He Chose the So-Called Sister Chapter 416: Intimate Soak

Sherry had never been the woman Gilbert loved. That was why he'd refused to have a child with her.

Looking back, it had actually been a blessing. If they'd had a child together, her situation would only have become infinitely worse—hell on earth, even.

But what felt like a relief to her was twisted into a weapon by others.

Cathy even screenshot that interview and tagged Sherry, hoping to watch her break down in sorrow.

Sherry hadn't realized Cathy still had her number. She blocked her immediately.

Back to the present—she'd already bathed. She wasn't dirty, but it was still water she'd used.

It wasn't the same as bathing together. It felt like using what someone else had left behind.

But Lucas acted like it meant nothing at all. "...Want to join me?"

Sherry couldn't hold back anymore. His body was far too perfect, and she was afraid she'd do something reckless.

"I can hear your stomach growling. A quick rinse, then we'll eat."

Sherry touched her belly, surprised he'd noticed. Slowly, they were acting like a real couple—something she'd never had in five years with Gilbert. They'd always kept a cold distance.

She'd been scared that if she acted too familiar, Gilbert would call her worthless, uneducated, no better than anyone else.

Once, she'd gotten a stomachache from the food he'd brought her and accidentally let out a little gas. It was only natural.

But he'd clamped his nose shut and snapped at her without hesitation, "Look how improper you are. This is exactly why I never host dinners at home.

"Take a look at yourself. If I invited people over, were you planning to be their joke?"

She later found out the seafood he'd packed for her was spoiled, leftover from the night before.

He was lucky she hadn't gotten seriously ill.

Now, Lucas was rushing his shower just so she wouldn't go hungry.

Everything he did was for her comfort. The thought made her throat tighten.

This was what it felt like to be truly cared for. Being in love was sweet, not tense and exhausting.

Maybe what she'd felt for Gilbert had never been love at all—just a false salvation she'd tricked herself into believing.

As her eyes blurred with tears, a tall figure lifted her into his arms.

"If you're going to mope that much, just get in with me."

Sherry sank back into the water, now covered with rose petals.

She ended up sitting on his lap. "You're terrible. Our robes are all soaked!"

She wore a white robe that turned nearly transparent when wet, revealing her stunning figure.

She'd finally gained a healthy weight—people would never guess how shockingly thin she'd once been, little more than skin and bones.

She'd always had a nice figure, but she'd looked so worn and tired that no one had noticed. Her tired, lifeless face had been too much to bear, let alone her body.

No one who knew her thought she could be attractive.

Sherry realized she was almost exposed and tightened her robe.

She caught Lucas staring. "You're wearing black. It just looks dark when wet—I can't see anything. This isn't fair."

Sherry forced herself to play it cool, trying to act like she'd been around the block.

Acting too shy and innocent would have felt fake under the circumstances.

But truthfully, she hadn't felt a man's warmth in so long.

Gilbert had never been interested in that kind of intimacy. Looking back, he'd probably been imagining someone else the whole time.

She'd only gotten thinner and more miserable afterward. Back at the Campbell house, she'd at least been able to eat.

Even though Claire had skimped on the household budget and cut back on servants at night, she'd snuck food in the middle of the night. It had been junk, but it had kept her going.

But when she'd moved in with Gilbert, she'd spent all her money on nice clothes to prop up his image. Any good food went to him.

This time, there was nothing left to sneak.

She'd gone hungry so badly she couldn't sleep—only to be yelled at by him.

Later, when he'd demanded expensive things, she'd had no choice but to tell him the truth.