Chapter 2

The next morning, I was sleeping soundly when I felt a tickling sensation on my leg.

I didn't think much of it until suddenly, I was pulled into someone's arms and lifted up.

The sudden feeling of being suspended in mid-air jolted me awake.

"Ah! Help!" I cried out in alarm.

Ethan Lowell looked at me and smiled gently, then set me back down.

"Time to get up. I've already made breakfast. I was going to carry you over to eat," he said.

My face instantly flushed bright red.

After finishing breakfast, my brother brought out a bag.

"Victoria, I bought you some new lingerie. You mentioned a few days ago that you couldn't find yours," he said.

I went back to my room and looked inside the bag.

It was a black lace lingerie set, similar to the one from yesterday, but far, far more seductive.

I imagined the scene of wearing this lingerie for Ethan.

Amid my shyness, a strange sense of anticipation rose within me.

Ethan was tall, handsome, and highly capable.

Being able to win over a man like him would prove my unique charm.

What girl hasn't dreamed of marrying a prince someday?

I was no exception.

I had always felt that if there was anyone who could be called a prince, it was Ethan.

I never met my father.

When my mother was pregnant, he went out to seek his fortune but never returned home.

When I was six, the police brought back a body.

My mother confirmed it was my father's.

She was utterly devastated and cried all day long.

But looking at me, her helpless child, she gritted her teeth and resolved to raise me.

Yet, deep down, she always longed for someone to lean on.

I knew my mother sometimes cried in secret.

They say motherhood makes you strong.

So, my mother probably didn't want anyone to know about her struggles.

I always pretended not to know.

But my heart ached for her.

I always hoped she could let go of my father and pursue her own happiness.

The year I graduated from college, my wish came true.

My mother met William Lowell, who was in a similar situation.

They fell in love quickly.

After getting consent from me and Ethan, they promptly obtained their marriage certificate.

Then they resigned from their jobs and set off to travel the world.

Since Ethan and I became family, he had always taken meticulous care of me.

He fulfilled all my fantasies of an ideal older brother—gentle, considerate, tall, and handsome.

So, I had always liked this brother quite a bit.

Not in a sibling way.

I had even wondered—if my mother hadn't remarried, could I have become Ethan's girlfriend?

But what happened yesterday truly left me at a loss.

Because of my mother's situation, I had never been in a relationship.

But I had plenty of flirtatious girlfriends.

They not only had solid theoretical knowledge but also rich practical experience.

I had heard my fair share of risqué jokes!

I understood that adult men have such needs; it's normal.

But him acting like this—how was I supposed to face him from now on?

Heaven knows, every time I see him, my face gets hot enough to fry an egg.