Chapter 274: The Princess Hiding Under the Bed, and Her Sister Sneaking a Taste Too (3)
Under the bed, Violet, hidden in the darkness, bit her lip hard to stifle the trembling of her mouth.
Her teary eyes shimmered as if they might spill over at any moment.
Her chest felt heavy, as though a massive weight was pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe.
But she didn't dare make a sound.
She couldn't hear what Shia said after that, nor did she hear Aph's response.
All she could make out were faint rustling sounds, quiet but unmistakable, filtering through the stillness.
Above her was her boyfriend—and her beloved older sister, her most loyal knight.
But what were they doing?!
Why had they suddenly fallen silent?
And why hadn't Aph answered Shia's question?
Her mind was a chaotic mess. It felt as though a kitten was scratching at her heart, leaving her both itchy and aching, utterly miserable.
Unable to hear clearly, Violet's imagination only ran wilder.
Her mind conjured up scenes of her beloved sister and her boyfriend snuggling sweetly on the bed, while she, the poor princess, was stuck hiding under it, unable to make a sound.
'Is Aph enjoying this? Feeling happy and satisfied?'
She couldn't stop picturing various scenarios—ones where she had previously imagined herself as the lead, now starring Aph instead.
The cramped space under the bed was cold, and remaining in one position for so long made Violet's body stiff and her limbs numb.
'Why did it turn out like this?'
Fine, she admitted she'd had the idea of sneaking in to surprise him when she agreed to stay the night. And yes, she did act on it.
But now? She was under the bed! Unable to even breathe too loudly!
And Aph? She was here to sneak her own share as well.
'Why does she get to have such a cozy time alone with my boyfriend, while I'm stuck like this?'
The more she thought about it, the more resentful Violet became.
'Why is life so unfair?!'
Her frustration grew. Adding to her misery was the fact that, while she could make out their tones of voice through the bed, she couldn't clearly hear the conversation.
While her thoughts spiraled, the noises above suddenly stopped.
'Huh?'
'Why did it go quiet?'
She strained her ears but couldn't hear a thing.
The silence felt deafening. Her curiosity peaked, and she lifted herself slightly, pressing her ear to the underside of the bed.
This helped her hear a bit better. There were faint rustling sounds, accompanied by other noises she couldn't identify.
'Did they stop? Or… did they just start?'
'What are they even doing up there?! What should I do now?'
'Should I come out? Or stay hidden?'
Her curiosity gnawed at her. Listening to their interaction earlier had already been torturous, but now that there was no sound at all, it was even worse.
She found herself paralyzed in indecision.
'Are they going to sleep now? Then what about me?! Am I supposed to stay under this bed all night?'
Her eyes widened at the thought.
The small, dark space beneath the bed was already uncomfortable. Just the idea of spending the night there felt unbearably tragic.
'No, absolutely not!'
Violet's mind whirred until she came up with a plan.
The screen of her phone lit up the cramped space under the bed.
The light cast a glow on her face, revealing a mischievous smile.
Not long after…
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
A special notification tone chimed from above.
Aph, startled, quickly turned over and grabbed her phone.
The message was simple and concise:
[Can't sleep. I want to see you. Let's talk.]
Aph, her expression complicated, read the message before turning off her phone.
'Pretend to be asleep and not respond?'
She frowned, debating her options.
If she didn't reply, would Violet come looking for her?
And if Violet couldn't find her in her room, how would she explain?
If Violet realized Aph wasn't there and decided to come to Shia's room instead… how would she explain being here?
Behind her, Shia's body shifted closer, and his deep, magnetic voice murmured in her ear.
"Who's messaging you?"
Aph bit her lip, torn between reluctance and resignation, before finally making her decision.
"I need to go back now."
Shia sat up on the bed, propping himself up with one hand, his eyes following Aph's retreating figure.
Her black stockings were slightly torn, exposing smooth, tanned skin.
Even her satin slip dress was a little disheveled, as if it might slip off at any moment.
Aph clutched her dress as she hurriedly left, her long emerald hair swaying with her movements.
Shia's gaze grew contemplative as he watched her leave.
'Why does this feel like… I'm the one being used and discarded?'
He rubbed his temples, shaking off the odd thought.
Once the door clicked shut, Violet—the ever-resourceful "Princess of Wisdom"—finally crawled out from under the bed.
This time, she took the lesson to heart and immediately went to lock the door before reclaiming her rightful spot.
The silver-haired princess nestled against Shia's chest, rubbing her cheek affectionately against his warmth.
She even took the initiative to guide his hand around her slender waist, pulling herself closer.
Their posture was intimate, full of cozy affection.
Shia lowered his gaze, looking at Violet's smug expression.
"You sent her away, didn't you?"
"Mm-hmm~."
Her voice brimmed with pride.
As the victor in this battle for attention, she had every right to feel smug!
In the end, it was her he'd be holding all night.
Watching her practically preen with satisfaction, Shia couldn't help but chuckle. He reached out and lightly tapped her small, upturned nose with his finger.
"You, you…"
Despite her usual cold and proud demeanor, Violet couldn't entirely hide the traces of childishness in her behavior.