Prologue
The sunlight was exceptionally bright in April. Asher sat at the meeting place, looking down through the window. It had already been a year since he was possessed into this world. In this time that felt both short and long, Asher sensed that it was time for Braden Anest, the true protagonist of the original work, to return.
“Haah…”
One day, while casually enjoying his hobby and writing stories regardless of genre, he received a message from an author. The content was asking for consultation because the serialized writing wasn’t going well. Due to his profession, he briefly read it and fell asleep… When he opened his eyes, a different world greeted him.
“The Rose of the Anest Family.” That was the name of the novel he had read before falling asleep. Now, after a year, he felt that his parting with the main character of the novel was approaching. Even though the child in his womb wouldn’t be able to remember their father…
Asher unconsciously rubbed his lower abdomen and whispered to the child.
“Baby, I’m sorry… This was the only way for both of us to survive.”
He knew that if the ducal family found out about the child in his belly, they wouldn’t leave him alone. He might lose his life, and the child’s as well. But this was the one and only connection to him. Asher’s eyes glinted fiercely as he resolved to protect this at all costs.
With the clear ringing of a bell, a man entered through the door. Silver hair and red eyes that proved his royal bloodline. The man with the blood of a dominant alpha was Duke Luke Nason Blake.
“Work took longer than expected, so I’m late.”
“It’s fine. I haven’t been here long either.”
Asher smiled more comfortably than ever before. Hoping that his last memory would remain a good one, Asher silently gripped his teacup.
“Actually, I wanted to see Your Highness because I have something to say.”
Looking down at his teacup, he recalled the words he had prepared beforehand, feeling that his uncontrolled emotions might be revealed if he maintained eye contact.
“I don’t know what you need to say that requires such hesitation, but if it’s difficult to speak about, why don’t we discuss it a little later?”
Luke Blake. Despite his position as a duke, he always used honorific speech with him. It was Luke’s own rule to show consideration for others.
“Actually, I wanted to thank you. The time I spent with Your Highness has been filled with laughter and happiness.”
“…What is the reason for saying such things?”
“I want to end our relationship now. I was never a suitable person for Your Highness to begin with.”
He was a recessive omega. The real Braden who would appear was a dominant omega, and the duke would somehow promote the meeting between Braden and the grand duke. But thinking about the time spent with him, for the safety of the child, he didn’t want to disappear without saying anything.
“Asher Anest.”
With his full name, the air around them changed in an instant. The air froze so completely that one might think it was winter, and Asher slowly raised his lowered head.
“I think you’re misunderstanding something. Whether we match or not is for me to decide. Not anyone else.”
As heavy pressure poured down, he rose from his seat. With a gentle smile on his lips, he approached behind Asher and bent at the waist.
“So put aside that nonsense about breaking up.”
“…”
“If you don’t want to see me go completely mad, that is.”
He whispered into Asher’s ear with a chilling voice. Unlike his daily gentlemanly appearance where he had never spoken informally, his current form resembled a beast seen in bed. Faced with this unexpected situation, Asher felt his vision flicker.
“…Your Highness.”
“You should have run away when I gave you the chance.”
“…”
“Did you think I would simply say ‘okay’ when you suddenly declare you’re leaving me?”
He traced the pale curve of Asher’s nape with his fingertips. Very slowly, at a leisurely tempo, he gently gripped Asher’s shoulders.
“Asher…”
“Hnn…”
His emotions flowed through Asher’s shoulders. How much he desired him now, how much he longed for him transmitted through his fingertips, but Asher ruthlessly suppressed his emotions and parted his lips.
“No matter what Your Highness does… I’m going to break up with you.”
Fate had always been this way. The more one tried to avoid it, the more strongly it entangled and suffocated. In this harsh destiny, Asher’s eyes shone with determination to protect at least his child, but the man slightly increased the strength in the hand gripping his shoulder and calmly replied.
“Will you be alright? Even I don’t know how mad I’ll become.”
Asher’s throat bobbed at the man’s question asking if he could handle it. Anyway, once the real one appeared, everything would change. Asher thought of the child in his womb and swallowed his unsettled breath.
It was time for the fake to exit for the sake of the child and himself.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
