Ethanâs gaze drifted down Emilyâs slender body, settling on her long legs clad in black stockings.
Slender, elongated, youthfulâher toes peeking through the fabric, a stark contrast to the mature allure of an aunt.
Sheâs really pretty, just a bit off her rocker.
âNot interested.â
He turned his head away,he wasnât exactly a saint.
If there was a chance to mingle with the stunning school beauty, he wouldnât mind engaging a bit.
But Emily was just in it for the laughs, never really letting anyone get close.
âAh, thatâs not fair!â Emily pouted, leaning closer and sprawling on the hospital bed, barely three inches from him, and exclaimed loudly:
âIâm wearing the same brand of stockings as Aunt Scarlett today, the exact ones Blair wore that night. They feel great and work wonders, you know.â
âHoly crap!â Ethan jumped.
That nightâs memories still haunted him, and her sudden mention made him quickly scan the surroundings. No one was outside the hospital room, so he breathed a sigh of relief.
Turning back to her crescent-moon smile, he said in exasperation, âLet me repeat, Iâm not into stockings! And cut it out, whatever you told me, Iâll take it to the grave. So, letâs pretend nothing happened and go our separate ways.â
The school beauty was tempting, but he had enough on his plate and didnât want to play games with someone who enjoyed making fun of others.
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Emilyâs smile vanish, her gaze turning icy.
âUh.â Ethan instinctively shivered, âI didnât mean we should be strangers, just⦠letâs just be normal friends.â
It was the first time he saw Emilyâs terrifying expression, and he instinctively chickened out.
Adrenaline and cortisol flooded his system, his brainâs amygdala sounding alarms, telling him this woman was dangerous.
Like a sane person seeing a lunatic, as if she might pull out a knife at any second.
Emilyâs face brightened up again, patting her chest as if relieved, and pouted, âYou know, saying things like that can really hurt a girlâs feelings.â
Watching her switch expressions so quickly, Ethan felt uneasy, âYouâre really not normal. Do you actually see me as your boyfriend?â
âOf course.â Emilyâs eyes twinkled, âWant me to prove it?â
âHuh? How can you prove that?â Ethan was taken aback.
Emily stood up, pinching her school uniform skirt slightly upwards, revealing more of her slender legs wrapped in black stockings:
âEthan, a person only has one heart. Just promise to keep it with me, love me 24/7, whether youâre in bed or with others, and sincerely tell me, âI love you,â and take good care of me, and Iâll agree to any request you have. Anything at all.â
âGulp.â Ethan swallowed hard as the pretty school beauty in front of him lifted her skirt, about to reveal more.
Just say he liked her, and sheâd agree to anything.
Ethan was really tempted.
He watched as Emily slowly lifted her skirt, inch by inch.
The allure of a young girlâs curves was boundless.
âIâm sorry!â Ethan abruptly turned away, each word squeezed out between clenched teeth: âThe one I like is Aunt Scarlett, sheâs the only one in my heart.â
His heart was bleeding.
Or rather, it was gushing blood.
Emily was the school beauty, a person who enjoyed watching others for fun, but she was really pretty and had a great figure, her delicate body evoking sympathy.
If it werenât for the system.
He would have really agreed.
âAlso, Iâm not into stockings, so stop testing me with that.â
Emily burst into laughter behind him.
âHmph.â Ethan turned around with a look of indignation, only to see Emily covering her mouth, giggling uncontrollably.
âI donât dislike you, you know~â Emily turned to face him, her eyes playful. âEthan, you just looked really charming.â
âYeah, right. So you were just joking earlier?â Ethan pouted.
âNo.â Emily shook her head. âI was serious.â
Ethan didnât know what to do,he couldnât figure out what Emily was thinking.
She was toying with him, her eyes joking one moment and dead serious the next.
It was all so contradictory.
If it doesnât make sense, donât think about it.
He picked up his phone to check the information Emily had sent him.
True to her reputation as a top student, she had organized everything into an easy-to-read chart.
âName: Henry Harrison. Age: 34. Height: 5 feet 11 inches.â
Below was a photo of him in a white casual suit, gold-rimmed glasses, and blonde, slightly curled hair tied back in a braid.
No doubt about it, he was a handsome guy, and a stylish one at that.
âHmph, just looks like a playboy, totally unreliable!â Ethan grimaced.
âHe works for a listed company in fashion design,â Emily said, crossing her legs and looking amused. âAccording to my research, heâs scandal-free and an exceptionally outstanding man, widely recognized as an ideal partner.â
âYeah, right. Dressed like that and still no public girlfriend? Who knows what heâs up to behind the scenes.â Ethan grimaced, finding Henry more repulsive the more he looked.
âHehe~â Emilyâs eyes twinkled with mischief. âNow that youâve got his info, your next step is to break him up with Aunt Scarlett, right? Need my help?â
âHey, donât think about tarnishing someoneâs reputation!â Ethan snapped.
Iâm just worried about Aunt being deceived by a bad guy. If heâs trustworthy, Iâd only wish them well.
Emilyâs gaze was playful as she slipped her foot out of her black shoe, dangling it in mid-air: âHehe~ Ethan, is this the little shoe you wanted? Just took it off~â
âAh?â Ethan leaned back. Heâd heard of some weirdos having a special fondness for pretty girlsâ shoes, but he was a perfectly sane man. At most, he appreciated beautiful legs in black stockings, but this shoe thing was beyond him.
Then he glanced down at Emilyâs raised foot.
As he looked, Emily deliberately wiggled her foot.
This school beauty sure knew a lot of weird stuff, even about little shoes.
âNo⦠no thanks!â Ethan struggled to refuse: âIâm not that kind of guy.â
âAw, thatâs too bad.â Emily put her shoe back on, flicked her finger against his thigh, and shivered.
âBoyfriend~ See you tomorrow, and you better dream about me tonight. Otherwise, Iâll be mad.â Emily stood up, waved at him, and left with a spring in her step, visibly in a good mood.
âAh.â Ethan sighed, his mind filled with the image of her small feet in black stockings.
Though not as mature and alluring as Auntâs.
But a young girlâs feet had their own charm.
After Emily left, Blair came in from outside.
âBlair.â Ethan quickly lowered his voice. âI need your help.â
Blair paused, his gaze landing on him, then fell silent.