Chapter 318: Rethinking Everything
After hearing what Evelia just said, Armand’s expression went through quite a few changes.
At first, he was surprised, he never expected the word “wife” to come out of Evelia’s mouth.
Then came confusion, how could Evelia possibly be his wife? And after that, doubts and worries started to creep in, what exactly had happened to him?
Armand had already thought about the possibility that his memory might get confused again once winter came.
Just like before, when even he couldn’t remember how he survived the harsh winter battlefield in the far east. He had forgotten so much that he could only piece things together from broken fragments of memory.
Now, he had to face that same problem again. What happened during the time he couldn’t remember?
Compared to the Armand from before, who had been so worried that his memory loss might become a burden to Evelia. This Armand, who had completely forgotten about any engagement or wedding, looked much calmer.
The panic that had just been in his blue eyes disappeared quickly, replaced with a calm, thoughtful look as he tried to figure out what was going on.
Actually, Armand had already noticed something strange that morning. His memories were still stuck in summer or autumn. But the moment he opened his eyes, everything around him was covered in snow.
Thanks to his past experience, Armand quickly understood something was wrong. He glanced at Evelia again and saw her arms resting on his shoulders, as if she was about to hug him.
Armand still felt a bit awkward, especially since Evelia’s chest was so close to him. And with that thick underclothing, her figure looked even more noticeable from the outside.
But more than anything else, Armand was trying to understand:
What exactly has happened?
And was it really this serious?
What Armand was thinking about, of course, was the condition of his own body. He knew he might suffer from episodes like this, but he didn’t expect to forget this much.
His gaze shifted slightly as he looked at Evelia again. He wanted to figure something out from the look in her eyes. But the moment their eyes met, he saw a bit of redness in the corners of her eyes.
Then Evelia quickly pulled her arms back and forcefully pressed Armand’s head against her chest, making his whole vision go dark.
“Eve?!”
Armand instinctively tried to pull away from her arms. But she only hugged him tighter, using almost brute strength to keep him there.
If Armand continued to struggle, he might end up being squeezed until he couldn’t breathe.
"......"
Evelia didn’t say a word. She just held Armand tightly, like she couldn’t bear to look him in the eyes anymore.
And after failing to break free, Armand gave up and said nothing more either.
He let Evelia hold him close, resting his head against her chest, listening to the sound of her heartbeat and her breathing.
“Mr... Armand.”
Her voice was shaky. It seemed like she was trying to calm down and gather the courage to say his name. But even just saying that much, her voice broke and fell silent.
She wanted to say a lot, but in the end she couldn’t bring herself to say any of it.
She was starting to become more and more like Armand.
Just like him, no matter what happened, she kept everything in her heart.
She chose to bear all the pressure herself and use her actions to prove. The two of them could overcome this together.
That had always been Evelia’s belief. It had to be, because no one was cheering for her, no one was giving her strength.
After losing Armand’s support, she could only cheer for herself.
“Eve.”
When Evelia still didn’t finish what she wanted to say, Armand spoke first from her arms, his voice low and muffled.
He had spent the past few minutes quietly thinking about the situation, and his heart felt like a swinging pendulum, unable to settle.
…So that’s how it is.
The things Evelia had now…
In the end, he let out a soft sigh. The warmth of it brushed against Evelia’s chest, whether it meant frustration or understanding was hard to say.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, then finally lifted his head.
“Alright, Eve.”
Even though Evelia tried her best to hold back her emotions, the fast, trembling beat of her heart betrayed how she really felt.
In Armand’s memory, Evelia was never someone who would show this kind of expression.
She was looking at him, and her eyes were filled with tears.
To the current Armand, seeing Evelia cry still felt like something strange and new. He had never thought that someone who came from the Nightingale House, a trained assassin, could show such a sad face.
But strangely enough, this was exactly the scene that Armand wanted to see, even in this state where he had lost so many memories.
What he had always wished for was for Evelia to gain real emotions.
No matter what point in time it was, that desire had never changed.
So, he reached out and gently touched Evelia’s cheek.
“Don’t cry. As a knight, the one thing I can’t stand the most… is seeing a lady cry in front of me.”
He had forgotten many things, many important things that he couldn’t remember anymore.
But unless Evelia was just putting on a perfect act and those were crocodile tears…
Even with his memory loss, he was certain of one thing. He wanted Evelia to leave her past behind and become a real, whole person.
“Mr. Armand…”
The tears that had only been gathering in her eyes finally fell the moment Armand’s hand touched her cheek. That touch, close and gentle, yet still carrying a bit of hesitation and unfamiliarity, made Evelia unable to hold back anymore. Her tears spilled out and landed on Armand’s fingertips.
“Okay, okay. Don’t cry, Eve. Just relax a little, it’s alright.”
Armand gently wiped away Evelia’s tears, then pulled her to sit beside him. Evelia, acting a little reserved, quietly sat next to him.
But that reserve didn’t last long.
Now that she was sitting beside him, Evelia couldn’t help but want to lean closer. She carefully reached out, wrapped her arms around his, and tucked her shoulder in close to him, curling up slightly by his side.
“Eve.”
“Yes, Mr. Armand? Is something wrong?”
Leaning against him, Evelia looked up at Armand from below, lifting her gaze little by little to meet his.
Compared to the Armand who had already become her husband, the one she was holding onto right now… felt like a stranger.
She could tell he was looking at her in a careful, studying way, as if he were searching for something in her.
Ah… this look...
Rather than call it unfamiliar, maybe it would be better to say… it was nostalgic.
The old Armand used to look at her like this all the time. Whether he was trying to figure out her true identity or reading the changes in her emotions, that was always how he looked at her.
Back then, Evelia didn’t care much, so she let him look all he wanted. But now, because she cared so deeply, she could only let him look in silence.
“It’s nothing, just… it’s a little hard to believe that you actually became my… wife?”
This wasn’t a test. It was a sincere thought.
Because the Armand of the past had never imagined something like that. Starting a family felt like a landmine to him, something he had never dared to even think about.
But now… this version of himself… He really did end up with a wife. And that wife was Evelia?
Sure, he had always been interested in Evelia, but…
It felt like the version of himself back then had done something the current him couldn’t even dream of doing.
Thinking that, Armand looked at Evelia again. He saw those golden eyes, still wet with leftover tears, gazing back at him.
The light reflecting in her pupils, mixed with that slightly hurt and worried expression… to him, it was heartbreakingly beautiful.
—Alright, fine. I think I understand why I did it back then.
Feeling his heart suddenly speed up just from seeing Evelia’s expression, Armand let out a quiet breath of understanding.
No matter how many times he might go through this. No matter how many times he rethinks it, weighs the risks and emotions again. He’d probably still fall for Evelia, every single time.
Sigh… she really has me wrapped around her finger.