Chapter 93: Thunder in the Middle of the Night! The Kid Next Door Is Cosplaying as Benjamin Franklin on the Roof?
Soft and warm lips landed precisely on his.
Edward's mind went blank for a moment.
He could clearly feel Alan's proactive and passionate kiss, one that was aggressive and possessive, full of wild charm, allowing no refusal and no room for thought.
The couch was soft, and the body pressing down on him was also soft, but the will conveyed was incredibly strong.
However, in that fleeting moment, a strange change occurred.
Those lips, which had been actively exploring with a hint of domineering skill, suddenly stiffened.
Immediately after, a faint, almost imperceptible soul fluctuation flashed by.
The body pressing down on him seemed to have all its strength and courage instantly drained, becoming rigid and trembling.
The previously practiced movements vanished, replaced by extreme and clumsy panic.
Edward could even feel her teeth chattering uncontrollably, bumping against his own lips.
It was a different person.
This thought flashed through Edward's mind.
He almost immediately understood what had happened.
Alan, that audacious woman, had actually returned control of the body to Maria at a time like this!
"Mmm—!"
A suppressed, tearful gasp escaped muffled from between their tightly pressed lips.
Maria's eyes instantly widened, and she finally realized her predicament—she was in an extremely intimate position, pressing down on the guy she secretly liked, and... she was kissing him!
BOOM!
A rush of heat shot straight to her head, and Maria's cheeks, at a visible speed, turned from pink to a scorching deep red, like a ripe tomato, even her ears and neck were not spared.
She panicked, completely panicked.
She wanted to push Edward away, but her hands felt like lead and wouldn't move; she wanted to scream, but her mouth was sealed; she wanted to run away, but her body was frozen and wouldn't obey.
Her mind was blank, filled only with endless embarrassment and panic swirling wildly.
"Sister! You... you total jerk!"
She cried out in despair internally.
Meanwhile, in the full-length mirror in the corner of the office, Alan's figure clearly appeared.
She stood with her arms crossed, leaning leisurely against the mirror frame, a triumphant smirk on her lips, like a scheming older sister watching her plan unfold perfectly.
She even mouthed "Go for it" to Edward outside the mirror.
Seeing this, Edward's last bit of surprise vanished, replaced by helpless amusement.
These two girls... they really know how to mess with people.
He could feel Maria's struggles, which were less like resistance and more like the helpless flailing of a frightened kitten.
If he let her go now, this extremely insecure and shy girl would probably immediately disappear and never dare to face him again.
Instead of letting go, Edward wrapped one arm around Maria's slender waist, holding her slightly trembling body even tighter to prevent her from falling due to panic.
His other hand gently supported the back of her head.
This action instantly stopped Maria's struggles.
She felt a steady and reassuring force transmit through their touching skin.
There was no mockery as she'd imagined, nor any sleazy moves.
Then, Edward pulled back slightly, allowing her to breathe.
Maria gasped for air, her face so red it looked like it was about to burst; she dared not look at Edward's face, only fixating her gaze on her own shoulder.
"Maria."
Edward's voice was low and gentle, with a barely perceptible hint of a smile, echoing in the quiet office.
"Look at me."
Maria's body stiffened, and her head shook frantically. No, absolutely not! How could she dare look at him like this!
However, Edward didn't give her a chance to refuse.
His hand supporting the back of her head exerted slight pressure, while the fingers of his other hand gently tilted her chin up with undeniable command.
Their eyes met.
Maria saw Edward's deep eyes; there was no hint of teasing, only warmth and focus, like a starlit sky.
That gaze seemed to carry magic, miraculously calming her chaotic heartbeat slightly.
"That was Alan's prank just now," Edward explained softly, "But, now..."
He didn't finish his sentence.
Under Maria's gaze, which was filled with shock, shyness, and confusion, he slowly and deliberately lowered his head.
This time, it was no longer Alan's aggressive claim, but an exquisitely gentle kiss, as light as a feather.
Just a soft touch of lips to lips, with careful exploration and comfort.
Maria's mind completely short-circuited.
She could feel the warmth of Edward's lips, and she could smell his fresh, pleasant scent.
Everything felt like a dream, a dream she wouldn't even dare to have.
The embarrassment was still there, but an unprecedented sweet, tingling sensation, like electricity, surged through her entire body even more intensely.
Her tense body slowly relaxed without her realizing it, and her tightly clenched fists also limply opened.
She even forgot to breathe, forgot to think, forgot about her sister watching in the corner.
The whole world seemed to consist only of her and him.
How long did the kiss last? Perhaps a few seconds, perhaps a few minutes.
When Edward finally moved away from her lips again, Maria awoke as if from a dream.
"Ah!"
She let out a short shriek, suddenly springing up from Edward, moving as quickly as a startled rabbit.
She fumbled to straighten her disheveled clothes, her blush now extending to her earlobes.
"I... I... You..." She stammered incoherently, repeating "you" for ages without forming a complete sentence.
Finally, as if remembering something, she stomped her foot and spun around, rushing toward the full-length mirror in the corner.
"Sister! I'm never talking to you again!"
She cried out tearfully, plunging into the mirror, her figure instantly disappearing.
In the mirror, Alan's figure reappeared.
She playfully winked at Edward, her face full of triumphant satisfaction, as if saying, "How was that for a wingman move, huh?"
Immediately after, her figure gradually faded, and the mirror returned to its pristine state, as if everything had never happened.
Silence once again returned to the office.
Edward sat up from the couch and touched his lips, where a trace of soft touch and a sweet fragrance still seemed to linger.
He couldn't help but chuckle.
"Seriously... two troublemakers."
He stretched, feeling a bit tired both physically and mentally.
Time to head home and crash.
He walked to the office door, not touching the doorknob, but calmly thought.
"Devil May Cry."
He reached out, pushed open the door, and stepped through.
"Phew..."
Back in his familiar surroundings, Edward let out a long breath.
He took off his jacket, tossing it onto a chair, then walked into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and splashed cold water on his face to thoroughly clear his head.
Tonight's experiences had been incredibly eventful, from the eerie world of the Beldam to the intense battle, and finally to that ridiculous "sister switch"... well, kisses.
After washing up, he threw himself heavily onto the soft bed and quickly fell into deep sleep.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
"BOOM—!!!"
An earth-shattering clap of thunder, like a bomb exploding in his ear, abruptly jolted Edward awake from deep slumber!
He sat up with a start; outside the window, a pale lightning bolt tore through the night sky, illuminating the entire room as bright as day. Immediately after, large raindrops began pelting the window.
A thunderstorm had started.
After being woken up, nature was calling.
Edward yawned, groggily getting out of bed, shuffling in his slippers toward the bathroom.
After taking care of business, he habitually walked to the small bathroom window, wanting to see how heavy the rain was.
However, that casual glance made him freeze completely.
His house and his next-door neighbor's house were very close, and from the bathroom window, he could see the neighbor's roof perfectly.
At this moment, on the dimly lit neighbor's rooftop, shrouded in fierce wind and rain, a small figure was braving the elements, busy with something.
That looked like... Victor, the little boy next door?
Even more bizarrely, around the kid, several crude kites made of sticks and cloth were erected. Each kite string had a shiny metal key tied to it!
Countless kite strings with keys attached were being guided by the kid, their ends converging on a strange metal device in the center of the rooftop.
Gale-force winds, torrential rain, a midnight rooftop, a small boy, and... lightning-attracting kites and keys?
Edward rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was still half-asleep.
This scene... why did it look so damn familiar?
A huge question mark slowly formed in Edward's mind.
????
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