Ethan wanted to step in and assist Zara with her pistol training. However, as he watched her gaze at the gun, he paused, curious about what she would do next. He was really interested in discovering all the skills his Lia had picked up during their time apart.
Zara, focused on the weapon, made her way to the shooting range in the training room and took aim at the target.
With a clean shot, the bullet struck the target dead center.
Witnessing this, Ethan couldn't help but smile proudly, making him look even more attractive.
As Ethan noticed Zara studying the pistol with a focused expression, he stepped closer and greeted her with a friendly smile, "Seems like Lia has really picked up a lot over the years."
Zara turned her gaze towards Ethan upon hearing his voice, meeting him with a serene look in her eyes.
Ethan, captivated by the tranquility and beauty of Zara's eyes, took another step closer.
When Zara saw Ethan approaching, she raised her eyebrows in curiosity.
Observing her reaction, Ethan positioned himself directly in front of Zara and asked, "Any plans for tomorrow?"
After a moment of contemplation, Zara replied, "I'm heading out tomorrow."
Ethan considered this and asked in a relaxed tone, "Who are you going with?"
Zara gave him a puzzled look, wondering why he was suddenly so curious.
"Just a friend," she said, her face remaining neutral.
Ethan acknowledged her with a nod but didn't dwell on her friend, knowing well that Zara wasn't one to easily make new acquaintances.
"Just a reminder, Sirius will be tagging along with you. He knows the drill, so don't think about sending him off," Ethan said, his expression turning serious as he looked at her.
Noticing the intensity in his voice, Zara realized he was anxious about something and gave him a nod.
Ethan watched as Zara nodded at him, her lovely face catching his attention. His eyes wandered from her flushed cheeks to her tempting red lips.
He felt his throat tighten instinctively, but he reminded himself to keep his composure, knowing he didn't want to frighten Zara so soon after their reunion.
He fought against the heat rising within him, clenching his fists and focusing on calming his breath.
Ethan thought he had his body under control up to this point, so he figured he could keep it that way for a while longer.
But little did he know, when he was around Zara, his heart and body seemed to have a mind of their own. This was just the beginning of what was to come.
Before long, Ethan and Zara were heading out from the College District, as it was time for her to head home.
If he had it his way, he wouldn't let her go just yet; he wanted to make up for all those lost years together.
He didn't want to hold Zara back as soon as she returned to the country, worried it might annoy her.
Meanwhile, over at the Mayledge Mansion, the four Adam brothers were sitting in the living room, looking pretty tense.
Jack was pacing back and forth, glancing at the door every few seconds.
Noticing Jack's restless movements, Hendry sighed and said quietly, "Jack, just sit down. You're making everyone dizzy with your pacing."
Jack, not taking offense, replied anxiously, "How can you all just sit there? Aren't you worried about what that wolf might do to our sister?"
Upon hearing his sentence, Alan shot him a piercing and icy stare that sent a chill down his spine. However, convinced he hadn't done anything wrong, he mustered his courage and replied, "Alan, don't give me that look. Aren't you concerned about our sister?"
Hendry glanced at Jack, who was being unreasonable, and responded, "Do you really think Lia would allow him to do whatever he pleases? And do you believe Ethan would have the guts to act against her after all these years?"
"But he is still Lia's fiancé..." Jack murmured, lost in thought.
Hendry, catching this, replied, "But Lia only found out about it recently. She won't let anyone get close to her that easily."
"Still..... Jack was still itching to keep going.
Noah, who had been quiet until that moment, shot a piercing glance at Jack, his icy stare unwavering. In a low, serious tone, he warned, "If you don't keep that mouth shut, don't say I didn't warn you!"
Jack met his younger brother's threatening gaze, feeling his anger bubble up. Yet, deep down, he knew very well that challenging Noah would be futile; he wouldn't stand a chance.
With clenched teeth, he continued to stare at Noah.
Meanwhile, in Olivia's room upstairs, she peered out from the balcony, her heart racing as she anxiously scanned the road for any sign of an approaching car. She had been waiting there for what felt like ages.
Noticing the worry etched on Olivia's face, Gia felt a pang of sympathy and gently suggested, "Ms. Olivia, why not take a little break? I'll let you know as soon as the car gets here."
Olivia was oblivious to how long she had been standing there. What truly mattered to her was, that girl still hadn't come home after an entire day.
With a concerned look, Olivia turned to Gia and asked, "What do you think they could be up to? They're not making any progress in their relationship, are they?"
"Ethan wouldn't consider that girl as his future wife, would he?" she continued. "The future lady of the Anderson family should be gentle and get along with everyone. That girl doesn't fit that mold, does she? Ethan surely wouldn't be interested in her, right?"
Olivia was hitting Gia with a barrage of questions, tears brimming in her eyes, clearly not in a good headspace.
Watching Olivia in such distress made Gia's heartache. She felt unsure about how to soothe her friend.
After a moment of thought, Gia said with concern, "Miss Olivia, don't stress too much. Sure, Zara's attractive, but only Sir and Madam know her background. She's not really part of the social scene."
"Consider this: Mr. Ethan might just be drawn to her looks. If he loses interest, he'll probably seek someone who can stand by him and should know about the outside world."
Gia beamed with pride and remarked, "That would definitely be you! Who else could possibly stand side by side with Mr. Ethan?"
As Olivia heard Gia's words, she realized there was a kernel of truth in them. A sense of warmth washed over her as she pondered this.
Noticing that Olivia had stopped crying and seemed lost in thought, Gia gently took some tissues and dabbed at Olivia's tears. "Please don't cry, Ms. Olivia. Just imagine if Mr. Ethan arrives and sees your puffy eyes from all this crying."