Because I was Terminally Ill, I Married the Male Lead's Brother, and Now He's Obsessed with Me

Episode 22

 

He walked slowly towards us.

 

“Lady, I’m fine,” Lloydin said with a faint smile, attempting to calm me down. However, I shook my head, turned towards Lloydin, and spoke.

 

“No, I’m not okay. It’s because of me. Because of me…”

 

“So, it’s okay,” Lloydin interrupted.

 

“What?”

 

“You asked, but it was also my will. So, the apology is unnecessary.”

 

Lloydin responded with his characteristic calm and low voice. Throughout his response, there was a phrase lingering in my ears.

 

That he didn’t want to send me away.

 

For some reason, those words deeply affected me, and without saying anything in response, I found myself gazing at Lloydin, who was also looking at me in silence.

 

A moment of silence ensued.

 

After a while, my brother’s forced cough broke the stillness.

 

“Hehe. I apologize for my rudeness earlier.”

 

Suddenly expressing an intention to apologize, my brother’s expression, which previously didn’t seem willing, changed.

 

“Duke Brighton, I was out of line earlier. I sincerely apologize.”

 

It wasn’t something I instructed; it came from my brother’s heart as he bowed and apologized to Lloydin.

 

“No, I should have explained properly. I was hasty due to Lady’s situation. I also apologize.”

 

Feeling relieved but still trusting my brother, Luke bowed and apologized to Lloydin with a sincere expression.

 

Despite thinking it was fortunate, I actually believed in my brother.

 

My brother, with a free spirit, acted as he pleased, but he wasn’t someone who stubbornly insisted on something that wasn’t right.

 

Smiling contentedly as I watched the two, my brother called me.

 

“Eyla.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Now that you’re awake, let’s go home. Our parents must be very worried.”

 

“Oh, right. We should.”

 

Upon my brother’s suggestion to go home, I nodded, thinking about our worried parents.

 

“Can you give me a moment? Just a short one. I want to talk to the Duke for a moment.”

 

I had something to say to Lloydin at that moment.

 

“Okay. I’ll be waiting at the carriage.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

With my response, Luke left the reception room.

 

As the door closed with a thud, there were only Lloydin and me left in the room.

 

“Duke…”

 

“Lady, is your body okay?”

 

Both he and I spoke at the same time.

 

However, Lloydin was slightly quicker than me.

 

I smiled broadly and answered, “I’m fine. Completely fine.”

 

“Heh…”

 

In response to my reassuring words, Lloydin let out a sigh of relief.

 

“I’m glad. I, uh…”

 

Unable to bring himself to speak the words he wanted to say, Lloydin just sighed, and I firmly grasped his hand.

 

‘Ah, it feels good after all.’

 

The vibrant energy that brought me to life flowed into my body as soon as I made contact with him.

 

“It worked!”

 

“What?”

 

Excitedly calming down, I began explaining the experiences I had gone through to him.

 

“When I fall asleep, I encounter numerous crossroads in my dreams. And to wake up from there, I have to find the exit at the end of one of those paths.”

 

“Exit? What do you mean?”

 

“Yes. There’s only one exit at the end of a single crossroad, and I have to go back and forth between the paths to find that exit.”

 

As Lloydin listened attentively to my words, I continued.

 

“Before meeting the Duke, there were almost 50 paths, but this time, there were only about half.”

 

“The paths decreased?”

 

“Yes. That’s right. The fewer the paths, the faster I can wake up. But do you know what’s even more amazing?”

 

“What?”

 

“Suddenly, even that decreased significantly, and then, all of a sudden, only one path remained, and the rest disappeared. The Duke was by my side before you came, right?”

 

I looked at him with urgency, signaling for a quick response.

 

“Yes, that’s correct.”

 

“As I thought!”

 

And as the expected response came from his mouth, I rejoiced, rocking back and forth like a child.

 

“I knew it would be like that. Thank you, Duke. Thanks to you, I was able to wake up quickly from my dream.”

 

“I’m truly fortunate if I could be of help to the Lady’s illness.”

 

Lloydin looked at me with a gentle smile.

 

“As you’ve helped me, I’ll do my best to reciprocate and fulfill the deal to assist you.”

 

To demonstrate my strong determination, I gave him a meaningful look.

 

However, for a moment, a subtle crack appeared on Lloydin’s face and quickly disappeared.

 

‘Huh? What was that?’

 

“Lord Anaitz is waiting, so I’ll escort you to the carriage.”

 

But that was just a brief moment, and he promptly turned back with a polite expression, leading the way ahead.

 

“What? Oh, yes.”

 

I followed him, and after a brief exchange of greetings, we rode the carriage back home.

 

* * *

 

“Ayla!”

 

With Luke’s help, as I stepped down from the carriage, my mother’s worried voice reached me.

 

“Mother.”

 

My parents and two older brothers approached me.

 

Their expressions were filled with astonishment as they looked at me.

 

It was natural for them to be surprised since they had sent Luke to bring me home, thinking I had collapsed, but I was standing there perfectly fine.

 

“Ayla, what happened?”

 

“We heard you collapsed, what happened?”

 

Both Father and Noah asked me the same question in succession.

 

“Let’s go inside, and I’ll explain. Come into our home.”

 

“Ayla, is your body okay?”

 

“I’m fine, Mother. Let’s go inside for now.”

 

To reassure my worried mother, I smiled widely.

 

Then, with my family, I went inside to explain what had happened.

 

As before, we settled in Father’s study.

 

I explained everything that had happened at the Blighton Manor, starting from the sudden collapse after giving medicine to Ian, Lloydin’s brother, to what occurred in my dream, leaving nothing out.

 

Especially, by explaining how Lloydin’s power influenced events in the dream, I emphasized that Lloydin was someone essential to me.

 

“So, the number of crossroads decreased significantly compared to the previous dream?”

 

“Yes, almost half of them.”

 

“Hmm, wasn’t it clearly over 50 paths not long ago?”

 

“Yes, Father.”

 

“But then, those paths suddenly reduced by half, and later, only one remained and disappeared?”

 

“Yes, exactly. Strangely, only one path remained, and all others disappeared. I woke up when I reached the end of that path.”

 

My family was well aware of the dreams I had when I fell into a deep sleep.

 

And they also knew that the number of paths was increasing gradually. In truth, to avoid causing unnecessary worry, I deliberately mentioned a reduced number.

 

“Ayla, did you get hurt when you collapsed?”

 

“No, Mother. As you can see, I’m perfectly fine. When I lost consciousness, Duke caught me.”

 

“Thank goodness. I’m so thankful and happy that a Duke of Blighton can cure our daughter’s illness. It feels like a miracle.”

 

“Mother…”

 

Seeing my mother gently stroking my cheek with relief in her smile, I placed both of my hands on hers.

 

“I will get better now. I’ll become healthy and live a long, long life with Mother and Father.”

 

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

While hugging me, Mother caressed my back warmly.

 

Feeling the pleasant warmth in Mother’s embrace, I glanced beyond her shoulder to Father and my brothers.

 

Their eyes were filled with unmistakable affection towards me.

 

“What about us?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Suddenly, Luke pointed to himself and the other brothers, asking.

 

“Are we excluded?”

 

Understanding the meaning of his words, I opened my mouth with a playful smile.

 

“No! We will all live together as a family.”

 

“Of course.”

 

Finally satisfied with my answer, Luke grinned playfully, and the other brothers nodded in agreement, smiling.

 

“Do you guys not think about getting married and starting a family soon?”

 

But then, Father’s disapproving voice toward my brothers flowed out.