Chapter 7

Anna's POV

Now all that was left was to change him into his pajamas.

I knelt beside the bed and slipped my arms around Edward's back, trying to lift him enough to pull the clean pajama top into place. But he was much heavier than I'd expected. Just as I managed to get him slightly off the mattress, I lost my balance and fell forward, taking him down with me onto the pillows.

I landed right on top of him, my cheek pressed against the warm skin at the base of his neck. My lips accidentally brushed the side of his neck.

Our breaths mingled in the small space between us. With my legs straddling his waist, the position was so awkwardly intimate that my heart began racing.

"Anna, I just came to check on you—oh! Sorry. I'll leave you two alone."

The door swung open without warning.

Patricia stood in the doorway. Her eyes briefly widened at the sight of us, but she quickly stepped back and gently closed the door.

I froze for a second before scrambling to push myself upright.

I opened my mouth, but no explanation came out. Then something in my peripheral vision caught my attention, and I went completely still.

Beneath the smooth fabric of his pajamas, a small but unmistakable bulge had formed.

"Pervert," I muttered under my breath, my face burning with embarrassment and indignation.

He'd been lying unconscious for so long, and he could still have that kind of physical reaction?

Edward kept his eyes closed, his expression as peaceful as ever. He showed no outward sign of awareness. After a moment, the bulge gradually subsided, as though nothing had happened.

I frowned at his motionless face.

Was he really completely unconscious? Or could his body react even when his mind wasn't aware of what was happening?

Curiosity got the better of me. I took a deep breath and placed a hand on his waist.

"I'm just changing your pants. It's routine care, nothing more," I announced, deliberately speaking louder than necessary, as if I were trying to convince myself.

I hooked my fingers around the waistband and slowly eased his pajama pants down. The moment the edge of his underwear came into view, I lost my nerve.

I quickly turned my head away, repeating to myself that he was a patient and I was simply taking care of him. There was nothing to be embarrassed about.

But curiosity eventually won out. Biting my lip, I cautiously peeked through half-closed eyes.

Edward remained perfectly still.

I let out a long sigh of relief. It had probably been nothing more than an involuntary physical response. He likely hadn't felt a thing.

With that worry out of the way, I became more efficient. I stopped worrying about his reaction and focused on getting the job done. I pulled the pajama pants down over his legs until they came free, revealing his long, well-toned legs.

I stood beside the bed, looking down at him, my heart still beating unevenly.

Taking his pants off had been easy. Putting them back on was another matter entirely. I'd have to lift his hips to pull them into place, which meant more awkward physical contact.

I paced around the room a couple of times, growing increasingly reluctant at the thought.

"Having to wash you every day is already enough work. Taking your pants on and off is such a hassle. Let's just leave things as they are."

I muttered this to the unresponsive man on the bed before turning to retrieve the jacket draped over the back of the chair.

"That's enough for today. I'm going down to the greenhouse. Get some more rest."

As soon as I finished speaking, I hurried out of the room as though something were chasing me.

Downstairs, the living room was filled with soft afternoon light. Shadows from the plane trees outside stretched diagonally across the wool rug, and the faint fragrance of lilies lingered in the air.

Patricia sat at a wicker table, arranging flowers. A pair of silver flower shears rested beside a white porcelain plate, and a vase nearby was already half-filled with pale, double-flowered lilies arranged at different heights.

When she saw me, she looked up with a slight smile.

"Have you finished getting Edward settled?"

"Mm-hmm."

I blinked, feeling a little guilty.

I'd taken his pants off, but I hadn't actually put them back on. Did that really count as getting him settled?

"These are Edward's favorite lilies. They were delivered today. Why don't you arrange a few and put them in his room?"

She beckoned me over, holding out a stem with tiny beads of water still clinging to it.

I walked over and accepted it. The soft petals brushed against my fingertips, releasing a fresh, delicate fragrance.

After all that struggling upstairs, I'd worked up a slight sweat. My nose still felt damp, but the cool breeze drifting through the window soon made me feel more comfortable.

Patricia watched me with a gentle expression.

"Is taking care of Edward very tiring?"

"It's not too bad. He's just so heavy that I can't lift him properly. I actually lost my balance earlier and fell right on top of him."

Remembering what had happened, I felt my cheeks grow warm again. My fingers unconsciously twisted the dark green leaves along the stem.

"Men are supposed to be strong. That's a good thing."

Patricia smiled and used her flower shears to trim away a few excess leaves. The blades clicked softly.

Then her voice grew quieter, touched by a hint of sadness.

"Edward studied piano when he was young. He even went to Europe for several years of advanced training. Back then, he practically lived in the practice room, playing eight or nine hours a day. He wouldn't stop even when his fingertips were covered in calluses."

She paused, carefully trimming another stem.

"Later, when it came time to take over the business his father had left behind, he had to give up everything he'd spent more than a decade working toward."

My heart gave a small pang, and my hands paused.

So even people born into wealth and privilege weren't always free to choose the lives they wanted.

I'd once assumed that someone like Edward, born into a powerful family with seemingly endless resources, could do whatever he pleased. Apparently, even he had things he couldn't hold on to.