Ethan gazed directly at Zara and spoke in a soothing tone, "Did you not hear what the doctor mentioned? You really need to take it easy for at least two days. Let me show you to your room. So, why don't you put your phone down and get some rest?"
"I understand my body well enough. I don't need that much downtime. Besides, I plan to leave the city tomorrow morning," Zara replied calmly.
Without saying a word, Ethan quickly scooped Zara up. The unexpected move left her stunned, and she was momentarily at a loss for what was happening.
Noticing the surprise on Zara's face, Ethan smiled slightly and began to carry her toward the stairs.
Zara soon regained her composure and attempted to break free, saying coldly, "Put me down. Why are you doing this?"
Yet, she hesitated to exert too much force, fearing she might fall if she did.
Her protests seemed to vanish into thin air, not even reaching the person she was addressing.
Ethan, without uttering a word, held Zara securely in his arms, mindful of her movements to prevent her from slipping, and carried her to the master bedroom on the first floor.
Since Ethan rarely visits the country, the villas he owns are maintained by occasional visits from servants who come to clean and restock the place.
After David and Carter headed out of the villa, the only one left was a butler who was just filling in temporarily since Ethan had dropped by to take care of some things.
The butler stayed silent the whole time, just hanging out to the side, waiting for any instructions. He soon retreated to his servant quarters right after Carter and David left, leaving only Ethan and Zara in the main house.
When Ethan led her into a room, Zara quickly reacted and snapped, "What are you doing?!"
Ethan didn't respond; instead, he positioned her at the head of the bed, placing his hands on either side to block her escape, and looked at Zara with a gentle, almost desperate expression.
Ethan gently addressed Zara, "Lia, the doctor advised you to rest for a few days. After that, I'll make sure to take you home myself. How does that sound?"
Zara shot back, "Who said you could look after me? I know my body better than anyone, and I'm leaving tomorrow." She glared at Ethan, her expression icy.
Noticing the chill in Zara's gaze, Ethan let out a sigh and became lost in thought.
As Ethan pondered, Zara attempted to push his hand away.
Ethan felt relaxed around Zara, letting his guard down and not exerting much effort, even though his strong physique could easily overpower more than a dozen people with just half strength.
When Zara playfully pushed his hand away, he snapped back to reality and noticed her walking away with a calm, amused demeanor looking at her walking towards the sofa in the room.
He was aware of Zara's strength, having carried her upstairs despite her resistance, but he assumed her sudden movement had drained some of her energy.
However, it seemed he had overlooked several aspects of his fiancée's capabilities.
Noticing her relaxed posture on the couch, a smile spread across his face as he mused, "I really ought to learn more about Lia."
Ethan, still grinning, made his way over to Zara and settled down beside her.
"How about we do this," Ethan suggested.
"What do you have in mind?" she asked.
"Let's give Aunt Kylie a call and fill her in on what the doctor said. If she thinks you need to head back right away, I'll make sure you're on the first flight in the morning," Ethan replied, his gaze steady on Zara, whose expression shifted from tranquility to anger as he spoke.
This wasn't his typical way of interacting with others.
If someone else were in Zara's position and chose to ignore Ethan's instructions, it wouldn't be surprising to hear that they were no longer around.
However, he couldn't let his anger or darker side show in front of Zara, worried that it might frighten her and make it difficult for him to connect with her later.
Zara's hand tightened into a fist as she processed Ethan's threat involving her mother.
Throughout her life, no one had ever tried to blackmail her. And even if someone had, they certainly hadn't succeeded.
Even her brothers hadn't resorted to blackmailing her with their mother. This was the first time she had encountered such a situation, and it filled her with rage.
It wasn't that she feared her mother would scold or punish her; she simply knew exactly what her mother would say.
First, her mother would be taken aback and worry upon hearing that Zara was unwell.
Then, she would insist that Ethan look after her, keeping a watchful eye on her at all times, which would only add to her frustration.
With no other choices available, Zara accepted her fate and declared, "I'll stay here for two days." "No more than that," she added, casting a cold glance at Ethan.
Ethan responded with a warm smile and a nod, reassuring her that this was the plan.
What Zara didn't realize was that even without her mother's involvement, Ethan would still be keeping a close eye on her during her stay.
Ethan got up from the couch and glanced at Zara, who was deep in thought. He gently ran his fingers through her hair and said, "Everything you need is right here. Just make sure to rest well."
"Mm." Zara brushed his hand away and gave a brief response.
Ethan wasn't bothered by her reaction; instead, he leaned in and planted a kiss on her forehead, saying, "Good night, Babe."
Zara was taken aback by the unexpected kiss and didn't catch what Ethan had said.
Once she regained her composure, she realized she was alone in the room.
After enjoying a soothing bath while keeping her wound dry, Zara felt rejuvenated as she stepped out onto the balcony of the master bedroom, gazing up at the moon.
Zara stood on the balcony, taking in her surroundings and noticing that the neighborhood had only a few villas.
The nearest house was quite a distance away, around five hundred to seven hundred meters.
However, this didn't bother her; the whole area appeared to be well-maintained and secure.
Eventually, she returned to her room and drifted off to sleep, not having done much else.