Heiress' Househusband is a Secret Billionaire
Chapter 331: The Last Time I Saw Her Alive

Chapter 331: The Last Time I Saw Her Alive

The room was quiet except for the echo of their soft breathing and the rhythmic ticking of the clock. Time was always moving, even if the world inside their safe cocoon seemed to have slowed.

His pajamas and her nightgown lay forgotten on the floor as Ruediger lay beside Lariette on the bed, one arm draping over her waist. The time had just struck ten, still early for city dwellers.

His bare chest rose and fell steadily as he breathed her in. The blanket was tangled around their legs as the warm haze of afterglow wrapped around them.

"Aren’t you cold? Wait for a sec."

Ruediger reached for the blanket, pulling the fabric to cover them. Then, he tilted his head to kiss Lariette’s round shoulder, eliciting chuckles from her.

"That tickles," Lariette giggled, her voice still dazed with warmth.

Ruediger grinned but continued anyway. He rained tiny, playful kisses down on Lariette’s cheeks, her nose and her jaw. Each brush was as light as a feather, yet full of affection as if he couldn’t get enough of touching her.

Before the previous marks completely faded from her skin, new ones lay over them, visible under the lights.

Lariette wriggled a little, laughing quietly now, "Eddy, you’re ridiculous."

"And you love it, my dear Lettie," Ruediger whispered against Lariette’s skin, nuzzling into the crook of her neck. His voice was rough yet with a hint of tenderness only for her.

"Hmm~ Well, yes."

Ruediger laughed when Lariette answered him cheekily. She reached up a hand, combing her fingers through his tousled hair.

His crimson locks were damp with sweat at the roots, but she didn’t mind it. She could still feel the lingering warmth of his touch on her body, and the sensation was sweetly haunting her.

Ruediger dipped his head in, tracing Lariette’s lips with his. Then, he mapped her jaw and the hollow of her throat, eliciting sensual moans from her.

"Haaa..."

Burying his face in her chest, Ruediger breathed Lariette’s scent in. He felt her brushing her lips atop his head as she pulled him closer, content to simply be with him in the quiet aftermath of their lovemaking.

Neither of them rushed to get up.

Ruediger finally shifted, letting Lariette nestle her face against his chest again. Holding her in his arm, he gently patted the small of her back. He smiled lazily when she reached for his other hand, interlocking their fingers together. His broad palm grazed her smaller one.

He liked being with her like this as they savored each other’s warmth. But the weight of his nightmare last night still tugged heavily at his mind and heart.

Even though she didn’t bring it up, he felt as if an unspoken tension loomed in the air around them.

Exhaling a sigh, Ruediger traced lazy circles on Lariette’s back, still damp with sweat. He could tell she was still wide awake as she played with his hand, sometimes laughter bubbling on her lips.

"Lettie."

He breathed, calling his beloved affectionately, the sound low yet audible in the quiet bedroom. He saw her tilting her chin up and searching his face.

"It’s weird to mention this right now," Ruediger said, his voice lacing with caution as their eyes locked, "But... I think I don’t want another night to go without telling you this."

Despite his intention to come clean with her albeit partially, uncertainty still gnawed at his mind. He felt his heart pounded faster than before, enough to break a cold sweat on his back.

Lariette quietly assessed Ruediger’s countenance, seeing lines of worry carved on his forehead. At first, she didn’t think about it much, but then something crossed her mind.

"Eddy," she whispered, her hand gently squeezing his as their fingers still interlocked, "Is it about last night? Are you sure you want to tell me?"

From how Ruediger acted after waking up from the nightmare, Lariette had a hunch that it might be related to his childhood, most likely when he lost his mother.

"My mother died protecting me, her son. And you, my father, have never forgiven me for surviving."

Lariette inadvertently remembered Ruediger’s outburst when facing Chairman Alvord before[01]. The raw grief and anger in his voice pricked her heart, and the ache intensified when she recalled he had been carrying the pain for two decades.

Those words were evident enough that the young Ruediger had witnessed his mother’s last moment after she valiantly tried to defend him, her eldest son.

Ruediger smiled faintly as he sensed the genuine concern in Lariette’s voice. Her eyes which often reminded him of a sea under the summer sky began to dim.

"I want to tell you," Ruediger nodded, his tone firmer as he voiced his heart, "But I’m afraid of making you cry, Lettie. This is... beyond upsetting. I don’t even know which word is right for it."

As she took in the caution and worry in his voice, her heart hurt all over again. She slowly released her grasp from his hand. Cradling his jaw, she leaned up and showered little kisses on his face, just the same as how he had done to her just now.

"Let me cry then," Lariette breathed, searching Ruediger’s face, "And cry if you want, Eddy. Please... don’t act tough. It pains me to think you’ve been bottling all this up."

From how much Felicia and Madeline cared for Ruediger, Lariette believed they wouldn’t let him pretend as if nothing had happened. Perhaps, he had already met professionals and gone through the important sessions.

But it didn’t mean the trauma and pain were erased from his wounded heart and scarred mind.

Ruediger exhaled a long, heavy sigh. Tears began to well in his eyes even though he hadn’t even started yet, all because she sincerely extended her compassionate heart.

Lariette waited, knowing Ruediger was still preparing himself before revealing the dark past of his childhood. Despite her concern, she respected his wish to tell her, something he wouldn’t do without careful contemplation.

Then, he began.

"Lettie, that winter afternoon... I never thought it’d be the last time I saw my mother... alive."

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