In the depths of the night, Jane Sullivan emerged from her bath, halting her towel-drying as she caught sight of the man standing before the floor-to-ceiling window. "Uncle Ethan, you're back?" she exclaimed, surprised. She had thought he'd be occupied with another woman this evening.
Ethan, with his shirt casually unbuttoned revealing a sculpted chest, turned towards her, a cigarette held between his fingers. He exhaled a ring of smoke and said, "Came back to test out if those condoms are as ultra-thin as you claimed."
Startled, Jane's towel slipped from her grasp. Bending to pick it up, she unwittingly revealed more to Ethan's appreciative gaze. His adam's apple bobbed as a mix of alcohol-fueled anger and rising heat simmered within him.
Noticing Jane's hesitation, Ethan stubbed out his cigarette and began unbuttoning his cuffs, approaching her. Jane backed away in panic. "Uncle Ethan, my wound hasn't healed yet. I need a few more days."
"We can try somewhere else," he said, his dark eyes swirling with intensity as he pinned her against the wall, his hand sneaking under her slip. Jane gasped, her body tensing at his touch. "Here... we haven't tried here yet," Ethan murmured, his lips grazing her neck.
Jane, finding herself overwhelmed by his presence, knew she was no match for Ethan's seductive prowess. Despite her resistance, she always found herself succumbing to his advances.
This time, however, she attempted to push him away. "Uncle Ethan, we're divorcing in two months. We'll have no relationship then. If you need to vent now, call one of your women."
Ethan's response was firm. "For the next two months, you're still Mrs. Lu and it's your duty to satisfy me." He lifted her leg, his forehead against hers, his gaze burning into hers. "Justin is not for you. If I catch you near him again, it won't just be friction."
After a moment, he carried her to the bed, his mood shifting. Lying beside her, he gently pulled her close, his voice softening. "Jane, I don't like seeing you with other men. Just be good, and I'll give you everything you want."
Jane wondered if Ethan's sudden tenderness was due to jealousy over Justin. Dismissing the thought, she turned away, whispering, "I'm tired, Uncle Ethan. Let's sleep."
Days later, Jane reported to Grayson Corporation as instructed. The HR department eyed her with curiosity, her position as a secretary raising eyebrows. In the restroom, she overheard gossip about her being the latest in a line of temporary favorites.
Later, in the executive elevator, she encountered Justin, the charming half-blood from the other night. He joked about the condoms they had discussed earlier, making her cheeks burn.
Their conversation was interrupted when the elevator jolted. Losing her balance, Jane was caught by Justin, just as Ethan arrived. Seeing them together, Ethan's fists clenched, though he maintained a calm exterior.
Justin left with a parting request to Ethan, asking him to take care of Jane. Ethan, meanwhile, struggled with jealousy and frustration.
In the office, Ethan confronted Jane, who hastily explained the innocent nature of her encounter with Justin. Ethan, though trying to understand, found himself tormented by the thought of Jane in another man's arms.
Ethan's gaze softened as he watched Jane's flustered attempts to explain her encounter with Justin. Despite his jealousy, there was an undeniable protectiveness in his demeanor. "Jane, am I really that frightening to you?" he asked, his tall frame casting a shadow over her.
As Ethan wrapped his arms around her, Jane stiffened, expecting him to initiate another intimate encounter in the office. "Uncle Ethan, please... not here," she whispered, trembling.
Ethan's eyes dimmed with a mixture of emotions. He gently pressed her head against his chest, reminiscent of the scene he had witnessed in the elevator with Justin. "What's the difference between being held by me and being held by Justin?" he murmured, his voice laced with a hint of pain. "Why do you push me away, yet not him?"