Becoming the Villain’s Family - Chapter 285
Chapter 285
“Dda!”
After a long bout of crying, Elaina eventually found her father.
By now, even Luca, who had been pretending not to understand, had no choice but to bring the baby to Lloyd.
Once in Lloyd’s arms, she went from crying as if shooing the world away to calming sucking on her pacifier and breathing softly.
“So, you made my daughter cry?”
Luca clenched his teeth, his expression gloomy like a defeated soldier.
His fingers twitched as he looked intently at Elaina, now comfortably nestled in Lloyd’s arms.
“How long do you plan to stay like that?”
Lloyd gestured as if to tell him to go.
Luca clenched his teeth in frustration but had no choice but to step back.
‘It seems I somehow scared Elaina.’
He would have to kneel and beg for her forgiveness until her heart was soothed.
He planned to bring Elaina’s favorite toys from the capital next time.
Just as he was about to turn the doorknob and leave…
“Uhh…”
Elaina suddenly started crying again.
Luca stood rooted to the spot, unable to leave.
“Lukka. Lukka.”
She wasn’t asleep as he thought.
Reaching out her arms, she whimpered for Luca who was about to leave.
They remained silent for a moment.
Luca, with wide eyes like a rabbit, was frozen in place, then was drawn to Elaina’s side as if enchanted.
Hesitantly, he reached out his hand.
Then, her excessively adorable hand firmly grasped his fingers.
As if determined not to let go.
“Lukka…”
Elaina couldn’t express her thoughts clearly in words yet, but her actions made her intentions obvious.
“Ella said you can’t go.”
“…I can see that.”
Lloyd sighed lightly.
It seemed that if Luca let go of her hand, she would burst into tears immediately.
They had no choice but to stay like this until the child fell asleep.
Elaina, held in Lloyd’s arms, clung tightly to Luca’s hand.
Lloyd and Luca had no choice but to stand there for a while.
“She seems asleep.”
Lloyd whispered in a low voice.
The baby who was fluttering her eyelids, finally succumbed to heavy eyelids and began to breathe rhythmically.
Luca, not wanting to prolong the already uncomfortable standoff, quickly withdrew his hand.
Feeling the warmth leave, Elaina’s eyes snapped open as if by magic.
“Huung…”
She frowned and whined.
Like she was about to cry any moment, tears were brimming in her eyes.
“N, no, Brother’s not going anywhere.”
He had just let go of her hand to adjust his grip.
Luca hurriedly reassured her, grabbing her hand again and enclosing it in his.
Finally, Elaina seemed reassured, then closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
“Sit on the sofa.”
The stifling atmosphere seemed bound to last quite some time.
Luca would be standing indefinitely with aching legs, so he had no choice but to obediently follow his suggestion.
“She’s particularly reluctant to part today.”
It was during this grave-like silence that Lloyd initiated the conversation.
Luca turned to look at him in surprise.
He had expected to be thoroughly ignored.
“That’s unexpected. Suddenly.”
“Did you say something strange?”
Not only he had confessed to not actually loving her and even mentioned someday leaving without looking back. As a bonus, there was that comment about gouging out his eyes.
Luca found himself getting stabbed by every single word.
“I didn’t say anything inappropriate in front of the baby. Maybe…”
“Your voice lacks conviction.”
“…She couldn’t have understood, could she?”
He murmured while looking away.
Lloyd watched Luca intently for a moment, then casually said,
“Even if she doesn’t understand words, she seems quite adept at picking up changes in emotions. Sometimes she’s even quicker than an adult.”
Changes in emotions?
“Judging by Elaina’s reaction, it seems you’ve said something about leaving soon.”
Sharp observation.
Luca tried to casually dismiss it with a smile, but at Lloyd’s accurate guess, he involuntarily flinched.
“I won’t stop you from finding your own path someday, but it would be best not to let it show in front of Elaina.”
“I am reflecting on it.”
He thought he only had to maintain a gentle face and tone in front of the child and freely said whatever came to mind.
But if she could read emotional changes…
‘What emotions did she pick up from me?’
Was it joy? Or was it sorrow?
Or did he, unlike usual, look at her with a lack of affection?
Did he appear ready to leave without any regret?
Or did she perceive his intense love for Elaina as a manipulated, false affection?
The thought made his heart feel as if it were being squeezed.
Even for a baby who knows nothing, to cling and cry so desperately must mean she was hurt.
‘I wish this were real.’
The thought suddenly crossed his mind.
Whether it’s sincere or not, he had thought it was enough to be happy…
‘What’s the use if you’re not happy?’
Luca looked down at Elaina, gently rubbing her cheek as she slept and pondered.
Perhaps the day will come when he’ll be hurt far more than he is now.
‘It can’t be helped.’
He was born into a race with a sole mission to protect God.
Guarding God was a natural duty.
Yet the thought of Elaina crying alone made his heart sting.
Just the thought alone.
Luca rubbed his aching heart looking like he was about to cry himself, and then thought.
‘When the time comes, I’ll erase her memories.’
All memories of him.
Want to read more? Up to [24] advanced chapters are available on Patreon:
For update pings, novel discussions and/or to send mistake reports, join our discord server~!