Scarlett had been carefully watching Ethan's expressions, choosing her words with care, afraid of hurting this young man who had just come of age.
After all, no matter how many excuses they made, the fact that they had shared some physical intimacy recently was undeniable.
She was worried that referring to Ethan as a child might make him feel guilty.
Scarlett was a bit taken aback when she noticed Ethan's eyes suddenly light up.
"Sorry, Auntie, I didn't realize you still saw me as a child," Ethan said, realizing he had let something slip. He quickly tried to make amends, his face filled with embarrassment.
"It's okay." Scarlett smiled, realizing it was probably just her imagination. She reached out and took Ethan's left hand in hers, the first time they had shaken hands this week:
"Ethan, you can think of me as your mom, so don't worry about anything, just focus on getting better, okay? I believe you'll be fine."
