Ever since his arrival, he had entirely taken over every single household chore, leaving me with absolutely nothing to worry about.

Furthermore, he was fiercely loyal to me and never attempted to run away like Milo did, so I never placed any restrictions on his freedom.

Silas was perfect in every conceivable way; the only blemish was his aversion to my physical touch, showing not even the slightest desire to bond with me.

Hearing this, Zack’s expression shifted, and he set his teacup down with a frown.

"My major is animal science, and by nature, mermen are incredibly covetous creatures. They ought to be intensely driven toward bonding."

"That one of yours... could he be suffering from some sort of hidden dysfunction? Have you noticed anything bizarre about his behavior?"

I stroked my chin, filtering through my memories.

"His tail is incredibly sensitive. Every single time I touch it, he sneaks off to the bathroom and stays inside for a solid half hour. When he finally emerges, he actively avoids me."

Zack stared at me, completely flabbergasted.

"Are you telling me you have no idea that a merman's tail is profoundly sensitive? Their tail is essentially the equivalent of a human's..."

He cast a fleeting glance toward an unspeakable area of the anatomy, looking entirely exasperated.

"Well, that explains everything then. You are constantly kissing, hugging, and clinging to the poor guy's tail. He is rushing to the bathroom because he has been holding it in for too long—the poor creature is being utterly tortured by you."

The truth hit me like a physical blow.

No wonder a series of muffled, strained groans echoed from the bathroom every single night, and why Silas always looked so deeply resentful and avoidant whenever he came out.

From his perspective, I must look like an absolute predatory maniac.

Despairing over my ignorance, Zack fished a small pill out of his pocket and thrust it into my hand.

"Give him this to swallow. It will help him release some of that pent-up tension. It isn't healthy to keep it locked up for so long."

The very moment I took the pill from his hand, Silas glided through the front door.

Moving his tail across the floor, his approach was entirely silent.

I had grown completely accustomed to it, but Zack was startled half out of his wits.

"Th-th-this... this is your merman? This isn't a merman, this is a S—"

Silas suddenly spoke up, cutting him off mid-sentence.

"Mr. Zack has been chatting with my Liam for quite some time now. Will you be staying to join us for dinner?"

Zack’s eyelid began to twitch violently, and he kept throwing bizarre, frantic glances in my direction.

Unable to read his signals, I was just about to question him when Zack suddenly slapped his thigh, turning to bolt out the door as if his shoes were on fire.

"Liam! You must take care of your health! I just realized I left my university assignment at school, I must leave immediately!"

"What is wrong with him? He only just arrived," I muttered, entirely bewildered.

Silas, however, wore an expression of profound grievance, the rims of his eyes flushing crimson.

"Was Mr. Zack speaking ill of me to you just now?"

I was somewhat taken aback. Had he perhaps overheard something?

"Whatever makes you think that?"

His gaze, however, dropped significantly toward my palm, which still concealed the pill Zack had given me.

It was clear that I would have no opportunity to administer the medicine to Silas now.

To prove Zack’s innocence, I had no choice but to swallow the pill myself right in front of Silas.

Only then did the sorrow vanish from Silas’s features, and a bright smile graced his lips as he pressed a tender kiss against my mouth.

11

I had never anticipated that the pill Zack provided would possess such a potent effect.

Shortly after swallowing it, a wave of intense heat consumed my entire body, making my face feel hot enough to scorch an egg.

I clamped my thighs tightly against the silk quilt, executing every ounce of my willpower to endure the mounting sensation.

Yet, Silas’s skin was incredibly cool to the touch, and looking at him filled me with an insatiable urge to press myself against his frame.

Abandoning all concern regarding his tail, I reached out blindly and gathered it into a fierce embrace.

Silas’s face flushed a deep crimson, and he made a move to pull away and leave the room once more.

For some inexplicable reason, a wave of profound vulnerability crashed over me. Remembering how Silas constantly rejected my advances, a soft sob escaped my lips, and I sat huddled at the head of the bed, wiping away tears.

"Do you find me repulsive? Is it because of my right leg?"

Silas’s tail had fully healed under my dedicated care, leaving me as the only defective creature in this room.

Aside from him finding me repulsive, I could think of no other reason why he refused to let me near him, especially when he clearly retreated to the bathroom to handle things himself every single night.

Silas’s gaze flickered with intense emotion, appearing somewhat softened by my tears. "I do not find you repulsive."

"Then why? Zack told me your tail is just like a human's... You would rather lock yourself in the bathroom to handle it alone every night than sleep with me. Why are you so unwilling to touch me?"

"Liam."

Silas caught my hands in his own, slowly lifting a few of the rigid, heavy scales situated near the base of his tail.

My eyes widened in sheer shock.

"I simply did not want to tear you apart."

Silas’s tone was incredibly gentle, every single syllable dripping with profound consideration for my well-being.

Yet, I held not a single shred of hesitation. I pushed myself deeper into his embrace.

"I am not afraid... as long as you are just a little bit gentle..."

A flash of pure ecstasy erupted across Silas’s features. He finally pulled me tightly into his arms, his exquisite face driving down toward mine.

He lightly cradled my hands, his voice dropping into a low, hypnotic melody as he coaxed me softly.

"Liam... kiss me."

I leaned in, pressing my lips against the corner of his mouth.

He overthrew my restraint completely, molding my body against his torso as he parted my teeth, locking our tongues together in a fierce, breathless kiss.

"Liam, you must keep your word. You must take responsibility for me."

12

By the time I finally regained my freedom, three full days had passed.

Seizing a brief window of opportunity while Silas was busy sliding a sock onto my foot, I bolted from the house and escaped.

That utterly shameless, insatiable creature—the mere memory of those three days was enough to send a violent crimson blush straight to my cheeks.

I desperately needed a blast of cold wind to clear my head before I could face him again.

Yet, I had only been standing there for a brief moment when a bizarre, scratching sound echoed from the storm drain right beside my feet.

Something was trapped inside.

I took a cautious step back, and sure enough, the heavy metal grate was forced upward by a pair of clawed hands.

To my absolute shock, it was Milo, dragging himself out from the filth of the sewer.

Ever since William Vance purchased him a month ago, our paths had never crossed.

I turned on my heel to leave immediately, intending to ignore his presence entirely.

Behind me, Milo let out a desperate, loud cry. "Liam!"

There was a distinct, trembling sob buried within his voice.

"Please, just wait a moment! I have been searching for you for so long!"

I stopped and turned back, looking at his bloodshot eyes. In the end, my heart softened despite myself.

"What could you possibly be looking for me for?"

"That wretched creature refuses to let me near you."

He was undoubtedly referring to Silas.

Pausing briefly, a sudden pout formed on Milo's lips. "I have missed you terribly."

Before I could process his words, a soft pink flush crept across his face. He aggressively averted his gaze, staring at the sky, the ground, and the sewer opening—anywhere except at me.

The suffocating awkwardness of the atmosphere grew unbearable, forcing him to aggressively shift the topic.

"How did you end up like this? The corners of your eyes are completely flushed, you have gained a bit of weight, and you look... quite enticing. Wait... why are you entirely covered in that creature's scent?"

Becoming agitated, he clamped his hand around my wrist, his expression turning to one of pure disbelief.

"Have you bonded with that fish?"

Milo's olfactory senses had always been exceptionally sharp; I never expected him to detect it so easily.

I cleared my throat awkwardly.

"Ahem... what business is that of yours? More importantly, why are you looking for me?"