A Contract Marriage with My Child’s Father Chapter 26

Chapter 26

“Who? Who told you something like that?”

I tried to steady my voice so I wouldn’t frighten him.

But my hands were trembling.

If only Jaden had simply taken his medicine.

If he had taken it properly—

Then he wouldn’t have suffered like that a few days ago.

Or before that.

Or even earlier.

The records I had just read flashed through my mind.

Repeated seizures.

Uncontrolled high fevers.

Notes written in hurried ink.

He must have suffered terribly.

Burning with fever so intense that even antipyretics barely helped.

Crying alone through unbearable heat.

And all of it—

All of it could have been avoided.

My chest felt like it was being torn apart.

Before being dragon-blooded—

Jaden was just a child.

Six years old.

Who would say something so cruel to a six-year-old?

I swallowed my anger and grief and placed my hands gently on his shoulders.

“…If you’re disappointed in me… you don’t have to come anymore.”

That hurt even more.

Jaden’s Perspective

“If you’re disappointed in me… you don’t have to come anymore.”

He bit his lip hard to stop the tears.

Through blurred vision, he saw Viola’s hardened expression.

I made her angry.

She hadn’t even been angry when he pushed her before.

She was always warm.

Always smiling.

He had never seen her look like this.

Of course she would be angry.

He lied.

He refused medicine.

She must think I’m pathetic.

His chest ached painfully.

Why did it hurt so much to imagine her hating him?

If he asked her to stay—

Would she?

But the words that left his mouth were the opposite.

“I don’t need you. Just leave me alone. You don’t have to force yourself to come if you can’t stand looking at me!”

And then—

Warm arms wrapped around him again.

“I’ve never been disappointed in you.”

“…Then you won’t leave?”

“Of course not. How could I leave you?”

Relief nearly made his knees buckle.

He clutched her clothes tightly.

“Listen to me,” she said softly. “Before you’re dragon-blooded, you’re just a person.”

“…A person?”

“You know how some people are tall and others short? Some have black hair, some brown? My hair is pink.”

She smiled faintly.

“That’s just a trait. It doesn’t mean I’m not human.”

Jaden shook his head quickly.

“You’re obviously human.”

“Exactly. Dragon-blood is just another trait.”

“…What?”

“You’re just a person. A very cute and lovable one.”

No one had ever said that before.

Everyone had treated him as dragon-blood first.

A burden.

An expectation.

A symbol.

But her eyes were steady.

No hesitation.

No fear.

“If I get sick, I take medicine right away,” she continued. “Does that make me weak?”

“No! You’re not weak!”

She wasn’t weak.

She was stronger than anyone he knew.

“Then it’s the same for you. Taking medicine doesn’t make you weak. It’s simply treatment.”

Her thumb gently brushed over the back of his hand.

“So you’ll take your medicine properly from now on?”

He hesitated.

Could he really believe her?

But this time—

He wanted to.

“…Okay.”

She smiled.

And somehow, that made it easier to breathe.

Later

After calming him down, I left his room with a heavy heart.

Weak?

Pathetic?

What kind of adult says something like that to a child?

Whoever planted those words in him—

If I find out—

But what if it wasn’t just one person?

Maybe society itself had done it.

People feared dragon-blood.

But that didn’t make it right.

I went straight to Kain’s office.

“So in summary, Jaden hasn’t been taking his medicine.”

“Yes. It could simply be childish dislike… but I don’t believe that’s the real reason.”

Kain’s expression darkened.

“I’ll look into it.”

“Thank you.”

He reached toward the silver bell to summon Conrad.

“I’ll take my leave then—”

“Wait.”

Instead of ringing the bell, Kain stood.

He walked toward me.

Before I could react, his hand caught my shoulder and gently turned me around.

Our faces were suddenly very close.

“…?”

His crimson eyes narrowed slightly.

“Your tongue is blue.”

His voice lowered.

“Did you swallow poison?”