Jane Sullivan waited at the door, on time for assistant Luca's car. As she opened the door and saw Ethan Grayson inside, she was momentarily stunned. Her cheeks flushed red as she stammered, "Uncle Ethan, you... you're here too."
Ethan sat on the leather seat, his tie undone, a few buttons of his shirt open, revealing his collarbone. Such a handsome man... Jane swallowed hard, momentarily forgetting her posture.
"Get in," Ethan's deep voice commanded.
He glanced at her, "Need me to carry you?"
"Uh… no, no need." Jane quickly got into the car, closing the door and sat near the window, deliberately keeping a distance from Ethan.
As the car started, Ethan suddenly pressed a button, raising a black screen between the front and back seats, creating a private space in the back.
Jane's heart raced. Before she could react, Ethan grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him. "Uncle Ethan, you…"
Ethan wrapped an arm around her waist. "Are you that afraid of me?"
"No…" she bit her lip.
"If you're not afraid, why did you sit so far from me?" He rolled up Jane's sleeve, noticing the marks on her pale wrist, then bit her earlobe gently. "Struggling only makes it hurt more. Be good, and I'll be gentle."
He opened a nearby toolkit, took out ointment for wounds, applied it on Jane's wrist. "It hurts..." Jane bit her lower lip as the ointment stung her broken skin.
Seeing her bite her lip, Ethan changed his approach, held the back of her head, and kissed her lips.
"Um..." Jane hadn't expected Ethan to kiss her in the car and instinctively pushed him away, "Uncle Ethan, I don't want to do this in the car…"
Ethan raised an eyebrow, his voice husky, "But there's another place that needs the ointment."
As Jane realized what he meant, she pressed down his hand, "Uncle Ethan, no need. I already applied it this morning."
"Is that so?" Ethan's lips curled up as he lifted her skirt, "You're never obedient. I need to check."
"Uncle Ethan, stop it..." Jane's voice was hoarse as she hurriedly held down his hand.
Feeling her trembling arms, Ethan looked deeply into her tearful eyes, "Keep crying, and I'll show you what a real car ride is!"
Jane bit down hard, holding back her tears. What if she really angered him?
Since last night, she knew this man was a wolf in elegant clothing.
Seeing Jane stop crying, Ethan kissed her forehead softly. "Tell me if it hurts," he continued applying ointment on her wrist.
Up close, Jane realized Ethan was just scaring her; he wouldn't really hurt her. She furrowed her brows, tentatively asking, "Uncle Ethan, why did you treat me like that last night?"
"Why… didn't you want me?"
Ethan stopped applying the ointment, looking at her, "What do you think?"
"Uh…"
As Jane pondered, Ethan lifted her chin, his gaze intense, "Some questions have no answers. You're too naive to understand."
With that, he continued bandaging her wrist.
Arriving at the Lu mansion, Jane got off Ethan's lap to open the door. Just then, she felt a gaze from outside the car. Confused for a moment, Ethan had already opened the door and stepped out, extending his hand like a gentleman, "Mrs. Lu, we've arrived."
"Why is this man acting so strangely today?" Jane wondered, stepping out of the car. Her peripheral vision caught sight of a man standing by a silver Rolls-Royce. She quickly withdrew her hand.
But as soon as she did, Ethan grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his embrace, whispering in her ear, "Is he handsomer than me?"
"No, you're handsome…"
As she instinctively pushed Ethan away, he gripped her hand tighter, "He's gone now."
"Uncle Ethan!" Jane almost growled, her nails digging into her palm, "You've been so strange since yesterday!"
Ethan smiled sardonically, his eyes full of contempt, "Jane, it's not me who's strange. You've never understood your place. You are now Mrs. Ethan Lu! Put away those thoughts!"
Pulling her close, he stroked her hair gently, warning, "If you don't obey, it won't be as simple as last night."
When Jane and Ethan appeared in the living room together, Tiffany Lu, Ethan's niece, ran over excitedly, "Jane, come
see, isn't this Christmas tree beautiful?"
"Young lady, your mother has told you many times, you should call her 'Aunt Jane,' not by her first name," Tiffany's mother, reminded her, then turned to Ethan, "Ethan, your father is in the study with your brothers. You should join them soon."
Ethan nodded, "Thank you, sister-in-law."
Tiffany pouted, "Mom, look, Uncle Ethan and Jane don't mind. We don't need so many formalities." She took Jane's hand, looking at Ethan, "Right, Uncle Ethan?"
After a brief nod from Ethan, he headed upstairs. Once he left, Tiffany quickly pulled Jane behind the Christmas tree, lowering her voice, "How did it go? Did Uncle Ethan agree to the divorce?"
"Do I look like he agreed?" Jane replied, sensing a gaze from upstairs. Looking up, she locked eyes with the person watching her.
Following her gaze, Tiffany saw Adrian and Sophia descending the stairs. Lu Sihan, dressed elegantly, clung to Colin's arm, radiating happiness and victory.
"Don't look anymore, it's infuriating!" Tiffany pulled Jane around, "He clearly doesn't care about her, yet they flaunt their love. Let's go to the backyard for some fresh air."
Wordlessly, Jane followed Tiffany to the backyard.
Mid-conversation, Tiffany went to the restroom, leaving Jane alone in the vast backyard, gazing into the descending night.
"Jane," a familiar voice called out. She couldn't help but smile softly, turning around. "You should call me 'Aunt Jane,' by our family relations."