My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 142

Before I knew it, my cheeks had flushed bright red. So this is what it feels like when your face is about to explode.

“Camille.”

“Y-yes?”

“I can’t undress you if you keep holding on like that.”

Only then did I realize I had been instinctively clutching the front of my dress tightly.

Ethan’s hand covered mine. I flinched, and he gently stroked my head as if to soothe me.

Then with his other hand, he slowly loosened the fingers gripping my dress.

The dress slipped down, leaving me in just a corset and drawers.

Even though it was just undergarments, the only exposed skin was my shoulders and upper chest—areas that would be visible even in a slightly daring evening gown.

And yet, for some reason, I felt unbearably embarrassed. Maybe I had grown too used to the customs of this world.

I crossed my arms to cover my chest. Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he examined me.

“You’re bruised.”

“Well, like you said, I did fall off a horse.”

Ethan’s fingers lightly brushed the side of my shoulder.

“Does it hurt?”

“…It’s not that bad,” I answered softly. It really didn’t hurt, but the area where his fingers had touched felt oddly hot.

“There’s a scrape here too.” Ethan looked down at my back as he spoke.

“…Really? I didn’t know. It’s not serious, is it?”

“Serious or not isn’t the point. What matters is that you’re injured.”

His voice carried a mix of pity and anger.

“They didn’t treat you at all over there?”

“Um… I’m not sure. I was unconscious at first. After that, they didn’t really do anything… But isn’t that a good thing? You said you didn’t want any other man seeing my body.”

I tried to lighten the mood with a playful tone. Ethan stepped off the bed with a stiff expression and rang the handbell. A maid soon entered the bedroom.

“Bring ointment. For bruises and lacerations.”

“Yes, Master.”

The maid bowed and left the room.

“…I’m fine.”

“You’re not,” Ethan replied firmly to my awkward mumble.

“Why? Are you afraid it’ll scar?”

“Don’t say things like that. Not even as a joke.”

“So what if it does? It’s a badge of honor. Knights are proud of their scars, aren’t they?”

“Camille.”

Ethan looked at me with a furrowed brow, like a stern teacher giving a warning.

“Be careful. There are things you shouldn’t joke about.”

‘…Was that really such a terrible thing to say?’

I didn’t quite understand, but I decided to stay quiet.

Then Ethan reached behind me. Feeling the corset laces loosening, I panicked and turned toward him.

“Ethan! W-what are you doing?”

“Are you seriously asking? I’m checking your injuries.”

He said it in a calm voice.

“Didn’t you just finish checking?”

“What are you talking about? I’ve only seen your shoulder and upper back.”

“J-just how far are you planning to check… Are you going to strip me completely right here?”

“Of course.”

“W-what?!”

I stared at him in shock, eyes wide.

“Y-you’re not serious, are you?”

“Face forward and stay still. The laces are hard to undo,” Ethan said as he turned my head forward.

With each lace that came undone, my mind felt increasingly dazed.

‘W-what do I do? Is this really okay? Can this be happening?’

While I was caught in a panic, Ethan swiftly finished untying the corset. I could feel the looseness in the back.

“E-Ethan. Wait a minute…!”

I hurriedly clutched the front of my corset.

Fortunately, Ethan didn’t seem intent on removing it completely just yet. He silently stared at my back, now exposed through the loosened corset.

“…What is it? Is there another wound?”

Even as I asked, I figured that wasn’t the case. My body still ached here and there, but it was clearly from bruising. If there were scrapes, they’d be on areas protected by the thick corset, so it seemed unlikely there were any serious cuts.

Ethan didn’t reply for a while. When I glanced back at him, he finally said, “No… it’s fine. It’s clean.”

“I thought so. Then I’ll go ahead and tighten it back up—kyaa!”

I let out a startled cry. Ethan had traced his finger down along my spine.

“W-what are you doing?”

“…Because it’s clean.” Ethan murmured quietly, “So clean… such a beautiful back.”

Those words made my face burn all over again.

“Th-thanks for the compliment. But if you’re done checking, then maybe you should—mmph!”

I flinched and gasped. A soft, warm sensation had touched near my shoulder blade. Ethan had kissed my back.

“W-what are you—ah!”

Ethan moved his lips to the center of my back and this time kissed me with an audible smack. I instinctively curled forward, but he firmly held my waist with both hands, directly on bare skin beneath the corset.

“E-Ethan. Uuh…!”

Regardless of my will, strange sounds kept escaping my lips. Ethan’s lips continued to move across my back, as if memorizing its shape and texture.

Every touch sent a shiver I’d never felt in my life. Not just where his lips landed—my stomach tightened and my spine tingled.

“Ethan, stop…!”

I couldn’t take it anymore and twisted my head to face him. He looked up, and our eyes met. Ethan’s eyes sparkled with a hazy gleam.

The next moment, he kissed me on the lips.

“Mmph…!”

I was so stunned I didn’t even close my eyes. His kiss was rough and intense, like he was about to devour me. He nibbled my lower lip, then pushed my upper lip upward to open my mouth. Something soft and warm slipped inside.

I instinctively grabbed his hair. Ethan caught my hand and interlaced our fingers. His other hand remained tightly around my waist.

My back and neck were twisted almost 180 degrees, but I didn’t notice. I was too focused on enduring Ethan’s kiss and catching shallow breaths whenever he allowed a brief pause.

When I came to my senses, I was lying on my back on the bed. The corset had been completely removed and tossed aside. The only thing covering me now was a thin pair of drawers.

I had no memory of how it happened. Ethan, straddling me between his knees, looked down with darkened eyes. In that position, he slowly began unbuttoning his shirt with one hand. Through the open collar, his solid, chiseled chest came into view.

I swallowed without thinking. Then—

There was a knock at the door.

“Master, I’ve brought the ointment you requested.”

Ethan and I turned our heads toward the sound, then looked at each other.

After a few seconds of silence, I quickly pushed Ethan off and sat up.

“Come in!”

A maid entered with a tray of medicine bottles. She froze at the sight of us.

I grabbed the fallen dress beside me to cover myself.

“Bring it here.”

The maid hesitated, glancing at Ethan. When he gave a silent nod, she finally approached.

“T-this one is for bruises, and this one is for cuts.”

She pointed to each ointment in turn.

“Got it. Thank you.”

“Th-then, I’ll excuse myself.”

She set down the tray, bowed, and quickly exited the room.

I picked up the ointment and handed it to Ethan. “Here. Apply it.”

“……”

Ethan looked at me with clear displeasure, unable to hide his disappointment.

“What? You’re the one who asked for it. You said you didn’t want scars. Hurry up.”

I shoved the ointment into his hand and turned around, showing him my back.

“……”

After a moment of silence, Ethan let out a small sigh. Then he began applying ointment to my shoulder.

His touch was gentle, and I hardly felt any pain. Instead, the residual heat inside me stirred again. Every time his fingers brushed my skin, I held back the sounds that threatened to escape.

It was dizzying. What would have happened if the maid hadn’t come in?

In that moment, I hadn’t even thought to stop Ethan. In fact, it was the opposite. I’d felt a vague anticipation for what was to come.

I bit my lip gently.

‘…I must be insane.’