CHAPTER 20
1636 Words
“Emman, time for your bath,” Meave said as she walked straight toward them.
Her voice was calm as always, but her presence filled the room.
Earl looked up at her and smiled.
“Oh, you haven’t taken a bath yet?” he said casually, then glanced at Emman, who was already smiling. “Alright, I’ll take a bath with you then.”
Emman’s eyes lit up.
His small hands moved quickly, as if he wanted to clap but held himself back. Instead, he just nodded eagerly, his face full of excitement.
“E–Earl Valerio…” Meave reacted.
Her voice was slightly shaken, as if she could not believe what she just heard.
Earl looked at her, confused at her reaction.
“Don’t worry, Ms. Meave,” he said with a gentle smile. “I’m good at it.”
There was nothing strange in his tone.
Nothing hidden.
Just simple confidence.
Meave paused for a moment.
Then she smiled lightly.
A small, controlled smile.
“Alright,” she said.
She turned slightly, allowing them to pass.
Earl stood up and gently held Emman’s hand. The boy didn’t resist. Instead, he followed him willingly, his steps light and excited.
As they walked toward the bathing area, Emman stayed close to him, as if he didn’t want to lose him even for a second.
Earl looked down at him and chuckled softly.
“You really like me that much, huh?” he said.
Emman nodded without hesitation.
That simple answer made Earl’s heart feel warm.
From behind them, Meave watched.
Quietly.
Her eyes followed their figures until they disappeared from sight.
Then the smile on her face slowly faded.
Meanwhile, while Earl and Emman were in the bathing area—
Meave was already in her room.
The door closed behind her.
The silence returned.
Her room was neat, organized, and cold. Everything was in place, just like how she wanted it.
But her mind—
It was not calm.
She walked slowly toward her table and picked up a book. She held it in her hand, but her eyes were not really reading.
Her thoughts were somewhere else.
“I think the doctors here are not enough for my recovery,” she said to herself in a low voice.
She placed the book down.
“I need better medication… the most advanced I could have.”
She walked toward the window and looked outside.
Her reflection stared back at her through the glass.
“My haphephobia…” she whispered.
Her fingers slightly trembled.
“Although it brought me so much trouble…”
She closed her eyes for a moment.
Images flashed in her mind.
Memories she tried so hard to forget.
“The nausea… the difficulty breathing… every time a man touches me…”
Her breathing became slightly uneven.
But then—
Another image came.
Earl.
The way he held her earlier.
The way he looked at her.
Calm.
Gentle.
Different.
She slowly opened her eyes.
“But Earl is different…” she said softly.
Her voice almost sounded confused.
“He makes me feel… something else.”
She paused.
Trying to find the right words.
Something unfamiliar.
Something she could not fully understand.
“He doesn’t make me panic…” she continued.
Instead—
“He makes me feel… HORNY.”
Her grip on the table tightened slightly.
Her heart beat faster.
Not out of fear.
But something else.
Something she was not used to.
Her thoughts drifted again.
Back.
Six years ago.
That night.
Her expression darkened.
“That woman…” she muttered under her breath.
Her eyes turned cold.
The memory hit her again.
The one who drugged her.
The one who caused everything.
The doctor had said it clearly.
That incident might be the trigger of her condition.
The start of her fear.
“Damn that woman…” Meave whispered.
Her voice carried anger this time.
“My investigation still has no progress.”
She walked back to her table and placed both hands on it.
“I need leads.”
Her tone became firm.
“Clues… anything.”
Her breathing slowly stabilized.
Her calm mask returned.
But her eyes—
They were sharper now.
More determined.
“At the same time…” she added quietly.
Her thoughts shifted again.
Back to Earl.
Back to the contract.
Back to everything that had started changing.
“I need to figure out how to make this marriage with Earl successful…”
Her fingers lightly tapped the surface of the table.
Even if—
“It goes against the whole Valerio family.”
She straightened her posture.
Her expression returned to its usual cold and composed state.
But deep inside—
Everything was slowly changing.
And she knew it.
While Meave was lost in her thoughts, thinking about her past and how she ended up in this situation, the quiet of the mansion continued to surround her.
Inside her room, the air felt heavy.
Her mind was still filled with memories.
Unfinished questions.
Unresolved anger.
And something new—
Something she could not control.
Earl.
---
Outside, in the hallway, Earl stepped out from the bathing area.
His hair was still wet, small drops of water slowly falling from the tips. His skin was slightly damp, and the only thing covering his body was a towel wrapped around his lower half.
He didn’t seem to notice.
Or maybe he simply didn’t care.
His focus was elsewhere.
As he walked down the hallway, he saw a butler holding a cup of coffee carefully with both hands.
Earl slowed down.
“I’m guessing it’s for her, right?” he asked. “For Ms. Meave?”
The butler nodded politely.
“Yes. Ms. Meave loves coffee, especially when she’s working late at night.”
Earl looked at the cup for a moment.
Then he smiled slightly.
“Oh… would you mind if I deliver it to her?”
The butler hesitated for a second.
Then, seeing no harm, she handed the cup to him.
“Of course, sir.”
Earl took the coffee.
“Thanks.”
Without thinking much about it, he turned and walked straight toward Meave’s room.
Still barefoot.
Still only wearing a towel.
The hallway was quiet.
Each step he took echoed softly.
He reached her door.
Then raised his hand.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
He knocked three times.
From inside, Meave’s voice came.
“Come in.”
Her tone was calm.
Unaware.
Earl opened the door slowly and stepped inside.
The room was dim, lit only by soft lights from the side lamps. Meave was standing near her table, still holding the book she had earlier.
Her posture was straight.
Composed.
But her mind was still far away.
Earl walked in quietly, holding the cup of coffee.
“Here,” he said gently. “Your coffee.”
He stepped closer.
And that’s when—
Meave suddenly felt something.
Something off.
Her body reacted first.
Before her mind could even process it.
Her breathing changed.
Slightly faster.
Her fingers tightened around the edge of the table.
There was something in the air.
Something unfamiliar.
But strong.
She slowly turned her head.
And when her eyes landed on him—
She froze.
Earl stood there in front of her.
Bare chest.
Wet hair.
Water still trailing down his skin.
And only a towel covering him.
For a moment—
Time seemed to stop.
Meave’s eyes widened slightly.
Her heart started beating faster.
Not from fear.
Not entirely.
But from something deeper.
Something she could not name.
Her throat felt dry.
“E–Earl…” she said softly.
Her voice was no longer steady.
Earl blinked.
“Hm?” he responded, still holding the coffee. “Is something wrong?”
He took another step closer.
And that made it worse.
Meave felt it.
Her body reacting again.
Her chest rising and falling faster.
Her hands trembling slightly.
She tried to stay calm.
Tried to control herself.
But this—
This was different.
He was too close.
Too exposed.
Too real.
“Stop…” she said quietly.
Earl paused.
Confused.
“Did I do something wrong?” he asked.
His tone was innocent.
Genuine.
He didn’t understand.
But Meave—
She understood too well what was happening to her.
“Don’t come any closer…” she added.
Her voice was low, but firm.
Earl immediately stopped moving.
He raised the cup slightly.
“I just brought your coffee,” he said.
Meave looked at the cup.
Then at him again.
Her gaze lingered for a second longer than it should.
And that made her even more uncomfortable.
She turned her face away slightly.
“Put it there…” she said, pointing to the table without looking at him directly.
Earl followed her instruction.
He walked carefully and placed the cup down.
Then stepped back.
Giving her space.
The moment he did—
Meave felt a small sense of relief.
But also—
Something missing.
She didn’t understand it.
And that made her even more uneasy.
Silence filled the room.
Earl stood there for a moment.
Not knowing what to say.
“Uh… I’ll go now,” he said.
Meave didn’t answer immediately.
She was still trying to calm herself.
Trying to steady her breathing.
Trying to ignore the way her heart was still racing.
“Wait…” she suddenly said.
Earl stopped.
He looked at her again.
“Yes?”
Meave hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then she spoke.
“Next time…” she said slowly.
“Wear proper clothes before coming into my room.”
Earl looked down at himself.
Only then did he realize.
“Oh…”
He scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed.
“Sorry… I didn’t notice.”
He gave a small awkward smile.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD