Perhaps fate hadn't severed our sibling bond after all.
Over the next few days, Ethan didn't do anything inappropriate to me.
I gradually realized I had overthought everything.
I thought my brother still had feelings for me.
But that wasn't the case.
After all these years, how could he possibly still like me?
Maybe he had come to understand his affection was merely brotherly love.
This realization lifted a weight off my shoulders.
I let my guard down and became more relaxed around him.
Sometimes I wore bodycon dresses that showed off my slender legs.
When Ethan complimented me, I would blush with shyness.
I even occasionally acted coy with him.
Some intimate physical contact no longer bothered me.
Then one evening, I had a huge argument with my husband.
Daniel was disgusted that a man was performing my postpartum recovery.
He said terrible things to me.
"Do you even share blood relations? You're disgraceful! Having a man handle your postpartum recovery!"
His words stabbed straight through my heart.
"How could you think of me like that?! After all these years together, is this how you see me?"
The next day, my eyes were swollen from crying.
Feeling miserable, I saw Ethan and immediately threw myself into his arms.
Choking back sobs, I buried my face against his chest.
"Ethan!"
I poured out all my grievances to him.
Tears streamed down my face like rain, making me look pitiful and vulnerable.
My shoulders trembled uncontrollably.
"Isabella, don't cry. It breaks my heart to see you like this."
Ethan held me tenderly, his rough hand encircling my waist.
A warm, unfamiliar tingle shot straight to my spine.
So other men's embraces could feel this comforting too...
But he was my brother.
Reason returned to me.
I wiped my tears and tried to push Ethan away.
But to my surprise, he suddenly enveloped me completely.
He curved his lips in a suggestive smile, his breath warming my ear.
"Since your husband already suspects us, why don't we make it real?"
His words struck me like a thunderbolt.
I stared at him, my face pale.
"Ethan, you're joking, right?"
I struggled to break free from his embrace.
But Ethan gripped my wrist fiercely.
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
"I've loved you for so many years. I've always imagined this day would come."
"Rather than taking you directly, I prefer the feeling of slowly conquering you."
As Ethan finished speaking, his warm breath caressed my ear.
His hand began wandering restlessly along my leg.
Intense tingling sensations spread throughout my body.
So sensitive!
My legs trembled weakly.
I gazed at him with tear-filled eyes, biting my pink lower lip pleadingly.
"Ethan..."
"Isabella, you're enjoying this too, aren't you?"
Ethan gave a wicked smile.
His calloused fingers slowly stroked my smooth, delicate skin.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke words that horrified me.
"So what if I'm your brother? It's not like we're blood-related anyway—"
His burning gaze dropped to my sheer white blouse.