"I know," Julian answered. "I also know that staying silent has not changed what I feel. Every time we shared the circuit, every time you allowed me even a fraction of your mana and your presence, it only made the truth clearer. I am not asking you to accept it all at once. I am only telling you that the version of me you feared is not the only one that exists."
Olivia's fingers remained tight on the edges of her robe. She was acutely aware of how little the thin fabric truly concealed, and of how close he now stood. The confession had not erased the risk. If anything, it had made the moment heavier. A son who desired his mother out of lust was one kind of danger. But a son who claimed to love her was another kind entirely.
She glanced once more toward the study door. No sound came from the other side. The Duke remained occupied for now.
"This is not a conversation we can have here," she whispered. "Not with your father only a few steps away."
