CHAPTER 18 - AFTER THE STORMS , COMES FIRE .

Chapter eighteen - After The Storms , Comes Fire .

As Ethan got downstairs, there she was—Haera—wearing nothing but his white shirt, looking as stunning as ever. The shirt hung loosely on her, barely reaching her thighs, exposing the soft curves of her body beneath. Ethan froze at the sight, his mouth slightly open as he swallowed hard.

But then the memory of the bloodstains on the bed rushed back. His heart skipped.

She was setting the table for breakfast all by herself, completely unaware of his presence.

In an instant, he rushed over to her, gently grabbing her shoulders and spinning her around to check for any wounds.

"Haera, are you okay? I saw blood on the bed. Did I hurt you? Tell me—show me," Ethan said, his voice full of concern as he scanned her from head to toe.

But Haera only laughed.

"Haera, this isn't funny!" he snapped, furrowing his brow. "How can you laugh when I'm being serious?"

Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as she finally looked up at him and began to explain.

"Errh… calm down. That… that's because it was my first time," Haera stammered, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Ethan's expression shifted instantly—his worry written all over his face. "Wait… was I too rough? Did I hurt you? I mean, I knew it was your first time, but I didn't go slow. I'm sorry, Haera. Please—let me check if I hurt you," he said, panicked, already reaching for the hem of her shirt.

Haera's eyes widened as she gasped and quickly grabbed his hand, holding it firmly in place.

"Stop it, Ethan! This is so inappropriate. You… you want to check it?" she said, flustered, her voice caught between protest and embarrassment. One hand gripped the hem of the shirt tightly, the other locked around his wrist, preventing him from going any further.

"What's inappropriate about it? I'm your husband—there's nothing wrong with this," Ethan said firmly, his tone laced with concern. "Come on, let me check. Sit on the chair."

Without waiting for her agreement, he gently guided Haera toward the chair, but she quickly stood back up, flustered.

"I'm fine, I promise," she said, biting her lip nervously. "It's normal… and it doesn't hurt. You weren't rough at all—you were actually gentle."

Ethan stared at her for a moment, reading her expression. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly. When she nodded, he finally let out a soft sigh. "Okay… but tell me right away if anything hurts."

Still not fully convinced, he calmly lifted her by the waist and placed her gently on the table, eyes never leaving hers.

Haera avoided making eye contact with him, her cheeks already burning. Ethan noticed and couldn't help but smirk.

"It seems Mrs. Kang is shy this morning," he teased, leaning in close. "How about we go for round eight, hmm?"

"Ethan!" she gasped, quickly swerving her face away just before his lips could touch hers. "You... You're doing this on purpose!"

She buried her face in her hands, flustered. "Stop teasing me and let's just eat breakfast."

Ethan chuckled softly, thoroughly amused by her reaction. "Fine," he said with a wink. "But don't think this conversation is over."

Ethan gently placed her down, still holding her by the waist, then sat at the head of the table. Haera began serving the food, trying her best to stay composed.

"By the way, my love…" Ethan began, picking up his cutlery. "Where are all the servants and guards? I haven't seen a single one of them today."

Haera smiled, setting down a bowl of soup in front of him. "Well, Mrs. Lee gave them a weekend holiday… so we could be alone. I think she somehow knew."

Before she could take her seat, Ethan pulled her onto his lap, catching her by surprise.

"If that's the case," he said with a mischievous grin, "then we should enjoy this time to the fullest. How about we do it three more times after breakfast… That'll make it an even ten, counting last night."

Haera's eyes widened and her cheeks turned scarlet as she sat on his lap, completely flustered. "Ethan!" she whined, burying her face into his shoulder. "You're unbelievable."

Ethan fed her gently, and Haera returned the gesture, sitting comfortably on his lap. Throughout breakfast, Ethan's gaze barely left her bare thighs, his fingers constantly grazing them with teasing touches that made her squirm.

When he leaned in to steal a kiss, Haera quickly shoved a spoonful of food into his mouth to block him.

"Ethan! Stop being cheeky," she scolded, trying to hold back a laugh. "If you keep this up, I'll bite you."

She stood from his lap, but not before planting a soft kiss on his lips. Then she quickly gathered the dishes and carried them to the kitchen to wash, since the servants weren't around.

Ethan followed behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Let me help," he said smoothly.

Haera hesitated but gave in with a shy nod. "Fine... but behave."

After washing the dishes, Haera turned to Ethan. "I'm going to take a bath," she said casually. "I'll use the guest room so we can leave for the company together." She was about to walk away when Ethan grabbed her hand, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

"How about we take a bath together instead?" he suggested mischievously.

Before she could even respond, he scooped her into his arms and started up the stairs.

"Ethan! What are you doing? Put me down!" Haera shouted, kicking her feet in protest. "I won't bathe with you, you pervert! Put me down!"

But Ethan only chuckled, unfazed by her resistance.

When they got to the bathroom, Haera was just about to push Ethan away when he suddenly turned on the shower, drenching them both. The shirt she wore clung to her body, now completely transparent under the water.

"Ethan! … You pervert!" Haera gasped, trying to hide herself, but Ethan simply smirked, unbothered.

Without a word, he unbuttoned her shirt gently, then slipped off his trousers and tossed them outside the bathroom. He turned her around so her back was facing him and picked up a soft sponge. Slowly and tenderly, he began scrubbing her back, planting soft kisses on her shoulder as he moved.

They bathed together, wrapped in a slow, passionate rhythm that made them forget the world outside. Afterward, Ethan carefully dried Haera's hair, brushing it through his fingers before doing the same to his own.

He finished dressing first and sat on the edge of the bed, watching her with a soft smile as she got ready.

"You look stunning," he whispered, standing to press a kiss to her forehead. Haera blushed, then reached up to adjust his tie properly before they finally left for work.

Throughout the day, Ethan couldn't take his mind off her. His thoughts kept drifting back to the way she smiled at him that morning. He couldn't wait to get home again.

Haera was no different. She kept smiling to herself, cheeks flushed at every little memory of the man she now called her husband.

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✍️ Author's Note – From Queen Mystery:

Thank you so much for reading Chapter Eighteen of Love in a Long Suspense! 🌸

This chapter gave us a softer, more playful side of Ethan and Haera—don't you just love seeing them like this?

Your support means the world to me. Your votes, comments, and library adds help this story reach more readers and get closer to a Webnovel contract. Let's do it together! 💪

I'm always reading your feedback, so tell me what you loved (or screamed at!) in this chapter. And don't forget to check out the Reader Challenges and upcoming events on my page!

With love,

—Queen Mystery 👑

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