Ethan Aibileen smirked, "Lia, you are my wife now. I told my mom that I want to marry you. She’s going to talk to your dad, hasn’t your dad always wanted to form an alliance with our family? Now I agree, you must be happy."

As he spoke, he reached out again to grab Lia’s hand.

Lia slapped his hand away forcefully once more and warned him coldly, "Ethan, if you touch me again, don’t blame me for being rude. I am not going to marry you; whoever agreed to the alliance with your family, you marry them."

After finishing, Lia attempted to bypass Ethan, this brazen and philandering man completely ignored her warning. Seeing her trying to leave, he turned around and hugged her from behind.

Lia was utterly infuriated by Ethan. She turned her head and bit down hard on Ethan’s arm, causing him to cry out in pain and draw many sideways glances.

In pain, Ethan naturally let go of Lia. But Lia didn’t let him off easy, turning around and slapping him again. This time, Ethan was quick and caught her wrist, but Lia’s feet were moving as well, and she kicked viciously towards an important part of his anatomy.

Frightened, Ethan dodged quickly, and Lia missed his vital part, instead aiming kicks at his leg and even his stomach.

Ethan could protect his face but not his legs, ended up getting kicked multiple times and was a bit disheveled, shouting, "Honey, don’t be mad, can we fight in the room? Look at all the people watching."

This was misleading others, making them think it was a couple’s quarrel.

Though this was not River City, Ethan also cared about face.

"Smack!"

Lia’s other hand wasn’t restrained, and she smacked Ethan quickly again without reservation.

"Who’s your wife? Say it again and I’ll tear your mouth apart! You pervert!"

Lia’s expression was icy, her gaze cold enough to freeze, as she coldly cursed Ethan, forcibly shaking off his hand, while still unwillingly trying to land another kick, which Ethan dodged.

Ethan covered his face that had been smacked, retreating several steps. Since he started dating at sixteen, he had cycled through countless women, none of whom had ever treated him like this.

This Lia was truly eye-opening for him.

"Lia, you’re really fierce!"

Ethan was annoyed, but Lia’s uniqueness once again attracted him, preventing him from completely turning against her as he merely glared at her, saying, "I said I would marry you and I definitely will. I wasn’t quite willing initially, but now you’ve successfully attracted me. I want to conquer you!"

Conquering a woman who doesn’t like him, Ethan considered it very challenging.

"Ethan, what’s going on?"

At this moment, a seductive woman in high heels came quickly, carrying a designer bag.

She was Ethan’s new companion. He hadn’t come here to pursue Lia but for a trip with his new partner, and unexpectedly, he encountered Lia, which instantly stirred his teasing intentions, but he hadn’t anticipated being beaten badly by Lia.

"Ethan, your face? Who hit you?"

The woman approached Ethan, noticing one side of his face was red, asked concernedly, and then quickly turned, glaring at Lia. Seeing Lia as a beautiful young woman made her instantly jealous, and without asking Lia a word, she tried to slap Lia.

Lia, who dared to beat up Ethan, couldn’t possibly be intimidated by a woman who strikes without knowing the reason.

Lia grabbed the woman’s wrist powerfully, pushed her backward, and let go, causing the woman to retreat several steps unstably, even bumping into Ethan and with her high heels stepping on Ethan’s foot. That feeling... Ethan cried out in pain, like a pig being slaughtered.

Lia: Sweet!

"Ethan, sorry, sorry." The woman quickly apologized, supporting Ethan, completely disregarding Lia.

Lia sneered, turning to leave.

"Miss Lia."

A familiar, warm voice called.

It was Ivan Horne’s voice.

Lia instinctively turned around, seeing Ivan coming out of the hotel surrounded by several suited men. He walked straight to Lia, pausing next to Ethan, giving him a sidelong glance filled with coolness, sarcastically saying to Ethan, "Nathan Aibileen certainly knows how to teach his son."

Ethan didn’t recognize Ivan, but Ivan’s presence and aura told him this extraordinarily handsome man was no simple matter. He quickly asked, "Sir, who are you?"

Knowing his father’s name and being sarcastic must mean he knew his father?

"You’re not qualified to ask who I am!"

Ivan left behind a remark, swiftly walking to Lia, his frosty demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by warmth, leaving Lia startled, realizing this man’s expression changed as swiftly as flipping a page.

"Miss Lia, are you alright?" Ivan had mostly seen the earlier scene and initially considered stepping in to help Lia, but after witnessing Lia dealing with Ethan by herself, he abandoned the thought of being a hero and instead appreciated Lia’s other side from within.

Now, as Lia was about to leave, he appeared, indirectly indicating to Ethan that in this place, Lia had him, Ivan Horne, as her ally.

Lia quickly replied, "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Horne. I’m okay. I can handle a pervert, in the past Violet and her brother..." Lia naturally brought up her battles with her half-blood siblings but cut herself off halfway, knowing better than to continue.

Ivan, being extremely intelligent, understood her implication even as she stopped, his bottomless dark eyes seemed to flicker with anger, but upon closer look, it was imperceptible, only feeling his gaze was deep, easily losing one’s bearings, falling into a deep pool, indistinguishable in direction.

"I didn’t take good care; I promised Lena." Ivan appeared self-reproachful, then turned and instructed, "Valence Hotel doesn’t accommodate customers like this."

This meant refusing Ethan Aibileen entry into Valence Hotel.

"You..." Ethan’s new companion initially intended to curse Ivan but was captivated by his handsomeness and presence, uttering one word only to stare at Ivan, finding even blinking excessive, afraid this handsome man would disappear in a blink.

"Who are you?" Ethan pushed his new companion aside, asking Ivan again, "I want to stay in this hotel, I have money."

Ivan laughed, the woman beside Ethan became even more lost, foolishly praising, "So handsome!"

Ethan: ...

"Sorry, we won’t earn your money. I am Ivan Horne, if you’re not convinced, challenge me!" Ivan said such domineering words, with a smile still hanging on his handsome face, making him extremely handsome.