I Found a Husband When I Picked up the Male Lead

“Why?”

Wilhazelle looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

It was clear that Raphel was Chaser’s nephew, but only she, who had read the original novel, knew that.

Chaser was not convinced that Raphel was his nephew. Well, she would just keep Raphel with her until the antidote was ready then. Especially if Chaser suspected him of being a fake.

‘But, he wants me to leave the child behind?’

If Raphel was revealed to be his nephew a month later, would he really pay her the reward?

Someone who didn’t listen to someone properly and stares at them with suspicion? It would be nice to at least get an apology. Just as Chaser couldn’t trust her, she also couldn’t trust him either.

“He could be my nephew, right? So, of course you should leave him behind.”

Chaser couldn’t possible leave the child with Wilhazelle, not in this world where he had seen people try to give away their biological children for money. He didn’t know what this woman, who seemed innocent on the outside, would do to this child for money.

Aside from his skinny body, didn’t she force him to use the name Raphelion? He didn’t know what else she would do to the child. He could never let her take the child, whether or not he was his nephew or not.

“It hasn’t been revealed yet whether or not he is my nephew. Of course, I have to keep him here with me and take care of him until the antidote arrives.”

They exchanged heated looks. Wilhazelle was in a very bad mood right now. There could only be one reason that the Duke was acting so unreasonable right now.

‘He probably thinks I’m untrustworthy so he wants to keep the child with him.’

But, she had no intention of simply following his opinion.

In the end, she pulled out her trump card.

“Raphel, who would you rather stay with?”

“You can’t ask him that!”

“Lizelle! Let’s go see grandpa quickly!”

Without even thinking, Raphel wrapped his arms around Lizelle’s legs.

“The child wants to come with me. Are you going to force him to stay at the Duke’s mansion? Even if he doesn’t want to stay?”

She shrugged her shoulder with a sly look on her face.

Chaser frowned. The child seemed to have no intention of changing his mind as he clung to her legs. In the end, he had no choice but to go with his last resort.

“If you don’t leave him behind, I won’t be able to give you your reward.”

“I beg your pardon?”

This bastard wanted to get his way, so he was threatening her with money?

The two glared at each other. Round two was about to start.

“You could receive threats if word spreads that you have Raphelion with you.”

Thanks to Rohan, who intervened at the right time, the second match fortunately was able to be avoided.

“A threat?”

“There are enemies everywhere that are targeting the Halos family.”

“…”

Lizelle kept her mouth shut.

As butler Rohan had said, in the original work, there were many villains targeting the family.

Although it had not yet been revealed that Raphel was the former Duke’s biological son, there was a small chance that they could be threatened by the Halos family’s political opponents. Perhaps, as he said, Raphel might be better off under the Duke’s protection.

As Rohan had said, if a rumor did spread, they would have a hard time protecting Raphel at the Baron’s residence.

Her heart was shaken by his reasonable argument, unlike when Chaser had spoken. Should she at least get a written agreement stating that he will pay the reward once it was proven the child was Raphel and leave him here?

“Lizelle…”

But, Raphel stuck to her and wouldn’t let go. He had even grabbed the hem of her dress, perhaps sensing that something was going on. He was showing unexpectedly quick judgement for a child. Perhaps the few months he had spent alone had a large impact on him.

“No, Raphel, that’s…”

When Wilhazelle seemed unable to make up her mind, Chaser, observing the situation, spoke impulsively.

“Then, my Lady, please stay with us in the mansion for the next month as well.”

”What? Why would I?”

Her eyes widened, she truly did not understand what was happening. Was he crazy? What he was saying was absurd.

“The child may face some kind of threat outside, and the child does not want to part with you, so please, stay here until the antidote arrives.”

Chaser was starting to become curious. She behaved so sharply toward him, like a cat with its fur raised, but in front of the child, she was like a gentle sheep. He wondered what her true nature was.

Although he had spoken out somewhat impulsively, as Rohan said, considering the safety of the two people, this was the best option. He could slowly uncover the truth by living together with her, for a month. If it turned out that she was trying to deceive him, he would not let her go. Even if her reason was a sad one, such as they were poor and were having a hard time living, it was due to her own extravagance that her family was in the situation they were in. It was because of her own vanity that she would have committed fraud.

If she had truly committed this crime, he would make her understand just how big of a deal it was to deceive the Halos family and take advantage of a child and holding them hostage.

“Think of it as a protective measure. As I said before, if a rumor spreads that the Lady is with Raphelion, both of you could be in danger, regardless of whether or not it is true.”

When Rohan, who understood his master’s intentions, stepped in to help, Wilhazelle was unable to refute. This involved her personal safety as well, after all.

“Stay here. I will explain the situation to Baron Frosier.”

Chaser leisurely crossed his arms and waited for Wilhazelle’s answer. No, even without waiting, her answer was obvious. The Duke’s mansion was a place that would be able to satisfy her material greed, there was no reason for her to decline. Chaser stared at Wilhazelle with such arrogant thoughts.

“Well, I guess it can’t be helped. Please show me to my room.”

Unable to leave Raphel behind and unable to take him with, she finally answered with a deep sigh. Being able to spend another month with Raphel wouldn’t be so bad. She could prepare for anything unexpected and also help Raphel adapt to this place. Hopefully in a month, they would be able to say goodbye with a smile.

She would just stay by his side until then.

When the antidote arrives, it would be revealed that Raphel is Raphelion, she would receive her reward and be able to repay their debts.

“Rohan, please show the Lady to her room.”

Chaser smiled in satisfaction, as if he had known this would happen.

That’s how the bizarre cohabitation of the three began.

Even until that moment, Chaser had no idea that he would be the one who would fall for his own trick.

***

That night.

Wilhazelle sent a message to the Baron, explaining that she would be staying at the Duke’s residence for the next month. She told them she would be stopping by early the next day to pick up some luggage. She hadn’t planned on staying so she had nothing with her at the moment.

Bang, bang.

After getting ready for bed, Raphel walked over and looked out the large window. The room the Duke had given them was not as luxurious as the drawing room but it was still magnificent. It may only be one of many guest rooms, but it still had marble floors and a beautiful crystal chandelier. There was a king size bed large enough to fit five adult men, a dresser like a work of art and a bathroom with a gigantic bath tub. The room, reminiscent of a hotel suite, was three times larger than the Baron’s own room.

“Look at the stars. They’re so pretty, aren’t they?”

Wilhazelle hugged Raphel and he hugged her back with a faint smile on his face. Lizelle’s comfortable embrace always made him relax.

The view of the night sky beyond the floor to ceiling window was clearly reflected in the eyes of the two people. The scenery with tens of thousands twinkling stars was truly spectacular. Even from her room in the Baron’s house, you were unable to see the night sky due to a large tree in the yard. It was frustrating only being able to see a small sliver peeking through the leaves. She had thought it would be nice to stay in a room with an open view, and this room just happened to have that.

The wide view was brilliant, with nothing in the way. Just looking at the open field of view without anything intruding gave a sense of liberation. She didn’t really want anything else in this house, but she wanted this view. So much so that she wanted to take a picture of it.

“It’s beautiful.”

Raphel stretched out his short arms while being held in Lizelle’s arms, as if he wanted to catch a star. He closed his hand like he had grabbed something.

But nothing was caught. When Raphel confirmed that his small palm was empty, he let out a cry and pulled on Lizelle’s arm.

“Star! Star! Catch!”

“Catch a star? You can’t catch them.”

“No! Star! Star!”

Raphel made a ridiculous request. Lizelle was unsure of what to do at the child’s immature insistance. It was reminiscent of a child rolling around on the floor at a department store toy counter, yelling for a toy. What would a child’s parents do when that happened… Lizelle was troubled for a moment.

”Star! Star!”

His arms and legs flailed wildly as he threw a tantrum.

Lizelle decided to copy something she had seen one day.

“Wow, what’s this?”

With an expression on her face, like she had discovered something amazing, Lizelle stretched out her hand toward the star and clenched her fist like she was snatching it.

“Star?”

Raphel stopped struggling and his eyes sparkled with anticipation. Lizelle didn’t stop there. She waved her fisted hand and then brought it in front of the child’s face, spreading her palm wide.

“Where are the stars?”

Raphel’s eyes had followed her dazzling hand movements and was now scanning her open palm all over, but there was nothing there.

Raphel thought there was something he was missing so he touched her hand with his small one, but her hand really was empty. There was no twinkling star anywhere. Confused eyes looked toward Lizelle.

“The starts are right here.”

Lizelle spoke with a bright smile, poking the corners of his eyes. There was a star after all! He quickly touched his eyes as he chuckled, but he couldn’t catch anything, and quickly became disappointed again.

“The stars are gone…”

He seemed like he might start to cry.

“Raphel has stars in his eyes. They are glittering.”

“My eyes are glittering?”

“Yes, your eyes twinkle like the stars.”

Raphel looked up and saw Lizelle’s friendly smile. The lively green eyes were sparkling like stars. It was just like the stars that Raphelion had been trying to grab decorating the night sky.