Dark Dad's Rebirth - Chapter 13. Regret (3)

Chapter 13. Regret (3)

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

But even Caelius’s apology seemed unfamiliar to Aria.

‘When had he ever been so quick to apologize?’The words came unexpectedly, causing Aria’s mouth to twitch in disbelief.

The fact that Caelius had entered her bedroom offended Aria. So she spoke up, her voice icy.

“I thought I was asleep,” Aria started, her voice cracking slightly. Nevertheless, she continued, “And now you’re entering my bedroom?”

Caelius’ brow furrowed at the tone of her voice, but Aria continued to speak.

His slight nod of approval confirmed it—they were back to their usual selves. The hallucinogenic fog seemed to have lifted, much to Caelius’ pleasure. He fought to contain his smile, unable to hide his joy.

Aria, on the other hand, felt increasingly uncomfortable and laughed at the situation’s absurdity.

“Lily, Lily…” Caelius laughed; his joy was obvious, which only irritated Aria more. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was making fun of her.

“Lily…………”

“…….”

“You’re really back…”

Aria’s brow furrowed slightly as she questioned Caelius’ words. His smile in response, however, was one of satisfaction.

“I’m happy,” he said, extending his hand casually towards her. But Aria instinctively recoiled.

“What are you doing?” she asked, feeling a sense of insult brewing within her, though Caelius seemed unmoved. If anything, he seemed to consider his words carefully.

A tense atmosphere hung in the room for a moment, but it vanished as Caelius spoke again, this time with genuine concern.

Aria couldn’t help but laugh at the question. What did it matter if she felt unwell or not?

Caelius’ faint smile remained, even though Aria chose not to answer his question. He reached for her hand, subtly trying to touch it, even going so far as to pinch it before she pulled it away, clenching her fist in anger.

After a moment of silence, he spoke again.

“……I’m sorry.”

“…….”

“I’m sorry, Lily…”

Aria remained silent, not sure what he meant, and his sudden apology was unfamiliar to her.

‘You brought your fake daughter, Leria, to make me feel bad,’ Aria thought to herself, feeling a knot in her stomach. ‘No… Leria is the real one, and I’m the fake one,’ she concluded bitterly, unable to find the strength to smile.

The memory of the day her Adama’s ring fell into her hands came back, along with the scornful look in Caelius’ eyes that made her feel like a fake. The uncomfortable feeling flooded through her again, causing her shoulders to slump further.

“You should have visited Leria at this time of night instead of coming to me now and expecting me to…” Aria trailed off, her tone filled with sarcasm.

“Yes, I understand. There’s something in me that Leria can’t satisfy… because you still need me… and that’s why you’re doing this,” Aria muttered softly, feeling disgusted. She couldn’t help but scoff at Caelius’ sudden kindness after calling her insane before.

“So what do you need?” Aria asked, feeling sick to her stomach. She wanted him to leave, not to have to face him with his fake attitude.

Aria bitterly judged Caelius in her mind, calling him a disgusting hypocrite. “Speak quickly,” she added, unable to hide her contempt.

Aria’s sudden demand caught Caelius by surprise, and he met her angry stare with confusion.

“You’re only being gentle with me because you need something,” Aria accused, her tone filled with resentment. Caelius let out a small, resigned sigh.

“I’m tired of pretending to tolerate your behavior for so long, so just tell me what you need without all the pretending,” Aria spat bitterly, her words tinged with anger.

Caelius remained silent momentarily, his expression unreadable as he processed her words. Aria’s face remained cold and distant.

“I woke up in a terrible state of mind,” she finally admitted, her voice full of bitterness.

Aria muttered softly, looking away, feeling dirty. Her words echoed in Caelius’ ears, causing him to lower his eyes in acknowledgment. She was right, and he couldn’t disagree with her or look down at her for saying it. It was insulting to Aria, and he knew it.

The intense look in her eyes seemed to tell him to ‘hurry up and tell me what you wanted.’ But Caelius was at a loss for words. He had no reason to be there; there was no business to attend to.

His unusual silence only deepened Aria’s expression.

“Lily…” Caelius began, fighting for his words. He wasn’t doing this for any other reason. He genuinely cared for her and wanted to be there for her. But he didn’t know where to start to unravel their complex relationship.

“I need to ask you one favor,” he finally managed to say, his voice faltering.

“Dad,” Aria interrupted, her tone cold and cutting. The sarcasm in her voice left Caelius with only a bitter smile and a nod.

“Yes, Lily.”

“Are you kidding me?” Aria exclaimed, her annoyance evident in her voice. “Because it’s just not like I haven’t been fooled by you once or twice,” she continued, the memory of past deceptions clear in her mind.

“Did you still think I’d be fooled?” Aria’s words were sharp, hitting Caelius like a barrage of arrows. He bit his lip hard, unable to respond.

“What, Leria or whatever isn’t enough for you?” Aria’s tone dripped with sarcasm, her words like a knife aimed at Caelius’ heart. Her mocking tone reminded him of himself, but now it cut deeper than ever.

“I thought you said she was going to take my place,” she added bitterly, her words hanging heavily in the air.

“…….”

“Go to her; she’ll be more useful than me anyway. I’m useless. I don’t even know how to use a ring,” Aria muttered with a snort, a bitter undertone in her voice. But there was no satisfaction in her words, only a lingering sense of unease.

The image of Caelius talking to Leria and treating her as if she were the one he cared for haunted Aria’s mind, torturing her heart. She refused to meet his eyes, choosing instead to focus on the blanket in front of her.

Caelius remained silent, his expression deep in thought, as he continued to watch her. Aria could feel the intense look in his eyes, even though she avoided looking at him. It made her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

“If only it were that simple,” she thought bitterly. It seemed ridiculous to be tortured by thoughts of her substitute daughter and then ridiculed in this way. Intentional or not, it didn’t matter.

Caelius’ actions broke Aria’s heart. With her new daughter already thrust into the complexities of ruling Wittelsbach Castle, Aria knew she would have to deal with her presence constantly in the future.

The thought was overwhelming. Aria couldn’t shake the feeling that she and Leria couldn’t exist together. It mirrored the conflicts between Caelius and Azekrisis, highlighting their inability to coexist.

Just like her, Aria and Leria couldn’t share the same room. It was obvious, and Caelius must have been aware of it when he brought Leria here. This realization made Aria feel even smaller and more insignificant as if she had served no purpose.

Aria noticed a stark change in Caelius’ appearance. His formerly vibrant golden eyes now held a dark, distant look, devoid of their former warmth and affection. They seemed dull and clouded, a stark contrast to their former radiance.

Unable to comprehend his sudden change, Aria watched as Caelius remained silent, lost in thought. Then, in a disturbingly unfamiliar tone, he confessed, “I have been complacent.

Confusion clouded Aria’s expression as she tried to make sense of his words. Caelius continued, admitting his mistake in bringing someone without informing her.

His voice took on a threatening tone that sent shivers down Aria’s spine. With eyes as dark as the night sky, Caelius radiated an aura of imminent danger that made Aria freeze. Despite her familiarity with his strength, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by it.

Caelius left the room. Aria could only watch, forgetting to breathe under his powerful presence.