Bound by Fate

Chapter 10: A Devil’s Delight

“Mmm…” Lily Thompson mumbled as she opened her eyes, only to come face-to-face with a fuzzy object. She blinked in confusion before breaking into a silly smile, hugging the little bear close to her chest. A teddy bear? She had just dreamed about one last night, and now it was right here in her bed!

“Do you like it?”

The voice from behind her snapped Lily out of her thoughts. She hugged the bear tightly, rolling over with a sweet smile on her face, her eyes bright with joy. “Ethan, did you give this to me?”

“Mm-hmm.” Ethan Blackwood’s lips curled into a small smile. He hadn’t expected a simple toy to make her so happy.

“Hehe… Ethan, I love you so much!” Still holding the bear, she threw herself into Ethan’s arms, snuggling against him affectionately.

Ethan froze for a moment, his arm wrapping around her waist. He cupped her chin, lifting her face to look into her sparkling eyes. “Say that again.”

Lily looked at him, puzzled. “Say what?”

Ethan narrowed his eyes, a teasing smile playing on his lips. “You don’t remember? Then I’ll take the bear back!”

“No!” Lily clutched the bear tightly, afraid he would take it away. She anxiously muttered, “Wait, let me think… think…”

Ethan chuckled softly as he scooped her up, bear and all, into his arms. He waited patiently as she tried to remember. After a long moment, it seemed to dawn on her what she had said. She looked up at him, her face conflicted. “Ethan…”

“Mm?”

“So… if I like you very, very much, does that mean I love you?” She had thought it was easy to tell the difference, but now she was genuinely confused.

Seeing her struggle, Ethan remained silent. Had he been pushing her too hard? He scooped her up and carried her to the bathroom, his voice gentle. “Don’t think too much about it.” He would make sure she fell in love with him.

“Mm… Ethan, I’ll definitely love you!” Her big eyes were filled with determination, her voice sincere.

“Why?”

“Because if I love you, it’ll make you happy. I want to make you happy.”

A warmth spread through Ethan’s chest as he chuckled softly. “Silly girl.”

“Hehe…” Lily tugged at her hair, grinning sheepishly. Her thoughts were simple—Ethan was good to her, so she wanted to be good to him.

She had lost all her memories, leaving her as pure as a blank slate. They say children have the sharpest instincts because of their purity, and Lily, in her current state, was highly sensitive. She could easily sense whether people were good or bad to her. Over the past few days, she had felt Ethan’s indulgence toward her, which led her to act more and more spoiled around him, without fear of angering him. She was becoming increasingly dependent on him.

She loved cuddling in his arms, loved the hidden tenderness in his eyes, and loved his kisses, though she didn’t realize that these feelings were love.

“Mmm… Ethan, your ring is just like mine!” Lily exclaimed, her mouth full of toothpaste foam as she brushed her teeth. She spoke so excitedly that her words were barely understandable.

Ethan shook his head in amusement. She was only just now noticing? She really was slow! “Finish brushing your teeth.”

As Ethan glanced down at the ring on his finger, his mind drifted back to the charity auction where he had acquired it.

At that auction, this pair of rings had been the least popular item. They weren’t antiques, nor were they crafted by a famous jeweler. The design was unsettling, with a pattern that made people feel uneasy, as if the ring might suddenly open a gaping maw and devour them. The auctioneer had introduced it as “The Devil’s Pet,” saying that those who wore the rings would receive the devil’s blessing, ensuring a lifetime of love and happiness.

Who would want the devil’s blessing?

But Ethan was intrigued. He had originally attended the auction just to make an appearance, but he ended up buying the rings because he liked the pattern. He kept one and discarded the other, only to later discover that the ring was more than just an accessory.

He hadn’t expected to find the discarded ring on her finger. Given its ominous appearance, most people wouldn’t have picked it up, yet she had. If it hadn’t been for that ring, he wouldn’t have saved her that day. The devil’s blessing? He thought he might have actually received it.

After she finished washing up, Lily grabbed her teddy bear with one hand and clung to Ethan’s arm with the other. She shook it gently. “Ethan, I’m hungry!” She didn’t think anything was strange about Ethan being in her room without knocking—she took it as a given! Ethan pointed to his lips, making it clear that food was on the table, but only if she paid the “toll” first.

Lily didn’t feel the least bit taken advantage of. On the contrary, she felt like she was getting a great deal. Her eyes lit up, and she smiled as she kissed him.

Ethan, satisfied, held her close, noticing her dazed expression. His eyes twinkled with amusement as he asked softly, “Shall we go to the dining room?”

Lily nodded, though she likely had no idea what he was talking about.

David West noticed Lily’s flushed cheeks and dazed expression and frowned. But seeing the indulgent look in Ethan’s eyes, he felt slightly reassured. If the master truly liked Lily, he wouldn’t stand in their way.

Ethan carried her to the dining table, amused at how she still seemed out of it. Was his charm really that overwhelming?

“Little One… weren’t you hungry?”

“Huh?” Lily blinked, finally snapping out of her daze. She sneaked a glance at his sensual lips, remembering his words: “You can kiss me whenever you want, Little One.”

Her eyes darted back and forth before settling on his lips again. After mentally shifting all the responsibility onto Ethan, she felt justified as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

David’s eyes widened in surprise—this girl was bold! But Ethan seemed quite pleased with the attention.

In the end, Lily remained in a dreamy state as Ethan fed her, completely unaware of what she was eating.

Now, Lily was pouting, a miserable expression on her face. She had missed out on the taste of her favorite dessert because she had been too out of it, and she couldn’t eat anymore because she was already full!

She puffed out her cheeks and silently vowed not to get lost in a daze next time!

Ethan chuckled at her frustration and reassured her, “Don’t worry, you can have more at dinner.” They were eating lunch because Lily had overslept.

Lily still felt a little annoyed and pouted as she glared at Ethan’s… lips. It was all their fault!

Ethan suppressed his laughter as he wrapped an arm around her and led her upstairs. Lily pouted again, suddenly remembering something. She turned back to David and said, “David, make sure to take good care of King!” She had almost forgotten about him!

David’s mouth twitched. Did she really have to call him that? He had accepted it, but did she have to lump him together with the Tibetan Mastiff?

In Ethan’s bedroom, the little rabbit was still mourning her missed dessert. Ethan was about to comfort her when she suddenly looked up and declared seriously, “Ethan, I want to kiss you!”

She thought that with more practice, she wouldn’t get so dazed, and next time she wouldn’t miss out on tasting her dessert!