Chapter 14

"You two finally made it here."

As soon as they stepped into Ethan’s apartment, Flora greeted her husband and Amelia with a bright smile, welcoming them inside. She then invited them to tour the tidy, move-in-ready space.

"Have you been here long?" Ethan asked. When he saw Flora, he took a moment to hug her briefly and kiss her forehead tenderly, a scene that Amelia couldn’t help but notice.

"Not long," Flora replied. "I’ve been here since around 10 to tidy up. And now, the apartment is all ready for Amelia to move in."

Ethan nodded and then turned to Amelia, suggesting they talk. 

"From now on, you can stay here, Amelia. I hope you feel comfortable. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to contact either Flora or me."

"Thank you so much for the apartment, Flora," Amelia responded.

"If you ever feel uncomfortable or uneasy, you need to let me know right away, Amelia," Flora urged.

"Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll be fine here. Plus, Risma will be here with me," Amelia reassured her.

"Alright then, it's time for me to show you around the apartment," Flora said, taking Amelia’s wrist and leading her on a tour. Ethan decided to sit and wait in the living room. After the tour, they had dinner, which Risma had prepared.

Once everything was taken care of, Flora was ready to leave. But as Ethan stood to follow her, she stopped him.

"Tonight, you should sleep here," Flora said, her expression firm with no hint of doubt or jealousy.

"Isn’t tonight supposed to be my night with you?" Ethan asked, confused.

Ethan certainly remembered that just last night, he had moved to Flora's room to sleep together. According to the schedule, there were still two more nights he was supposed to spend with his first wife before switching with Amelia. But now, before he had even finished his time with Flora, why was she suddenly asking him to sleep at the apartment with Amelia?

"I know tonight is supposed to be your night with me," Flora said. "But after thinking about it, I believe it’s better if tonight, on your first night here, you stay with Amelia. Besides, you remember the condition I set, right?"

Ethan nodded.

"Yes. I know that. But—"

"Just do it as soon as possible. Please set your ego aside and respect the sacrifices I’ve made. As for our schedule, don’t worry about it. We can always swap nights later."

"So, I really have to sleep here tonight? But what about my work things? My clothes, laptop, and other work materials are all at our house, Flora. I can’t work if everything is still there."

"Don’t worry," Flora replied casually, a smile returning to her beautiful face. "I’ve already put some of your clothes here. As for your laptop and other work stuff, I packed them earlier. You can check and use what I’ve already prepared in the master bedroom."

It wasn’t like Flora to leave anything to chance. It seemed as if everything had been planned, and Ethan couldn’t refuse her request.

"It’s late. I’ll head home now," Flora said.

"I’ll drive you home," Ethan offered. He couldn’t bear to see his wife go alone at night. He was worried something might happen to Flora on the road.

"No need, darling. I came here with the driver. You don’t need to worry about me. You should go ahead, shower, and rest. Plus, poor Amelia might feel lonely if you leave her alone."

"Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you?"

"I’m 100% sure."

After making sure Flora had left safely and was headed home, Ethan decided to return to the apartment unit.

Entering the master bedroom, he found Amelia already changed into her pajamas. She was sitting on the bed, relaxing while watching TV. 

Ethan decided to freshen up first. When he was done, he walked toward the bed and stood for a moment, observing Amelia.

"Aren’t you going to sleep?" Ethan asked.

Amelia, who had been focused on the TV, turned her gaze to him and responded.

"Soon. Are you going to sleep now?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"So, where are you going to sleep tonight? Are you going to sleep on the sofa again, like before?"

Ethan shook his head. He continued walking toward the bed, slowly climbing onto it and getting comfortable. He then answered Amelia’s question.

"No. Tonight I’m sleeping here, on the bed, next to you."

Amelia was taken aback by Ethan's answer. She needed to make sure she heard him correctly. After all, he had previously refused to sleep with her, saying he wasn’t ready to share a bed with the woman who had once broken his heart.

"Are you sure you want to sleep in the same bed with me tonight?" Amelia asked.

Ethan nodded several times, his decision final. He figured that if he didn’t start adjusting now, when would he ever learn to get used to it?

"I’ve decided. From tonight onward, I’ll sleep in the same bed as you, just like any husband and wife should." After saying this, Ethan leaned in closer, deliberately moving toward Amelia. He whispered, "What about you? Are you ready to give me what I’m entitled to as your husband? Are you ready to give me anything I ask for? Like making love with me as your husband?"

Amelia went silent, asking herself if she was truly ready to meet Ethan’s needs tonight.