was time for a check-up. You know, make sure my investment is in good health."
Serena stiffened instantly. Caelis, halfway through slicing bread, lowered the knife slowly, eyes narrowing.
"A doctor? What for?" Jason asked warily.
Caspian tilted his head. "Oh, just a small test. A little reassurance."
Without asking permission, the doctor moved toward Serena. She flinched back—but Caelis leaned forward from his seat and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It's alright," he whispered. "I'm right here."
The test didn't take long. A quick draw of blood, silent note-taking, and the doctor packed up again. Caspian, smug, turned to Serena.
"You've grown prettier. Playing house suits you, little doll," he drawled.
Caelis tensed. Jason looked ready to throw a plate.
"Are you done?" Caelis asked coldly.
Caspian grinned. "Oh, far from it. But for tonight—yes."
And then he was gone.
After they were alone again, Serena remained quiet, staring down at her untouched plate.
"Serena?" Caelis asked gently. She blinked and looked up. Her lips trembled slightly.
"I don't like this… I feel like something's going to happen."
"It will," he replied honestly. "But we'll handle it. Together."
She nodded slowly. "Okay… Let's eat before it gets cold."
Much later that evening, after dinner and the dishes were cleared, a loud, chaotic pounding echoed from outside. Jason barely opened the door before Caspian burst in—hair windswept, coat half-buttoned, chest heaving with breathless laughter.
"She's pregnant!" he shouted. "She's pregnant—my heir! My son! Hah! It worked!"
The words hit like thunder.
He spun in a circle like a drunk man, practically glowing with twisted joy. "Tell the world—tell everyone! Caspian's bloodline continues!"
And just like that, he vanished again into the night, manic laughter trailing behind.
Serena stood frozen for a second—then rushed to Caelis, grabbing his shirt with trembling hands.
"We only did it once! Just once! How can I… How is that enough?!"
Caelis blinked, stunned. "You're asking me that? I mean... maybe my sperm is stronger than I thought?"
She slapped him across the arm. "This isn't funny!"
She turned frantically to Jason. "jason!Jason!What should I do?!"
Jason, caught off-guard, rubbed the back of his neck. "W-We... should sit down first... and take a breath…"
But Caelis, oddly calm, chuckled under his breath. He looked down at his hands, then up at Serena with a soft smile.
Pregnant.
His. No matter what Caspian said—no matter what the world assumed—the child was biologically his.
The future was a storm waiting to hit. The Caspian problem still loomed. But somehow, even in that chaos... he was happy.
Later that night, none of them found sleep — but no one spoke of it. Silently, each curled beneath their own blanket, faces turned away, hearts heavy.
When morning arrived, it didn't bring the usual warmth or clarity.
The three sat together at the long breakfast table, dark shadows painting their under eyes from the sleepless night. The clink of cutlery against porcelain echoed quietly through the room — the only sound that dared to speak.
And yet, even after everything… the silence persisted.
Jason shifted slightly in his seat, then, after a long breath, finally tried to break the suffocating chill in the air.
"…Even if none of this happened the way we wanted," he started slowly, "I still… want to congratulate you two."
His voice dropped into the stillness.
But instead of breaking the tension, it shattered the moment.
The cutlery stilled. The air froze.
Serena let out a deep, tired sigh and placed a hand over her face. Her shoulders trembled faintly.
Caelis, strangely, remained completely still — his eyes dazed and locked on the empty plate before him. He looked like he wasn't even there. His lips moved, barely, whispering something inaudible.
"Caelis?" Serena tilted her head, blinking at him. "What are you saying?"
But he didn't respond. Still trapped in that vacant stare.
Curious — and a little concerned — Serena stood from her chair and walked beside him, leaning in to catch what he was murmuring.
"If it's a boy… the name is Liam," he whispered, voice so faint it could barely be heard. "If it's a girl… Melody. If it's a boy… Liam. If a girl… Melody…"
"Caelis!" Serena jolted him upright with a sudden call.
He blinked fast, eyes wide as if returning from a dream. "H-Huh? What's wrong? Serena, are you… are you feeling bad?" He tried to smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"Ugh, stop… just stop!" Serena stepped back, her voice cracking. "Why is everyone happy about this?! I want to get rid of it. This… this wasn't a child born out of love. I don't want it. I'm being forced to have it."
Caelis flinched, visibly. His eyes dropped instantly, and his entire frame seemed to shrink.
"I… I'm sorry, Serena," he murmured. "It seems I… I thought too deeply about it… without considering your feelings."
He swallowed. "I just thought that maybe… we… never mind."
His voice broke. His lower lip trembled as he looked down, trying to hold back tears that had already started to form in his lashes.
"I—I'll just… go see the flowers," he whispered, voice so small it nearly vanished. He turned his chair slowly, wheeling away with a hollow expression.
Serena froze, startled. His tone, his expression…
She turned to Jason. "Is… is this the first time you've seen him like that?"
Jason blinked slowly, still stunned. "Well, my lady… I've never seen him like that."
Serena sighed, dragging a hand down her face. "Which one of us is pregnant, again?"
She stood abruptly and followed after Caelis, stepping into the garden. Jason remained seated, staring after her, still unsure how to react.
Through the tall windows, he could see them.
Serena was talking, then arguing. Caelis tried to avoid her gaze, clearly trying not to cry. But his hands trembled. And then—
She pushed his wheelchair gently toward her, crouching down at his feet. Her eyes softened, and with a gentleness unlike anything she had shown before, she reached out and wiped his tears with her bare hand.
Jason watched in quiet awe as Lady Serena, the once-stormy flame of the empire, cradled his young master's trembling hand with a tenderness that looked foreign on her face.
"…Seems like her real personality is surfacing again, huh," Jason whispered to himself, half smiling as he gazed at the garden through the glass. "lady Serena."