The debate over whether Molly had smiled or not went on for a while until she finally shifted the topic, gently coughing. "Miss, if you don't return to your room soon, the sun will rise." Adele had no choice but to stop dwelling on the smile, though she was still visibly annoyed as she stomped back to her room, leading the way.
Once they were back in the room and Adele had been coaxed into taking a bath, she emerged still somewhat indignant, clearly wanting to revisit the issue of Molly's alleged smile.
But Molly knew just how to handle Adele. She patted the bed gently and suggested, "Miss, lie down, and I'll dry your hair." To further distract Adele, Molly even offered to let her rest her head on her lap while she dried it.
Adele was immediately sidetracked by the thought. She imagined herself lying on the bed, her head cradled on Molly's lap, as Molly carefully dried her hair. It seemed like such a bold and tempting offer.
—How bold and daring!
Adele, dazed by Molly's suggestion, let out a soft "ah" before slowly making her way to the bed and finally laying down. Once she was settled on Molly's lap, Molly placed a towel over her legs, preparing to dry Adele's hair with another towel.
As she rested on Molly's lap, Adele became acutely aware of how close she was to Molly's scent.
Molly's scent was gentle and pleasant, with a subtle fragrance that surrounded Adele, making her nervous. Adele's hands, initially relaxed at her sides, unconsciously folded over her stomach, her fingers curling as Molly's fingers gently moved through her hair, drying it. Her eyelids fluttered as she tightly shut her eyes, her long white lashes trembling like the wings of a butterfly.
It was clear that Adele was extremely tense. Her closed eyes, surrounded by those delicate white lashes, quivered uncontrollably. To an onlooker, it might seem as though Molly was doing something inappropriate to Adele, rather than simply drying her hair.
Molly paused her movements, pushing aside the strange thoughts that had crept into her mind. What was she thinking? She couldn't let herself be influenced by Adele. After all, they were both girls—nothing more could happen between them. It was Adele's constant teasing that had put these odd thoughts into her head in the first place.
Frustrated, Molly resumed drying Adele's hair, her movements a bit rougher this time.
"Ouch," Adele winced, her eyes snapping open. The fluttering of her white lashes ceased as her red eyes met Molly's gaze. Adele was, without a doubt, strikingly beautiful.
In ancient vampire lore, it was said that their kind survived in earlier times by luring humans with their beauty, enticing them to offer their blood. Seeing Adele now, it was easy to imagine her thriving in such a time, never going hungry.
Except perhaps if she were too picky to eat what was offered to her.
As Molly's mind wandered through these thoughts, Adele was also deep in contemplation. From her position, looking up at Molly, who was diligently drying her hair, she admired the way Molly's slightly curled black hair framed her delicate face, enhancing her already striking features. Despite Molly's usual icy demeanor, in this moment of care, she seemed softer, almost vulnerable.
Adele's view of Molly was skewed by her own affections, but she couldn't help but find her maid incredibly beautiful in this intimate setting.
Adele had always believed that Molly harbored feelings for her, but their situation made any further development impossible. As the heir to the Black family, Adele had a duty to fulfill, a mission that couldn't be compromised by personal desires. But tonight, with the atmosphere so perfect and the mood so tender, Adele found herself wavering. Could there really be no possibility between them?
Gently, Adele reached out and let her fingers graze Molly's cheek. She touched her as delicately as she had touched the camellia earlier, her fingers brushing against Molly's soft skin. The atmosphere grew increasingly intimate, and a hint of awkwardness hung in the air. But Molly, seemingly unaware of any romantic tension, straightened her posture, set aside the towel, and calmly said, "Miss, your hair is dry now. I should go take my bath."
Adele's hand recoiled as though she had been burned, and she quickly sat up, her hair still a bit messy from the drying. The suddenness of the movement left her looking somewhat disheveled, which Molly found endearing, though her own priority was now to take her bath.
As Molly stood up and began heading to the bathroom, Adele, still flustered, asked, "What are you doing?"
Molly paused, clearly surprised by the question. "Miss, I'm going to take a bath."
Adele blinked in realization and nodded, as if she had momentarily forgotten this basic fact. Once Molly entered the bathroom, the sound of running water soon filled the room, though she wasn't yet bathing—she was washing Adele's clothes first.
The sound caught Adele's attention. Something didn't seem right. She instinctively walked to the bathroom door and knocked. "Molly, what are you doing in there?"
The water stopped, and Molly's voice answered from within, "Miss, I'm washing the laundry."
Adele's face flushed instantly. Molly was doing laundry…which meant she was washing her clothes, including her undergarments. Adele had never thought twice about Molly handling her laundry before—after all, it was a maid's job—but the earlier mood had her overthinking everything. The idea that someone who might have feelings for her was washing her most intimate garments filled her with embarrassment.
Adele's mind began to race. Would Molly, knowing what she did, have inappropriate thoughts while handling her clothing?
The more Adele thought about it, the harder it became to control her thoughts. She mustered all her willpower to resist the urge to burst into the bathroom, opting instead to retreat to her bed, where she sat down, visibly flustered. She tried to calm herself by focusing on the routine—she was wearing a white lace-trimmed nightgown, sitting on the edge of the bed, arms crossed over her chest.
But the sound of water continued to fill the room, the faint noise of clothing being scrubbed reaching her ears, making it impossible to ignore. She couldn't help but wonder if Molly could hear her bathing sounds just as clearly. Then she shook her head, realizing that while her hearing was far superior to Molly's, the door would have blocked the noise for Molly. At least, that's what she reassured herself.
The scrubbing sound eventually ceased, replaced by the sound of water being wrung out, as Molly presumably rinsed the laundry. Adele, unfamiliar with the specifics of laundry, could only guess at what was happening, piecing it together based on the sounds. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the sound shifted to the shower as Molly began her own bath.
Adele's pointed ears twitched, and she blushed deeper, her face almost crimson as she pressed her hands over her ears. Yet the sounds continued to slip through, painting a vivid picture in her mind—a scene of Molly stepping into the steam-filled shower, droplets of water cascading over her body, her arms raised to brush the water from her face…
But Adele couldn't fully visualize it, the steam in her mind's eye obscuring key details. Not that she could help it; after all, she had never actually seen Molly unclothed. She forcefully shook the thoughts away, diving under the covers and pressing her hands over her ears.
—Damn you, Molly! Using such tricks to tempt me! But I won't fall for it!
Adele curled up under the blankets, trying to block out the sounds, but when she heard the bathroom door open, she quickly rearranged herself into a normal sleeping position. Feigning sleep, she could still hear Molly's footsteps, smell the light fragrance that always clung to her, now mixed with a faint hint of moisture.
It was like the scent of dew-laden flowers in the early morning, though Adele had never actually been out at that hour. Still, her maids would often place freshly picked flowers in her room, the dewdrops clinging to the petals of the roses.
Molly, with her gentle, fresh scent, evoked the same feeling for Adele, though it wasn't the vibrant red rose but rather the delicate jasmine flower.
Molly approached the bed, and Adele tensed up. She heard Molly's voice, soft and curious, "Miss, are you asleep?"
Yes, yes, I'm already asleep! So just go away!
Adele shouted internally, but when Molly finally left, she felt a pang of disappointment. Why did she leave so easily?
Adele, thoroughly smitten by Molly's charms.