NOVEL NEXT Chapter 439: Clyde Gets Lectured, Micah Gets Laundered
Clyde, seated opposite Zhou Ruyan, clenched his jaw, his voice dropping low. "You want me to step back from him, for his sake, don't you?"
"For now, yes," Zhou Ruyan said firmly. "Those two are still young. No matter how mature they may seem, in the end, they are still at an age where love can devastate them. He might handle the baby switch with ease, but love matters… it will be too much of a blow to him. So I ask you, please, let this storm pass before you demand his heart. That's all I ask of you."
Clyde felt his heart ache. He could understand what Zhou Ruyan was saying, but it was too painful for him to comply.
"I understand your concern, madam," Clyde said slowly. His words trembled with restraint. "But this is..." Clyde's words were cut off by another voice.
"I don't need it." Darcy interrupted it with a serious tone.
Both Clyde and Zhou Ruyan turned.
Darcy stood at the doorway. His expression was unreadable, eyes dark and steady.
"I don't want pity," he continued, stepping forward. His gaze shifted to Zhou Ruyan. "I don't want advantages handed to me. And I certainly don't want you," his voice sharpened as he fixed his eyes on Clyde. "To give me any leverage."
Clyde held his stare. Those eyes…they were awake, fierce, and sharp. He remembered the one from his dreams. Yes. He was different from that clueless young man. He was more like the one he had seen in their first life.
And for that, Clyde felt a strange relief. At least it showed Darcy was on his side this time, without even Clyde's interference. He was too cautious to fall into those four scoundrels' traps.
As for Micah. He wasn't worried. He knew Micah would choose him. Countless lives had already proven that to him.
"I'm glad we understand each other," Clyde said, his voice low but steady, directed at Darcy. Then he turned toward Zhou Ruyan. His voice regained its steadiness, laced with iron. "I will keep my connection with Micah hidden. I will ensure no rumours touch him because of me."
Clyde promised. He meant it. Yet, he carried a secret no one knew here: he could see Micah as a girl, as Asena, anytime he wanted.
*****
After Clyde left the room, Micah buried his face under the blanket and rolled from one side of the bed to the other, twisting himself like a cocooned caterpillar. He bit down on the fabric until his teeth hurt, muffling a scream that was half horror, half sheer frustration. His body trembled as he wailed inwardly.
Why? Why would he have a wet dream about Clyde?
His pulse raced just remembering it, the heat, the way Clyde's voice teased him in the dream, the press of his tongue… Micah groaned loudly and flopped onto his stomach, burying his burning face in the pillow.
Was he that pent up? Shit! Was he that pathetic?
He couldn't even look at Clyde without remembering. Sleeping next to the man now was out of the question. Not only had Clyde noticed his reaction, but now Micah had dreamed about him too, conjuring up fantasies he hadn't asked for.
Micah sat up sharply, hair sticking up in every direction, and stared down at the sheets. His eyes caught the faint damp patch near his hip. His stomach dropped.
He wailed softly, dragging the blanket over his head again.
The good news was that Clyde had not noticed his condition this morning. Otherwise, Micah would have no choice but to vanish off the face of the earth.
With a defeated sigh, he forced himself out of bed, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders like a shield. He walked across the room, bare feet cold against the polished floor, and darted into the bathroom.
The mirror showed him a flushed, dishevelled boy with wide, guilty eyes. He scowled at his reflection. He washed up in a hurry and put on a new pair of shorts. He folded the dirty blanket and clothes into a bundle and sneaked out of Clyde's room.
The hall outside was empty. He darted out, moving as quickly as his legs would carry him, and slipped into his own room like a thief returning to his den. His back hit the door once it closed, and he sighed in relief. "Safe…"
But not for long. He still had to deal with the evidence.
Grimacing, he hurried to the bathroom and hand-washed the clothes before darting to the laundry room, shoving the clothes and the blanket into the dryer, and setting it running. His shoulders slumped as the machine whirred to life. He felt as though he had lost half his life over this one morning.
By the time he made it downstairs, his energy had drained. His steps were heavy, and his shoulders slumped.
The others were gathered on the deck, their voices low. The atmosphere was a bit unusual. Micah couldn't put his finger on it. But they seemed neither quite tense nor fully at ease. "Hey, what are you all doing here?" he asked, trying to sound cheerful.
"We were waiting for you to have breakfast, dear," Zhou Ruyan said and rose to her feet.
They moved to the dining room, where the butler had already arranged the meal on the long table. Plates gleamed in neat rows.
Micah slid into his seat, eyes flickering between them. He toyed with the chopsticks before speaking. "So, what's on the agenda today?"
"I'll go to my book club as always," Zhou Ruyan replied, her tone light.
Micah's gaze shifted to Darcy.
"I want to buy some souvenirs," Darcy said as he fiddled with his glass. "Could you help me?"
Micah paused, peeking at Clyde before answering Darcy.
"I have meetings to attend," Clyde replied, catching his gaze.
Micah nodded. "Then I'll go with Darcy," he said and began eating. The cold noodles were refreshing against the thick humidity of the morning.
The rest of the meal passed mostly in silence. Micah didn't force himself to lighten the mood. He was afraid it made everything worse instead.
Then after breakfast, Clyde excused himself and left the villa, leaving behind a disheartened Micah who couldn't even utter two words to him or meet his eyes.