Chapter 3
Ethan stood in the doorway, the hallway light behind him throwing his body into shadow as he looked at me.
I couldn't see his face clearly, only his silhouette: wide shoulders, slim waist, legs that went on forever. He was built so perfectly that it seemed unreal.
Then he walked in, stepping into the light.
And that's when I saw his face.
He had sharp brows, eyes that shone like stars, a high-bridged nose, and thin lips pressed in a line.
It was like someone had drawn him into existence, perfect down to the last line.
He wore a shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his strong forearms. The top two buttons were undone, showing a hint of collarbone.
He looked at me. Under the light, his eyes were bottomless.
There was something about the way he looked at me that I couldn't name. Not cold. Not warm. Simply focused. For a moment, I felt like I was the only person in the room.
"Still up?" Ethan asked, his voice low with a husky edge.
I clenched my fingers, my nails digging into my palms. The pain was a sharp reminder to keep my cool. "I am waiting for you."
My voice came out like Lilian's.
I'd spent the whole afternoon practicing, making sure my voice rose at the end of every sentence, to sound more lively.
Lilian always talked like that, like a little bird, all chirps and trills, with a hint of coyness.
Ethan walked over, slow and deliberate, each step closing the distance between us.
He stopped right in front of me and looked down at me.
He was way taller than me. With my slippers on, my head barely came up to his shoulder.
Standing this close, I had to tilt my face up to catch his eyes.
His gaze traveled from my brows to my nose, then down to my lips. He took his time, like he was checking something.
My heart was about to jump out of my throat. Did he notice that I was not Lilian?
He lifted his hand. My breath stopped.
His fingertips gently traced the corner of my lips, wiping away a smudge. "Your lipstick's smudged."
I looked down and saw a touch of bright red on his fingertip.
Probably because I was so nervous earlier, I messed up the lipstick. "I'll go wash it off." I was already halfway turned, desperate to bolt.
But Ethan caught my wrist.
His palm was so warm that it almost burned, making me flinch instinctively.
"No need." His thumb brushed gently over the corner of my lips, wiping away the smudge.
His touch was so soft, so slow, with a kind of tenderness I couldn't even describe.
I stood there, frozen, not daring to move a muscle.
Even after wiping away the lipstick, he still didn't let go of my wrist.
He was still looking down at me, eyes locked on mine, intense, like he was trying to see right through me.
He said, "Lilian."
My heart tightened suddenly. "Yeas?"
He paused for a few seconds, then smiled.
It was barely more than a gentle curve at the corner of his mouth, but it made his whole face look softer.
He reached up and gently pressed his thumb between my brows. "What's with the frown? Not happy on our wedding night?"
Only then did I realize I'd been frowning without even noticing.
I quickly let go, forcing a smile. "No, I'm not unhappy. Just a little nervous."
He didn't say anything, just watched me.
His gaze was so deep that it made me nervous.
Then he let go of my wrist and turned toward the bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower. You go ahead and get some sleep."
The bathroom door closed, and the shower started running.
I stood there, staring blankly at the frosted glass door, lost in a daze.
Was he looking at Lilian or me?