Chapter 265: Sunrise And Secrets

The sun rose over Svetlana as if it had come to erase the sadness and cold the night rain had left behind.

The morning was bright and beautiful.

The sky was clear again, and soft sunlight slipped through the curtains of Ivan’s room.

Lydia slowly stirred.

For a few seconds, she didn’t know where she was.

She felt something warm around her.

Something strong and familiar.

She opened her eyes slightly.

Ivan.

Her body immediately became still.

She was lying in his arms.

His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him. His face was only a few inches away, and his eyes were closed.

He appeared to be fast asleep.

Lydia stared at him.

For one strange moment, she wondered if everything that happened the night before had been a dream.

Maybe she had imagined it.

Maybe she had imagined Ivan finding her.

Maybe she had imagined him holding her and promising that he would never abandon her again.

Maybe she had imagined kissing him.

She almost closed her eyes again.

Then she felt his warm breath against her forehead.

Her heart skipped.

It wasn’t a dream.

Everything had really happened.

Lydia swallowed.

Her mind immediately returned to the previous night.

She remembered sitting on the floor, terrified by the storm.

She remembered Ivan finding her.

She remembered his arms around her.

She remembered how safe she had felt for those few moments.

And then she remembered what she had said.

Tell me you won’t leave me.

Her cheeks became warm.

Then she remembered the kiss.

Lydia quickly closed her eyes.

"Oh God..."

She wanted the bed to swallow her.

What had she been thinking?

She had kissed him.

She had begged him not to leave her.

She had allowed herself to be vulnerable in front of the one person she had spent months trying to forget.

And now she was lying in his arms the next morning.

How was she supposed to face him?

She slowly opened her eyes again.

Ivan was still asleep.

Or at least, he looked asleep.

Lydia stared at his face.

She couldn’t decide what to do.

Should she get up?

Should she leave before he woke up?

Should she pretend nothing had happened?

The thought of leaving made something inside her hurt.

She didn’t understand why.

She had wanted distance from him.

She had told herself that she wanted revenge.

She had told herself that she could never trust him again.

Yet now that she was in his arms, leaving felt strangely difficult.

Maybe it was because he was warm.

Maybe it was because she had been lonely for so long.

Or maybe...

She knew this moment could disappear as quickly as it had come.

The moment she got out of his arms, everything might return to the way it had been.

Cold.

Awkward.

Painful.

Lydia didn’t want that.

Not yet.

She wasn’t ready to let go.

So she made the only decision she could think of.

She closed her eyes and pretended to still be asleep.

It was childish.

She knew it.

But she couldn’t think of anything else.

She simply remained still in his embrace.

What she didn’t know was that Ivan wasn’t asleep either.

His eyes had been closed for a long time, but sleep had refused to take him.

He knew Lydia was awake.

He could feel the small changes in her breathing.

But he didn’t move.

He was afraid.

Afraid that if he opened his eyes, she would immediately pull away.

Afraid that she would remember the kiss and regret it.

Afraid that she would remember everything he had done and hate herself for letting him hold her.

He knew Lydia hated him.

And he knew she had every right to.

He had hurt her.

He had abandoned her.

Whatever reason he had given himself back then, it didn’t change what she had suffered because of him.

He didn’t deserve to hold her like this.

He knew that.

But God...

He wanted to.

He wanted to hold her for a little longer.

He wanted to keep her close and pretend that nothing had ever happened between them.

He knew it was selfish.

He knew he had no right to ask for that.

Still, he couldn’t make himself let go.

For now, he was simply grateful that she hadn’t pushed him away.

Neither of them moved.

The morning remained quiet around them.

Then came a knock.

Both of them froze.

"Your Highness?"

It was Katherine.

Ivan slowly opened his eyes.

Lydia did the same.

They looked at each other.

For a second, neither knew what to say.

Then Katherine knocked again.

"Your Highness, are you awake?"

Ivan quickly released Lydia.

Lydia immediately sat up and adjusted her hair.

The silence between them became painfully awkward.

"Come in," Ivan said.

The door opened.

Katherine stepped inside.

She stopped when she saw both of them sitting on the bed.

Her eyes widened slightly.

But she quickly composed herself.

"Good morning, Your Highness."

"Good morning."

Katherine bowed.

Then she looked at Lydia.

"Good morning, Your Highness."

Lydia gave a small nod.

"Good morning, Katherine."

Katherine looked between them.

There was something different about the two of them.

She didn’t ask.

Instead, she turned toward Ivan.

"Your Highness, Boris is here to see you."

Ivan’s expression immediately became serious.

"Boris?"

"Yes."

"He said it was urgent."

Ivan nodded.

"Very well."

Katherine continued.

"I’ll have the servants prepare your bath while you attend to him."

"Thank you."

Ivan stood.

He picked up his shirt and began putting it on.

Lydia remained seated on the bed.

She kept her eyes lowered.

She could feel the awkwardness between them.

Ivan buttoned his shirt quietly.

He glanced at her.

For a moment, their eyes met.

Neither spoke.

Then Ivan looked away.

"I’ll be back."

Lydia nodded.

"All right."

Ivan left.

The door closed behind him.

The moment he was gone, Katherine turned toward Lydia.

Her expression changed.

She looked worried.

"Your Highness..."

Lydia looked at her.

"Are you all right?"

"I’m fine."

Katherine walked closer.

"You had us worried."

Lydia knew exactly what she meant.

Katherine continued carefully.

"I didn’t know about..."

She stopped.

Lydia gave her a small, tired smile.

"I’ll tell him tonight."

Katherine blinked.

"What?"

Lydia looked down at her hands.

"I’ll tell him."

Katherine stared at her.

"Tell him what?"

Lydia took a slow breath.

There was fear in her heart.

A lot of it.

She was still afraid of what would happen when Ivan found out.

She didn’t know whether he would be happy.

She didn’t know whether he would be angry.

She didn’t know whether he would finally understand why she had returned.

Most of all, she didn’t know whether he would stay.

But after everything that happened the previous night, she couldn’t keep hiding forever.

She looked up at Katherine.

"I’ve decided."

Katherine remained silent.

Lydia’s fingers rested gently against her stomach.

"I’ll tell Ivan about our baby tonight."

Katherine’s eyes widened.

For the first time that morning, Lydia felt as though she had finally made a decision.

She was terrified.

But she was going to tell him.