Chapter 10
683words
My little rebellion had worked.
Ethan squeezed my hand gently—a silent acknowledgment of my victory.
He turned to Gregory, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Anything else to add, brother?"
Gregory was too furious to speak. Mandy quickly tugged at his sleeve, silently urging him to let it go.
"Enough bickering," Old Mr. Holt cut in, weariness heavy in his voice. "If Ethan has his own plans, so be it. As for Eve…"
He turned to me, his gaze unreadable. "Since you've married into this family, you're a Holt now. Take care of my grandson, and don't bring any more scandal to our doorstep."
"Yes, sir," I replied respectfully.
Lunch finally ended, the tension thick enough to choke on.
As we left the estate, I felt like I'd survived a war—mentally and physically drained.
In the car, I collapsed against the leather seat with a heavy sigh.
"Thank you," Ethan said suddenly.
I blinked in surprise and turned to face him.
He was gazing out the window, his sharp profile outlined against the glass, his eyes holding something I couldn't quite read.
"You handled yourself well today," he added.
[Ding! Target's Affection Points +10! Current Affection Points: -40!]
[Ding! Target's Villain Meter decreased by 3%! Current Villain Meter: 69%!]
Warmth bloomed in my chest, catching me off guard.
It was the first genuine compliment he'd given me.
"Thank you, Ethan," I said softly, testing his first name on my tongue.
He didn't respond, and the car lapsed back into silence.
Back at the villa, the tension finally melted from my body.
After a hot shower, I sat cross-legged on the bed, ready for our nightly story ritual.
He seemed in better spirits, actually listening rather than just tolerating my voice.
"…after countless hardships, the explorers finally discovered the entrance to the lost city buried beneath the sand…"
Just as I reached the most suspenseful part, the system chimed in.
[Emergency mission issued: Target requires care. Mission reward: Random. Failure punishment: Random animal cosplay.]
Me: "…"
Was this system obsessed with making me dress up as animals?
Care?
How exactly was I supposed to "care" for him?
Looking at Ethan's stern face, I couldn't imagine what kind of "care" he might need.
I cleared my throat. "You seem tense. Would you like a massage?"
Ethan's eyes opened, curiosity flickering across his face.
"You know how?"
"A little," I lied, forcing confidence into my voice.
In reality, I'd only ever rubbed my mom's shoulders when she had a headache.
"Come here." He gestured to the edge of the bed.
I took a deep breath, moved closer, and perched on the edge of the mattress.
"Where would you like me to start?"
"My legs," he said matter-of-factly.
I placed my hands on his legs and began to knead carefully.
Though his muscles had atrophied from disuse, I could feel knots of tension beneath my fingers.
[Ding! Target dissatisfied! Increase pressure and focus on pressure points.]
I gritted my teeth and pressed harder, focusing on what I hoped were the right pressure points.
Ethan hissed sharply, his body going rigid.
I yanked my hands back. "I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?"
After a long pause, he spoke without opening his eyes: "Keep going."
I hesitantly resumed, but this time tried to distract him with conversation.
"So, do you think the Shaw Industries deal will go through?"
His eyes opened, surprise evident in his gaze.
"You're interested in business matters?"
"Yes," I nodded. "Like I said at lunch, I want to help shoulder some of your burdens. I'd like to understand what you're dealing with."
Ethan studied me for a moment, then began explaining the Shaw Industries project and the complex power dynamics within the Holt family.
His deep voice was surprisingly engaging as he broke down complex business strategies with razor-sharp logic.
I became so absorbed in his explanation that my hands moved more naturally, finding the right spots without thinking.
[Ding! Urgent task completed! Rewarding host with "Mind Reading" skill (elementary level), effective for ten minutes.]
