Zara fixed Zoye with a serious look, prompting Zoye to zip her lips and remain quiet.
Ethan chuckled at the playful exchange between Zara and her friend, leaning in closer to whisper in her ear, "You really do seem quite fierce, Lia. What should I do about that?"
Zara shoved him away with one hand, replying, "Well, you could just go."
Without missing a beat, Ethan pulled her in closer and said, "No way, Lia. Leaving you isn't an option. You can be even more fierce when I'm around, and I'm totally fine with that."
Zara felt the urge to roll her eyes at Ethan's comment but managed to hold it back, instead shifting her gaze away from him.
She shifted her gaze to Zoye and said, "You should head back to the hotel now. I'll be there shortly."
She was fully aware that Ethan wouldn't let her leave until her injury was properly treated. So, she decided to send Zoye away first to give herself a moment to breathe.
Zoye gave a silent thumbs-up and teased, "No worries if you decide not to come back. I can handle things on my own."
With that, she quickly turned and dashed away, worried that Zara might scorch her with a fierce look. As she ran off, she called back, "Don't forget to take care of that wound!"
Zara was left speechless, unsure if the person who just fled was truly her friend.
Ethan chuckled at Zoye's playful remark and Zara's stunned expression.
Zara then turned to Ethan, who quickly masked his amusement and returned to a serious demeanor.
He understood her unspoken words and sent a message to Sirius to take Zoye back first.
Not long after sending the message, Ethan grabbed the first aid kit from David and guided Zara to sit on the couch in the hallway.
Once seated, Ethan opened the kit and began to tend to her injury.
The bleeding had already ceased since Zara had managed to stop it by applying pressure to the acupuncture points right after the knife had grazed her neck.
Ethan noticed that the bleeding was minimal, making it easier for him to clean the wound. Once he finished, he carefully bandaged it.
He was so focused on the task that he didn't even flinch, worried that he might accidentally cause Zara more pain.
Zara couldn't help but smile at his concentration and commitment.
"You're still smiling after everything?" Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow as he wrapped up the first aid and set the bandage on the table, which David had cleaned and handed to the bodyguard behind him.
"It's not my fault he took me hostage," Zara replied nonchalantly, meeting Ethan's gaze.
Zara pressed on, "It seems you lost some crucial details by taking him out."
Ethan, taking her hands gently in his, replied with warmth, "Do you really think that information matters more to me than you?"
"Who can say?!" Zara responded nonchalantly, which set Ethan off.
He pulled her closer, holding one of her hands while wrapping his other arm around her waist. With a slightly chilly and resigned tone, he asked, "Don't you realize, Lia?"
At that moment, the atmosphere in the lounge shifted dramatically. David and Carter exchanged worried glances, shaken by the sudden change in their boss's demeanor.
Ms. Zara, can't you feel the tension in the air?
Can't you see that your words have upset him?
They both pondered silently as they observed the unfolding scene.
However, as Zara noticed the slight darkness in his expression she also noticed the helplessness in his voice, as she found herself at a loss for words in front of his eyes as they were only a few centimeters away from each other's face.
1. As their gazes locked, Zara's phone suddenly rang, causing them to break their connection.
Although Ethan released Zara's hand, he still held her waist, pulling her closer as if any distance between them might cause her to go away.
Zara quickly retrieved her phone and answered the call.
The moment she brought the phone to her ear, a man's voice burst through, shouting, "Boss!!!!! This is not right!!!!"
Startled by the loudness, Zara instinctively pulled the phone away from her ear, worried it might damage her eardrum.
Despite the chaos on the other end, her expression remained unchanged as she listened to the person rambling on.
Zara was getting fed up with the endless chatter, so she coolly said, "If you've got nothing important to say, I'm hanging up."
It seemed like her words hit home because the guy on the line quickly started explaining why he called.
Once he laid out all the details, he hesitated before asking, "Boss, did you really find someone to replace me?"
Zara didn't even flinch at that and just ended the call without a second thought.
Ethan, who had been quietly listening beside her, could tell the caller was a guy.
Ethan watched as Zara ended the call, then gently took her left hand and asked, "Who's that ?"
Zara turned her head slightly, noticing how close they were sitting. She instinctively tried to pull away from his embrace, momentarily forgetting to answer his question.
As she struggled to escape his hold, Ethan felt a sharp pang in his heart, as if it were being pierced by a knife.
He tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her closer, and asked in a low, rough voice, "Are you trying to keep that man a secret from me?"
Zara, suddenly drawn nearer to him, was taken aback by the intensity of his gaze, which had darkened, and she noticed the coldness in his eyes and the tension in his furrowed brow.
Zara felt a pang in her heart as she saw him like that, his cheerful demeanor fading and his brows knitting together but she didn't know how to express it. She didn't want to see his bright spirit dimmed.
Confused by his words, she tilted her head and asked, "Huh? What man are you talking about?"
Ethan, noticing her wide, puzzled eyes, felt uncertain about how to respond to the little girl before him. He let out a sigh and said, "It's nothing. Let's head back. The doctor will take a look at your cut when we get there."
Zara quickly replied, "No, that's not needed. It's just a small cut, and you've already cleaned it, right? So, it's really not necessary."
Despite her reassurances, Ethan was unwilling to take any chances. "The doctor will check the wound, and there's no discussion about it."
Ethan stood up from the couch, still holding Zara's hand, and began to walk.
Zara had no choice but to follow him, with David and Carter trailing a bit behind, who were waiting for them at a short distance.
Once they got to the car, Carter and David took their seats in the front, separated from the back by a partition.
Even after settling in, Ethan kept a firm grip on Zara's hand, gently stroking it with his thumb.
Zara, unable to pull her hand away, decided to let him be and focused on checking her phone for messages and notifications.
Ethan gazed at Zara's profile, the glow of the streetlight casting a soft light on her delicate, fair skin and captivating features. He felt as if he could spend a lifetime simply admiring her beauty.
As he studied her face, his eyes were drawn to her lips, which were a lovely shade of pink. At that moment, she gently bit her lower lip, causing Ethan to swallow hard, his throat tightening.
Feeling a rush of warmth within him, Ethan quickly turned his gaze to the window, trying to regain his composure.