When Vincent arrived home, he found his mother waiting for him by the door. Vincent said "Mom, do you have to wait for me here?" Mrs Holloway said "Listen son, you are a married man now. Your wife came back home a long time ago and you are still not home; that is not the right way for a married man to act."
Vincent wheeled himself inside with his electric wheelchair and said "Mom, I had a very important business meeting." Mrs Holloway said "Did you inform your wife that you would be home late?" Vincent sighed and said "I will be more careful next time mom."
Mrs Holloway said "Good, now go see your wife." Vincent shook his head in defeat; he knew he couldn't win against his mother.
Arriving at his bedroom, he didn't see Elara inside. Vincent wheeled himself to the closet to prepare for a bath, his mind preoccupied with the day's events. The audition drama, the unexpected encounter with Isabella, and the looming presence of the Shadow Syndicate had left him mentally fatigued. The thought of retreating into the solitude of his private space offered a brief respite.
As he reached for fresh clothes, the door to the bathroom creaked open, revealing Elara in her post-shower state. Clad in only a towel, her cheeks flushed from the warmth of the shower, and her wet hair forming a cascade down her shoulders, Elara emerged into the room. The sight caught Vincent off guard, and for a moment, both were suspended in an awkward silence.
Elara, realizing Vincent's presence, tried to turn around hastily, but the confined space caused her to bump into the door frame. The unexpected collision led to the towel slipping away, exposing her to Vincent's gaze. Time seemed to slow as Vincent found himself captivated by the unintended allure before him.
Elara's cheeks deepened in embarrassment, and she hurriedly reached for the fallen towel. Vincent, momentarily stunned, managed to avert his gaze, feeling a mixture of surprise and an undeniable intensity in the atmosphere. The vulnerability shared in that brief moment left an indelible mark on the air, both acknowledging the accidental breach of privacy.
Breaking the spell, Vincent stammered an apology, "I...I didn't mean to intrude." Elara, in nervous laughter, responded, "No, it's...it's my fault. I should have checked before coming out."
Elara quickly returned to the bathroom and closed the door, her heart pounding wildly. She leaned back against the door, still clutching at the fallen towel. The shocked look on Vincent's face kept replaying in her mind.
"I didn't realize you were back," Elara managed to call out, her voice wavering slightly in embarrassment.
She heard Vincent clear his throat on the other side of the door. "It's okay, I will go to the study for a bit. Will come back after an hour," he replied after a moment.
Elara felt relieved he was giving her space and time to compose herself after the awkward and accidental encounter where her towel slipped. "Thanks," she said gratefully.
She waited in the bathroom until she heard the bedroom door close, signaling Vincent had left. Letting out a deep breath, she steadied her nerves before wrapping herself in a robe and emerging to quickly get dressed, hoping to avoid any further incidents. Still, a part of her tingled from the way Vincent had looked at her just for that brief moment. She tried brushing it aside, but something subtle had shifted between them.
Elara returned to get dressed, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment over the awkward encounter. She couldn't believe Vincent had caught her in nothing but a towel.
After putting on pajamas, Elara went to the kitchen for a cup of tea to calm down. To her surprise, Vincent's mother, Mrs Holloway, sat at the table.
"Goodness Elara, you look flustered. Is everything alright?" Mrs Holloway asked.
"Oh, yes quite alright," Elara replied quickly, not wanting to mention what happened. "Just had a busy day."
Mrs Holloway eyed her knowingly over her mug, noticing Elara's still wet hair. She guessed there may have been an embarrassing run-in with Vincent. Though nothing improper, Mrs Holloway thought the incident may help lead to them seeing each other differently.
"Well do take it easy and relax this evening," Mrs Holloway suggested lightly before retiring to her room, hiding a sly smile. Her plan to nudge the two together seemed to be working, even if just barely so far. But it was a start.
Elara sipped her tea, her mind still replaying the awkward moment with Vincent over and over. She berated herself for not being more careful. If only she had made sure the room was empty before exiting the bathroom. Or if only she had secured the towel tighter so it didn't slip at that mortifying moment. She wished she could turn back time and avoid the whole situation.
Now she agonized over how tense things would be between her and Vincent going forward. Surely he would now see her differently - perhaps be reminded that she was still a woman underneath their passionless marriage arrangement.
Elara worried Vincent might start expecting certain wifely intimacies from her that she just could not provide - at least not emotionally. Their marriage was one of convenience and partnerships, devoid of actual love despite his mother's matchmaking hopes.
Putting her head in her hands, Elara hoped Vincent would be decent enough not to breathe a word about this to anyone else. With time, maybe they could pretend the awkward moment never transpired and continue on as they were. Still, a small voice inside wondered if such an innocent accident could possibly lead to anything more someday...
Elara shook her head, dismissing the very notion. It was foolish to even consider. Wasn't it? She sipped her tea, contemplating what tomorrow might bring between them now.
Elara felt relieved when she returned to the bedroom and saw Vincent had not come back yet. It gave her some time to continue settling her nerves after the earlier awkward incident.
She busied herself with brushing out her damp hair and tidying up around the room, all the while wondering when Vincent would return. Would he act differently towards her now? Be cold or distant perhaps? Or even worse - overly familiar?
Elara shook her head, trying not to dwell on all the scenarios her imagination was conjuring up. She had to remember that just because Vincent saw her unrobed, it did not change the nature of their practical arrangement of a marriage. This was still a union built on mutual business interests and connections rather than any notion of love or attraction.
Elara tossed and turned on the couch, unable to fall asleep as her mind kept replaying the embarrassing incident with Vincent.
"Damn it," she cursed under her breath in frustration. She felt unsettled and on edge, wondering how things would be between them now.
Sitting up, she took out her phone and put on some soft music, hoping it would help calm her nerves so she could finally get some rest. As gentle piano notes filled the quiet bedroom, Elara took some deep breaths and tried to clear her thoughts.
She reminded herself that Vincent had acted like a gentleman about the whole thing earlier. He said he would give her space and privacy to compose herself. Perhaps this incident didn't need to affect their practical relationship that was built more on a partnership than passion.
As the soothing music relaxed her body, Elara's eyes finally started to feel heavy. She laid back down on the couch, the melody easing her anxiety over facing Vincent tomorrow. Whatever awkwardness awaited, she hoped they could remain as cordial and cooperative as they were before. With this last thought, Elara drifted off, the music carrying her to sleep.