A drop of sweat traced the sharp line of his brow.
My heart hammered like thunder.
My breath came in ragged gasps.
The doorbell rang incessantly.
My parents' voices called from outside.
"Isabella, are you home? We forgot our keys! Come open the door!"
The intimate moment shattered into pieces.
Panic surged through me.
But Ethan showed no intention of stopping.
I slapped his hand away.
Gathering my clothes, I fled the living room.
My ears burned crimson.
"Brother, our parents are back! I need to change clothes!"
I shut my bedroom door behind me.
My heartbeat echoed in my ears.
I dared not imagine what might have happened.
What if our parents hadn't returned?
How far would Ethan and I have gone?
That moment in his eyes wasn't spontaneous passion.
It felt calculated, planned long in advance.
The ice cream on my shirt had melted.
Yet I couldn't stop thinking about his hands.
Strong, warm, capable of enveloping me completely.
After that day, something shifted between us.
Ethan began pursuing me relentlessly.
Fresh strawberries in the morning.
Warm milk delivered late at night.
The room felt cramped in the dim light.
My slip nightgown offered little protection against the evening chill.
I accepted his attentions.
He mistook my acceptance for agreement.
His arms encircled my waist from behind.
His voice, husky and magnetic, whispered near my ear.
"Isabella, I truly adore you."
His tall frame seemed to swallow me whole.
I could feel his warm breath against my skin.
His heat seeped into me from behind.
I tried to push him away.
Fear of discovery made me frantic.
"Ethan, get hold of yourself!"
He captured my wrists.
Pinned me against the wall.
"Isabella, I've never been clearer! You're the one who keeps tempting me!"
His outburst made me tremble.
Tears welled in my eyes.
"Brother... please don't treat me like this."
My eyes glistened with unshed tears.
His knee pressed between my legs.
His palm slid down the curve of my waist.
I struggled in fear.
My shoulder strap slipped.
Revealing delicate, flawless skin.
"Don't move—"
His voice turned gravelly.
Hot breath fanned my ear.
He restrained my flailing hands.
His mouth crashed against mine.
He devoured me with desperate hunger.
A whimper escaped my lips.
His kiss left me dazed and pliant.
I ceased resisting.
Began responding to his advances.
To my surprise, he went no further.
Time lost meaning.
My lips felt swollen and bruised.
Tears stained my cheeks.
I slid down the wall, utterly vulnerable.
"Brother..."
Ethan drew a sharp breath.
He fetched my外套.
Covered my exposed skin.
"I'm sorry."
With those final words, he walked away.
Afterward, he avoided me constantly.
As if I were some dangerous creature.
An emptiness gnawed at my heart.
He had been the one to force that kiss.
He had been the one I rejected.
Why then did I feel this loss?
I assumed he found our encounter too awkward.
I didn't dwell on it.
After graduation, I met my future husband.
We married, started our family.
Then during postpartum recovery, I encountered my brother again.