Chapter 204: Chapter 202: As Long as I Want You, You Are Mine (8)

"What?! When did that happen?!" Marlon Marshall exclaimed, startled. "Honey, I swear, I had no idea about last night. I have absolutely no memory of it. Think about it—if I were sober, would I dare?"

Seeing Jean Grant was angry, Marlon Marshall quickly added, "Honey, I was wrong. Please forgive me this once. I’ll never drink again."

Jean Grant lay back down and turned her back to him, ignoring him.

Seeing this, Marlon Marshall immediately tried to coax her. "Honey? Don’t be angry, okay? I swear to you, I’ll never drink again!"

When she still didn’t say a word, Marlon Marshall’s knees gave out and he dropped to the floor.

Jean Grant sat up. Seeing him kneeling there, she said, "Get up, hurry. If your mother sees this, she’ll get upset and nag me for hours!"

"I’m not getting up until you forgive me. I was really wasted last night, believe me!"

A look of resignation crossed her brow. "Fine. I’ll forgive you, but just this once."

Only then did Marlon Marshall stand up and pull her into an embrace. "Jean, you’re my wife. You’re beautiful and you love me. I could never do anything to let you down."

"As long as you know that."

Jean Grant rested her head on his shoulder, ’but she didn’t feel as relieved as her words suggested. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just an omen. Or maybe she was just overthinking things.’

When Ethan Ellsworth hadn’t shown up by ten o’clock, Chloe Marshall assumed he wasn’t coming. It wasn’t until she stepped out of the shower that she realized someone else was in the room.

Who else could it be but Ethan Ellsworth?

Chloe Marshall reached up to towel-dry her hair as she approached the bed. "Boss Ellsworth?"

Ethan Ellsworth closed the book in his hands and placed it on the pillow beside him. "Get in."

"Boss Ellsworth, why are you here again tonight—" Chloe Marshall hesitated.

He looked directly at her. "The nights are long, and it’s hard to sleep alone. I figured sleeping with you would give me some company. What, you’re not willing?"

Chloe Marshall walked to the far side of the bed and took off her slippers. "I never said I wasn’t willing. As long as you keep behaving yourself, Boss Ellsworth, I don’t have any concerns."

"Are you afraid I’ll... do something to you?"

Chloe Marshall pulled the covers up. "I’m still a woman, you know. Better safe than sorry, right?"

Ethan Ellsworth agreed. "That’s true. However, I’m not interested in you, so you can rest completely assured."

Chloe Marshall closed her eyes, turned onto her side, and boldly wrapped her arms around his waist.

Ethan Ellsworth’s body instantly went rigid. "What are you doing?"

With her eyes still closed, her hands started to wander. "Nothing. Since you’re not *sexually* interested in me anyway, I can just cuddle you to sleep without any worries."

Ethan Ellsworth looked down at her and suddenly smiled. "You’ve got some nerve for a little assistant, daring to hold me like this while you sleep." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"I learned from the best, Boss Ellsworth. You taught me by example."

Ethan Ellsworth asked subconsciously, "Growing up, how many times have you held a man like this?"

"You’re the first."

"That’s more like it." Ethan Ellsworth nodded, satisfied.

Then he said, "Are you really an idiot? Lying on the bed with your hair so wet. Go dry it."

Chloe Marshall sat up again, got out of bed with a mournful look, and sat on the edge to blow-dry her hair.

Just as she finished, Ethan Ellsworth’s phone rang. He glanced down and saw it was a call from Mrs. Ellsworth.

"My mom always calls in the middle of the night." Ethan Ellsworth answered the call. "Queen Mother, what are your orders?"

Mrs. Ellsworth was clearly in a good mood, her voice cheerful. "Ellsworth, dear, I’m not interrupting anything important by calling now, am I?"

The corner of Ethan Ellsworth’s mouth twitched. "What are you thinking? Of course not."

"That’s good. Tomorrow, Zoe is going for her wedding photoshoot. You and Chloe should come back for lunch if you have time."

"No problem," Ethan Ellsworth replied.

"Okay, then. I’ll let you two get back to your ’exercise.’ Don’t keep me waiting for a grandchild."

Before Ethan Ellsworth could answer, she hung up.

He put his phone aside and glanced at Chloe Marshall. "You’re more important to my mom than her own son now. She wants to include you in everything at home."

Chloe Marshall sat on the bed. She couldn’t deny that. "Of course. Our mom sees me as her daughter-in-law."

"She might see you that way, but you shouldn’t. Don’t actually start thinking of yourself as my fiancée." Ethan Ellsworth’s words, though seemingly casual, stabbed her in the heart.

Chloe Marshall froze for a moment, then replied, "I know my place."

Ethan Ellsworth lay down. "Let’s sleep."

She slid into the covers. They lay there and turned off the lights.

Before either of them could fall asleep, they were startled by a loud BANG. It was followed by an angry voice from the next room—not loud, but audible.

It was clearly the director, Cecelia Willow. But before they could make out what was being said, the voice quieted down.

Chloe Marshall spoke up, "They’re not still... at it, are they?"

"I don’t know."

"Should we go look?"

"We can."

Like a pair of thieves, they slipped on their slippers and ran to the balcony to look at the room next door.

Only then could they hear the voices clearly.

"Cecelia, don’t be angry. It’s my fault, I’m useless. But, Cecelia, would you be willing to go to the rooftop with me?" Ryan’s voice was filled with humble sycophancy.

"Mm."

"Cecelia, come with me." Ryan headed for the door.

Seeing the two of them leave the room, Chloe Marshall looked at Ethan Ellsworth. "Boss Ellsworth, should we go take a look?"

"Of course. Let’s go see what those two idiots are up to on the roof."

The two of them opened their door just in time to see Ryan and Cecelia Willow disappear into the stairwell, not the elevator bay.

They hurried after them, but a glance down the stairs showed no one.

So, they had no choice but to follow them up.

The hotel had twelve floors in total.

When they reached the landing on the twelfth floor, he took out his phone and started recording what he saw.

After filming for about five minutes, Ethan Ellsworth put his phone back in his pocket. He feigned surprise at seeing the pair and called out, "Director?"

Cecelia Willow and Ryan froze instantly, both turning to look in their direction.

"You two are discussing business here in the middle of the night?" Ethan Ellsworth said, suppressing a laugh. "What a coincidence."

"Ellsworth, what are you doing here?"

"I couldn’t sleep, so I came up here with my little assistant to see the night view. I never expected to run into you two. Director, did you just use the casting couch on our male lead number two?"

Cecelia Willow’s expression changed. She gave a sheepish laugh. "We’re... dating."

"But aren’t you married?"

Cecelia Willow fell silent. After a long moment, she said, "Ellsworth, you know how I’ve treated you. I hope you can pretend you didn’t see this."

Ethan Ellsworth chuckled. "Director, I’m well aware of how you’ve treated me. But I’m also well aware of how you’ve treated my junior."

Cecelia Willow immediately understood his meaning. "As long as you don’t say anything about this, I won’t give her a hard time again."

Ethan Ellsworth smiled. "Director, that’s more like it. But it’s not enough for just you to not give her a hard time. What if our male lead number two here—"

"He won’t either."

Ethan Ellsworth turned away. "Idiot, the view really was nice tonight. Let’s go. Back to bed."