Dark Dad's Rebirth - Chapter 11. Staggered Times (5)

Chapter 11. Staggered Times (5)

Aria had seemed to develop a rebellious streak overnight, engaging in back-and-forth exchanges and taking pride in maintaining her composure even when provoked.

“Since you keep asking, I’ll answer.”

Aria’s voice echoed in the room, lower in tone than usual.

“As I said, I will not interfere with your work and will do my best to support you.”

“…”

“But I want to avoid doing the same things we did before.”

“I thought you said you loved me.”

“…I used to.”

After a brief pause, Aria continued.

“But not anymore. When I’m done with you, I plan to marry someone my age, another young one, and then I’ll leave.”

Caelius was surprised by the thought of Aria marrying someone else. He had never considered this possibility.

“Marriage. Yes, marriage is good.”

“…”

“Do you have a specific guy in mind that you want to marry?”

The sound wasn’t much different than before, but there was an uneasy feeling in the air that made Aria want to burrow even deeper into the blankets.

“Oh, Leon Berha?”

“No, not him.”

You call him pretty sweet Leon.”

Caelius suddenly slipped his hand under the blankets and began to casually hug Aria’s body.

“What the……!”

“What were you doing on the terrace?”

At that moment, she should have replied that she hadn’t done anything, but for some reason, her mouth remained closed. More precisely, she chose not to respond, deliberately maintaining her silence while locking eyes with Caelius.

“Did you s*ck that as$h*le’s c*ck?”

“Dad”

“Or have you already f*cked him?”

Although Aria hadn’t done anything wrong, Caelius struggled to control his emotions. He vented his anger through a barrage of insults, making Aria even angrier.

“Get away from me!”

Aria screamed. However, Caelius remained unmoved. He just casually climbed on top of her with a fierce expression on his face.

“Spread your legs.”

“No!”

Caelius grabbed Aria’s thighs and forced them apart, disregarding her pleas. Aria was startled by the sudden movement and fought with her hands.

“Don’t; I don’t want to do this with you anymore.”

She tried to sound calm, but she couldn’t help the way her voice shook in front of the enraged Caelius.

“I don’t want to see anyone else having s*x with you.”

“Why do you think I’m yours?”

“Because you are my daughter.”

“What kind of nonsense?”

“Your hair, eyes, nose, and mouth—even your fingernails—are a part of me and belong to no one else but me.”

She couldn’t help it. Aria looked exactly like Caelius.

It was difficult to tell where else they were alike, down to the smallest habits, personalities, and eating habits. The only noticeable difference between Caelius and the other person was their eyes. Her eyes resembled Aeryn’s more than anything, with a droopy, puppy-dog look.

As if he didn’t like that fact, Caelius rolled his eyes at Aria.

“Why did you stop showing love and affection towards me, and now you’re moving on to some other as$h*le?”

“…….”

“Did you think that saying that would make me let you go easily?”

Aria narrowed her eyes in confusion at the almost jealous look.

She asked, “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“…….”

“Because to you, I’m nothing but a tool for extortion,” Aria’s voice trembled, tears welling up in her eyes. “If I fail in my rebellion, you’ll abandon me like you have in the past. Why the hell would you try to kill me first?” Aria stared up at Caelius, her face revealing a storm of emotions.

Caelius kept a straight face despite her questioning look. He said, “I’ll do my part, but what about you?”

“…….”

“I just don’t get it.”

It was clear that this was not her typical behavior. Aria held onto her shirt with a weak grip.

“Dad.”

Caelius locked eyes with her but didn’t answer. He paused, searching for words as if he had something to say. His face crumpled. He looked as if he was about to say something that would make her cry.

She remembers when the man, who was only skilled with a sword at first, smiled at her and gave her flowers. Even now, with Caelius pointing a sword at her, it was hard to accept that all those seemingly romantic moments had been fake.

Aria and Caelius spent five years together. Aria was devoted to Caelius, which made it hard for her to leave the man who was once her whole world.

‘Maybe you had a reason to harm me,’ she thought. She was unsure if she was holding onto hope or seeking comfort in misery, and she couldn’t understand her actions. Despite her confusion, she cautiously voiced her thoughts in a low tone.

“Do you love me?”

She still remembered the look in his eyes. He didn’t hesitate as he pointed his sword at the woman he had made love to the day before.

Aria still feels haunted by the memory of that day, and it still causes her pain occasionally.

Aria’s voice trembled as she asked Caelius if he loved her. Unexpectedly, Caelius did not answer but simply looked at her with a look of remorse on his face. This left her surprised for a moment.

Caelius’ voice was low, and his words came out even slower than usual.

“Are you telling me that I don’t love you, and that’s why I’m doing this?”

Caelius muttered. His face was expressionless.

“I’m the one who asked the question,” Aria responded.

Aria narrowed her eyes at his questioning tone and met his stare. She stared into his jet-black eyes, feeling like she was being pulled back into the past.

She couldn’t forget him, no matter how hard she tried. Memories of their love lingered, ready to pull her back into the past.

Aria still considered Caelius to be a problem and was not yet willing to sever ties.

She could only feel sorry for herself for having such little hope for him.

“This is ridiculous.”

“…….”

“You’re asking a stupid question, which makes me think I was unkind to you.”

Caelius tried to conceal it, but his usually dry and emotionless voice betrayed a slight hint of confusion. The steady look in his eyes wavered, though Caelius tried to hide it.

Observing Aria throughout her different lives, it is evident that she has grown with each reincarnation. In her first life, she only knew Caelius. However, in the following years, she gradually broadened her view of the world. Now, with her memories intact, she fully acknowledges that her relationship with him has been abnormal.

In the past, Caelius painted Aria’s world. Whether his feelings were true or false, that fact remained unchangeable. Aria was a blank canvas, and Caelius filled her world with himself. He provided her with everything from the simplest of foods to the most extravagant jewelry and dresses. It wasn’t just about material possessions; he crafted a world for her, including bustling shopping streets, secluded beaches with cool breezes, and small forests on the outskirts with playful squirrels.

Aria had her first experience with Caelius. No matter what she did, her thoughts always turned to him. She blindly followed him, even though their relationship was already broken.

When Aria asked Caelius if he loved her, he eventually fell silent. A bitter smile formed on the corners of her mouth as she said, “That’s just how Dad is.”

He remained silent for a moment, then suddenly wrapped his arms around Aria’s waist. It felt as though he was holding her, almost trapping her, making it difficult for her to escape.

Aria’s body shuddered against the hard front of the robe that rubbed against her thighs.

“I don’t want to be f*ck by you, Daddy.”

Aria spoke the words as if they were truly horrible. However, Caelius did not react. He responded with a rough kiss.

Aria felt a large hand grab the back of her head and force a vicious kiss upon her.

His tongue entered her mouth forcefully, moving around in an uncontrolled manner and filling the room with ragged breathing.

“S*ck………….”

Aria shook her head in disgust. Caelius grabbed her cheeks firmly, preventing her from turning away. He breathed heavily, like a hungry predator after a successful hunt.

The kiss lasted longer than she realized. She let out a whimper of distress, causing Caelius to pull away. Caelius broke away and looked at Aria. Aria was now looking at him resentfully, her face turning red.

Aria’s tiny hands pounded on his chest as if trying to push him away. Her hands were so small and slender that they seemed as if they could break if squeezed. “Please…” Aria’s resistance wasn’t unfamiliar, but today felt different. She appeared more fragile and vulnerable than ever.

Caelius noticed the change but continued with his actions without stopping.

The buckle clanked as the pants were unbuttoned, revealing Aria’s skinny legs as her silk slip curled up.

“Please stop…….”

Aria cried, her voice breaking. Caelius looked at her with ice-cold eyes, momentarily irritated.

“I feel dirty,” she said.

“…….”

“You seem a little hard today.”

“I never said I was gentle.”

“If you don’t want to get hurt, you’d better stay put.”

He looked down at Aria with a determined expression.

“I don’t care who you are. I don’t make a habit of getting f*cked in dry h*les.”