Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 15: Trapped in the Room

Raina Reddington forced herself to remain calm and waved the object in her hand. "Are you afraid I’ll see something you don’t want seen, Fourth Master?"

He let out a soft chuckle, running a hand through his damp hair.

"Here." Raina’s voice trembled slightly. "Mom gave me a bank card when we first got married. I put it back inside. It’s not like I don’t earn my own money. I don’t want people thinking I’m living off you."

After she finished speaking, she slapped the wallet against Ethan Lancaster’s chest. He took it and glanced inside, and sure enough, a bank card was tucked within.

"That was a gift from Mom to you. If you want to be so high and mighty, don’t return it to me."

"Then just pretend you didn’t see it."

Raina returned to the windowsill and picked up the book she was halfway through, taking the opportunity to slip the key card between its pages. "Why did you get out mid-shower?"

"I forgot to grab a change of clothes."

Raina didn’t even dare to look up. "Aren’t you afraid I’ll take your picture and sell it?"

"What’s there to be afraid of? I’m quite satisfied with my entire body. Especially the more... private parts."

Raina gritted her teeth in frustration, wanting nothing more than to hurl the book in her hands at him.

Fortunately, Ethan Lancaster didn’t seem to notice anything amiss. After putting the wallet away, he walked into the walk-in closet.

「The next day.」

After work, Raina followed the information on the key card to a new residential complex that had just been completed last year. She pulled the brim of her hat down, having deliberately worn a large trench coat in case things went south and someone recognized her from the security footage.

Raina went up to the thirty-second floor, keeping her head down the whole time. The floor had a single, sprawling apartment per elevator stop. She stepped out of the elevator, walked straight to the door, and rang the doorbell.

She pressed her ear against the door. Inside, there was no sound other than the echoing chime of the doorbell.

Raina boldly took out the key card. A soft click sounded as the lock disengaged. In one fluid motion, she opened the door, slipped inside, and shut it behind her!

She leaned against the door, her eyes scanning the room. It wasn’t as luxurious or ostentatious as The Verdant Garden, but this area was prime real estate, and the market value had soared since The Veridian Tower was built. It seemed Ethan Lancaster was quite generous to his women on the side.

Raina had no time to waste on admiration. She found the master bedroom and went inside. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

There were no signs of a woman living in the room, which disappointed Raina. She walked over to the TV console, and her foot accidentally kicked something. Looking down, she saw a pair of women’s shoes.

She took a newly purchased miniature video camera out of her bag. After turning it on, she placed it behind a decorative photo frame. Raina then shifted a nearby tissue box to block it further, and only after making sure it wouldn’t be discovered did she leave.

Things had gone smoothly today, but even after she got home, Raina felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her throat.

That night, Raina waited until after ten, but Ethan Lancaster still hadn’t returned.

He hadn’t even called. ’It seems he’s staying at The Veridian Tower tonight.’

Raina wasn’t sure if one night would be enough to capture what she wanted, but Ethan Lancaster had come home the following night, so she would have to risk retrieving the camera no matter what. If it hadn’t recorded anything, she could still think of another plan.

Raina again chose to go after work, just in a different set of clothes. With a guilty conscience, she was so cautious on the way there that she didn’t dare to look up.

Entering the bedroom, Raina went straight to the TV console. The camera was still well-hidden in its original spot. She quickly picked it up and rewound the footage.

’I got it! I actually got it!’

Raina had no time to process her complex emotions. She put the camera in her bag and turned to leave.

Just as she reached the bedroom door, she heard voices from outside.

"Wait for me here."

"Yes, sir."

Raina was so scared her soul almost left her body. She frantically looked for a place to hide, but the room was only so big and brightly lit. In her panic, she ducked into the walk-in closet.

The footsteps reached the door at almost the same moment. Raina covered her mouth and nose, not daring to breathe.

The man didn’t leave right away. He walked into the walk-in closet, presumably to change his clothes.

Raina hid behind the only cabinet door, watching as Ethan Lancaster stood with his back to her. His strong, broad back was completely exposed. After he unbuckled his belt, the waistband of his pants slid down. Raina didn’t dare to look any longer and quickly shut her eyes.

After what felt like an eternity, he finished changing. Raina saw him leave in a hurry, as if he had urgent business, and heard the bedroom door slam shut from outside.

Raina didn’t come out immediately. She waited for about ten minutes, and only after confirming that Ethan Lancaster was completely gone did she climb out of the wardrobe.

She quickened her pace, wanting to get out of there. Reaching the door, she pulled it open and couldn’t help but let out a scream, "Ah—"

Ethan Lancaster hadn’t left. He was leaning against the doorframe, his sinister eyes fixed on her. He was leisurely crossing his arms, his entire presence exuding a chilling aura.

Raina tried to pass him, but the man shot out an arm to block her way. He then straightened up and advanced on her, forcing Raina to back away.

Ethan Lancaster kicked the door shut with his foot. He didn’t say a word, just kept advancing on her.

’She had already prepared an excuse; her biggest fear had been getting caught completely off guard.’

"I came to see if you were really hiding someone here."

Ethan Lancaster’s lips curled into a sneer. Raina retreated until she was at the edge of the bed, where she finally stopped.

"How did you get in?"

At this point, there was no need to hide it anymore. Raina simply admitted it outright, "I took your key card."

"What did you come here for?"

"Isn’t that woman pregnant? I wanted to see if she was living here. I wanted to... have a chat with her."

"Chat about what?"

Raina felt Ethan Lancaster’s gaze on her like a flame, making her burn with discomfort. "About the child."

"Heh." The man just let out a single laugh and said nothing more.

Silence was the best form of torture. Raina tried to walk forward and leave, but it was clear Ethan Lancaster had no intention of letting her.

The moment his arm wrapped around her shoulder, Raina jumped back two large steps in fright. The back of her legs hit the edge of the bed, and her body, losing its balance, fell backward into a sitting position on the mattress.

Raina tried to get up, but Ethan Lancaster held her down by the shoulder.

"You haven’t even met her yet. Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

"Then are you going to call her over?" Raina didn’t forget to point nearby. "Her shoes are over there. I saw them."

"Didn’t you say you wouldn’t care about my debauchery outside?"

She swallowed hard. "I don’t. But you went and got a child involved. I’m afraid she’ll threaten my position. After all, Mom is also eager to have a grandchild."

"Is that so?" Ethan Lancaster reached out and lightly gripped Raina’s chin. He hooked his ring finger under it twice, a frivolous and ambiguous gesture. Just as Raina was about to turn her face away, the hand holding her chin tightened.

She hissed in pain; her jaw was already aching from his grip.

"Ethan Lancaster, let go."

The man bent down, his gaze meeting hers. She didn’t want to look at him, but he deliberately forced her to.

"Why go to all this trouble? Instead of raising someone else’s ungrateful child, you might as well work with me and have one of our own."