The difference? Jane Sullivan was at a loss for words, unsure how to respond to Ethan's intense questioning. But Ethan wasn't about to let her avoid the question. "Answer me! What's the difference?" he demanded, lifting her chin and leaning in close, his breath heavy with emotion.
Jane's heart raced, her breath mingling with his masculine scent. She wanted to say she didn't like Justin, that it was merely a lack of aversion. But in that moment, she decided to gamble. "What if I do like Justin?"
The moment her words fell, Ethan's grip tightened on her chin, his dark eyes piercing into hers. "There are no 'ifs'. I've told you, Justin is not a man you should provoke!"
"Why can't I provoke him?" Jane challenged.
"Because..." Ethan started to answer but found himself at a loss for words. Why couldn't he bear to see Jane near Justin? He covered his confusion with feigned anger, "No reason! I've said it before! I can't stand to see you with other men!" With that, he stormed out of the secretary's office.
In his office, Ethan stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, lost in thought for an hour. Images of Jane's defiant look and her words haunted him. Frustrated, he lit a cigarette and eventually left the office, his mind in turmoil.
At the Huafu in Beicheng, Ethan had already downed several drinks by the time Benjamin and Justin arrived. Seeing Ethan's icy demeanor, Benjamin teased him about drinking alone. He knew Joanne had been clinging to Ethan recently.
Ethan replied that Justin often said drinking alone prevents drunkenness. But Benjamin pointed out the difference between wine and the strong liquor Ethan was drinking. In a light-hearted manner, Benjamin warned Ethan about the dangers of drinking too much, especially with the young "bunny" back home.
Justin, curious about this "bunny", listened as Benjamin explained Ethan's arranged marriage with a 20-year-old girl, Doreen's classmate. Justin remembered his first encounter with Jane and Ethan's complex expression. He realized then that Jane Sullivan was Ethan's wife.
Once Benjamin was almost asleep, Justin finally spoke to Ethan, asking if the "bunny" was Jane Sullivan. Ethan confirmed, admitting she was his wife. Justin expressed his interest in Jane, suggesting that he could pursue her and take the blame for their divorce.
Ethan, trying to control his anger, asked Justin if he was sure about his feelings for Jane, having only met her twice. Justin was certain, trusting his instincts, but Ethan was adamant. "My feeling tells me, you won't be able to win Jane Sullivan," he declared.
In a dimly lit bar, Jane Sullivan and Doreen ordered cocktails. Doreen asked Jane about her time at the company and the impending divorce. Jane, resigned to the situation, questioned whether she truly had feelings for Ethan.
Meanwhile, a woman in a corner, sporting a high ponytail, watched Jane intently. After Jane took a sip of her cocktail, the woman called Sophia, promising to help in exchange for a promotion at work.
Soon after, Jane felt an intense heat spreading through her body, suspecting her drink was tampered with. In the restroom, she tried to cool down but to no avail. As she tried to leave, three men blocked her path with lecherous intentions.
Struggling, Jane was dragged into a private room. With the drug taking effect, she knew she had to act fast. She managed to call the top number on her phone, unsure whom she was calling. She then discreetly tossed her phone under the sofa.
Fresh out of the shower, Justin picked up his phone, seeing a call from Jane Sullivan. He was surprised she hadn't deleted his number. Expecting to hear her voice, he was met with silence.
"Jane?" he called out, but there was no response, only the unsettling quiet on the other end of the line.
Jane Sullivan's consciousness was blurring. As someone approached, she writhed and screamed, "Don't come near me! Don't!"
"What's the fun if we don't come closer, beauty?" one of the men jeered vulgarly. Justin, understanding what had happened to Jane, didn't speak further to avoid alarming them. He dressed quickly and rushed to the garage, already knowing the name of the bar.
Meanwhile, Doreen, realizing that Jane hadn't returned from the restroom, called her phone. The vibrating phone alarmed one of the men. "What's that noise?" he asked. Justin, driving quickly, feared they might change locations.
Jane had completely lost consciousness, twisting like a snake. When the sofa was moved and the phone was found showing a 10-minute call, the men smashed it. "This bitch is too clever! We need to ask the boss what to do next. I don't want to end up dead over this," one of them said. Fearing trouble, they quickly left, abandoning the drugged Jane in the private room.
When Justin burst in, he found Jane with her shirt torn off. She was still pulling at her last strap. He immediately embraced her. "Jane, just hold on a little longer."
Doreen, unable to reach Jane and not finding her in the restroom, called Ethan in a panic and informed him of Jane's sudden disappearance.
Ethan and Benjamin quickly arrived at the bar. As they got out of the car, they saw Justin carrying a woman with curly hair. "Is Justin finally going to feast?" Benjamin exclaimed in surprise. But Ethan's face was dark and ominous, recognizing the woman clinging tightly to Justin as Jane Sullivan.
Benjamin took a closer look. "Hey, isn't that the girl who was selling condoms last time? Justin is really into her?" Doreen, seeing a familiar man carrying Jane Sullivan, pointed him out to Ethan, yelling for him to stop. "Uncle Ethan, stop him! He's carrying Jane!"
Jane? Ethan's young wife? Benjamin was shocked, barely believing what he saw. But then he thought it might be a good thing. "Uncle Ethan, since Justin is interested in her, you don't have to worry about getting rid of your young wife. They'll definitely spend the night together, and then you can just let them be, right?"
"Let them be?" Ethan's fists clenched tightly, his nails digging into his palms, his eyes cold. His lips moved slightly, "Back to the Huafu."
Justin, carrying Jane to his car, glanced at Ethan. Their eyes met, one warm and one cold. They both understood – once Jane got into that car, there was no turning back. But Ethan made no move to stop him, turning away and walking back to his car.
"Uncle Ethan! You can't ignore Jane! Please stop that man!" Doreen cried, unable to believe how heartless her uncle was. "Even if you don't like Jane, you can't just hand her over to a stranger! Uncle Ethan, you can't do this!"
Benjamin, seeing Doreen crying her heart out, hurriedly took her to the car. "Little girl, don't worry. Your friend will be fine. That man is a good person. Let's get you home."
Once Doreen was in the car, she continued to shake Ethan's arm, her eyes swollen with tears. "Uncle Ethan! No matter who that man is, please save Jane. She's already asked Grandpa for a divorce, and he has agreed to let you two divorce in two months. You don't need to ruin Jane's future happiness!"
Ethan closed his eyes, ignoring Doreen. His mind was filled with the image of Jane, writhing like a snake against Justin.
"I never said I didn't like her!" Ethan's voice was cold, his eyes deep and dark. He seemed to ignore Doreen completely, his mind preoccupied with the image of Jane Sullivan, writhing against Justin. The thought of her giving in to Justin so quickly and seducing him in such a manner troubled him. If she had already fallen into Justin's arms, wouldn't his interference ruin her happiness?
Driving, Benjamin thought cheerfully about how Justin's actions tonight would help Ethan get rid of his young wife. "Don't cry, girl. Didn't you see? Your friend is into Justin. If you interfered, she might even blame you. It's their night of passion. Crying now would just spoil their mood."
"That's because Jane must have been drugged! Didn't you see how out of it she was?" Doreen exclaimed.
At her words, Ethan suddenly punched the leather seat. "Stop the car!" he ordered. Benjamin slammed on the brakes. "Brother, you really believe that? How could Justin do something