Chapter 7: Falling into the Forbidden

Rachel took a bag of candles out of her purse.

A sweet, sticky scent drifted through the air.

It was completely different from last time, which smelled like a weird mix of cilantro and garlic.

"Thanks, Aunt Rachel, but I don’t need it anymore..."

I held the bag awkwardly, trying to avoid her eyes. The kitchen clock ticked loud in the background. Trying to avoid the book’s tragic ending, I hurried to explain, but as soon as I spoke, I realized my voice was hoarse beyond recognition.

My words came out broken, and the familiar heat surged up again.

The world spun a little. I swayed on my feet, grabbing the counter for balance.

Unconsciously, I tugged at my pajama collar, panting heavily.

I waved my hand, wanting Rachel to put the candle away, but my whole body swayed.

Maybe afraid I’d fall again, Rachel quickly grabbed my wrist.

Her slightly calloused fingertip gently rubbed the prominent bone.

A tingling itch spread from my heart.

The fleeting touch only made the emptiness inside more unbearable.

Instinctively, I craved more, wanted release...

"Alex, what are you doing?"

Since I became an adult, Rachel rarely called me by my full name. Her always calm voice now carried a rare hint of panic.

She stepped closer, concern etched in her features—the mask slipping, if only for a moment.

"Uncomfortable, want to kiss... kiss..."

I hugged Rachel, nuzzling my lips against the faintly scented skin of her neck, fumbling with her shirt buttons, panting desperately.

She stiffened in my arms, but didn’t pull away. The space between us crackled with something dangerous, a live wire humming through the quiet house.

Comments:

[Damn, did Rachel actually bring back the real scented candle? You perv, come clean—was it on purpose or just a happy accident, or purposely accidental...]

[What’s going on? Why does it feel like the main guy really got smarter—not only refusing the candle, but also not resisting his aunt’s touch? Didn’t he used to find it disgusting?]

[Same here. The main guy’s been acting weird lately, like he can see the comments...]

[Our taboo shippers have been starving for so long, finally we get some crumbs. But I never thought the first one to make a move would be the main guy. Rachel, you sinister queen, go for it. The book’s biggest villain, don’t let us down.]

[Hurry up, once they start, it’s going to get wild. He’s not making it out of this kitchen alive, lmao.]

The fresh, woody scent of Rachel’s perfume cleared my mind a little.

But I didn’t stop my hands.

On the one hand, the candle made me restless and desperate for relief.

On the other, I wanted to test if what the comments said was really true.

Rachel, my aunt—did she really have unspeakable feelings for me?

Is the plot really set in stone?

One, two, three...

Time seemed to stretch endlessly. No words, just the sound of our tangled breaths, so ambiguous it was almost indecent.

The soft hum of the refrigerator, the distant drone of a passing car—everything faded into the background. I always knew Rachel had a great figure.

But I didn’t expect her curves to be this amazing.

Full chest, slender waist, long legs wrapped in tailored black suit pants, not an ounce of extra flesh, the pale skin before me a silent temptation.

Before my mind could even process it, my hand was already on her.

Her skin was cool and soft, and for a second, I felt like I was falling—right into something I couldn’t name.

So soft...

The woman let out a low, trembling moan, but said nothing.

Her breath hitched against my ear, and her fingers tightened on my arm. I licked my lips, staring at Rachel’s ears, red as if they’d bleed, and lowered my head:

"Help me."

My voice was raw—half demand, half plea. The kitchen lights cast gold shadows across her cheekbones.

Comments:

[Ahh, main guy, you’re too seductive. Who can even tell you apart from a succubus now? Rachel, hurry up and feed him, give him everything.]

[Has the main guy finally awakened and decided to fall into his aunt’s arms? I’ve been wanting to say, the main guy has looks and money—he’s blind to like Melissa, who’s always getting hurt.]

[You’re giving Alex too much credit. He’s probably just delirious from the candle, mistaking Rachel for Melissa.]

[Did everyone forget Rachel is the big villain? The main guy used to be a spoiled brat, bullied Drew, tried to drug Melissa several times. Honestly, neither of them are good people, and with this aunt-nephew thing, isn’t this kind of forbidden love just a bit much?]

[Upstairs, I’m already reading the novel, don’t judge me. Actually, now that you mention it, these two taboo ones fit each other better. As for Melissa and Drew, just lock them together—I’ve already got their ship name: Yellow-Green Light, the blonde bad boy and the green tea second male, little nightlight.]

As the comments scrolled by, my hand happened to land on Rachel’s belt.

Her breath shivered, and for a split second, the world felt perfectly still, as if the next move would change everything—the house, the future, even the person I thought I was.

A faint siren howled in the distance, the sort you hear late at night when the city can’t quite settle down. I looked up into Rachel’s eyes, searching for an answer, but all I found was the reflection of my own confusion—and something darker, aching, waiting to break free.

Whatever was about to happen, I knew there was no going back.