Afraid that she might be unable to control her emotions, Leslie told Calix last night that she would wander around in the courtyard house. She didn't go into anyone's bedrooms, unwilling to pry into their privacy.
Leslie simply hovered from one waiting room to the next, the family lounge, dining room, kitchen and the large yard. The huge courtyard house was quiet, saved from white noises.
During her nightly adventure, Leslie even came across several bodyguards who kept watch around the ancestral home.
Some of them played card games and enjoyed hot coffee while the others were on high alert.
Leslie peeked a look at the wall clock inside the guard post. She didn't expect that it was already two in the morning.
Still reluctant to return to Calix's bedroom, Leslie headed to the backyard. In the end, she opted to lie next to a flower bed.
Somehow, being surrounded by nature alone right now helped to dispel a part of her uneasiness.
Basking under the faint glimmer of the moonlight, Leslie took her time to reflect on what she had just told Calix. He didn't ask her much yet, shock was evident on his face.
"There's no turning back," murmured Leslie softly as she wandered her eyes from the moon to the night sky, "I've admitted that I still keep some secrets from him."
Leslie knew that she should make up plausible excuses for why she wanted to look for a little girl. The fact that she only knew the child's given name and age aroused suspicions.
Yet, Leslie couldn't bear lying to Calix when he was the only one she could rely on. That was the reason she promised to tell him the truth eventually.
Perhaps...
She might even disclose that she wasn't the soul of the woman he had gotten married to despite knowing the huge risks.
"He said we'd talk about this further. I wonder... how will I face him tomorrow?"
Shaking her head, Leslie forced herself to stop thinking about the matter right now. She threw her gaze around the traditional garden.
The courtyard had a more special charm during the night. The lawn reminded her of an enchanted garden.
"I've always dreamed of sleeping alone in a pretty garden like this. I should make good use of this chance."
If she did it when she was a normal human, she might wake up in a kidnapper's lair. Being a soul that no one could see — aside from someone named Calix, had its own advantages.
For example, being able to sleep under the night sky without worrying about being robbed or kidnapped.
Sigh... this was indeed a rare chance.
"Hurm, if only Poppy's here. She'll absolutely love it."
Hanging on to the hope of reuniting with her precious daughter, Leslie closed her eyes. She let the soft grass of the lawn be her mattress while the wind sang a lullaby.
Well, sleeping in the backyard was indeed a good experience.
But, she didn't expect to be woken up by the half-naked Calix.
"Calix... What's... what's that?"
Leslie had already forgotten her momentary embarrassment. Her enlarged eyes landed on Calix's upper body. To be specific, on the thick and jagged scar across his broad chest.
"Oh... sorry. I let you see this."
Calix abruptly wore the T-shirt back, hiding the flattened scar under the soft fabric. He scratched one side of his face, looking a bit guilty.
Leslie pursed her lips, holding back from asking anything about the huge scar. She ran both hands through her long hair, trying to smoothen the tangled locks.
Calix took in the hints of suppressed curiosity from Leslie's countenance. Chuckling, he threw himself on the spot next to her.
"...Calix?"
Surprised, Leslie looked down. Calix crossed his arms, supporting the back of his head. He let his long legs sprawl on the ground. The morning dewdrops seeped into the fabric of the jogger pants.
"Six years ago, I got into an accident. That's where the scar came from."
"..."
Leslie was slightly stunned when Calix directly opened up about his untold past to her. She wondered if the questions on her face were too obvious.
"It's kinda huge. Sorry... you shouldn't tell me if you don't want to. I won't ask."
Discomfort tugged at Leslie's heart. She knew that Calix was an easygoing person but, how could he readily tell her about something so gruesome?
That kind of scar was usually the result of a life-and-death accident. The novel mentioned nothing about it thus, her curiosity was piqued.
Calix was one of the main supporting characters on the male lead's side. The author might choose not to delve deeper into it or, his past might be revealed in the later chapters.
Calix's soft laughter echoed in the morning air. His smile widened into a cheeky grin, "I'm telling you now because I want to. It's not like you were the cause of the accident."
"Still..." Leslie trailed off, concern brimming in her eyes, "It's not an easy topic to talk about. I'm not your family or close friends, so..."
Calix raised his brows, cutting Leslie's words off, "Aren't you my family now? Leslie, you're my wife ah."
Leslie sighed in helplessness, "Calix, you know why I said that."
They didn't get married because of love and affection. It was purely business, stemming from Calix's side. Even though he treated her well, it was just him being a decent human being.
Being nice to the opposite gender didn't mean the first party was romantically interested in the second party.
"Well, I know," Calix replied, his tone was a bit subdued, "I dragged you into my mess. But, since you're under my wings now, I wanna tell you more about myself."
Leslie was robbed of her words. In the awkward moment, she brought her legs close to her chest before hugging them. Tilting her head in Calix's direction, she put her chin on top of her knees.
"I'm curious about it but, I don't want to cross your boundary."
Leslie's frankness reminded Calix of their conversation last night. Guilt pricked into his heart.
"Leslie, you know what, I have the same experience as you."
"The same experience?" repeated Leslie slowly, "What do you mean? What kind of experience?"
Calix stared right into Leslie's eyes. His expression softened before he let words out of his mouth.
"The accident caused me to be in a coma too. For almost half a year."
Leslie gasped, "W-what? You? In a coma?"