"Jane, must you be so cold to me?" Adrian's handsome face was filled with sorrow. "I've told you, I won't marry Sophia."
"Whether you marry her or not is your problem, not mine," Jane retorted, turning towards the main building.
She had barely taken a step when Adrian grabbed her wrist. "Jane, even if I wronged you first, you don't need to marry Ethan to get back at me. Do you know? Ethan is dangerous, he—"
Adrian's words choked in his throat as he caught sight of the marks on Jane Sullivan's neck.
"What has he done to you?!" he exclaimed.
Knowing she couldn't hide it, Jane purposefully tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing more of the marks on her neck, and met Adrian's gaze with a slight smile. "You seem to be very interested in my personal life now. Do you really want me to share the details of what my husband does to me in bed?"
"Jane!" Adrian pulled her closer, his eyes burning with rage. "Did you really give in to him?"
"Give what?" Jane's eyes fluttered innocently, and then realizing his implication, she laughed lightly, "Oh, you mean whether Ethan and I have been intimate? You're being a bit childish, aren't you? I've been married to Ethan for over half a year. If I were still untouched, what would that say about him?"
"Are you telling the truth?" Adrian couldn't believe it. "You don't love him. You're lying to me, right?"
"Why would I lie to you?" Jane chuckled and countered, "Wasn't it you who once told me that love and sex are different things, that being with someone doesn't always mean love?"
She then shook off his hand, glimpsing his regretful expression. "So, who talks about love these days? Physical needs can be enough reason for a relationship."
"Jane! Even if I wronged you first, you don't have to degrade yourself like this…"
"I'm degrading myself because I want to," Jane cut him off. "You have no right to lecture me!"
With that, she turned and walked swiftly towards the main building. Adrian hurried after her.
Just as he was about to catch up, Sophia appeared around the corner. "Adrian, where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere."
Sophia approached Adrian, wrapping her arm around his, her voice laced with complaint. "I even tripped down the stairs just now. Look, my knee is all bruised."
Adrian immediately bent down to inspect Sophia's bruised knee, frowning deeply. "You shouldn't wear such high heels. I'll carry you back to change them."
"Okay, I'll switch to flats then," Sophia agreed, nestling into Adrian's embrace. However, the memory of Adrian chasing after Jane Sullivan ignited a flare of anger within her.
Meanwhile, Jane Sullivan hadn't actually returned to the main building. Instead, she was hiding behind a pillar, betting on whether Adrian would abandon Sophia to follow her. As she had predicted, Adrian didn't dare to do so.
Laughing at herself, Jane leaned against the pillar and slowly slid down, feeling like a needle was pricking her heart.
Just as she was about to crouch down, a pair of men's black leather shoes appeared in her view. Without needing to look up, the mix of cologne and tobacco in the air made her heart skip a beat.
She quickly stood up, adopting an indifferent demeanor. "Uncle Ethan, you finished talking with Grandpa Lu so soon?"
Ethan squinted, scrutinizing the girl pretending to be strong. "Is it bad that I finished quickly? Didn't you keep asking me to hurry up last night?"
Jane's face flushed red, her fists clenched. "I came out with Tiffany. She said she was going to the restroom and hasn't come back yet. I need to find her."
She turned to leave but was immediately pulled back into a firm embrace. "Trying to run away again?" Ethan whispered in her ear, his voice low and teasing. "Where did all your bravado go? Why do you start acting all sweet around me? Remember what I told you last night? Be yourself with me, no need to pretend."
His hand tightened on her waist, "Or should I take you back to our room first and make you experience what it really means to be quick? Let's see if you can still pretend then—"