Chapter 118: Sharing a Bed
"Sleep... together in the same bed?"
Armand looked a bit surprised and gave Rachel a glance. He instinctively wondered how a little kid like her could say something like that. But then he realized, of course, in normal families, parents sleep in the same bed. Rachel was just thinking like a child would.
He awkwardly pressed his lips together, a bit embarrassed that his own thoughts had taken a strange turn for a moment.
"Sigh… That kind of thing isn’t really okay yet."
Thinking Rachel was just speaking innocently, Armand tried to act like a serious adult and waved his finger at her.
"See, Eve and I aren't really married, so we can't sleep in the same bed. Do you understand?"
Of course Rachel understood. It was because they weren’t technically a couple that she was working so hard to create that opportunity.
"But isn't it normal for a Dad and Mom to sleep together?" She tilted her head and bit her finger, pretending to be confused.
Even though her hundred-year-old soul found this kind of cutesy act a bit gross, she had no choice. She was now in the body of a three- or four-year-old girl. If she didn’t take advantage of her adorable appearance now, she might never get the chance again.
Speaking of being cute, she still hadn’t forgiven Evelia for cutting her hair. Though the old butler had helped even out her jagged bangs later in the afternoon, giving her shoulder-length hair with two little tufts sticking out that actually looked quite playful and cute.
Still, no matter how she looked at it, she didn’t think it was as cute as the original hairstyle she had carefully designed. After all, a girl’s hair is her soul!
But Rachel had no way to get revenge on Evelia right now. She couldn’t beat her at all, so she had to swallow her frustration for now.
"Come on, like I said, Eve and I aren’t a real married couple, so we can’t do something like that. Right, Eve—"
As he patiently explained things to Rachel, Armand turned his head, hoping Evelia would help him clarify their relationship a little.
But to his surprise, when he looked at her, Evelia was simply staring at him quietly, without showing any intention of backing him up.
"...Is it not okay?"
As she met Armand’s gaze, Evelia held Rachel in her arms and softly asked those three words, looking completely harmless and sincere.
"Huh?"
That really caught Armand off guard. He froze on the spot.
"I... can't?" Evelia asked the question that had been on her mind.
Ever since Rachel brought up the idea of sleeping in the same bed, Evelia had been thinking about it. She had wondered whether she really could lie in bed with Armand. But before she could figure it out, Armand had already said, "That’s not okay."
Even though that response wasn’t directed at her, Evelia still felt unexpectedly disappointed. But why did she feel that way?
If it was just because Armand rejected her, that shouldn't have mattered. He had turned her down before, and she hadn’t felt like this then.
So, almost as if she wanted to find the answer to her own feelings, Evelia asked the question out loud.
“Is it not okay for me?”
"......"
Armand opened his mouth, but couldn’t come up with a reply right away.
"......"
Evelia also said nothing more after asking. The silence between the two quickly filled the room with an awkward atmosphere. They were each thinking their own thoughts… but probably thinking about the same thing.
"Dad, Mom—!"
Rachel, sensing the awkward silence, decided it was time for her to jump in again.
Still sitting in Evelia’s arms, she stretched forward and grabbed Armand’s arm.
"Please sleep with Rachel! Rachel wants to lie in bed with Dad and Mom. That way we’ll feel like a real family!"
If sharing a bed made them feel awkward as just the two of them, then she would join in too.
Even though Rachel had originally wanted to create a moment just for the two of them, some private space to let romance blossom. Now that things were cooling down so fast, she had no choice but to join and turn what could’ve been a "man and woman alone in the same bed" scenario into a harmless "playing house with the kid" situation.
"But—"
“Dad…”
Seeing that Armand still hadn’t given in, Rachel grabbed onto his sleeve with her little hand and swayed it from side to side like she was trying to act cute. To make her fake tears more convincing, she even purposely thought back to her past painful experiences, especially how the Second Prince had tricked her into ending up like this. Regretful tears welled up in her eyes.
Of course, Armand had no idea what kinds of calculations were running through Rachel’s small head. All he saw was a sad-looking child. When she blinked and a small, shiny tear slid down her cheek, she looked so pitiful and lovable that he actually started thinking he was the one who had made her cry.
“Sigh… alright, alright. I get it.”
To comfort the “crying” Rachel, Armand picked her up and carried her over to the bed. After gently laying her down, he sat beside her and began patting her lightly, as if trying to lull her to sleep.
But there was no way Rachel would be satisfied so easily. She twisted around, sat up, and waved at Evelia, who was still on the sofa.
“Mom, come over here! Let’s lie down together!”
“……” Evelia was quiet for a moment, then walked over to the bed and looked silently at Armand.
Armand let out a helpless sigh and nodded at Evelia. There was no choice. It was all to calm the child down…
“Okay! Dad, Mom, lie down! Let’s all cuddle together like a family!”
If they were going to play this role, then they might as well commit fully. After Rachel lay down again, she reached out both her little arms, grabbing one adult with each hand and pulling them down beside her.
Armand, reluctantly, lay down first. Then Evelia followed, lying down on Rachel’s other side.
“Closer, closer! I want to be squished in the middle!”
Kids always loved this kind of thing, being hugged tightly by both parents on either side.
Playing along with Rachel’s game, Armand shifted closer. Seeing him move, Evelia also leaned in, gently sandwiching Rachel in the middle again.
Rachel once more experienced what it felt like to be caught between a man and woman with top-tier physiques.
“Dad, Dad! Use your long arms and hug us together! That way, we’ll never be apart!”
Rachel turned toward Armand, her tiny arms wrapping around his waist as if asking him for a real hug.
Armand reached out and gently pulled Rachel into his embrace. But just as he did, he saw Evelia’s expression change, her face suddenly looked a little darker.
What’s going on?
Does she… actually want me to hug her too?
No way… right?
Should I try hugging her?
“……”
Of course, this was just Armand’s guess. He didn’t dare act rashly and hug Evelia without being sure. But after thinking for a moment, and noticing that Evelia’s expression hadn’t softened at all, he decided to give it a try.
He slowly reached out, starting from her shoulder, cautiously seeing how she would react.
Feeling Armand gradually trying to pull Evelia into a hug, the clever Rachel quickly shrank her body and wriggled her way lower, making room for the two of them.
Armand, distracted by his own nervousness over Evelia’s reaction, didn’t even notice Rachel slipping away. Bit by bit, he wrapped his arm around Evelia and pulled her into his embrace.
Evelia didn’t resist at all. Since she didn’t push him away, Armand gently held her tighter, until she was fully nestled in his chest. His hand softly caressed the back of her head.
“……”
Evelia stayed quiet. She didn’t speak, didn’t resist.
She lay there silently, listening to Armand’s heartbeat pounding against her ear.
But there was another heartbeat.
Thump, thump. It beat fast and strong.
It wasn’t Armand’s.
And it wasn’t Rachel’s either…
— ‘It’s mine?’
Evelia suddenly realized.
This loud, racing heartbeat… it’s actually coming from her?