My Baby Daddy Isn't Human-Chapter 194: Price of Secrets

The warm glow from the flickering fireplace cast long shadows along the dark mahogany walls of the study. The air was thick with the faint scent of aged parchment and smoke, but tonight, the room felt colder—heavier—as if the walls themselves were listening.

Elion stood behind his desk, one hand gripping the edge while the other rubbed at his temple. His silver eyes were half-hidden beneath his furrowed brows, fixed on the swirling amber liquid in the glass before him. His mind felt like it was being pulled in a hundred directions, but no matter how much he tried to push the thoughts away, they kept circling back to one thing.

Raelynn.

"I told you before, Reinhart... that shitty organization was on the move again." His voice broke the silence, low and steady, yet there was an edge beneath the calm surface—a tension barely restrained.

Reinhart stood across the room, leaning against the tall window frame with his arms crossed. His usual smirk was nowhere to be found tonight. Instead, his sharp eyes were narrowed, reflecting the flickering firelight. For once, there was no witty remark dancing on his tongue—only the weight of the situation pressing down on both of them.

"Yeah..." Reinhart finally muttered, his voice unusually subdued. "I remember. And Axel is one of them."

Elion’s jaw clenched. His fingers curled tighter around the rim of the glass, enough that the crystal threatened to crack beneath his grip. The confirmation didn’t surprise him—but hearing the name still stirred something dark inside him.

Reinhart’s gaze flicked toward him, catching the subtle shift in his posture. He looked briefly appalled, but the expression faded just as quickly, replaced by cold composure.

"But that’s not even the main issue now, is it?" Reinhart’s voice was quieter this time, as if he already knew there was something worse.

Elion closed his eyes for a brief moment, his hand sliding down from his temple to press against his mouth. The silence stretched between them, filled only by the crackling flames.

When he finally spoke again, his voice was tight.

"Raelynn... told me something." He opened his eyes, staring down at the amber liquid swirling in his glass. "Axel knows she’s pregnant... but he doesn’t know the child is mine."

Reinhart’s body stiffened against the window frame. For a brief second, something flickered behind his eyes—shock, anger—before he masked it again with that same calm veneer.

"Shit..." he muttered under his breath. His fingers drummed against his arm as he shifted his weight. "If he knows she’s carrying a child, then..."

Elion’s gaze lifted sharply.

"Then we have to assume the worst."

Reinhart exhaled slowly through his nose, glancing away toward the darkened window. The reflection of the fire flickered across the glass, casting faint orange streaks along his sharp features. His mind was already racing—calculating.

"We can’t touch him," Reinhart finally muttered. "Not without making the rest of them suspicious. If Axel has any suspicion you’re the father... he might’ve already told his friends."

Elion’s grip on the glass tightened until his knuckles turned white. The thought gnawed at him, carving deep into the pit of his stomach.

Axel was dangerous.

But what made him even more dangerous... was that Raelynn didn’t see it.

Elion rubbed his hand through his tousled hair, fingers gripping the strands at the back of his neck. His breath came out heavier, frustration flickering beneath the surface.

"The only thing I want right now is to keep Raelynn inside this mansion until the baby is born." His voice was low—gritted—as if forcing the words out was the only thing keeping the storm inside him from breaking loose.

Reinhart’s gaze snapped back to him, his brows lifting slightly. "You think she’ll agree to that?"

Elion’s lips pressed into a thin line, his crimson eyes darkening. He didn’t answer.

They both knew the answer.

Raelynn wouldn’t stay locked away—not without a reason. She was stubborn—too stubborn—and the walls he’d built around her would only push her further away if he didn’t handle it carefully.

Reinhart shifted, his arms falling from his chest as he stepped closer. "If you force her to stay without telling her why... she’ll only resist you more. She’s not like those women who will follow your every single order. You know that."

Elion’s head dipped slightly, his jaw clenching. Of course, he knew.

He had seen the quiet strength blooming inside her—seen the way she stood her ground against him, the way her once timid voice now carried conviction.

He hated it.

And he loved it.

But right now... it terrified him.

Reinhart’s voice softened, his eyes narrowing as he studied Elion carefully. "If you want to protect her, you’ll have to give her a reason to trust you. A real reason. Not just orders."

Elion’s fingers tapped against the glass—slow, rhythmic. His gaze was fixed on the swirling liquid, but his mind was far away. ƒreewebɳovel.com

A reason.

The truth.

His crimson eyes flicked toward the window, watching the shadows bleed into the edges of the glass.

"I don’t have a choice..." he muttered, half to himself. His voice was quieter now—emptier. "As long as she’s safe... as long as the baby is safe... I’ll tell her everything... if I have to."

His fingers tightened against the glass, eyes flickering with something distant—regret. He should have told her sooner. He should have done a lot of things differently. But regret wouldn’t change anything now. All that mattered was keeping her safe, even if it meant sacrificing the fragile trust they’d built between them.

The room fell into silence again.

Reinhart’s gaze lingered on him for a long moment, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he slowly stepped back toward the window, his hands slipping into his pockets.

"Then you’d better be prepared for what comes after," he murmured.

Elion’s eyes remained fixed on the fire, the flames dancing in his reflection.

He already knew what came after.

If Raelynn knew everything... there would be no turning back.