CHAPTER 47: HELPING HER SHOWER

"But..."

"But what? Is it about the contract? I didn’t break our agreement, did I? I’m not in love with you. I’m just attracted to you. And I think you’re attracted to me too. Or... don’t tell me you’ve actually fallen for me?" Adrian said, arching both eyebrows with a hint of smugness in his voice.

"In your dreams. I already told you, you’re not my type," Bianca shot back quickly, her cheeks burning with heat.

There it was again. That’s the line that rubs Adrian the wrong way.

"People’s types can change, Bianca," Adrian said matter-of-factly.

"No way." Her voice was firm, but the pounding in her chest said otherwise.

Bianca didn’t know what to think anymore. She felt confused about where they stood now, especially after Adrian had just casually dropped a confession like that, as if it were nothing.

"If it’s not love, maybe you’re at least a little attracted to me," Adrian guessed, watching her closely.

"Who says I’m attracted to you?" she shot back quickly, a little too defensive.

Adrian raised one eyebrow, lips curling into a smug smirk. "If you’re not attracted to me, then why did you kiss me back?"

"I’m sorry, what?!" Bianca’s jaw dropped at his words.

"You even moaned—" Adrian didn’t get to finish because Bianca quickly pressed her right palm over his mouth.

In response, Adrian stuck out his tongue and licked her palm. Bianca immediately yanked her hand back, eyes wide in disbelief.

Shocked.

"Y-you..." Bianca was speechless. What Adrian had just done sent a shiver down her spine. It didn’t gross her out but her body felt strange, tingling with confusion.

"Sorry, it was instinct." Adrian smirked, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction.

Honestly, Adrian hadn’t expected himself to do that either. Apparently, Bianca’s effect on him was stronger than he thought. Even a small touch like that was enough to cloud his judgment. His body felt hot. Being this close to Bianca made it dangerously hard to control himself.

You fucking bastard, Ad. What the hell is wrong with you? he muttered in his head.

"Don’t you want to shower?" Adrian asked, smoothly changing the topic, his voice a little lower than usual.

That question snapped Bianca back to reality. She blinked, then glanced down at her leg. It was already afternoon, and she hadn’t showered yet. But with her injured leg, she had no idea how she was supposed to do it. Her lips parted slightly as if about to answer, then closed again, uncertainty showing in her eyes.

"I can help you take a shower," Adrian said casually, clearly guessing what she was thinking.

Bianca’s face turned red in an instant. "W-what? You want to help me shower? Keep dreaming!" she said, her voice a little too loud from the sudden panic.

Adrian clicked his tongue and gave her a flat look. "My mind’s not that dirty, Bianca."

She crossed her arms, flustered. "Then what do you mean by helping me shower?"

"I don’t mean anything weird. Your leg is bandaged, you can’t move freely, so I can help wash your hair. You don’t need to take off your clothes. That’s it."

"Oh..." Her voice came out small, clearly embarrassed.

"So? Want me to help?"

Bianca didn’t answer right away. She considered Adrian’s offer, biting the inside of her cheek. After a moment of thought, she finally decided to accept it.

"Fine. But don’t try anything funny," she warned, still not meeting his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. I won’t try anything," he said, amused by her reluctance.

Adrian then got off the bed and walked to Bianca’s side. He gently picked her up and carried her toward the bathroom, careful not to bump her injured leg.

Bianca felt her cheeks burn as Adrian princess carried her into the bathroom.

"You can stand, right?" Adrian asked once they were in front of the sink, his voice softening as he looked down at her.

"Yeah..."

Adrian gently lowered Bianca down. She placed her left hand on the edge of the sink to support herself, standing to Adrian’s left while lifting her injured right foot slightly to avoid putting pressure on it. Seeing this, Adrian moved his left foot closer to her right one.

"Just rest your foot on mine."

Without hesitation or embarrassment, Bianca placed her foot on top of Adrian’s. "Thanks."

"Here," Adrian said, handing her a toothbrush, which she took right away with a small nod.

Bianca wasn’t entirely sure what she felt toward Adrian, but she couldn’t deny that there was truth in what he had said earlier. She was drawn to him. His kindness and the way he took care of her touched her heart, softening it little by little.

But one thing scared her, what if she actually fell in love with Adrian? What would she do then?

They began brushing their teeth side by side. From time to time, they glanced at each other through the mirror in front of them. For some reason, what they were doing now felt unexpectedly sweet and romantic. Adrian didn’t want the moment to end.

A wrinkle appeared on Adrian’s smooth forehead as he glanced around the bathroom, hands on his hips, clearly trying to figure out how he was going to help wash Bianca’s hair.

The sink was out of the question. The shower? Also no. The bathtub? Definitely not.

Adrian thought hard. He was so focused, he didn’t even realize that Bianca had been watching him the whole time. Knowing exactly what was going through his head, Bianca offered a solution.

"Try searching on YouTube. See how people with bandaged or casted legs take a shower," she suggested, leaning her back against the bathroom counter with both hands gripping the edge.

Adrian nodded in agreement. "You’ve got a point. I’ll grab my phone," he said, then walked out of the bathroom.

After grabbing his phone, Adrian made his way back to the bathroom. Holding the device in his right hand, he walked toward Bianca.

Together, they started searching for videos that explained how to shower properly with a cast or bandage. The videos they watched showed that the injured part should first be wrapped with plastic wrap, then covered again with a plastic bag to keep it dry. A chair should also be prepared so the person could sit under the shower for easier access.

What frustrated Adrian most about the videos was the realization that people with injuries like Bianca’s could actually bathe without anyone’s help.

His plan to assist her went out the window, and he had to bury his disappointment. He scoffed at himself, a bit annoyed that he was feeling let down over something as minor as not being able to wash her hair.

The longer this went on, the less he understood his own thoughts.

Once they finished watching the videos, Adrian immediately left to buy everything Bianca would need.

In his 30-plus years of life, Adrian had rarely ever gone out of his way to buy things for others himself. Even birthday presents for his father and grandfather were usually bought by his assistant. But look at him now, only a few days in Japan with Bianca, and he was willingly acting as her personal helper, without a single complaint.

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