Yes, I Have a Child with the Villain

Caroline Whitman bent over and rubbed her calf and knee, which were aching from the fall. Embarrassed by her stumble, she had no choice but to change the subject:

"Huh? The power’s out? This place gets power outages?"

"Power outages are pretty normal here."

The flashlight beam landed on her feet. A fair, delicate hand was massaging her knee. Adrian Grant bent over slightly, looking down to ask, "Did you scrape it?"

Caroline Whitman was also curious if she’d actually been injured, so she looked down too. She moved her hand and saw that her knee was red all over, with a small scrape that had broken the skin.

’No wonder it hurts so much.’

"Let’s go upstairs and I’ll take care of it." He paused, then said, "Can you still walk?"

Caroline Whitman wondered, ’Does a little scrape like this really need to be treated?’

’By the time he’s done, the wound will have healed on its own.’

Then she heard him ask again if she could still walk.

She was about to retort, ’You think I can’t walk with an injury like this?’

But just as the words were on the tip of her tongue, she suddenly realized he was still holding her hand. It was as if a lightbulb went on in her head.

Caroline Whitman lowered her gaze and said in a low voice, "It hurts a little. I can probably hop my way up."

As she spoke, she lifted her injured leg and was about to hop when a voice from above stopped her. "Let me."

"Huh?" she feigned confusion. The next moment, she was suddenly airborne, swept up into his arms in a princess carry.

Caroline Whitman’s forehead rested against his firm, broad chest, her eyelashes fluttering.

"Thanks. You’re such a good person."

This time, instead of feeling triumphant that her plan had worked, she felt a little guilty.

’A normal person wouldn’t be unable to walk after a stumble like that.’

’He’s so clever, he must see right through this, right?’

Hearing her play the "good person" card, the corner of Adrian Grant’s mouth twitched. "You’re welcome. It was my mistake, after all, getting you so injured you can’t walk."

"..."

Feeling guilty, she buried her face in his chest, listening to the sound of his footsteps and the strong, steady beat of his heart.

Carried in his strong arms, Caroline Whitman had never felt this path was so short.

When they reached the first-floor living room, Adrian Grant set her down on the sofa and knelt to examine her knee.

"Wait here a moment. I’ll go get the first-aid kit."

"I’ll have to trouble you, then."

Adrian Grant stood up, glanced down at her, and then turned to get the first-aid kit from the other side of the living room.

He knelt again, placed the kit on the floor, and took out an iodine cotton swab. He took hold of her leg just below the knee with one hand and began to clean the wound.

The wet cotton swab on the broken skin really did sting a little.

Caroline Whitman had never had someone else tend to her wounds like this. She wondered if, like in a TV drama, she should be putting on a pained expression right now.

She agonized over it for a moment.

Finally, she gritted her teeth. ’I’ve already come this far, might as well go all the way.’

Just as she had psyched herself up and was ready to put on a performance, she found that Adrian Grant had already finished cleaning the wound and was applying a bandage.

Caroline Whitman: "..."

’Wait, how was he so fast? That’s not how it happens in the dramas!’

"Thank you," she managed to say, trying to ease her internal embarrassment.

Adrian Grant just gave her an inscrutable look, then stood up, packed up the first-aid kit, and put it back in its place.

He then turned back, and without another word, swept her up into his arms again and carried her to the second floor.

Suddenly, the power came back on.

In an instant, the entire villa was brightly lit.

The sudden light stung Caroline Whitman’s eyes. She kept them closed for a moment, and by the time she opened them, Adrian Grant had already carried her back to the room.

When she opened her eyes, Adrian Grant had already placed her on the bed.

"Get some rest." Adrian Grant stood by the bed. He glanced at the child, and seeing no sign of him kicking off the blankets, he averted his gaze and turned to leave.

Caroline Whitman suddenly grabbed his hand. "Where are you going?"

Adrian Grant stopped and turned, looking down at her quietly. "I imagine you don’t want to wake up wrapped in each other’s arms."

"..."

Caroline Whitman, remembering the feeling of being held by his large hand, subconsciously let go. The warmth of his palm lingered on hers. She pursed her lips.

"That is indeed a difficult problem to solve."

’This wasn’t a question of whether they’d end up in an embrace, nor was it comparable to simply sharing a blanket.’

’These were all separate issues.’

’When it came to physical boundaries, Adrian Grant, as the other party involved, had the most right to speak on it. He must have understood this himself, which is why he’d said what he did.’

Adrian Grant’s fingers twitched slightly. "I’ll get up early tomorrow, so the child won’t see us sleeping separately."

She pulled the covers up. "Oh."

As he turned to leave, Caroline Whitman called out again, "Turn on the AC, thanks."

Adrian Grant: "..."

He did as she asked, then turned, left, and closed the door.

「The next day.」

Adrian Grant was indeed up early.

He was in the kitchen making breakfast first thing in the morning.

This meant that when Ryan Grant woke up, he only saw his mom, not his dad. He was just about to ask his familiar question: "Mommy, where’s Daddy? Where did Daddy go?"

Just then, Adrian Grant pushed open the master bedroom door and came in, saying, "Time to get up for breakfast."

Ryan Grant blinked. "Daddy, you got up to make breakfast?"

Adrian Grant took out some clothes to change him. "Where else would I have gone?"

The little guy took off his pajamas, giggling. "I thought Mommy kicked you out of the room."

Caroline Whitman, still lazing in bed: "..."

’She was starting to suspect the child might have overheard them talking last night.’

Adrian Grant raised an eyebrow. "Why would she kick me out?"

Ryan Grant replied, "Sometimes when you make Mommy mad, Mommy doesn’t want to sleep with you and kicks you out of the room."

Caroline Whitman: "..."

’Is he talking about actual, innocent sleeping?’

’This kid is really dropping hints about their life in that parallel world, bit by bit.’

’Speaking of which, Tiny no longer assumes they’re getting a divorce just because they’re sleeping in separate rooms, like he did at first. Does that mean our relationship finally seems normal in his eyes?’

"Mm, I did make Mommy angry, so Daddy has to sleep alone for a few days," Adrian Grant replied, going along with it.

’It was about time the kid got used to them sleeping in separate rooms.’

But as a result, Ryan Grant suddenly stopped smiling. He tilted his head, looking at Adrian Grant, then at Caroline Whitman, who was still bundled up in the blankets.

He seemed to be thinking.

The next second, he crawled over to Caroline Whitman. Hearing the movement, Caroline opened her eyes to see his worried little face, and her brow twitched. "What’s wrong?"

Ryan Grant pressed his little head against his mom’s forehead and pleaded in a sweet, childish voice, "Mommy, don’t be mad at Daddy. I don’t want you guys to fight."

Then he hugged Caroline Whitman’s neck and continued in that same sweet voice, "Mommy, Daddy and I both love you."

Caroline Whitman, her face being stroked by his chubby little hands: "..."

’Why am I so inexplicably moved?’

’First thing in the morning, and this little guy’s sudden sweetness is making my heart melt.’

’By the way, Adrian Grant, did you take this a bit too far?’

She turned her head, her gaze questioning Adrian Grant.

"Daddy, hurry up and comfort Mommy!" the little guy urged, lifting his head and sounding a little resentful.

Adrian Grant: "..."

’I didn’t expect the kid’s reaction to be this strong. Looks like the desensitization attempt was a failure.’

He had no choice but to step forward and deal with the mess he’d just created.