The Male Leads Were Stolen By The Extra [EN]: Chapter 59

Tan, sir… I still need to examine the young lady’s health.”

Ella spoke, carefully watching Tan, who was still holding Celonia.

Tan looked down at Celonia’s face, his red eyes filled with indescribable emotions.

She was asleep, but her complexion was still poor.

Her face, already as white as milk, was even paler, and her lips, usually as fresh and red as apples, were now pale.

Yes. Ella is right. Her examination comes first.

Tan handed Celonia to Raymond, who stood ready in front of him.

As if waiting for it, Raymond carefully took Celonia from Tan and held her in his arms.

“Please come upstairs, Duke.”

Raymond, Galloway, Ella, and the servants hurried up the stairs.

The warmth that had filled Tan’s arms just moments ago disappeared as if it had never existed, replaced by the cold air of the mansion.

Beyond regret, his heart felt empty and cold.

Nevertheless, Tan followed them up the stairs, wanting to be by her side out of worry.

“Duke!”

The physician, who had been summoned, rushed into Celonia’s room.

Everyone followed, their faces filled with worry as they entered Celonia’s room.

Tan was about to step into her familiar room as well when—

Bang.

The door closed in front of him, barring his entry.

“…….”

A chilling silence filled the hallway.

Tan stared blankly at the door that blocked him.

It was just a door. He could break it down or simply open it.

But why did it feel like this…?

“It’s irritating.”

A fiercely sinister voice escaped his lips.

With his red eyes, now clouded, Tan looked at the door in front of him with a cold expression.

His heart burned as if filled with lava. His vision kept turning black.

Blue veins bulged on the back of his clenched fist.

The desire to eliminate everything that stood in his way surged within him.

“Tan, sir.”

It was then.

The closed door opened, and Ella peeked out.

Tan looked down at Ella with indifferent, dark eyes.

“I’m sorry. Don’t worry and go to your room. I’ll call you as soon as everyone leaves.”

Ella noticed Tan’s unusual demeanor but, flustered, simply apologized and went back into the room.

Once again left alone, Tan slowly blinked. His eyes were red as usual.

The tightly clenched fist slowly relaxed. For now, he wouldn’t disturb Celonia’s sleep since he would be called soon.

‘You get worried when you’re apart, happy when you’re together, regretful when you part, and want to touch when you’re by her side! If that’s not love, what is?’

Maxwell’s words echoed in Tan’s ears as he turned away.

It was the answer that encompassed all the emotions he had felt until now.

* * *

“What time is it now?”

Celonia woke up feeling much lighter and refreshed than before.

Tan was next to the bed. And judging by how dark it was outside, it seemed like night had fallen while she was asleep.

“It’s past midnight.”

“Really? Are you okay? How’s the pain?”

Surprised that it was past midnight, Celonia quickly reached out her hand, which Tan readily took.

Tan lowered his head and stared at Celonia’s hand, feeling the warmth that enveloped his own.

Even though the physician and healer had come and concluded that she had simply fallen asleep from exhaustion, Tan couldn’t bring himself to enter this room.

It wasn’t until the sun had set and everyone was asleep that he could bring himself to enter this room again, not through the door but through teleportation.

As a result, the sinking mood and the boiling heart disappeared as if snow melting the moment she opened her eyes and worried about him first.

Ironically.

Tan swallowed his now-clear emotions and slowly raised Celonia’s hand, which was holding his.

He gently caressed her soft hand with his thumb before lowering his head. His lips touched the hollow of her palm.

“…….”

Surprised by the sudden, soft, and warm sensation spreading in her hand, Celonia forgot to breathe and looked at Tan.

She saw red eyes filled with deep longing, focused solely on her.

Tan looked into her blue eyes and thought.

He would no longer worry about who he was.

The desire to monopolize Celonia’s side now outweighed the desire to know the ‘me’ of the past.

Because I like her.

* * *

The next day.

Celonia sat on the sofa in the drawing-room, with Gillian facing her.

Today was the day Gillian periodically reported information about Grace.

“How are you feeling?”

Gillian asked about her condition, having heard the news from yesterday.

“I must have been very tired. I feel better after a good night’s sleep.”

“That’s a relief.”

Celonia smiled and looked through the documents Gillian handed her.

The documents contained the latest information about Grace and her recent activities.

As before, there were no particular peculiarities. It was as if a person could be this clean.

‘So you’re going to keep deceiving me?’

Having gotten one step closer to the truth yesterday, she wanted to confront Gillian’s brazen and detestable face right away.

But she held back. He might have been deceived by Grace without knowing it.

So, she would get solid evidence first and then thoroughly deal with him.

“Ah, Miss! Breaking news!”

It was then. Ella shouted, her voice echoing through the hallway.

Gillian glanced at Celonia with indifferent eyes.

“Hahaha. She must be very urgent.”

Celonia, with an embarrassed expression, told Ella to come in.

Ella, who had opened the door and rushed in, forgot that Gillian was behind her and blurted out, stamping her feet.

“Miss, Miss! I found the book you were trying to find back then!”

“What? How?”

Surprised, Celonia jumped up from her seat.

Then, pretending to look at Ella, she subtly lowered her gaze to look at Gillian sitting on the sofa.

She noticed that the corners of his eyes were subtly twitching.

“I’ve been looking everywhere, and a shop owner said he definitely saw it in his store and will find it by tomorrow morning.”

“Really? Where is it?”

“It’s in Blo at the end of the magic district…”

Ella moved her lips urgently, then hesitated, noticing Gillian and trailing off.

“Ah, Gillian. You can leave now.”

Celonia, with a surprised look as if she hadn’t thought of it, dismissed Gillian.

“Yes. Then I will report immediately if anything special is discovered in the meantime.”

Gillian got up from his seat and moved towards the door.

With a noticeably slower pace than before, Gillian reached the door and turned the doorknob when Ella spoke again and whispered.

“It’s a store called Florence.”

Thud.

The door closed, and Gillian left the drawing-room.

“…….”

“…….”

Celonia and Ella held their breath and waited for Gillian’s footsteps to fade away.

Step, step.

The steady footsteps gradually moved away from the drawing-room and were no longer heard.

The two looked at each other and nodded.

The planned trap had been set. Now, all that was left was for the bait to be caught.