A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Jaden turned toward the unexpected voice.

Viola—the woman who was supposed to have left for treatment—was still standing there.

“What?”

“Young Master tried to catch me. I’m the one who fell.”

Her voice was steady.

She was covering for him.

It wasn’t just Jaden who was stunned by the obvious lie.

Kain stopped moving as well.

…Why?

Why tell such a transparent lie?

He had seen everything.

Even if he hadn’t witnessed the entire sequence, the outcome was undeniable.

Jaden had pushed her.

Whether intentional or not no longer mattered.

The shattered vase. Viola falling onto broken glass.

It was Jaden.

And the responsibility for allowing such behavior ultimately belonged to Kain.

He had fully intended to correct Jaden’s temperament.

An incident like this was more than enough reason.

Then—

Please trust me.

Viola silently mouthed the words so only Kain could see.

And smiled.

She did not look like someone who had just been injured.

Blood dripped steadily from her arm, yet she smiled gently at Jaden—without anger, without accusation.

Kain could not understand.

She had thrown herself forward to protect a child she had met only today.

Why?

Without realizing it, he withdrew his aura.

The crushing pressure in the room dissipated.

Color slowly returned to Jaden’s pale face.

Again, she mouthed silently:

Thank you.

Her sprout-green eyes curved warmly.

Kain had not planned to yield.

But suddenly—

He wanted to see what she would do.

And so he allowed it.

Jaden did as well.

“Young Master, it’s dangerous. Please come over here first.”

Though still wary, Jaden obeyed quietly.

Nothing like the boy who had been raging moments ago.

“Your Grace, I believe he requires treatment first. Would you please wait elsewhere? You as well, Conrad.”

There was something in her tone that made refusal difficult.

Kain and Conrad stepped outside.

The door slid shut.

“Let me check your temperature first.”

Her gentle voice carried faintly through the door.

Kain stood motionless in the corridor.

“….”

“My apologies, Your Grace. It is my fault Miss Viola was injured.”

“Quiet.”

Normally he would have rebuked Conrad sharply.

But her smile lingered in his thoughts.

He turned away from the corridor, as she had requested.

Inside the Room

Though Jaden had followed her quietly, guilt gnawed at him.

His eyes fell to her torn sleeve.

Blood had soaked through the fabric.

The wound looked far worse than his own.

“Young Master, may I examine you?”

He did not answer.

But he did not resist.

Taking that as permission, she gently checked him.

Then her eyes widened slightly as she looked at his palm.

“Oh dear. I thought so—glass must have scattered onto the rug.”

“….”

“It stings, doesn’t it? Don’t worry. I’ll treat it so it won’t hurt at all.”

She lowered her head and focused.

Carefully removing each shard.

Disinfecting.

Applying ointment.

Wrapping clean bandages.

Finally, she looked up and smiled.

“How is it? It didn’t hurt much, did it? I specialize in this.”

Her tone was almost playful.

Jaden could not understand.

His injury was insignificant.

He possessed Dragon Blood.

It would heal regardless.

She was the one more severely injured.

And because of him.

Why was she smiling?

His chest tightened painfully.

Yet what escaped his mouth were harsh words.

“Are you stupid?”

“Hm?”

“Why help me? I hurt you. You’re not some carefree fool…!”

Your arm is worse than mine.

The words would not come out.

Guilt stabbed at him.

His head throbbed.

He squeezed his eyes shut.

Why had he asked?

Then she sighed softly, as if finally understanding.

“Well, that’s obvious.”

He looked up.

“You’re a child.”

And I’m an adult.

She smiled brightly—like fresh sprouts breaking through spring soil.

He still didn’t understand.

He was six.

He carried Dragon Blood.

Surely she knew that.

He opened his mouth—

But dizziness swept over him.

“It’s alright. Just stay still.”

Her voice was gentle, almost like a lullaby.

His eyelids grew heavy.

The cool back of her hand rested against his burning forehead.

“You have a high fever. I’ll give you some medicine. Sleep deeply. You’ll feel much better.”

He hated medicine.

He refused fever reducers.

He never wanted them.

But her voice was soft.

Before he realized it, he swallowed.

It wasn’t bitter.

It was sweet.

She’s definitely foolish.

Medicine never worked on him.

Yet he didn’t say it.

Exhaustion pulled him under.

Jaden fell into deep sleep.

The first real sleep he had experienced in a long time.

Afterward

Finally… things had calmed down.

Viola exhaled quietly as she watched him sleep.

That had been close.

She had come to help—and chaos had erupted immediately.

Still, she did not regret stepping in.

She had examined him.

Given him medicine.

If he had fallen onto the shattered glass, the injury could have been catastrophic.

I got hurt a little, but I’m used to it.

Minor wounds were nothing.

She carefully cleaned the broken shards from the floor.

Fifteen minutes later—

His fever had dropped to normal.

That was faster than expected.

Her medicine had always been unusually effective.

Even though she followed standard formulas.

And it worked on Dragon Blood as well?

Well… she wouldn’t complain.

She looked down at his sleeping face.

His brows were faintly furrowed.

Guilt, perhaps.

He had looked apologetic earlier.

Gently, she smoothed his forehead.

His expression relaxed.

Normally, she would have scolded him immediately.

But not today.

That was why she had stopped Kain earlier.

An injured child required treatment first.

Health came before discipline.

Once he’s better, we’ll talk properly.

Carefully.

Without frightening him.

She tucked the blanket securely around him.

Time to inform Kain and finish up.

Just as she stood—

Bang!

The door burst open.

“Ah! Young Master!”