Guidelines for the Perfect Goodbye - Chapter 160
Hearing the rustling, Ulysses spoke gruffly.
“It doesn’t matter. I didn’t see anything. I undressed you without looking, and it’s the same now.”
The window was still closed. Whether he had opened it or not was a matter left to Ulysses’ conscience, but it wasn’t really important.
“How long has it been?”
“Hmm. Maybe about thirty minutes?”
“Thirty minutes…”
If she was caught like this after disappearing for so long, it would be the end.
Her revenge and everything else would be ruined, and she would rot in a convent for the rest of her life. Or she’d be forever tied in the mud with this man.
Cecilia anxiously felt around her.
“Where are my clothes? Where did you put my clothes?”
“They should be laid out in order on the floor… though I’m not exactly sure.”
“Why did you put them on the floor…?”
She didn’t have the energy or time to be angry. Right now, the priority was to leave this study looking presentable.
Cecilia began picking up her clothes, piece by piece, as if assembling a puzzle. She first put on her shoes and then tried to recall the order of dressing.
“…”
It was an outfit that required someone else’s help to wear properly.
“Need some help?”
“…”
“It’s fine. No one’s watching anyway.”
She heard the sound of him rising from the opposite sofa, and soon footsteps approached.
“…”
“…”
Though she couldn’t see clearly, the faint silhouette was enough. Ulysses was standing right in front of her.
“Reach out your hand.”
Cecilia did as he instructed, reaching out and feeling the air. At one point, she touched something.
As soon as she felt contact, he firmly grabbed her hand.
“…!”
Cecilia glared at him in the darkness.
“Are you crazy?”
“Come out from behind the table and hand them to me in order.”
Like a guide, Ulysses led Cecilia by the hand to a wider space.
“First, the pannier…”
“Where does it go?”
“Behind the waist. Just wrap it around and hold the angle, I’ll fasten it.”
His cold fingertips touched her back, sliding down her spine.
“Ah—”
It was merely to find the right spot in the dark, but his cold fingers felt strange.
Cecilia tried to stay composed.
“Next, this one.”
“The undergarment?”
“Yes.”
“Sorry, I took it off without realizing.”
“…”
Was he really unaware? His tone was completely devoid of any insinuation, making her think he truly didn’t care.
“This is the garter…”
“Where does it go?”
“…The chest.”
Thinking of it that way was less embarrassing.
* * *
“There’s so much. It’s endless.”
Ulysses grumbled, seemingly finding the process more bothersome than he expected.
“No wonder you fainted. This can’t be good for your health.”
“…If I don’t wear this, it’s considered improper.”
Cecilia retorted curtly.
“A tiresome formality.”
On that point, she completely agreed.
Ulysses mumbled something vague as he tightened the corset laces.
“Tighten it more.”
“This is enough.”
“If it’s too much trouble, stop. I’ll have my maid tighten it later.”
“…”
His hands paused for a moment.
Then.
“Mmh…!”
A groan escaped her as he pulled the laces hard.
Ulysses tightened the laces forcefully for a moment before loosening them again.
‘I thought my ribs were going to break.’
Tears welled up in Cecilia’s eyes as she looked at him with resentment. She still couldn’t see him, but she could tell he was smiling.
When you spend time with someone, you notice subtle differences. His breathing near her ear was faintly trembling.
“What are you doing?”
“I wasn’t trying to do anything.”
“No, just now…”
“Think about it. If I intended something, would I be helping you put this on?”
“…”
His blunt statement left her speechless.
In the dark, he was more free-spirited than usual.
“Is this good enough?”
Ulysses tied the corset’s knot and draped the voluminous petticoat over her.
Thanks to Ulysses’ unexpectedly skillful hands, she managed to dress herself. The only remaining issue was her disheveled hair.
‘Luckily, there aren’t many decorations…’
As for her hair, she could pretend it got messy while dancing and fix it in the powder room.
She was finally ready to leave the study.
“Leaving already?”
“Already, you say? More than half an hour has passed.”
“You overdid it. You need more rest.”
Cecilia frowned at Ulysses’ words.
“As I said before, if I’m caught like this…”
“I’ll go check.”
He strode to the door. Opening it slightly to check the quiet outside, he looked back at Cecilia one last time and advised,
“Rest for at least thirty more minutes before you come out.”
