Chapter 17: You Did Well
1238words
The maid was already warming up the food.
Ethan took all the clothes I'd bought upstairs, and I followed behind him with the flowers.
Looking at his broad shoulders and narrow waist, I felt a rush of heat to my face.
I had to admit his physique was perfect—perfect abs, though I couldn't remember how many exactly. There were many, and they felt great, smooth and elastic...
I held my forehead, trying hard not to recall the events of that night.
Back in the bedroom, Ethan actually helped me organize all my clothes into the closet, including my underwear...
It wasn't until later, when I was putting the tulips in a vase in the study—one that had never held flowers before—that I remembered I had bought new underwear.
I rushed back to the walk-in closet to find that he had already organized everything.
"Hungry?" Ethan walked toward me.
"A little," I quickly turned and walked out of the closet.
"You need to break that bad habit of not eating on time."
"Oh." I couldn't help but smile secretly as I headed downstairs.
Downstairs, the maid had already served the food.
I went to the kitchen to wash my hands.
"The master is really good to you. He's been waiting outside for you, and hasn't touched the food at all," the maid whispered in my ear.
I dried my hands and glanced toward Ethan.
He was taking a call, pacing back and forth. Our eyes met briefly before we both quickly looked away.
---
"Did you drink your milk today?" Ethan asked, putting several pieces of meat on my plate.
"Yes, thank you."
We sounded so formal, not at all like a married couple. It felt like completing tasks in a video game to level up.
"Turn off your alarm tonight. No need to get up early. We'll leave around 10:30 tomorrow night."
"?" I pondered his meaning. "You're going too?"
"Haven't you checked the schedule?" Ethan raised an eyebrow, his gaze darkening in a way that made me shudder.
"..."
"I'm sorry, Ethan..."
I was so nervous I could barely speak coherently.
If this had happened at the office, who knows how badly I would have been scolded.
"It's fine. Don't bother checking now. Just follow my lead when the time comes."
Ethan finished his bite of food, seemingly contemplating something.
I let out a sigh of relief, feeling like I'd just left work only to start working again at home.
This probably didn't leave him with a good impression of me.
Ethan put down his chopsticks and suddenly remembered something. "Jackson is still in the hospital, but the police department found someone to keep this matter quiet. There's no record."
Hearing this, my scalp tingled, and my knuckles turned white around my chopsticks.
If Jackson could be bailed out, he must have powerful connections.
"Did you offend someone?" Ethan's eyes were cold and sharp.
I didn't dare look at him. I had wanted to tell him about this a few days ago, but Ethan hadn't given me the chance, so I hadn't said anything.
Since he asked now, I didn't hide anything and told him the whole story.
Ethan smiled.
How rare—he was smiling in this situation.
"What are you smiling at?" I asked suspiciously.
He licked his lower lip and said, "This 'killing two birds with one stone' tactic, using others to do your dirty work—I'm impressed."
My actions had surprised him. Ethan had thought I was just someone who could hold my own verbally, but he hadn't expected my defense mechanisms to be so robust.
He couldn't help but admire me, feeling for a moment that his bet on me had paid off brilliantly.
"Really..." I was startled, thinking he would be angry that I'd caused him trouble. "You don't think I..."
"You did well. But next time something like this happens, remember to tell me. Don't be reckless."
Ethan reached out and wiped a grain of rice from the corner of my mouth.
Did his words mean: tell me if there's trouble, and I'll protect you?
I froze, the spot where he'd touched my lips burning. My heart raced like a startled deer, my breathing quickened, and my cheeks flushed.
Suddenly, Ethan seemed so gentle. My mind went blank.
"I'm going upstairs to shower."
Ethan patted my head and left the table.
He patted my head...
I was completely stunned, my gaze following him until he disappeared into the bedroom.
I let out a long breath and pinched my cheeks to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
No one had ever told me before that I didn't need to be afraid when they were around.
But that was exactly what Ethan had implied.
I ate distractedly, thinking about what he'd said, my face flushing repeatedly.
---
After showering, Ethan was in the study working on his computer.
I sat on the small sofa in the study, working overtime on my designs.
But I couldn't think of anything; my mind was filled with all those little gestures Ethan had made toward me...
Frustrated, I tossed my laptop aside and flopped down on the sofa.
Ethan glanced at me, noticing how my perfect figure was outlined by the silk loungewear. His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
He suddenly found me quite adorable.
Soon I sat up, put down my drawing tablet, and quietly searched for something on my computer.
"Ethan," I said, turning my head toward him.
"Hmm?"
"When we moved, where did you put that box with my manuscripts?"
I vaguely remembered that Ethan had organized some of my things.
He slowly got up and retrieved a large box from the display shelf by the bookcase.
"Is this what you're talking about?"
"Yes, that's it." I knelt on the sofa, reaching out to take the box, treasuring it.
"You haven't prepared your manuscripts either, have you?" Ethan saw through my little scheme.
"Hehe..." I smiled sheepishly, holding the box while sitting on the sofa and opening it.
"It's fine. I have plenty of drafts saved."
But Ethan didn't return to his desk. Instead, he sat down beside me, one arm resting on the sofa behind me.
I suddenly tensed up, my nerves on edge.
What was he planning to do? Was he going to kiss me, or...
I cautiously glanced at him. "You..."
"I just want to look," he said quite naturally.
"Oh."
My hands were almost trembling. It was late at night, and he was sitting so close that I could feel his breath.
I could feel Ethan's scent of cedar and mint slowly spreading over me.
Since I hadn't prepared any manuscripts, I had to use drafts from previous years to fill in, checking if they could be used.
I flipped through them one by one, and Ethan's gaze shifted with each page I turned.
Ethan casually picked up one drawing and examined it carefully, feeling like he'd seen it somewhere before but couldn't remember where.
I quickly snatched it back and stuffed it into the box, afraid he might notice something.
"Let me choose first, then I'll show you. You should get back to work..."
I hurriedly moved away from him.
Ethan chuckled softly and returned to his desk.
He looked at the tulips on the desk, his long fingers reaching out to touch them. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly before he returned to his work.
