Chapter 77: A Dessert’s Memories & Taking A Bath Together

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Her mother’s delicious bavarois.

Her sister’s sorrowful eyes after she saw with clear disappointment how their mother did not even want to give her any attention, despite how hard she had worked that day.

A memory of childhood that mixed both the sweetness of a dessert that had marked that particular summer, and also the bitter memory of her sister whom she had ignored for all these years later.

After remembering a fragment of her childhood that she thought she had completely forgotten, Elisa started crying quietly. The sudden tears shocked Riven and the two siblings who were present in the room.

It was not just because of the flavor of the dessert itself, but... a complicated mix of many things. That included how she had ignored her sister so many times in the past, not only on that one summer afternoon.

"E-Elisa?! Why are you crying? Is it bad?" Riven panicked slightly, leaning closer. "I’m sorry, it was only my second time cooking it... did I mess up the cream?"

"No... it’s good," she muttered softly, her voice thick with emotion. "I... I just remembered that... I used to eat this with my mother when I was little... and... how couldn’t I realize back then? My sister..."

Riven had learned about this being her favorite dessert from the future he came from. It was one of the small, personal things she had confessed to him back then during a quiet conversation.

He had decided to surprise her with her favorite dessert as a simple act of care, but he never thought it would cause such a deep and emotional reaction.

He gently offered her a clean handkerchief, and she carefully cleared the tears from her cheeks. "Sorry," she apologized, her voice still a little shaky. "It’s really good, Riven... thank you." She smiled genuinely at him, finally stopping herself from feeling embarrassed about simply being honest for a moment.

Riven nodded with a kind and understanding smile. "Of course," he said while holding her hand gently and caressing the back of it with his thumb. "I am glad you liked it."

"..." Elisa blushed lightly as she felt the warmth of his hand against hers. She did not move her hand away. Instead she held his even tighter, their fingers slowly intertwining. "Let’s finish this and take a bath together?"

"Sure," Riven answered, feeling a little overwhelmed by her sudden cuteness as he nodded in agreement.

But then Riven noticed two empty cups rising up from the other side of the table.

"Can we have seconds?" Daniela asked, almost at the exact same time as Carlos. Both of them looked at him with hopeful, puppy-like eyes.

"Hah," Riven laughed softly at their expressions. "Too much sugar isn’t good right before bed, but... well, you can have some of mine." He decided to share the rest of his portion with the children.

"Really?!"

"Nice!"

The two kids immediately started devouring the remaining bavarois with happy energy. Riven did not really mind at all. He was simply glad that they were happy and that they had already adjusted so well to life in the house.

Riven finished washing the dishes and then walked back toward one of the bathrooms. He found Daniela and Carlos already preparing to take a bath of their own.

"Make sure to wash your hair well," Riven said before closing the door and heading over to join Elisa.

"...You take too long!" she said while blushing lightly.

"Sorry," he replied. "Let’s take a bath."

Their bathtub was massive and had plenty of open space around it so that Elisa’s wheelchair could move comfortably.

As usual, he helped her undress. Until now that process had always stopped at her underwear, because she insisted she did not want to show anything to his "perverted eyes."

But this time she did not stop him.

"A-Aren’t you going to help me take the bra off or not?"

"Huh? Sure..."

Riven felt his heart begin racing as he carefully unhooked the clasp. Her beautiful chest bounced gently free from the tight bra. It was...

Elisa blushed a little deeper but did not shy away from showing him her body.

"Now down here?"

He nodded and helped her slide off her underwear, placing it neatly into a basket to the side.

There she was, completely naked in front of him.

She was still blushing, and her breathing had grown a little heavier.

"Are you sure this is fine?" Riven asked, feeling nervous and glancing slightly to the side.

"You don’t want to look at your wife’s body?" Elisa asked softly.

"..."

Riven looked back at her and simply admired her beauty for a quiet moment.

"It’s just that... well, you’re so beautiful you might blind me," he said honestly.

"W-What are you talking about?" she muttered, clearly flustered. "J-Just get ready for the bath!"

"Okay..."

"Naked too!"

"?!"

Riven usually wore some kind of beachwear or shorts when they bathed together, but this time she was asking him to be completely naked as well.

They were husband and wife in the end. Who was he to refuse?

After he finished undressing, he carefully carried her over to the bathtub. It was large enough to feel almost like a small pool, or more accurately a spacious jacuzzi.

Riven gently began helping her wash her body. Now that Elisa could move her arms a little better than before, she was also able to wash herself more and even help him in return.

It used to be something he had to do entirely for her. This time she wanted to help him too, turning the simple routine into something far more personal and intimate than it had ever been.

"Riven..." she muttered quietly.

"Yes?"

"..."

Elisa fell silent again. She was clearly thinking about the memories that had returned to her earlier.

After a few more moments she decided she wanted to speak about them with him.

She wanted to open her heart a little more and talk about more personal things with the man who was now her husband.

Especially the matters regarding her sister, and the words Riven had spoken to her before — words that still lingered constantly in her heart.

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