“Episode 11”
J soon appeared holding a single invitation card in his hand.
“A Twilight Ball invitation…”
It was an invitation to the Winter Ball, which marked the end of the seasonal balls.
“If it’s a season ball notorious for gossip and scandal, it’s perfect for spilling scandalous tales, don’t you think?”
3. Scandalous Rumors
The awaited ball day arrived. Last night, she couldn’t sleep due to nerves. She pressed her eyelids, heavy with drowsiness, with the back of her hand.
“…But what should one wear to the ball?”
She encountered an unexpected obstacle before preparing to go out. The only clothes left in the mansion were a few maid uniforms and the pristine white dress Ethan had personally made. What should she wear to the party?
“Come here for a moment, Isabella.”
His footsteps halted at the end of the first-floor corridor.
Thunk.
His large palm covered her eyelids as the door opened.
“Ethan, what kind of joke is this?”
“It’s a surprise. Be careful as you step in.”
Carefully, she followed his footsteps, her eyes obscured by his hand. With each movement, her cheek brushed against his firm chest.
“You can open your eyes now.”
He stepped away, and tentatively, she lifted her eyelids.
“This is…”
A variety of dresses filled the dressing room. Astonished, she looked up at Ethan, whose eyes twinkled with delight.
“I promised to make dresses until the wardrobe burst.”
“But…”
Before she could finish her sentence, she bit her lip. Yes, you did promise that. But that was before I left the mansion.
I returned to the Countess’s position as my reward for ignoring your warnings. During the week I was absent, did you make dresses alone with leftover fabrics?
“You don’t seem pleased. Is it because you don’t like them? I made various designs thinking you might not like some.”
She quietly took his hand. Did he detect my inner thoughts? With a tender smile, he gently brushed the hems of the dresses hanging in the closet.
“Isabella, I spent all day locked in my bedroom, thinking of you. Every corner was filled with fabrics I bought for you. Isn’t it strange that you didn’t cross my mind?”
He took out a green dress from the closet. It matched the color of his sparkling eyes.
“The day you left, I was desperate for your return. I spent the past week making dresses for you, thinking of nothing but you.”
“…If we hadn’t met again at the pet shop, would all these dresses have belonged to another woman?”
If I hadn’t stopped by the pet shop to entrust the parrot, and if he hadn’t coincidentally passed by the alley, maybe we would never have met again.
Just two steps away from the alley, there were slums and poor neighborhoods lined up. There, women with unfortunate destinies sold their souls to survive each day.
If Ethan, who loves caring for injured animals, had shown kindness to other women as he did to me, I wouldn’t have been surprised.
“Why do you think that?”
Perhaps I inadvertently hurt his feelings, as his previously uplifted smile faded away.
“…You’re a kind person. Even if it wasn’t me, you would have helped someone else, right?”
“No, Isabella, you’re the only one.”
“The fact that I allowed you to step foot in the mansion, gave you my bedroom, and spent nights with you—all of it was for you.”
Cruel Ethan Holden. Why don’t you realize that being called unique or special is a curse to me?
“…So, please don’t say strange things. I just wanted to give you a dress that I made with my own hands.”
As she looked into his sorrowful eyes, she felt as though she had committed a grave sin.
No, maybe I’m thinking too much. He simply wanted to help me sincerely.
“Okay, then. Would you like to choose one with your own hands? A dress that suits me.”
His eyes regained their spark. After a moment, his frozen hand frantically searched through the closet.
“This one is made with you standing amidst the swirling autumn leaves. And this one is made with thoughts of us strolling along the summer beach.”
His voice was filled with excitement as he held up each dress.
“It might be difficult to choose. They all seem to suit you well.”
“I’ll choose this one.”
His eyes lit up as he observed her. Finally, he noticed the violet dress hanging highest.
“…This dress was made thinking of your eyes as you grew distant the day you left.”
A dress made with thoughts of my eyes? How romantic.
“I’ll wear this one.”
With a hesitant expression, she looked at the other dresses, only to lose her words belatedly. This way, it seems like I’m conscious of him. He only sees me as a mere pet bird.
“No, I’ll just stick with this one. I’ll call you when I’m ready to leave.”
She behaved nonchalantly, oh so casually.
“Alright. I’ll be outside, so call me when you’re ready.”
After confirming that the dressing room door was firmly closed, she removed the clothes. She clumsily put on the dress, then felt the exposed spine with her fingertips.
“Oh my…”
She couldn’t hide her bewilderment at her almost naked appearance.
“What confidence made me think I could wear this? I must be out of my mind.”
While touching her forehead with her palm and looking around, she found a long lace fabric that seemed to be used for dress decorations. The decision didn’t take long.
“Ethan, come in now.”
Thunk.
She stuffed the lace fabric through the slightly open door.
“Isabella, what is this?”
“Cover your eyes and come in. It’s just like being naked otherwise.”
“If it bothers you that much, I can’t help it.”
With a rustling sound, he stepped into the dressing room, holding the lace fabric in both hands. Whether he couldn’t see or not, he wandered aimlessly around the room.
“It’s over here.”
She pulled his wrist, then pushed his raised back towards her.
How much time had passed? Sensing the probing touch on her bare skin, her senses suddenly became alert.
“Ethan, am I doing this right?”
“…It’s not as easy as I thought.”
Ethan’s fingers slipped repeatedly. Eventually, disaster struck when his wandering fingertips accidentally undid the hook that had barely held the dress together.
“…Isabella, it’s the ball tonight, right? Can we make it in time?”
“I was going to ask you that.”
“We have no choice. Let me hurry a bit more.”
His fingers slid delicately under the corset. As he brushed past the skin exposed below, her waist involuntarily arched.
“E-Ethan? What are you touching? Remove your hands from my body immediately!”
“I swear it wasn’t intentional. If you say so, then I can’t help it.”
As he withdrew his hand, the violet dress hem slipped down her thigh.
Hastily pulling up the dress hem, she turned around, only to find him gazing into space.
“It sounded like something was coming off, was it just my imagination?”
“…Seriously, stop joking and focus!”
As she guided his wandering fingertips to grasp the dress hem again, she pushed his back forward.
“Isabella, are you trembling right now? I can feel vibrations in your fingertips. It’s quite endearing…”
Perhaps he noticed her trembling body, as he asked without realizing.
“Enough, just hurry up and put it on.”
“Alright, I’ll do as you say.”
Ethan delicately probed the hook. From the hips to the nape, his warmth gradually passed over her.
“Isabella, I think I’ve got it all covered.”
As his large palm gently pressed against her fully adjusted back, her breath caught in her throat.
“…You shouldn’t touch me like that. It’s all fine now.”
“I only meant to adjust it.”
He smiled awkwardly as he released the lace fabric he had been holding gently.
Through the shimmering emerald, her crumpled figure was reflected.
“As expected, you’re even more beautiful than I thought.”
His eyes softened. For a moment, captivated by his ecstatic smile, she reached out.
“Shall we go to fix your hair?”
Led by his hand, she sat in front of the dressing table. He picked up a hairbrush and skillfully continued brushing.
“Your skills are impressive.”
“I used to brush my sister’s hair when she was alive.”
Surely he wouldn’t touch a wound that shouldn’t be touched, right? With a bewildered heart, she bit her lip and he lowered his voice.
“It’s okay. It’s all in the past. By the way, your hair seems quite damaged.”
Until recently, she had catered to Simon’s preference for thick curly hair by combing it daily.
If the hair wasn’t meticulously groomed, it would inevitably turn into an irredeemable tangle of fur.
“You don’t have to touch it. It’s already beautiful enough like this.”
As he lightly teased, he carefully kissed her unruly hair. It was an expression of affection that
she couldn’t get used to, no matter how hard she tried.
“Isabella, can you wait for a moment while I change? I’ll come out after putting on my uniform.”
The thought of seeing Ethan in his formal attire made her mouth dry.
Although it hadn’t been ten minutes since he left the room, the waiting time felt like an eternity.
“Have you been waiting long?”
She quickly looked up. Ethan stood awkwardly in front of the bedroom door, fiddling with the sleeves of his uniform.
In that moment, everything except him faded into grayscale. His neatly combed platinum hair, pristine uniform, and even his reddened lips…
Only the colors he possessed were vividly clear, almost painfully so.
“It’s been a while since I last wore this, so I might feel a bit awkward. Does it look weird?”
“…Maybe a little.”
Not at all. In fact, you’re wrong. You always shower me with praises, saying I’m beautiful, but it’s not me, it’s you.
