Ethan ignored the futile commotion around him and walked towards Charlotte. He reached out, took Sophia into his arms, and comforted her. "Sophia, it's alright now. Don't be afraid. I'll take you home."
"Daddy!" Sophia buried her head in Ethan's chest, clinging to him tightly. Gradually, she stopped trembling. She feared for his Daddy's safety. The nasty man is so scary!
Holding Sophia close, Ethan muffled her ears with one hand and headed straight for the kindergarten gates. The bald leader of the gang was about to confront Ethan when Dylan swiftly kicked him aside.
"Are you blind...? Ah!" A torrent of curses and shouts followed the man's scream.
Ethan ignored the chaos behind him, focusing solely on soothing Sophia and shielding her from the vulgar language. Though frightened by the sight of the tattooed men being effortlessly dispatched, Charlotte followed closely behind Ethan, feeling a temporary relief as they reached the car.
When she looked at Ethan again, her perception of him had changed. No longer did she see him as a troublemaker. Ethan's command over the situation and Dylan's deference to him despite his ability to handle many adversaries piqued her curiosity. What had Ethan been doing these past six years? Why did he seem like a gang leader? Where did he go all these past years? Curiosity was all over her mind suddenly.
Ethan had just fastened his seatbelt and was about to start the car when a thought struck him. He lowered the window and called out to Dylan, "Don't kill anyone."
"Understood, Ethan," Dylan replied, clearly enjoying the fight. He had needed some sparring and practice these past days, and these guys were a perfect punching bag for him.
Charlotte was left speechless. She realized that Ethan was indeed quite a stronghold. For a fleeting moment, she thought deeply of something but did not voice it out.
Sophia, on the other hand, was filled with admiration and awe for her father. She didn't share her aunt's anxiety. To Sophia, her daddy is the most strong daddy in the universe! Ethan gently tapped Sophia's nose as they stopped at a red light, making her giggle. The atmosphere became lighter during their travel as Sophia frequently looked at her daddy and asked some childish questions. Ethan gladly answered all her questions.
Soon, they arrived back at the Reed residence. Ethan got out, carrying Sophia in his arms, only to be met with Claudia's furious glare.
"You dare come back here? Do you know the mess you've caused, you worthless scoundrel?!" Claudia raged, nearly poking Ethan's face with her finger.
Ethan stepped back slightly to avoid Claudia's frenzied prodding and protect Sophia. Worrying about escalating the situation, Charlotte quickly grabbed Claudia's finger, urging her, "Mum, let's discuss this inside. Don't get angry too much. Let's talk calmly, alright?"
She hurriedly pushed Claudia into the house. "Calmly? What is there to discuss calmly with him? He's nothing but trouble! Ever since he came back, he's caused nothing but problems! If I'd known this would happen, I'd wish he'd perished out there! What he did in Thaddeus's residence is infuriating!"
At this moment, Anastasia arrived home. Seeing her mother berating Ethan again, she sighed deeply. He had just returned, yet her mom always berated her.
Sophia, unable to bear her father being scolded, pouted angrily. "Daddy is not going to die! Daddy is great! Daddy is a hero! Someone tried to bully me and Aunt Charlotte, but Daddy protected us! We are safe because of Daddy!"
Anastasia was taken aback. "What happened?"
Claudia paused her tirade to listen. Charlotte recounted the incident at the kindergarten. "That couple was dreadful. They falsely accused us and tried to hit us. If Ethan hadn't arrived in time, that fat woman would have slapped me! We only got back safely thanks to Ethan's friend."
Claudia, grinding her teeth, began cursing the couple. "The richest family's scion is interested in my daughter, and that fat woman almost ruined her beautiful face!"
Anastasia frowned. It seems the man has considerable influence. You should stay home for a few days if they seek revenge."
"No!" Charlotte and Claudia protested simultaneously.
Claudia still despised Ethan and couldn't wait to see him gone. Charlotte, however, was now terrified of Ethan.
"Mum, what if something happens to him out there?"
"If he dies, then so be it," Claudia snapped. "It would be better if you could marry Seth."
"Mum!" Anastasia protested. "Must you force this on me? If you keep insisting, I can't stay here anymore."
"Alright, alright," Claudia relented, glaring at Anastasia. "But he can't stay here for free. He has to pay rent – fifteen hundred dollars a month, not including utilities and daily expenses!"
She intentionally set the amount high, confident that Ethan would fail to pay and give her a reason to kick him out.
"Agreed," Ethan said cheerfully. "Consider it settled!"
He was overjoyed at the opportunity to stay close to his wife and daughter, even at the cost of fifteen hundred dollars. To him, fifteen hundred is just a pinch of sand to his wealth compared to the memories and moments he will be with his family. To ensure Claudia wouldn't backtrack, he went to the car and retrieved a large sum of money from a bag under the backseat.
"Here's twenty thousand dollars for six months' rent and utilities. If it's not enough, I'll add more. Just tell me."