Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 150: An Impossible Wish

Ethan Lancaster remained silent, bringing some food to his lips. Zion Lancaster smiled beside him. "That’s right," she said. "Having a child in the house would liven things up so much."

Raina Reddington tried to put on an act and force a smile, but the corners of her lips felt incredibly stiff.

"Ethan can still be so thoughtless. I’ll have a good talk with him." Now that Jessica Jacobs had some free time, she was determined to get Ethan Lancaster in line.

Raina felt a lump in her throat. "Mom, I know what you mean."

"As long as you know. In that case, I’ll be waiting for your good news."

This dinner was agonizing for Raina. Her relationship with Ethan Lancaster was at a near-freezing point; the very mention of a child was nothing short of a joke.

Zion Lancaster brought over the cake and inserted the candles she had prepared.

Ethan Lancaster picked up a lighter, ready to light the candles, but Zion nudged his arm. "Let Raina do it."

Ethan Lancaster glanced at Raina beside him and passed her the lighter.

She lit the candles, and Ethan dutifully went to turn off the lights. He returned to the dining table, clasped his hands tightly, and began making a wish, his expression sincere and earnest. His eyes were gently closed, and the candlelight seemed to sweep away the chill between them, bringing a wave of warmth and tenderness.

They looked so perfect together. Watching them, Zion felt as if she were looking at a painting.

He finished his wish and blew out the candles. Butler Cameron, who was standing by the switch, reached out and turned the lights back on.

"What did you wish for?" Jessica Jacobs asked softly.

Zion chuckled. "Mom, you can’t just say a wish out loud like that."

Ethan Lancaster gently put an arm around Jessica Jacobs’s shoulder. "My wish was for your wish to come true, so that you’ll be happy all next year."

"Oh, you," Jessica Jacobs patted his hand. "You’ve finally grown up."

He had basically announced his wish out loud, and to Raina, the words were incredibly jarring. ’Even if he wanted to comfort Jessica Jacobs, did he really need to say that?’

’What does Ethan think I am? Does he expect me to weep with gratitude just because he shows me a sliver of kindness in front of others?’

’The wounds he’d inflicted on her were ones that even time would struggle to heal. Raina was the type to hold a grudge, and she had committed every single one to memory.’

Ethan Lancaster began to cut the cake. He gave the first slice to Jessica Jacobs, and after cutting the second, he offered it to Raina.

Zion teased from the side, "Once a man gets a wife, he forgets his own sister. At least you still remembered your mother, though."

"Thank you." Raina took the plate, her fingers brushing against Ethan’s. She flinched, hastily pulling her hand back and nearly dropping the cake.

When it was time to go, Jessica Jacobs saw the two of them to the door, and Ethan got into Raina’s car.

As the car pulled away, Raina looked away from the rearview mirror. "Where are you headed?"

Her question was so abrupt that Ethan didn’t have time to react. "What?"

Raina repeated herself. "Where are you headed? If it’s not on my way, I’ll just drop you here. You can get a taxi yourself."

Ethan unbuckled the seatbelt he had just fastened. "You’re kicking me out, aren’t you?"

"I’m not kicking you out, I’m just asking."

Ethan turned to face her. "You have no idea what day today is, do you?"

"I’m busy every day. I don’t even know the date." Since he didn’t say where he was going, Raina started driving toward The Verdant Garden on her own. "Besides, as long as someone remembers, that’s enough."

Ethan opened the car window, resting one arm on the frame and pressing two fingers gently against the bridge of his nose.

Figuring he was probably done with dinner by now, Gwen Sharp hesitated for a moment before dialing Ethan’s number.

The man glanced at the caller ID, unable to hide the irritation and impatience in his eyes. He wasn’t in the mood to try and make Raina jealous right now; she wouldn’t care anyway.

’This Gwen Sharp is so damn annoying,’ he thought, his irritation mounting. ’Fucking annoying.’

Ethan swiped his finger across the screen. Hearing the call disconnect, Gwen didn’t try again. ’Maybe he’s still having dinner with his family,’ she thought. ’Or maybe he’s out with friends. I just wonder if Raina is with him.’

Back at The Verdant Garden, they went upstairs, one after the other. Raina turned on the TV to watch the news while Ethan went to the bathroom to take a shower first.

The man turned off the shower. He could hear the faint sound of the television through the bathroom door. Wrapping a large bath towel around his waist, he listened to the male news anchor reading the script in a clear, resonant voice. For the first time, Ethan thought the sound was actually quite pleasant.

He knocked twice on the bathroom door and called out Raina’s name, just like he used to. "Grab my clothes for me."

There was no response. Ethan called out a few more times, surprised that Raina was still ignoring him.

Ethan had no choice but to pull the door open and walk out himself. "I’m talking to you. Are you deaf...?"

He scanned the room, but there was no sign of Raina. Ethan walked out onto the balcony just in time to see Raina’s car speeding out of The Verdant Garden.

"Raina—"

The car sped off, quickly disappearing from sight. The man clenched his fist and slammed it hard against the ivory-white railing.

He went back inside, dialing Cameron Fairchild’s number as he walked into the dressing room to find some clothes.

The person on the other end was clearly out somewhere, and the noise of a crowd filled Ethan’s ear. "Fourth Master."

"Did something happen over at Miles Hawthorne’s place?"

"Not that I know of. What’s up?"

’Who else but Miles could make Raina rush over in such a panic?’

Ethan hung up and immediately tried calling Raina, but no one picked up.

He changed into a set of casual clothes and headed out. Just as he got downstairs, he got a call from Cameron Fairchild.

"Yeah, something did happen. It looks like Miles Hawthorne got beat up by a customer."

Ethan walked into the garage, got in his car, and drove off. A heavy frustration weighed on his chest. Today was his birthday, yet not only had Raina been completely indifferent, she hadn’t even offered him a simple "Happy Birthday." But the moment she heard Miles Hawthorne was in trouble, she had rushed over without a second thought, not even bothering to say a word to him.

It was as if she didn’t see him at all.

Raina had left her number with the people there last time, telling them to call her if anything unusual happened. She just hadn’t expected the call to come so soon.

When Ethan arrived at the location, a full-blown uproar was underway inside.

The entrance and hallway were packed with patrons watching the commotion. He pushed his way through the crowd, hearing the sounds of a fierce argument coming from one of the private rooms.

"Don’t you touch her!"

"You can barely save your own skin, and you want to protect her? With what?"

By the time Raina arrived, Miles Hawthorne had already been beaten up. But the men were relentless, refusing to leave and threatening to kill him right then and there.

Miles Hawthorne held Raina tightly behind him. His face was bruised and cut, and his white shirt was stained with shoe prints. Raina pressed her palm against his back. "Are you okay?"

Miles Hawthorne nodded. "I’m fine."

Ethan reached the doorway and saw the two of them clinging to each other. The private room was a complete mess, littered with shattered glass bottles.