Chapter 190

The night was heavy with silence. Emily Laurent stood before the slightly ajar bedroom door, peering through the crack to see only a shadowy lump beneath the covers.

"Why aren't the lights on?" She frowned in confusion. "Haven’t you been sleeping with them on lately?"

The man under the blankets pinched Sophia Lowell’s waist lightly, making her tense instantly.

"I... I'm not dressed," she stammered, her fingers clutching the edge of the comforter.

Emily burst into laughter. "Since when are you shy around me? I’ve seen you running around naked as a child."

The warmth beneath the covers intensified, Sophia’s ears burning. "Aunt Emily!"

"Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you." Emily pretended to close the door but paused. "By the way, I heard you talking to someone just now?"

Ethan Roscente’s breath brushed against Sophia’s neck, his deep voice laced with amusement. "Tell her who you were talking to."

Sophia inhaled sharply—he was toying with her.

"It was... Vivian!" she blurted out, thinking fast. "We were on a video call."

A knowing chuckle drifted from the hallway. "Young people should know their limits. Too much of that kind of content isn’t good for you."

Sophia froze as if struck by lightning, stiffening in Ethan’s arms.

"That’s not what it was!" Her voice cracked with panic. "We really were just video chatting!"

"Sure, sure. I was young once too." Emily’s voice faded as she walked away. "Crack the window open a bit—don’t suffocate in there."

The moment the door clicked shut, Sophia barely had time to exhale before Ethan flipped her onto her back.

"Mmph—"

His scorching lips met hers, only for her to bite down hard.

"Little hellcat," he muttered, pulling back and wiping blood from his lip.

Sophia’s eyes burned like an angry cat’s. "You promised not to touch me! Ethan Roscente, you liar!"

She shoved him away, leaping barefoot from the bed to lock the door. Pointing at the window, she hissed, "Out. Now. Disappear!"

Unhurried, Ethan twisted the bedside lamp on. Bathed in its golden glow, he propped his head lazily on one hand. "So you can go back to watching those videos once I’m gone?"

"You—!" Sophia stomped her foot. "I don’t watch that garbage!"

He arched a brow, studying her flushed ears. "Never?"

She had—twice—dragged into it by Vivian. But the overacting male leads paled compared to the way Ethan’s gaze alone could unravel her.

Realizing where her thoughts had strayed, Sophia wanted to melt into the floor from sheer mortification.