Dark Dad's Rebirth - Chapter 13. Regret (2)

Chapter 13. Regret (2)

At that moment, a gentle touch brushed Caelius’ cheek. He slowly opened his eyes to see Aria’s small hand gently wiping away his tears, as if urging him not to cry.

“Daddy…” she murmured.

With the slightest movement, Caelius turned to face Aria, feeling a rush of emotion as she looked at him with a pouty mouth and tears in her eyes.

“Why are you crying, Dad?” she asked, her voice trembling with concern.

Caelius couldn’t hold back his tears any longer, feeling helpless as he began to cry.

“Lily…” he whispered, struggling to compose himself.

“Don’t cry, Daddy. I don’t want to see you cry,” Aria pleaded, her tears now falling.

Unable to contain his emotions, Caelius began to pull at his hair in a fit of despair.

“No, no, Lily, please,” he begged himself.

“Why do I, a worthless being, have to ruin everything like this?” he complained inwardly, feeling consumed by self-doubt.

But then something clicked in his mind. With determined resolve, he raised his head, a dark aura beginning to envelop his body. He realized that it was pointless to dwell on past mistakes. Every moment was too precious to be wasted on regrets.

His black eyes flashed fiercely in the darkness. Then the Aurors surrounding him turned to Aria.

“How much has she been on drugs…?

Since when do you dabble in hallucinogens?

Caelius’s fingertips trembled with anxiety as he dismissed the Aurors. He fought against the worst-case scenarios swirling in his mind, determined not to succumb to self-loathing.

“It’s okay; it’s not too late,” he reassured himself. “No, it couldn’t be too late.”

With single-minded determination, Caelius sent the Aurors away in a daze. He focused on draining any remaining healing energy from Aria’s system, even if it meant using his life force. He gathered all his strength for this task.

‘If Lily wakes up,’ he thought, preparing himself to speak to her.

As he sent his aura directly into Aria’s body, her breathing became heavy, as if she was having trouble with the intensity of the process.

“Suck, huh… Daddy…” Aria’s voice was strained and husky. Caelius tightened his fists, feeling the fear in his heart as he watched her tiny body writhing in pain. He couldn’t bear to see her suffer.

“Shhh, I hate this, ah, daddy.”

Aria’s face was soaked with tears, and her breathing was heavy and painful to watch.

“Yes, Lily. Did you call for Daddy? I’m here. I’m right here. Don’t cry,” Caelius whispered, gently wiping away her tears as they continued to fall relentlessly. He wished she would break down, slap him, or tell him she didn’t want to see him like this. It would be better than sitting there, broken, and feeling stupid.

He wished she didn’t have to love him or look at him the same way, so he held her tight, comforting her as she writhed in pain. Aria’s nails dug into Caelius’ back as she cried out in pain.

“It’s… huh… it hurts… it hurts… Daddy…” she whimpered, her words barely heard over her cries.

“I am sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you and making you feel this way. It’s all my fault; I was careless,” Caelius apologized, his voice choked with remorse. “Please…” he begged softly, hoping that she would understand without him having to say it out loud.

He did not finish his sentence. Instead, he showered her with kisses, expressing his love for her with every touch.

Despite the effort, Caelius continued to drain the healing energy from Aria’s body. He refused to stop, even when he felt the effects of the auror’s draining energy taking a heavy toll on him.

All he wanted was to wake up the next morning as if nothing had happened. He was willing to take her anger, blame, and accusations if it meant things could go back to normal.

* * *

When Caelius’ eyelids fluttered open, he felt sore all over, as if he’d been brutally beaten. Aria panted as a sharp pain ripped through her lungs, jerking her awake.

“What’s going on?” she muttered, her head throbbing. The last thing she remembered was being given hallucinogenic drugs by Antion and smoking them. Her mind felt hazy as if her memories had been erased.

Feeling dizzy and weak, Aria knew she must have taken too much. She considered reducing the dosage.

Her head spinning, she tried to get out of bed, but then she noticed a presence beside her. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized that someone was in her bedroom.

‘I never expected someone to come into my room like this,’ she thought, panicking and tense.

But when the man next to her raised his head, her tension eased. It was the voice she had missed so much.

“……?”

The voice she had longed for, even while addicted to hallucinogens.

“Caelius…?” Aria’s clenched fists relaxed, her face showing a hint of surprise at the unexpected sight.

‘Why would he be in her bedroom?’

Her confusion was obvious as she looked at him, unable to hide her expression as Caelius opened his eyes, obviously pleased to see her.

“Lily!” Caelius exclaimed, gently brushing her cheek with a familiar touch. But unlike his usual casual behavior, Aria couldn’t shake her discomfort.

Her brow was furrowed, and her body was tensed with nerves. She wanted to ask him why he was there, but her voice failed her. Aria’s mouth hung open in confusion, unsure of what to do as she looked at Caelius, who had suddenly appeared at her side.

“Lily, are you okay?” Caelius’s voice sounded sweet, almost mocking, to her ears.

Aria tightened her grip on the blankets, unable to comprehend his sudden kindness. She didn’t understand why he was showing her such favor.

Without responding, Aria stared at Caelius cautiously, her eyes filled with both suspicion and joy.

“Lily, you’re awake,” he said softly.

Yes, she would. She wouldn’t give him such a cold stare if she wasn’t sober.

Caelius was relieved to see Aria’s cautious behavior, finding some satisfaction in her wariness. But for Aria, the situation was nothing but embarrassing.

“Thank God… thank God,” he said weakly, wiping his face, though Aria’s expression remained stern.

“Thanks be to God,” Caelius repeated in a low voice, but Aria paid no attention to him, her gaze a clear warning.

He was completely confused by the situation, unsure of what was happening. Aria’s unwavering stare left him stunned.

As Aria looked at Caelius, she couldn’t help but notice the kindness reflected in his dark eyes. It reminded her of the Caelius she used to know—soft and gentle.

But facing him made her uncomfortable. She wondered if it was a side effect of the hallucinogens.

“Why would Dad?” Aria began to wonder, her expression turning grim as she clenched her fists tightly. The pain of her nails digging into her palms confirmed that this wasn’t a dream or a hallucination.

“How’s your body, Lily? Are you okay?” Caelius asked impatiently when she remained silent. Aria could only roll her eyes in confusion at his abrupt tone, unable to make sense of the situation.

Aria stiffened, her gaze still warily fixed on Caeius, and after a moment’s hesitation, he asked cautiously.

“Lily…….”

“…….”

“Is there anything you want to tell me? Are you feeling any pain or discomfort?” Caelius asked, his tone earnest.

Aria couldn’t help but wonder if he was trying to tease her or if he was trying to provoke her into doing something she’d missed so much.

When Caelius reached out to cup her cheek, Aria instinctively slapped his hand away, drawing a sigh from him.

The atmosphere in the room shifted slightly, and a moment of silence followed. It was Aria who finally broke the silence.

“What are you doing here?” she questioned, her voice tinged with suspicion.

Aria’s words made Caelius pause, but her coldness towards him felt like a return to normal. A small smile formed on his lips, and unable to contain his joy, he clenched his fists tightly and whispered, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.