In the tense silence, Ethan slowly reached his hand toward my chest.

I kept my eyes tightly shut, ensuring that he wouldn’t realize I was awake, waiting for his touch.

“I-I’m sorry, Lilith…” he mumbled softly.

‘…It’s happening.’

Apologizing under his breath while touching my chest? That could only mean one thing—he was planning to satisfy his desires using my “sleeping” body.

Just as I expected, after those words, Ethan began to unbutton my nightgown, one piece of clothing after another, slowly peeling away the layers. I kept pretending to be asleep, focusing on the sensation near my collarbone.

-Slide.

“……”

-Thump, thump.

What… is this?

For some reason, my heart was racing even faster than usual. I wasn’t sure why, but this felt different—much more intense than when I’d rewarded Ethan before. Maybe it was the thrill of knowing he was doing something forbidden.

Of course, the one doing something wrong was Ethan, not me. I was merely pretending to be asleep to gauge his feelings and catch him in the act, to have something to tease him about later.

-Slide.

‘Wow, he really went for it…’

I couldn’t believe Ethan was being so bold. My heart pounded as I smiled internally, pleased that despite our recent changes, he still had this desire for me.

Okay, I had confirmed enough—his feelings were still there. It was time to wake up and confront him for what he was doing…

But how exactly should I do that?

If I suddenly opened my eyes now and called him out, wouldn’t that be incredibly awkward? I mean, I had been lying there “asleep” all this time, but if I woke up the moment he started undressing me, it would be pretty obvious that I’d been pretending the whole time.

And technically, he hadn’t crossed any serious line yet. If I woke up now, he might just give some excuse like “I was trying to make you more comfortable” or “I was helping you change out of your sweaty clothes.”

‘No, I need to wait for a more definite moment.’

I had to catch him in a more compromising situation—like groping my chest or even trying to kiss me. Or… if he dared to do something even more extreme, like trying to slip inside me while I slept.

‘If it gets to that point, he’ll be caught red-handed.’

There’s no way I’d let him get away with something so bold by claiming it was an “accident.” I just had to be patient and wait until the evidence was undeniable.

While I waited, I suddenly felt something soft and damp touch my chest.

-Squish.

“Mmph…!”

“Lilith?”

Oh no. Out of habit, I let out a sound without thinking.

I’d been so tense, and when Ethan’s hand touched my body, I instinctively moaned—just like I usually did when he touched me.

“Lilith? Are you awake?”

“……”

“Are you really asleep? Or… are you pretending?”

Oh, please, don’t notice. There’s nothing more embarrassing than waking up at a time like this.

If he found out I’d been pretending to be asleep just to catch him in the act, I’d lose all leverage, and worse, I’d feel humiliated. If Ethan asked, “Why were you pretending to sleep?” I couldn’t just say I was trying to catch him doing something. He might even turn the situation around and accuse me of being some kind of perverted maid.

If I knew he was undressing me and didn’t stop him, it could easily be interpreted as me wanting him to go further.

As embarrassing as it was, I had to take the risk and continue the act.

“Mmm… M-Master Ethan…”

“…….”

“Not so suddenly… Nngh…”

I desperately tried to sell the act, making it seem like I was dreaming about something similar. If Ethan thought I was having a dream, he might get bolder, and that would work in my favor.

-Thump, thump.

“…….”

“…….”

“Oh, it’s just her usual sleep-talking.”

Whew.

I managed to trick him, thankfully. Ethan seemed to accept that it was just me talking in my sleep, something I apparently did often.

‘Wait, does that mean I call out his name in my sleep regularly?’

No way, that can’t be true… right?

Ignoring that unsettling thought, I focused on what Ethan would do next. He slowly continued touching me, massaging my chest while I remained still. He got bolder, and I could feel him running his hand along my body, probably preparing for what was coming next.

However, the sensation that followed wasn’t what I expected at all. Instead of rough groping, I felt something soft and damp again, like a moist cloth.

-Swipe.

‘…What’s this?’

-Swipe, swipe.

‘Wait a minute, don’t tell me…’

The damp cloth moved across my chest, my abdomen, and my sides. Even without opening my eyes, I could tell it was a wet towel.

‘Is he… just cleaning me?’

He wasn’t about to assault me while I slept?

I mean, of course, cleaning a patient’s body to wipe away sweat was a basic part of care. But after all the buildup and strange atmosphere, was this really all he intended to do?

Sure, his hands brushed against my bare skin a few times, but it was purely to hold up my chest as he wiped beneath it or to support my back as he cleaned my shoulders. Aside from that, he focused entirely on wiping away my sweat.

‘If he was just going to do this, why didn’t he wake me up?’

I knew Ethan was probably trying to be considerate, letting me sleep while he took care of me. He must have thought this was the best way to ensure I got enough rest to recover.

And here I was, tense and braced for something that didn’t happen, only for him to adjust my clothes after he finished wiping me down.

“…….”

He continued cleaning me in the same manner, moving to my legs, even pulling down my pants to clean my lower body. For a moment, I thought this might finally be it, but no, he was just wiping me down again.

He didn’t even touch my underwear. He must have decided there was no need to go that far.

In the end, Ethan hadn’t intended anything inappropriate at all. It had only been my dirty mind that was expecting something else.

‘Seriously…’

I couldn’t blame myself for being mistaken, though. A man undressing a sleeping patient like this? How could I not misinterpret the situation?

It wasn’t that I had a perverted mindset—this time, Ethan had definitely acted in a way that could be misunderstood.

-Slide.

“…Phew.”

After pulling my pants back up, Ethan let out a satisfied sigh. Normally, I wouldn’t have thought much of it, but today, that carefree sigh really irritated me.

Here I was, in this incredibly suggestive situation, and instead of taking action, he just cleaned me and called it a day. Even if his original goal was to wipe me down, he could’ve at least made things a bit more… intense.

Why go so far to take care of me, only to leave things at that?

Why did he make my body all hot and bothered with his touch, only to smile as if he had accomplished something?

“…….”

“Lilith?”

“…….”

“Are you awake? How are you feeling?”

“…….”

“I brought some sugarcane tea. Do you want a cup? You seemed to be sweating a lot earlier.”

The sheer audacity of him to look me in the eye and casually offer tea after he had just been touching me sent me over the edge.

Before I even realized what I was doing, I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him toward me.

-Smooch.

“Mmph?!”

…Well, I don’t even care anymore.

If he’s going to get me all worked up, he better take responsibility until the end.