⁕ Another Point of View

While Mike was heading toward CR-455's location, Kadyn observed the sunrise on her bed. There was no fear inside Mike's heart despite how CR-455 possessed Sniper's power. Never before had Mike been infused with a sense of duty and purpose like this before as the flame of determination and courage burned inside his eyes. He has but one single goal: Annihilate CR-455.

*Eight months ago, after justice has been brought down upon Dunkel and her associates.

In the kitchen, Mike focused his attention on decorating his latest dish with strings of fried sweet potato. As he finally finished encircling the meat in the middle with sauce, he suddenly noticed a pair of preying eyes beside him. 

[Mike] - "Don't touch the bloody food yet. We'll eat like civilized people at the dinner table. "

Said Mike, annoyed. 

[Kadyn] - "Hmmm? What do you take me for? A sly, thieving fox with a nefarious tendency? "

Said Kadyn while smirking at her own irony.

Swiftly, Kadyn squeezed her slim body between Mike and the counter before pulling his arm around her waist.

[Kadyn] - "I have a royal decree for my favourite knight, so listen well. "

Said Kadyn while barely containing her excitement. 

Upon seeing how Kadyn was about to jump out of her skin, Mike put away his apron and leaned against the counter.

[Mike] - "The floor is yours, m'lady. What news maketh thy heart jingle like a toddler at the sight of sweets? "

Said Mike in an intentionally sarcastic voice. 

[Kadyn] - "Hehe... well, my dear knight, you have just been promoted to my consort. "

Said Kadyn as she placed her pregnancy test in Mike's hands. 

Mike slowly raised it up and saw that the bars showed positive. 

[Kadyn] - "We'll be welcoming miniature versions of us two into this house very soon. Personally, I'm hoping for a daughter with my jolly allure combined with your personality. "

Said Kadyn as she leaped into Mike's arms with a dreamy smile. 

While Mike wasn't looking, Kadyn sneakily grabbed a piece of food behind her before faking a cough to eat it. However, at that moment, despite knowing what Kadyn did, Mike didn't get mad as his mind was preoccupied with other thoughts. Although he thought he would never see this day come true, reality presented something he wasn't mentally prepared for. 

Mike saw how happy she was. However, considering his history, more family members would mean more people he would need to protect. On this matter, if he had previously failed to protect Kadyn, how could he afford to take responsibility for the lives of his future children as well? Despite his concerns, Mike kept his worries to himself as he didn't want to stir Kadyn's joyful mood. 

As Kadyn kept on talking about her future children and the kind of life her family would have, Mike's mind was still swimming on another plane of thought. While Mike took minutes to get a piece of food in his mouth, Kadyn eagerly devoured her steak while talking with a full mouth. 

[Kadyn] - "Say, Mike, do you think I'll be a great mom? "

Said Kadyn as she stared cutely at Mike. 

[Mike] - "Huh? What... what was the question? "

Said Mike as he snapped out of his stupor. 

[Kadyn] - "You know, how I used to be a merciless assassin and all. I'm thinking since I have changed, I'm ready to be a decent human mother to our future children. What do you think? "

Said Kadyn before taking a bite out of a piece of steak. 

[Mike] - "Ah, why is that even a question? You have grown way beyond your past or your nurture to be a completely different person. Besides, even without your growth, you have always been a kind soul, so I don't doubt how you can be a good mom. "

Said Mike as he assumed a charming demeanour. 

Upon hearing Mike's words, Kadyn immediately began to blush while fiddling her hair. 

[Kadyn] - "Enough said about me. Now, it's not like I can manage without a decent dad for our kids. Personally, I have a feeling you'll play that role perfectly. "

Said Kadyn as her eyes sent dreamy sparks at Mike. 

[Mike] - "I'll try my best but no promises. "

Mike thought to himself; How could he be a decent father if he couldn't even keep his wife safe? Now, as Mike thought back, things are beginning to line up so his previous tragedy could be repeated once again. 

[Kadyn] - "What's wrong? You look as if something is bothering you. "

Said Kadyn as she appeared beside Mike. 

[Mike] - "It's nothing you should worry about. "

Said Mike as he quickly hid his emotions. 

[Kadyn] - "I will ask until you tell me. As your wife, I deserve to share your burden just as you shared mine. "

Said Kadyn with firm determination as she pushed herself to sit on Mike's lap. 

[Mike] - "I'm really fine, there is really nothing to talk about. "

Said Mike dismissively. 

Kadyn knew that Mike was clearly lying but it would take something more to crack his personal prison open. 

[Kadyn] - "Fine, let's do the dishes, together. "

Later that night, the couple did the dishes side-by-side. At first, the two remained silent but Kadyn soon chose to break the ice. 

[Kadyn] - "Mike, you can tell me honestly, is it because of my pregnancy? Are you mad at me because I forced it to happen? "

Said Kadyn as she dipped a plate into the sink. 

[Mike] - "It's not that, Lemon. "

[Kadyn] - "Mike... I know it's very selfish of me. I was just so drunk on love back then that I forgot to consider the consequences of my actions. "

Kadyn stopped to aggressively rub her sponge on one of the plates. To Mike, her emotions are very easy to understand as he immediately sensed fear, frustration and shame in her actions. 

[Kadyn] - "I know you are angry at me from your reaction earlier. If... If you feel that we are not ready, I'm still in a very early stage, so we can easily abort. "

Said Kadyn as her tears began to mix with the soap bubbles. 

[Mike] - "What the bloody hell are you talking about? "

Said Mike in a disgruntled voice. 

Kadyn turned around and looked at Mike with shock and fear in her eyes but he quickly assured her by pulling her into his embrace. 

[Mike] - "What kind of monster do you take me for? Seriously, I'll even let you have as many children as you want. Anything to make you happy. "

Said Mike in a reassuring voice.

[Kadyn] - "But are you happy? It's not just about me, you know. "

Mike gave Kadyn's word a thought before picking his final answer without an ounce of hesitation.

[Mike] - "If you give me a valid reason to be, I'll be happy. I never knew happiness by myself but you showed me what it means to be happy. Now, make me smile by happily bearing our children. "

Upon hearing Mike's consolation words, Kadyn's frown quickly turned back into a smile. 

[Kadyn] - "If you say so, then I'll gladly bear them. "

After a long sigh, Kadyn wiped her tears off and went back to doing the dishes. Meanwhile, after careful thought, Mike finally decided to open up about his worries. 

[Mike] - "The truth is, I was worried about how could I protect all of you when I couldn't even manage to be by your side back then. "

Said Mike in a defeated tone. 

[Kadyn] - "Heh... hahaha! Did I just hear these words from the world's most powerful man? What happened to the mister "No treat is too big for me"? "

Said Kadyn while laughing at the irony of Mike's words.

[Mike] - "But I failed, didn't I? I left you alone to suffer through all these trials. Also, both our hearts are artificial now because I failed to live up to my words. "

Said Mike in a grim tone.

[Kadyn] - "I never held you accountable, Mike. Winning a fight against Sniper is not something to laugh at. If I had a real grudge or distrust toward you, do you think I would put your kids into my belly like this? Besides, I don't have a heart and you don't either, so that makes us perfect for each other. We are the only heartless couple to ever exist. "

Said Kadyn while smiling.

[Mike] - "But the things you said back at the hotel... "

[Kadyn] - "I might have said some hurtful things that day like how you lied to me or how you will disappear again but the truth is, I never meant any of it. Remember how I kept your coat all the way until the end because I believed that you would never leave me no matter what? "

Said Kadyn as she placed her hand on Mike's.

[Kadyn] - "Yet, you came back for me in the end, didn't you? I brought you back to life and you saved my life right afterward. Now, you have even granted my most significant wish. No matter what happens, I will keep trusting my Mike. I know we'll be safe in your care. "

Said Kadyn as she let out a cute giggle. 

Like the keys to unchain the burden bound to his back, Kadyn's words immediately revigorated Mike's spirit as the doubt and uncertainty melted away. 

[Mike] - "You are right, which bloody fool would dare lay hands upon a family belonging to the most powerful man to ever live? I'd accidentally delete the word "enemy" from the dictionary if I snapped my finger hard enough. "

Said Mike with full confidence. 

[Kadyn] - "That's the Mike I love! "

Said Kadyn while pressing her should against Mike's.

While Kadyn showed a jolly smile on her face, in the back of her mind, she was actually extremely aroused by Mike's confidence. On second thought, that's probably why she used to be extremely gullible every time Mike talked to her using this tone of confidence. However, unlike before, nothing is holding her back now since they are officially engaged and in the safety of their private property. 

[Kadyn] - "Now, do you mind using that confidence in a special place? "

Said Kadyn as she licked her lips while wiggling her ass. 

Before Kadyn could continue her teasing, she was suddenly lifted onto the sink before Mike spread her legs open. By the end of an hour, Kadyn was recovering her breath while spread naked and covered with soap bubbles on the counter. Meanwhile, Mike was also naked but slumped over the sink with dish soap all around his body. Upon seeing how the dishes they cleaned were mostly destroyed on the floor, Kadyn decided to simply push the last intact plate onto the ground as well. 

[Mike] - "I thought we were supposed to clean the dishes, not make Gordon Ramsay roll in his grave with our defilement of the kitchen. "

Said Mike as he slowly forced himself to stand.

[Kadyn] - "Oh well, I was too pent-up to care. And... I'm also too tired to move. "

Said Kadyn as she gave up after failing to sit up. 

[Mike] - "Let me guess, this lady requires the services of a strong gentleman? "

Said Mike as he leaned beside Kadyn.

[Kadyn] - "I'm in your care now, so treat me well. "

*The night when Mike's help was recruited by Dane

After getting dressed in her nightgown, Kadyn stepped before the mirror and looked at herself sideways to better see the bulge in her abdomen. For a moment, she thought back to times when she used to be an assassin with an agile body and a killer stare in her eyes. She extended her wrist blade just for old times' sake as she tried to pose despite being held back by her large belly. 

Suddenly, as Mike emerged from the bathroom barely covered by a bath towel, Kadyn reflexively withdrew her blade. Without a word, Mike approached her before picking her up and carrying her to bed. After shutting the lights off, Mike took his place in bed before Kadyn immediately began hugging him like a pillow. 

[Mike] - "Sweet dreams, Lemon. "

Despite her overwhelming urge to sleep, the thought of Mike slipping away while she was asleep kept Kadyn awake. As time went on, the harder she fought to stay awake, the tighter her grip on Mike became. 

[Mike] - "Can't sleep? "

Said Mike as he glanced at Kadyn. 

[Kadyn] - "No... I just don't want you to go. "

Said Kadyn in a sleepy voice.

[Mike] - "I'm not going anywhere. With how hard you are gripping onto me, I'll have to handicap you if I want to escape. "

Said Mike with a tone of sarcasm.

[Kadyn] - "That's good because like this you won't escape. "

[Mike] - "Sigh... Do you realize I want to go because you were the one asking me to? " 

Kadyn suddenly sat up in confusion while wondering to who Mike was talking to. 

[Mike] - "Don't pretend to be lost now. "

Said Mike as he sat up to meet Kadyn's gaze. 

[Kadyn] - "What the hell are you talking about? "

[Mike] - "You do realize you told me you wanted to be vulnerable and be in my care. In this case, don't you think it's fair that I go protect my Lemon? "

[Kadyn] - "But if you get yourself killed, who will be there to protect me or our children? "

Said Kadyn with a worried look in her eyes.

[Mike] - "Isn't that the whole point of protection? Sacrificing one's interest for the safety of others. Besides, I remembered you saying that you trusted me with all your heart. "

[Kadyn] - "Don't try to use logic on me, Mike! You aren't getting out of here tonight! "

Said Kadyn as she leapt at Mike. 

Acting fast, Mike quickly caught her without an effort before trapping her in his embrace. 

[Mike] - "It's my duty as your husband and as our children's father to do this. As much as I want to pretend, you know that I'm a fighter and not a pacifist. It's simply my way of doing things. "

[Kadyn] - "You are such an asshole sometimes. "

Whispered Kadyn as she cried on Mike's shoulder. 

[Mike] - "Whether you like it or not, I will fight to protect those who gave me a purpose. Under the empire, I was nothing but a puppet and a tool for other's ambitions. However, you gave me another purpose in life other than servitude. I was able to taste true unrestrained happiness with you over these few months and I want to preserve this. Please, Lemon, just let me go do what I'm best at. "

Said Mike in a sincere voice.

[Kadyn] - "You... You don't have to... "

Kadyn struggled to find a proper way to counter his response, so Mike quickly took the initiative to deliver the final blow. 

[Mike] - "Also, who the bloody hell do you think I am? I'll win! I will win the fight and the lost trust you had toward me. I'll win so gloriously that my return will be brighter than the rising sunshine. It would be the kind of victory our children would know before they are even born. "

Said Mike with confidence shining in his voice and eyes. 

[Kadyn] - "Idiot... "

Whispered Kadyn as she smiled slightly. 

Suddenly, Kadyn fell backward and dragged Mike into bed with her. 

[Kadyn] - "I'm going back to sleep. Just be smart with your tomfoolery. "

Said Kadyn with a smile of approval. 

Later that night, Mike arrived on time to meet Dane inside the park. 

[Dane] - "Has everything been settled with the missy? "

Said Dane as he got up from the bench. 

[Mike] - "I married a hot-tempered girl. It's always shoot first, ask questions later with her. Luckily for me, once she has calmed down, self-reflection and logic are always possible with her. "

Said Mike as he walked toward Dane while lighting a cigar.

[Dane] - "Ya lucky bastard. Every casino in the world would be bankrupt if you used your luck to gamble instead. "

[Mike] - "Well, can you search up some physics or chemistry books from your tablet? "

[Dane] - "For what use? "

[Mike] - "Every good student needs a last-second study before an exam. "

To be continued...