# Chapter 386: The Pretend Sleeper and the Mysterious Touch
Hello, lovely readers! Welcome back to our ongoing journey through "The Untouchable Ex Wife"! I hope you're all doing well and ready to get lost in another whirlwind of romance, comedy, and heart-throbbing drama. Today, we're diving into a delightfully steamy yet awkward chapter, where judgment is clouded by desire, pretense hides the truth, and two stubborn hearts play a dangerous game under a single blanket. So settle in, grab your favorite drink, and let me guide you through every deliciously awkward moment of Chapter 386!
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The idyllic evening had taken on a mischievous turn of events, and while sparks were flying upstairs in the most private of chambers, the dining room downstairs was becoming a stage for two increasingly anxious little figures. Adie and Abby had taken their seats at the table, watching the gentle steam rise from the dishes as hunger quietly gnawed at their stomachs. Time, however, was a cruel and slow companion when one expected the appearance of two very important adults.
Little Abby's brow furrowed with genuine concern as she cast a glance towards the staircase, her small voice breaking the silence. "What's going on, Adie? Why aren't they coming downstairs?" Her eyes reflected the worried thoughts churning in her young mind. "The food's getting cold!"
Adie, the ever-thoughtful little gentleman, propped his chin on his tiny hand and racked his brilliant brain for an explanation. His brow knitted with concentration as he murmured, almost to himself, "They're not that far from the dining room, so Mommy should be out by now..." Then a flash of suspicion crossed his face. "Is Daddy bullying Mommy?"
That accusation was all Abby needed to hear. Her protectiveness flared hotter than the soup on the stove. "No way! We've just only forgiven him, but he's already bullying Mommy? We have to go and stop him right now!"
The children looked at each other with urgent determination — a unified front, ready to march upstairs and storm the gates of whatever injustice was unfolding. They were just about to sprint for the stairs when Margaret emerged from the kitchen, a scrumptious-smelling bowl of soup cradled in her hands. She noticed the children's determined little faces and, knowing full well the situation upstairs, quickly intercepted them before they could take another step.
"Adie, Abby, you should eat first," Margaret urged gently, her tone coaxing and light. "I'm sure your parents are just... sleeping. Why don't you let them rest for a bit?"
"Sleeping?" Adie's skepticism was visible on every feature of his young face. His sharp mind had already latched onto the inconsistencies. "Didn't Mommy nap in the afternoon? Why would she want to sleep again?" He paused, worry seeping back into his voice. "She hasn't had dinner yet, and I'm afraid she'll be hungry."
Margaret felt a bead of sweat threaten to form on her temple. *Children are too clever these days,* she thought with an inward sigh. She scrambled for an appropriate explanation, hoping her voice wouldn't betray her embarrassment. "Umm, well..." She cleared her throat delicately. "She was sleeping alone earlier, but now she's sleeping with your daddy, so maybe it feels different. Just don't meddle in your parents' affairs — let them handle it. Eat first. Maybe they'll wake up while you're eating."
Before the children could ask any more lethally curious questions, Margaret quickly steered them back towards the table, all while stealing a hesitant glance up at the direction of Renee's bedroom. *I wonder just how long those two will take... knowing Stefan's stamina,* she thought, grimacing slightly at the mental image she wished she hadn't conjured.
Meanwhile, upstairs, the atmosphere in the master bedroom was layered with a tension far thicker than any blanket. Renee and Stefan lay side by side, covered only by a thin sheet, the space between them charged with something electric and undeniable. Renee's eyes remained shut, but her mind was razor-sharp. The moment her fingers had brushed against Stefan's firm, sculpted abs, every nerve ending in her body had awakened. She knew at once — this wasn't a dream. No vision conjured by an exhausted mind could feel so *real*, so visceral, so warm. The real Stefan was lying right beside her.
But now what? Renee's pride was as stubborn as the man lying next to her.
With her heart thumping a frantic rhythm against her ribs, she made the only decision available to her — she'd close her eyes and pretend she was sleeping. Yes, that was it. If she pretended, he would eventually go away, right? It was foolproof. Paired with her natural acting skills, no one could possibly expose her. All she had to do was remain perfectly still and calm, letting sleep claim her.
Except, lying there beside her was Stefan, who had assumed a position that felt almost unnaturally composed. He waited for Renee's next move with as much patience as he could muster, like a king's favored wife awaiting a visit from her sovereign. Surely, since she had initiated that curious touch, more would follow. He waited. Seconds stretched into minutes. The silence grew thicker, the air heavier. Yet Renee remained abnormally motionless.
Inside, Stefan's disappointment grew. Renee had ignited a fire that was spreading through him with fury, and it took every ounce of his iron-clad self-control not to pull her into his arms and claim that mouth of hers. His muscles coiled with tensed restraint, his jaw clenching as he fought the primal urge rising within him. But the stillness was unbearable — like being teased by a lit flame and having it snatched away just before the true burn.
Finally, after waiting an agonizing few more minutes, Stefan decided enough was enough. He turned gently and touched Renee's shoulder with a light tenderness, his voice carrying a wounded edge of complaint. "Are you messing with me, my dear? Why aren't you doing anything?"
For a moment, there was only the soft whisper of sheets. Then Renee stirred "awake"— but just barely. Her lashes fluttered as if she were at the precipice of consciousness, her voice sleep-drenched and decidedly nasal as she moaned groggily, "Huh? Who's sleeping with me? How bold! You're courting death!"
With an almost theatrical burst of startled indignation, she shoved her leg forward and *kicked* — a perfectly timed, utterly devastating blow that sent Stefan toppling right off the bed and onto the hard floor with a heavy thud.
"Renee, you've got some nerve!" Stefan's voice rose in shock as he sat stunned on the floor, embarrassment and disbelief coloring his features. His pride smarted far more than the ache spreading through his hip. "I might be your plaything, but I have dignity too. How can you humiliate me like this? You're unbelievable!"
Hearing him lay it all out like that left Renee fighting mightily to keep the smile from bursting across her face. She tilted her head with feigned innocence, as though she hadn't the faintest idea what he was rambling about. "What are you talking about?" A perfectly deliberate pause, then: "What plaything? I don't understand..."
But oh, she understood everything. She understood that under this sheet lied a man whose heart beat only for her, that despite all the pretense and stubbornness, the flames of their love refused to die out. And in the dark of that room, with Stefan fuming on the floor and Renee barely repressing her triumphant smirk, the game had only just begun.
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## Reader's Impressions & Star Rating
Oh my heart. This chapter delivered such a delicate balance of comedy and tension, wrapped in the timeless push-and-pull of two people madly in love arguing over who will admit it first. Renee's act of pretending not to notice Stefan while stealing covert touches was honestly too cute — she's every bit the headstrong heroine we love, but we know her icy walls are slowly melting. And Stefan, sprawled on the floor and wounded in both hip and dignity, complaining that she's making him her "plaything"— that line had me laughing out loud! The kids' innocence versus Margaret's flustered explanations was also absolute gold. This chapter had everything: family warmth, romantic tension, and snappy dialogue. I'm thoroughly entertained, deeply invested, and already craving more!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ **Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars**
## Next Chapter Prediction
Given how Renee is clearly goading Stefan and playing the clueless innocent, I predict that that man won't let her get away with his bruised dignity so easily. He's bound to retaliate with something bold and dashing — perhaps trapping her mid-pretense with a kiss that leaves her no room to deny what's between them! Meanwhile, Adie and Abby might have had enough of being in the dark and could sneak upstairs to "rescue" Mommy, only to walk in on something that no child should ever witness. Either way, sparks will undoubtedly fly higher, and Stefan is not about to let Renee have the last word... not this time.
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