I woke up when Arashi called. It was still dark as I blinked open my eyes and he was still laying down beside me. I was attached to his bare chest and suddenly my cheeks got reddened as I remembered the previous night. 

I looked up at him as he rested his head on one of his hands and said, "You will be late if you don't get up now."

His free hand reached my cheeks and stroked on them with his thumb. I nodded shyly and was about to sit when I felt pain around my bottom part. I yelped. 

It was swelling and numb and a new worry crawled in me. How am I going to work like that?!

I looked at him with worried eyes but found amusement dancing on his face. The corners of his lips were curled up in a smirk and I asked, "Wh—why are you grinning?"

"Nothing..." 

He got up and took my waist. My face heated as he pulled me toward him and snuggled his face on the back of my neck, sniffing and rubbing his face. 

"Arashi...! I have to go, otherwise Grandma Empress will beat me again..." I said weakly.

He groaned. "I am tired of this sneaking thing."

"Yes, me too... But we have to win over her." I said looking at him from over my shoulders. 

He released a sigh and nodded. "She is just being too stubborn now. I have to do something about it."

"But what will you do!" I asked, looking at him with wide eyes. I didn't know what he was thinking. 

"Nothing. I have to talk my way through now it seems."

"No. Let's wait until grandfather emperor wakes up."

"I am afraid that won't help. Grandfather can't go against her." He huffed frustratedly.

"But he is the emperor!"

"Yes, but when it comes to these things, he can't go against her. She becomes too stubborn."

My face fell as I recalled how they didn't let Yukina marry him. It was a fat chance that I would end up like that as well. 

"There is something I wanted to ask you..." I said and looked away as he placed small kisses on my shoulders from behind me.

"Hmm?"

"You won't get angry at me, right?" I asked since it was his past life and I didn't want to ask him something that would wound him. 

"Why? What did you do?" He asked.

"Um... Akio was saying something like...err... Your..." I couldn't say as my heart thumped loudly. 

"You met Akio?" He asked, his voice became cold suddenly.

"No. She came by when I was with Rei." I said and turned to him.

He looked at me for a moment and nodded, "So, is it related to what Akio said?"

I nodded. 

"What did she say?"

I nibbled on the sheet as I said, "About Yukina..."

And I saw muscles clenching on his jaw. He suddenly got up without saying anything. He started to wear his clothes and I was taken aback by his behavior. Was that subject too sensitive for him?

Maybe I shouldn't have to say anything to him. I felt dejected and my heart clenched. 

"Don't let Akio play with your mind." He said before leaving and I was left alone. He never left me like that before but somehow it made me feel so hurt. 

Why did he do that? Did he still love her? 

Tears rumbled in my eyes as I cried. All that jealousy, sadness came crashing down on me once again. But this time I felt hurt by Arashi. 

I got up slowly and went to the bathing chamber as I thought maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up. Maybe Arashi loved me but not as much as he used to love that Yukina lady. 

I went to the emperor's chamber and I was about to give him the herb water when I saw the emperor open his eyes. 

I was startled and about to scream but he was trying to say something. I leaned forward and I heard some incoherent words. His eyes weren't lively and he looked tired.

"D—do you want water?" I asked.

He nodded slightly as I poured the herb water on a bowl and helped him drink it, my heart was hammering all the while. I needed to call Arashi immediately but the emperor was holding my hand tightly as if he didn't want me to go away. 

"May I call the empress?" I asked but he didn't respond as he looked at me. He was looking at me for a while and I was assuming he might be trying to recognize me. 

He asked, "Who...?"

"Who am I?" I asked as he nodded as a response.

"My name is Bianka and I am Arashi's wife." I introduced myself and he still looked at me like he wanted to know more about me. 

"Err... Do I call your grandson?" I asked.

"Is he...?" 

I nodded, "He is the one who has been treating you."

He thought for a moment and then shook his head as he closed his eyes. 

"But why? Don't you want to see him?" I asked.

"Tired..."

"Alright. Then please, take a rest while I tell him that you are awake." I said but he held my hand. 

"No..."

"Why?"

"I want to rest." He said but his voice was hoarse. 

"Do you want to eat something?" I asked. "Because I am tasked to give you liquid food now."

He nodded as I sat beside him and started to feed him. He gulped it all as it was pasted for him. He asked, "When did you marry him?"

"Around winter."

"What time is it now?"

"It is about to be summer."

He hummed and ate everything as he was still lying while closing his eyes. "So, you were the one who has been feeding me?"

"Yes."

"May I request you something, young lady?" He asked, his voice was hardly audible as I had to lean forward to hear.

"What is it, your highness?"

"Don't just tell anyone. Not even Arashi..." 

"But he is my husband! How am I going to lie to him?" I asked.

"Just pretend nothing happened." He said and closed his eyes. 

And I was biased by what I would do now? He said not to tell even Arashi! But Arashi was the one who treated him and he would know if the medicines needed to be changed or not. 

"But he will get angry..." I mumbled. "He is angry with me already." 

The emperor didn't say anything and I assumed he had already slept. I huffed a sigh and cleaned the room while everything that happened today rewinded in my mind and I got stuck among them. 

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15th Aug, 22
(1135)

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A/n:

Happy Independence Day to all of you! I am from India so it is our independence day!

And it is also my Marriage Anniversary lololol.

And after this chapter, Mysterious Husband is now at 100k words!!!

Omedeto!!! We have reached 100k words! It was only 60k words in its previous version but now it has exceeded that limit... I think it will be long since we still have three more volumes left. Or maybe two... 👀👀

Let's see...

C'yall!