“Dear, you’re messing with me, please do not say such uncouth jokes or I might just take them seriously.”

Colt looked at Mina’s eyes. Her smile was filled with joy, but at the same time, not. Colt could feel it, the atmosphere around her had changed, and as she stepped forward, Colt felt a squeeze on his heart.

But still, he stayed seated on the edge of the bed. Soon, Mina was right in front of him. 

Her eyes were devoid of anything other than a monotonous light, “That was a joke, right, Dear?”

Colt felt his heart tremble. A lump was on his throat from forming fear and anxiousness. He was unable to speak, unable to clarify it. As he stared into her eyes, the abyss zoomed into him, staring back.

He was being choked, but then, he remembered a promise. A simple promise he made with the original. It was a promise to appease the heart of a pleading man, who’s too tired lying about his child’s existence, ‘Come on, Leo, summon a fraction of his courage.’

“...It is true.”

Bam!

Colt was pushed onto the bed. 

On top of him was Mina, whose smile had disappeared. She looked at him, and he looked at her. 

Colt’s mind was clear, and his fear was gradually lifting. A life of layered lies was the Original’s life—all of it to protect his daughter.

Even his final wishes were for his daughter to know the truth.

He just wished to let her know how much he loves her and how he regrets lying to her. 

Colt, no, Leo was only human. He too, could sympathize with the Original’s regrets.

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“Why are you telling me this? You could have lied to me. Do you want me to wallow in sadness and despair? Why did you do it? Are you playing with me, young master Colt?” against everything else, Mina was hurt.

“It’s because you deserved to know the truth. Lying to you would be the cruelest thing to do, I have filled the gaps in my memories and only learned of this today, I know it would hurt you, I know that you will hate me, but I do not want to lie to the woman that I love.” 

He was a man who experienced the heartbreak of being lied to. Mina’s seething anger was understandable. The man you loved and adored had a child you did not know; it was one of the worst feelings in this world.

Being betrayed was something Colt did not want to happen to others. In his eyes, death was a fitting punishment for those who use others’ love. Colt had experienced such pain before, and he did not wish to lie to Mina and wanted her to know as early as possible.

Yes, Colt contemplated whether he will live or die if he speaks of the truth, but he knew he had to tell her.

‘This is the right choice.’ Was what he thought, ready to accept his fate.

He spread his arms, looked at the eyes of Mina, and said one last thing.

“I had hurt you, I know, if I had known sooner, I would have informed you right then and there when we met, but I didn’t. Mina, I only have one request, if you are to kill me out of hate, please, do not touch my child. I know you are kind, so I trust you that you will do the right thing...”

He then closed his eyes, ready to receive her emotions-her hate.

Leo expected Mina to lash out, she’d be in the right to do such a thing, but she didn’t. Instead, a tear trickled down Colt’s face.

He opened his eyes and saw it, Mina’s reddened eyes as her tears fell. She buried her head onto his chest.

“You’re unfair! What can I do to you? I can’t hurt the man I love!”

Leo could feel it. His fear was no longer present; he felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. Since he arrived in this world, he had treated Mina as someone close to a monster, no, he treated her as a monster wearing human skin.

But at that moment, the emotion that had surfaced after what little time he spent with her was enough to confirm what it was.

‘This emotion is not a compromise to keep my life; it is deeper than what I felt before. To love a woman who wishes to devote herself to me, being truthful to the one I love, this is refreshing.’

He does not know what Mina was thinking, nor did he know what she thinks of all this, but as she lifted her head from his chest, Leo moved his trembling hand to stroke Mina’s hair.

“Mina...I love you.”

It was but a whisper, but Mina heard it loud and clear, and she responded with a sincere.

“I love you too.”

He then pulled her for a deep and loving kiss.