Hidden Secrets

Chapter 78

Completely out of breath, the two of them sank into the pillows. With a satisfied grin, Yaten pulled Minako closer to his chest. He had his eyes closed, trying to comprehend the events of the past few hours. Minako loved him, lying here in his arms, and soon they would even be a little family. The longer he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. Then another thought crept into his mind, and Yaten's mouth twitched upward suspiciously.

Minako's fingers traced the contours of his muscles, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his face. So many times she had wished for this moment, longed for him to truly stand by her and their daughter, and now it was finally happening. The radiance on her face was evident. She had finally gotten everything she had dreamed of.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, noticing his suspicious grin.

Yaten opened one eye and glanced down at her. "Oh, a few things... Firstly, I was thinking about how stubborn and blind we both can be, and about how we've finally turned the corner... Then I briefly considered how my brothers would react if they found out about us, and lastly, I just imagined what your husband's face would look like if he caught me here in your bed... That would be priceless."

Minako gave him a gentle poke in the side. "Stop conjuring up such things. I'll talk to him and explain everything... But he doesn't need to catch us in the act in the marital bed."

"Marital bed? You share a bed?" Yaten asked, surprised.

He had assumed it was Minako's bedroom they were in. The idea that this could be their shared marital bed hadn't crossed his mind for a second.

Minako could read the questions clearly in his face. Slowly, she sat up. "I already told you earlier that the situation is not so simple. I don't want to keep any secrets from you anymore, but if I tell you everything now, promise me you won't freak out."

Skeptically, Yaten furrowed his brow, unsure if he really wanted to hear this, but his curiosity won out. "Fine," he grumbled quietly.

Minako ran a hand through her hair. "Phew... Honestly, I'm not sure where to start." She paused briefly, then reached for Yaten's hand. "The situation with Mamoru is complicated for several reasons, Yaten. He's actually much more than just a friend... While I was in America, we actually got much closer... At first, it was like a friends-with-benefits thing for me... But for him, there was always more..." she began, looking embarrassed.

Yaten's body tensed under her touch. His head didn't want to hear these things, yet he remained motionless, listening intently to her words.

"We never planned for my return, so we spent the first few weeks traveling through America. We had already spent several nights together when we were in Vegas, and then the idea of getting married came up. You know better than anyone how quickly things can happen in our circles, and so the little one and I would have been provided for either way. But that's somewhat secondary; we can surely annul the marriage or something, after all, I married him under a false identity. Mamoru and I will surely come to some agreement. I know you'll protect us, and I'd be willing to give up my current life for you. Did you hear me? I don't care, as long as you're with me... with us... Yes, it may have been a mistake to marry him, but in that moment, it seemed right..." she paused and searched his gaze. "Yaten, he really cares about me, so I should talk to him alone first. He knew from the beginning how I felt about you, but he accepted it, even though it surely wasn't easy for him. He loves me and deserves the truth... But not like this," she said, gesturing first to herself and then to Yaten, who lay naked beside her. "I promise you, I'll explain everything to him once he returns. But we need to figure out how to proceed from there."

Yaten now sat up a little more, forcing himself to calm down. The fact that there was more between Minako and Mamoru than just a sham marriage was clearly affecting him. She nestled against him when she noticed.