A month later, in the Nightshade Bar.
"Are you sure this will work, Jane? What if Uncle Ethan finds out..." whispered Jane Sullivan, disguised with sunglasses and a mask, holding a camera while being dragged by her best friend, Lucy Sweet, to a private booth.
Jane felt uneasy about the plan. "Let's just leave, Lucy. What if he gets angry when he finds out we took his pictures?"
"Don't worry! We're disguised; Uncle Ethan won't recognize us!" Lucy reassured her, patting her chest confidently. "If anything goes wrong, I'll cover for you. Just snap his cheating photos!"
With that, Lucy burst into the room. The patrons, mid-drink, turned at the sudden intrusion.
"Since when did paparazzi become so bold?" one of them laughed.
"Never seen someone dare to snap photos of Big Brother Ethan in Northville," commented a man named Harvey, smirking.
Lucy tugged at Jane's sleeve urgently. "Hurry up and take the pictures!"
Jane, fumbling with the camera, aimed it at the man surrounded by women and pressed the shutter. The flash caught Ethan's attention, but his expression quickly returned to calmness as he sipped his drink.
Something felt off to Jane. Ethan's reaction wasn't as expected. She grabbed Lucy's hand. "We need to leave, now!"
But before they could escape, Ethan's cold voice stopped them. "You think you can just take photos and leave? Do you think I'm blind?"
Realizing they were recognized, Jane gasped, not daring to turn around.
"Everyone else, leave. I'll deal with these two," Ethan ordered.
The other women obediently left, along with Harvey, who glanced back, recognizing something familiar about one of the girls but not dwelling on it.
With the room emptied except for Ethan, Jane and Lucy stood frozen, back turned.
Ethan, lounging on the sofa with his shirt partially unbuttoned, called out, "Lucy, leave. Jane, stay."
Caught! Lucy hastily removed her disguise, pleading, "Uncle Ethan, it was my idea, not Jane's."
"Just do as I say," Ethan replied, his voice calm yet commanding.
Jane sighed and gestured for Lucy to leave, who reluctantly complied. "Call me if he bullies you!"
Once alone, Jane removed her disguise and faced Ethan, cautiously approaching her husband of six months, in name only.
Standing a step away, she finally spoke, "I'm sorry, Uncle Ethan. I just wanted to take some photos to show Grandfather Ethan, to ask for a divorce..."
"Is that so?" Ethan scoffed lightly, his fingers brushing his lips. "So, you want to use scandalous photos to convince the old man to let us divorce?"
Jane, facing his mocking sneer, remained silent.
"Come here!" Ethan demanded, pulling her into his embrace. "Do you think those photos will convince him?"
"Maybe they will..."
"Then, Uncle Ethan will really give you something to photograph!" With that, he pushed Jane aside and called his assistant. "Send Lucy home and bring in some girls from Nightshade."
Five minutes later, two scantily clad women entered, flirting with Ethan. One of them guided Ethan's hand under her skirt, which was the final straw for Jane. She stood up to leave.
"Sit down!" Ethan barked. "You wanted to take scandalous photos, didn't you? Keep going!"
Jane, trembling, raised her camera again, heart aching at the sight through the lens. She was determined to get the divorce her grandfather would agree to.
The flash went off again.
Seeing Jane actually take the photos, Ethan's expression darkened, and he pushed the women away. "Get out, all of you!"
Once they were alone, Ethan approached Jane, smashing her camera to the ground and lifting her chin. "Do you really want a divorce?"
When she didn't respond, he buried his head in her neck. "To divorce, you'll have to please me like they did—"
He bit down hard on her delicate skin.
"Uncle Ethan... it hurts..."
Jane struggled at first, but her efforts were futile against his strength. Ethan's hand caressed her back, moving down to her waist, then slipping under her clothes.
Realizing his intentions, Jane frantically resisted, crying out, "I don't want a divorce anymore, Uncle Ethan! I really don't!"
"Do you think I believe you?" Ethan whispered harshly, playing with her hair, his breath warm in her ear. "You see me as a stepping stone? The Sullivan family improves and you can't wait to divorce and chase a new love? What am I to you, Jane?"