It's Too Late for Regrets - Chapter 11.2

By the time they arrived at the duke’s estate, the sun was setting. Ines passed through the grand entrance, feeling a bit out of place.

 

Though the mansion was smaller than the one she remembered from the duchy, the Eleanor Villa in Randeva still exuded elegance befitting the duchy.

 

Rayan got off his horse first. Then he gently wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her down. Even though he had an injured shoulder, he didn’t seem to struggle at all.

 

Ines looked at the hand he offered for a moment before taking it. That alone made Rayan’s face light up with joy.

 

“This place is much nicer than the duchy’s estate. Let’s take a look around the mansion this afternoon.”

 

“…”

 

“After all, it’s all yours.”

 

“It belongs to Your Highness.”

 

Ines coldly cut off his excited words.

 

She glanced around the large and majestic mansion that somehow gave off a gloomy feeling.

 

A faint memory briefly flashed through her mind. It was the image of a drawing room slightly larger than the one before her, with a taller ceiling.

 

The pillars had more delicately carved rose vines. Portraits of former dukes lined the hallway walls…

 

She remembered how she used to shrink back every time she passed them, intimidated by their gazes.

 

“Where is Caesar? I want to see the child first.”

 

The boy had been alone here, without even his father, for three whole days. That thought alone filled her with fear.

 

“Caesar is probably sleeping right now. He naps from two to four, so he’s likely in his bedroom…”

 

Ines barely heard the rest of his sentence.

 

“Don’t leave him alone.”

 

A sudden chill shot through her body, making her tense up. Ines hugged her arms tightly around herself and murmured,

 

“Don’t leave the child alone. He shouldn’t be here by himself.”

 

“Ines?”

 

“What if something happens to Caesar while he’s alone? We don’t know who might hurt him.”

 

Ines blinked slowly.

 

The sound of a baby wailing pierced both her ears.

 

Along with it, a young woman’s tearful pleading echoed faintly.

 

Aunt, Aunt, please… not the child…

 

It was her own voice.

 

A trauma she had buried deep down suddenly rushed back. She shook off Rayan’s hand as he tried to stop her and walked quickly down the hallway.

 

She hadn’t even asked where the child’s room was, but as if drawn by something, she stepped onto the stairs without hesitation.

 

Then it happened. Light footsteps echoed from the spiral staircase above. Tap tap tap. It was clearly a small child coming down the stairs.

 

“Father?”

 

The joyful voice made Ines freeze in place.

 

“Father? Is that really you?”

 

“Caesar, don’t run on the stairs.”

 

“No, Kian! I’ll walk by myself. I don’t want to be carried!”

 

Two voices bickered quietly at the top of the stairs. In the end, the child won. The tapping resumed.

 

And then, before she could even prepare herself, the child appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

 

“Ah?”

 

“…!”

 

Both Ines and Caesar froze in place when their eyes met.

 

Ines managed slightly better—this wasn’t their first meeting.

 

They had met at the masquerade a month ago and even taken a long walk together. Since then, she had received updates about Caesar from time to time.

 

“…Caesar.”

 

A flood of indescribable emotions rose up in her throat, but she held them back.

 

Even if Mom is sick, I want her by my side.

 

She knew the child still remembered the mother who had died two years ago. But did he remember her face?

 

Would he recognize her instantly?

 

But before her worry could deepen, Caesar, who was staring up at her with wide eyes, opened his mouth softly.

 

“Mom…?”

 

His voice was uncertain. But something felt different.

 

It wasn’t the disbelief of someone who couldn’t accept what he saw…

 

“Why is Mom…?”

 

He looked confused, as if he couldn’t understand what was happening. His green eyes trembled with confusion.

 

“K…Kian.”

 

As if asking for help, Caesar quickly turned his head toward the top of the stairs. There stood a tall man with his black hair tied back in a single knot.

 

Kian…

 

It was the name she had remembered in the darkness of the cabin.

 

He must have been assigned by the duke to protect the child.

 

Behind him, an elderly man with white hair and beard came rushing in.

 

He looked like a physician.

 

“Oh dear, our young master. I was wondering where he’d gone during his check-up time…”

 

The physician froze before he could even step onto the stairs. His eyes met Ines’s, and he stood stiff as a board.

 

“I’m sorry, Mr. Robert. I only went to get him a snack for a moment, but he woke up during that time… Mr. Robert? What’s wrong?”

 

A brown-haired maid popped up behind him, tilting her head in confusion.

 

“Who are you looking at like that? Oh my…”

 

Berry glanced down the stairs, then gasped.

 

She covered her mouth with her hand, speechless. Finally, she whispered in shock,

 

“Y-Your Highness…?”

 

Even as she spoke, she seemed unable to believe it. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes repeatedly.

 

No one else dared to move or speak.

 

The silence was finally broken by the sound of footsteps. Rayan approached from behind Ines and gently kissed her cheek. Then he walked toward his son, who stood gripping the railing tightly.

 

“Caesar.”

 

“Ah, Father…”

 

Caesar looked between Ines and Rayan in shock. Then he noticed something odd about his father’s shoulder and was startled again.

 

“Why are you hurt…?”

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

Rayan stroked his son’s head, trying to calm him after everything that had just happened.

 

“It’s okay.”

 

“…”

 

“Go give your mom a hug, Caesar.”

 

“B-but Mom…”

 

Caesar’s gentle eyes crumpled. Even as he leaned into his father’s arms, he kept mumbling,

 

“Mom shouldn’t be here…”

 

“She should.”

 

“When Mom comes back…”

 

“It’s okay to be with her now.”

 

Rayan whispered into his son’s ear and lifted him up with one arm.

 

Ines stood frozen, unable to think. She simply watched as he approached, holding Caesar.

 

Rayan, Caesar… and none of the people looking at her now showed any contempt or blame.

 

Robert took off his glasses and pressed his eyes with his hand. Berry was already sobbing quietly.

 

Kian, with his usual emotionless face, looked down at her. But even in that expression, a deep affection could be seen.

 

The mansion that had seemed so bleak and desolate just moments ago now overflowed with the warmth of life.

 

As if to say, what she had felt earlier was just a meaningless trace of the past.

 

As if to say, what mattered most was this moment, right here and now…

 

“Mom…”

 

Rayan had come right up to her. Caesar, held in his arms, reached out toward her.

 

As if checking to see if she was real and not a ghost, Caesar gently tapped the tip of Ines’s nose with his finger.

 

The warmth from that touch spread through her entire body.

 

Her eyes burned and blurred with tears.

 

The chill of death that had haunted her seemed to melt away completely.

 

Caesar looked up at her and greeted her with his eyes.

 

Hi, Mom.

 

Though he didn’t speak, she could read his heart just by looking into his eyes.

 

Joy, confusion, surprise, relief, longing he couldn’t hide, and sorrow.

 

Ines couldn’t respond right away.

 

From the moment she stepped into this house that resembled the grand duchy, her past had been churning within her. And now, a vivid memory rose to the surface.

 

Goodbye, Caesar. Stay well.

 

She remembered the nights she had said farewell to the sleeping child every day.

 

Thank you for coming to me.

 

From long ago, from the moment Caesar first took root in her womb, there had been a secret and precious bond between them.

 

He was her only perfect ally in this world. Her one and only true family.

 

Even now, with her memories incomplete, that bond remained inside her. And now, as if it had been waiting all along, it bloomed.

 

The days she had talked to her growing belly and been comforted by the life inside cleared from fog and filled with light.

 

The one life that proved she had existed in this world looked up at her with teary eyes and greeted her once again.

 

Mom, it’s so good to see you again…

 

“…Yeah.”

 

Ines slowly raised her hand and covered the small hand touching her cheek.

 

With a choked voice, she answered,

 

“Yeah, Caesar.”

 

For four years, even counting the time he was in her womb, he had been her best friend and her savior…

 

Her beloved son.

 

She leaned her forehead against his and closed her eyes.

 

Tears that had gathered on her delicate lashes rolled down her cheeks and soaked into the child’s clothes.

 

“Mom’s happy to see you again too…”