Badass in Disguise (Shadow) novel Chapter 194

Author’s POV:

The room was about as inviting as a prison cell. One sagging double bed dominated the cramped space, accompanied by a rickety table that wobbled dangerously when Jade set her bag on it and a wooden chair that looked like it had survived several wars–barely. The wallpaper, some faded floral pattern, peeled at the corners, and the single lightbulb cast more shadows than light.

Ethan stood in the doorway, surveying their accommodations. His expensive clothes looked wildly out of place in this dump, like a diamond tossed into a garbage heap.

“Cozy,” he remarked, stepping inside and closing the door behind him with a click that sounded oddly final.

Jade glanced around for extra bedding but found nothing–no spare blankets, no additional pillows. Just the one bed with threadbare sheets that had probably been white once, a lifetime ago.

“I’ll take the chair,” Ethan said immediately, shrugging off his coat. “You get some rest.”

Jade raised an eyebrow. “That chair looks like it might collapse if you breathe on it wrong.”

“Having a roof over our heads is luxury enough considering the circumstances.”

Jade didn’t argue. Without another word, she kicked off her boots and climbed onto the bed. The mattress sagged alarmingly in the middle, springs protesting loudly beneath her like they were being tortured.

“Good night,” Ethan said softly, reaching for the light switch.

“Night,” Jade replied as darkness enveloped the room.

She closed her eyes but remained alert, listening to Ethan settling into the chair. Every few minutes, the chair would creak ominously under his weight, followed by his subtle adjustments as he tried to find a comfortable position that clearly didn’t exist. Outside, the wind picked up, howling through the poorly sealed window frame like a wounded animal. The temperature in the room dropped noticeably as the hours passed, biting through her clothes despite the

blanket.

Around 2 AM, the wind grew stronger. The window rattled incessantly, the frame making an ear–splitting scraping noise with each gust, Ethan got up and move to the window. He pressed his hand against the frame, trying to stabilize it and reduce the noise. His fingers must have been freezing–the draft coming through the gaps was like ice, carrying with it the smell of dust and imminent rain.

“Just come to bed,” she said suddenly, breaking the silence. She flipped back the corner of the blanket, “This is

ridiculous.”

Ethan turned, his silhouette stark against the faint moonlight filtering through the window. His shoulders tensed visibly. “That’s… not appropriate.”

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8:20

nu, Sep 25

1978

Chapter 194

“What are you, twelve? It’s freezing, and that chair is a medieval torture device.”

He hesitated, running his thumb along his fingers as if weighing something. “I’m not exactly known for my self- restraint, Jade. This would be… testing my limits.”

Jade snorted. “That’s your problem? You don’t trust yourself?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust myself,” he said carefully. “It’s that the person in question is you.”

“I can break your arm in three places before you could blink,” she reminded him flatly.

A short laugh escaped him. “That’s both reassuring and terrifying.” He ran a hand through his hair, clearly conflicted. “I just… I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“I’m uncomfortable watching you freeze to death by that window. But suit yourself.” Jade flipped the blanket back into place and turned away.

For several minutes, the only sound was the howling wind and the persistent rattling of the window. The temperature continued to drop, until she could see her breath forming small clouds with each exhale.

“Are you asleep?” Ethan’s voice came softly through the darkness.

“Would I answer if I was?”

A pause, then: “I regret my decision.” His tone carried a hint of self–deprecation. “That chair is indeed an instrument

of torture.”

Without turning around, Jade lifted the blanket again.

After another moment’s hesitation, she felt the mattress dip as Ethan carefully lowered himself onto the far edge of the bed. He kept his coat draped over himself instead of sharing the blanket, maintaining as much distance between them as the small bed would allow. His body was rigid, positioned precariously on the edge like he was preparing to leap off at any second.

“Today’s my birthday,” he said suddenly, his voice soft in the darkness.

Jade turned her head slightly. “I didn’t get you a gift.”

“I know.” He chuckled quietly. “I just… wanted to tell you.”

Silence settled between them, broken only by the wind outside and the occasional creak of the bed frame as one of them shifted slightly.

“Why did you come to Crimson Valley?” Ethan asked. ‘Is it about the Shadow Organization? Revenge?”

“Yes,” she answered simply, the word hanging between them like smoke.

8:21 Thu, Sep 25

Chapter 194

“I thought so.” He shifted slightly.

“And what about you?” she asked. “Are you really here on business?”

“Honestly?” His voice dropped lower, nearly swallowed by the howling wind. “I heard you were here. That’s why I

came.”

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Jade considered this. “I was surprised to see you.”

“Good surprised or bad surprised?”

“Just surprised,” she replied, then added after a moment, “A little bit of good surprised.”

The bed creaked as Ethan turned to face her, though she kept her back to him. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body, a stark contrast to the freezing air in the room.

“What kind of men do you like, Jade?” he asked, his voice hesitant. “You mentioned Max was gentle, quiet… sweet. Is that your type?”

“Depends on the person.”

“And if we’re not talking types but specific people…” He took a deep breath, the sound of it loud in the quiet room. “What do you think about me? Would you… would you consider going on a date with me sometime, Jade?”

Her steady breathing was the only response. He shifted slightly to look at her more closely.

“Jade?” he whispered.

To his surprise, she had actually fallen asleep. Her features had softened, making her look less guarded than he’d ever seen her. A mix of disappointment and amusement crossed his face as he realized she had missed his momentous question entirely,

The mattress shifted as Ethan carefully turned onto his back, chuckling softly at the irony. Just as he was gathering his courage, she had drifted off. The sagging mattress naturally drew her sleeping form toward him, until her face was inches from his shoulder, her warm breath tickling his skin. Ethan’s amusement faded as he watched her sleep, his jaw clenching slightly as he fought against the urge to brush a strand of hair from her face.

After several tense minutes, Ethan slowly, carefully extracted himself from the bed. He returned to his post by the window, pressing his palm against the rattling frame to silence it. The cold air numbed his fingers, a welcome distraction from the warmth he’d left behind.

He remained there until morning, a silent sentinel against both the cold and his own desires. Occasionally, he would glance back at Jade’s sleeping form, a mixture of tenderness and resignation in his eyes.