Joanne's face turned crimson in an instant, unable to believe that the always elegant and gentlemanly Ethan would say such a vulgar thing in public. Before, he was always a man of few words. Recalling what Sophia had said about Ethan probably falling for Jane Sullivan, Joanne had initially been skeptical. But after the recent media uproar, Ethan managed to protect Jane Sullivan under pressure from the Grayson family.
He spent a fortune buying off all the media coverage and even found an internet celebrity who looked a bit like Jane Sullivan to divert public attention away from her. With Justin also admitting that the internet celebrity was the girl in the photos to protect Jane Sullivan, she was completely out of trouble.
Having two men fighting over her, this girl must be something. It seemed necessary to meet her.
***
Jane Sullivan was walking and wiping her tears, completely unaware that someone was following her.
Ethan, with his eyebrows slightly furrowed, had been following her for a while, surprised that she hadn't noticed! What if it had been a bad person following her? No sense of self-protection?
At a corner, Ethan leaped forward and grabbed Jane Sullivan's wrist.
"Ah! Help! Robbery!..."
Jane Sullivan, thinking she was being attacked by a bad person, screamed.
"Shut up!" Ethan put his hand over her mouth and growled, "With you just looking ahead and not behind, it's not just robbery you need to worry about but assault too!"
"..."
Jane realized it was Ethan and, already in a bad mood plus the shock, tears streamed down her face. She pushed his hand away and shouted, "Uncle Ethan! Why are you so childish! Scaring me in broad daylight!"
Her voice attracted the attention of passersby.
Ethan, clenching his teeth and displeased, said, "Yell at me like that again, and I'll seal your mouth with tape when we get back!"
Hearing this, Jane immediately shut her mouth.
Seeing her calm down, Ethan lifted her chin and stared into her swollen eyes, asking, "Why are you here alone?"
She was supposed to be at the Jade Garden, which was over ten kilometers away.
"My grandmother is sick, I came to see her at the hospital."
So that was it...
Without asking further, Ethan guessed the reason for her tears, "Did your mother bully you again?"
"I only have one mother!"
Seeing her getting emotional again, Ethan remarked, "Remember! Apart from me, no one else is allowed to bully you!"
What a statement! So authoritarian!
Jane Sullivan took out a tissue from her pocket, not caring about her image, blew her nose, then walked to a nearby trash can and threw the tissue away. Turning back to Ethan, she saw him on the phone with a cigarette in his mouth. Not too far away, she heard him calling someone 'Dean'.
A while later, Ethan walked towards her, "I have a meeting this afternoon, but I'll come with you to see your grandma tomorrow."
"No need, I can come by myself." Jane Sullivan's face was red from the cold. She warmed her cheeks with her hands and, seeing a taxi approaching, prepared to hail it. "Uncle Ethan, you go back to the office, I'll head back."
But Ethan suddenly grabbed her hand, "I'll take you back."
"No need, Uncle Ethan, you have to go back to the office, I can take a taxi by myself."
"I said I'll take you back!"
Sensing his impatience, Jane reluctantly nodded.
However, after waiting for more than ten minutes on the roadside for Archie to arrive in the car, the wind grew stronger, making it hard to keep her eyes open. It seemed a sandstorm was approaching.
Ethan unbuttoned his coat and wrapped Jane's petite frame in his arms, pressing her head to his chest, "Don't open your eyes, there's too much sand."
Smelling the mix of cologne and tobacco on him and feeling the warmth around her, Jane felt a strange sensation. Why did she feel this way just by being close to him? Her cheeks were probably red, but thankfully Ethan couldn't see her face, or he would surely tease her again.
About three minutes later, Archie arrived in the car and opened the door for Jane Sullivan.
Ethan sat close to Jane, brushing off the sand from his body. He noticed sand in Jane's hair and on her face and took out a handkerchief to clean her up.
Jane was slightly stunned but didn't move away.
As he wiped her lips, Ethan suddenly wanted to taste them...
When he pressed the privacy screen in the car, turning the back seat into a private space, he pulled Jane onto his lap.
"Uncle Ethan..." Jane's voice was soft, barely audible, "Luca, the assistant, is still in front
Ethan dismissed her concern, "He can't see us."
With that, he lifted her chin and pressed his lips against hers. What was meant to be a light kiss turned deeper as he couldn't resist exploring further with his tongue.
A muffled moan escaped Jane Sullivan, who unconsciously pressed her legs together.
What was happening to her? She was still angry with him for forcing himself on her the previous night, and now she was getting carried away by a mere kiss? Was she becoming addicted, as the forbidden fruit theory suggested?
As she was lost in thought, Ethan's hand began to wander over her back, adeptly unbuttoning her coat and slipping his hand inside.
Jane was wearing a long sweater, black leggings, and knee-high boots. His cold hand cautiously touched her leg until it warmed up, then he started caressing the smooth skin of her back.
The silky touch and the tender fragrance of the girl in his arms made Ethan feel entranced.
If he wasn't mesmerized, why would he enjoy her body so much? No, it wasn't just her body, but the feeling it gave him - indescribable, possessive, seeing her blossom only for him.
"Jane, your body is intoxicating..."
His voice turned hoarse as he hungrily kissed her neck and began to unbutton her trousers, aiming to delve deeper.
Suddenly, Jane felt a warm rush flow downwards from her abdomen...
"Uncle Ethan... wait."
She sensed something was wrong, like...
When the second rush came, Jane bit her lip, her eyes meeting Ethan's intense gaze, "I... I think I just got my period..."
"..."
Ethan frowned and pinched her waist, "If you're lying, you'll see how I'll deal with you!"
***
In the women's restroom on the first floor of Grayson.
Ethan had been waiting outside for about ten minutes and still no sign of Jane Sullivan coming out.
Inside, Jane Sullivan was frantically trying to clean her sweater, convinced it was her period. Ethan didn't believe her. Now without any sanitary pads, she was in a dilemma, her expression twisted in distress.
Impatient, Ethan knocked on the door, "Planning to live in there?"
"Uncle Ethan, I..."
Before she could finish, Ethan pushed open the door.
His eyes narrowed, staring down at Jane sitting on the toilet, his tall figure blocking the entrance. The narrow space suddenly felt even smaller under his intense gaze.
Jane's face flushed, "Uncle Ethan, what are you doing? I'm not ready yet."
"What am I doing? I've seen every part of you."
"But, ugh..." Suddenly, a cramp in her abdomen made her double over in pain.
Thinking she was acting again, Ethan retorted, "Your acting is getting better. Pretending in the car!"
As he spoke, he noticed the sweat on her forehead, and his expression tightened.
"Wait here."
He left the restroom.
Jane wanted to ask why she had to wait when she heard the door open. She wanted to ask for a sanitary pad from other women, but how could she step out in this state?
***
A few minutes later, Ethan returned, a little disheveled, holding his coat and a newly purchased pack of ABC sanitary pads. He knew her brand...
After handing them over, Ethan stepped outside the restroom. The CEO waiting outside the women's restroom led others to use different floors.
Once Jane was ready, she walked out, embarrassed to see Ethan still there. She lowered her head.
Ethan glanced at her, put out his cigarette, and draped the coat over her, "Let's go."
As he led her out, Jane was bewildered, "Where are we going, Uncle Ethan?"
"Back to Jade Garden." He glanced at her, continuing to lead the way.
"But don't you have a meeting?"
"I canceled it."
"Why?"
"Too many questions," he said.
***
In the car, Jane held her abdomen in pain. Ethan was silent throughout the journey, suddenly changing direction at a crossroad.
Realizing they were heading to their previous marital home, Jane asked, "Uncle Ethan, why are we going back here?"
He glanced at her and parked the car, opening the door for her, "Get out."