novelraw Chapter 694: To me, every minute and every second now is stolen time
Chapter 694: To me, every minute and every second now is stolen time
The handsome, pale man had just escaped danger. Though gravely injured, his presence remained powerful. His phoenix-like eyes were deep and enchanting, and the natural upward curve of his lips made him look like a completely different man compared to the cold and ruthless one from before.
Delphine felt her mind was in turmoil. Was this Magnus or Ignatius Leclair? She could no longer tell them apart.
Magnus was special to her. In her youth, all the warmth she ever experienced came from this man—he was the most tender, untouchable place in her heart. Now that Ignatius’s second personality had abruptly awakened, Delphine found herself at a loss, unsure how to proceed.
It all seemed so sudden—so sudden that it defied belief.
"You’re awake... and what about Ignatius?" Delphine asked cautiously. Could that aloof and unparalleled man truly have disappeared just because of a car accident?
The man squinted slightly, a trace of pain flashing across his handsome, pale face. In a deep, husky voice, he replied, "Why do you care about him? Or... are you saying that after all these years, your feelings have shifted... and you’ve fallen for him instead?"
Delphine shook her head quickly.
Relieved, the man let out a soft breath, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he murmured, "Come here and help me up."
Seeing him trying to rise despite the severity of the car accident, Delphine’s expression darkened. She rushed forward to support him, her tone slightly angry as she scolded, "Don’t move recklessly."
The man, noticing she had finally approached, caught a familiar fragrance that he hadn’t smelled in so long. His phoenix-like eyes grew deeper as he reached out to hold her small hand, a soft, restrained smile playing on his lips as he said gently, "Alright, I won’t move."
The two were so close now. The man fixed his gaze on her delicate, graceful face—studying the fine curve of her brows, her petite nose, until his eyes lingered on her petal-like, soft red lips. His voice grew huskier as he explained, "Ignatius only lost consciousness because his injuries were so severe. I don’t know when he’ll wake up, or what he’ll be like when he does. Delphine, to me, every moment I have right now feels stolen."
There was a faint hint of unease in his voice as he held Delphine’s hand tightly, bringing it to his lips and pressing a restrained, controlled kiss to the back of her hand.
Delphine’s heart constricted slightly. After cycling through suspicion, unease, and confusion, she gradually came to accept the reality that this was Magnus.
Ignatius, with his proud and distant nature, would never stoop to impersonate what he considered a lowly second personality. He was too arrogant, too indifferent. Even if it was to pursue a woman, he’d simply take what he wanted, never going through the trouble of trying to please her.
This was Magnus.
Her eyes instantly grew wet. Flustered, she lowered her head, blinking away the mist in her eyes, an inexplicable complexity swelling within her heart.
"Don’t cry." The man leaned forward slightly, lifting her small, delicate face to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Pressing his forehead gently against hers, with their breaths mingling, he exhaled softly, "When you cry... my heart feels unsettled."
Delphine burst into laughter through her tears. Just as she was about to say something, her lips were captured by his—deliberately and gently kissed.
Their lips trembled slightly as they met, both of them quivering without realizing it.
Delphine instinctively reached out to push him away, but she soon realized that his tall frame was trembling faintly with restraint. His heartbeat was rapid, and before she could push harder, he quickly released her, retreating to a safer distance.
"The taste... it’s the same as before. It makes me happy." Pressing his forehead lightly against hers, he hooked his little finger around hers in an intimate gesture, twining them together as he said in a low voice, "When we’re alone, call me Magnus. In front of others, still address me as Ignatius. Delphine, this secret... only you can know."