CHAPTER 28: CHAPTER 28: SHE... CROSSED THE LINE

"Who are you calling ’wife’..."

Ivy instinctively retorted, stopping mid-sentence as she realized.

Awkwardly, she turned her face and watched as Seraphina paused her massage and helped him put away the vase from the bedside cabinet.

"Just leave it here for now. Why did you suddenly think of buying this?"

Placing the humidifier on the cabinet, Ethan Sterling raised his wrist to check the time.

"The doctor said this is good for your dad’s respiratory system, so I bought one on my way. I have some company business to attend to, so I’ll head out first."

"I’ll see you off." Seraphina escorted him to the elevator hallway, "Thank you."

These were things she originally should have been concerned about.

"It’s just a small matter, no need to be so formal." Ethan lifted his right hand to help her remove a strand of hair from her sweater, "Your friend is still waiting, you should head back!"

A glance down the corridor at Ivy made it inconvenient for Seraphina to say much.

"Okay, then... let’s talk tonight."

Ethan nodded and walked into the elevator.

Once Seraphina returned to the hospital room entrance, Ivy immediately grabbed her arm and pulled her to the door.

"Seraphina, have you lost your mind?"

In Ivy’s view, Ethan Sterling was far more dangerous than Adrian Chamberlain.

Marrying Ethan was no different than fleeing the wolf’s den only to dive into the tiger’s lair.

"Did Ethan force you? Don’t worry, I’ll find the best divorce lawyer from our firm for you, and get you divorced!"

Pulling Ivy down onto the sofa, Seraphina simply explained the reason she married Ethan.

"Ethan didn’t force me." Seraphina spoke seriously, "I did it willingly."

The marriage was a condition proposed by Ethan, but he hadn’t coerced her like Adrian Chamberlain had. It was her own choice to agree.

"But..." Ivy couldn’t understand, "Even if you want to get back at Adrian Chamberlain, you really shouldn’t throw yourself into this!"

Seraphina turned her face, watching her father Theodore Thorne, still unconscious, on the hospital bed.

"I have to protect Zenith and can’t let my dad’s lifetime of hard work fall into Adrian Chamberlain’s hands. Right now... Ethan is the only one who can help me achieve this."

Ivy opened her mouth but couldn’t say a single word.

She understood Seraphina’s feelings; if she were in Seraphina’s place, she would also go all out to protect her family and get back at Adrian Chamberlain.

She placed a supportive hand on her friend’s shoulder, feeling deeply for her but also powerless.

She wanted badly to help Seraphina but didn’t have the capability.

"Did that bastard... bully you?"

Seraphina shook her head gently, "Actually... he’s not that bad."

Thinking carefully, Ethan really had helped her quite a bit these past few days.

Many times, it was him caring for her.

Without Ethan, she might have ended up in jail already.

Ivy frowned, pondering, then suddenly had an idea.

"Ethan came back neither early nor late, specifically at this time. Might he secretly have feelings for you and deliberately came back to help?"

Seraphina chuckled, "I think you shouldn’t be a lawyer, you should write dramas!"

This kind of plot only appears in TV dramas.

In real life, there’s no such knight-in-shining-armor, it’s all just interests exchanging hands.

She had seen through it a long time ago.

"But seriously, that guy is even more handsome than before, with looks and money, he’s the perfect husband candidate!" Ivy mischievously nudged her elbow, "With such a hunk swaying in front of you every day, are you truly not tempted?"

"I’m not interested in men right now." Seraphina glanced at the soon-to-be-finished IV drip near Theodore Thorne, pressing the call bell by the bedside, "I’m only interested in money."

After Adrian Chamberlain’s betrayal, she could no longer believe in love.

She would never fall into the same pit twice.

Thinking of her own father’s infidelity, Ivy completely understood.

"That’s right, these days, money is far more reliable than men."

Patted Seraphina’s shoulder with a bold smile.

"Don’t worry, when I become a top-tier lawyer, I’ll gift you a handsome young man who’ll orbit around you every day, infuriate those scumbag bastards!"

"One isn’t enough, I want two, one for warming the bed and one for cooking!"

"Two? With your petite size, can you handle it?"

"I can feast my eyes, can’t I?"

...

The two girls burst into laughter.

Seeing her friend’s bright smile, Ivy breathed a sigh of relief.

Since the Thorne Family’s troubles began, it had been a long time since she’d seen such a relaxed expression on Seraphina’s face.

Clearly, Seraphina was slowly moving past Adrian Chamberlain’s shadow, and Ivy was genuinely happy for her.

At dusk, Ivy left.

After carefully asking the caregivers, Seraphina learned about the humidifier situation, feeling a bit guilty inside.

Returning from the hospital, Seraphina deliberately bought hot pot ingredients and base from the supermarket at her housing district entrance, carrying bags home.

Intending to cook a meal for Ethan to show her gratitude.

She sent him a WeChat message, then took the ingredients to the kitchen, cleaning them meticulously one-handed.

Ethan hadn’t replied; she assumed he was busy with work and hadn’t seen it.

However...

Even when nine o’clock arrived, there was still no response.

Ding—

Her phone popped up with a high-wind warning notification.

Feeling concerned, Seraphina grabbed her phone and dialed Ethan’s number.

"Sorry, the number you dialed is currently off."

She tried a few more times, each with the same result.

She sent several WeChat messages over, but Ethan still didn’t respond.

Scrolling through her phone, Seraphina suddenly realized that she knew nothing about Ethan.

Both the office number and Sean Hale’s number...

She didn’t have either.

Remembering visiting his company before, Seraphina quickly searched for The Finance Tower management’s phone number to finally ask for Sterling & Co.’s number.

Once again, no one answered.

Feeling restless, Seraphina set aside the half-written sheet music and walked to the window.

Watching the large trees swaying in the wind downstairs, her heart grew tense.

Uneasily, she waited until almost midnight, and suddenly her phone rang.

Seeing the word "Hubby" on the screen, she hastily answered and held the phone to her ear.

"Where are you? No one’s at the company, can’t reach the phone, and you’re not replying on WeChat?"

"Had to take care of something urgently in the port area. It’s pouring here; the plane just landed. What’s up?"

Ethan’s voice was accompanied by a noisy background, seemingly still at the airport.

"Can’t I call you for no reason?" Seraphina breathed a sigh of relief, her tone a bit reproachful, "Why didn’t you at least notify me before heading out?"

On the phone, Ethan chuckled softly.

"Wife worried about me?"

She had worried he might be in trouble, anxiously not knowing what to do, yet he was still able to laugh?

"I just didn’t want to waste the ingredients I bought. Next time you travel, remember to inform me in advance, so I won’t prepare your meal."

Seraphina, a bit frustrated, hung up before he could respond.

She tossed her phone on the table, then went to the dining room to pack away the hot pot base and ingredients she’d kept warm for him.

On the guest room table, her phone rang continuously.

She was too far to hear it.

Ring—

The phone in the living room suddenly rang loudly.

She rushed over to pick up the receiver and held it to her ear.

With a change of scene, Ethan’s voice sounded clearly over the phone.

"I’m sorry, this time was indeed a bit sudden. From now on, I’ll report my whereabouts to you regularly, okay?"

Ethan’s demeanor wasn’t as domineering as usual, his voice sounding a bit hoarse and noticeably tired.

By then, Seraphina had calmed down.

"I’m glad you’re okay. Rest early at the hotel."

They weren’t really a married couple, he wasn’t obligated to inform her of his whereabouts.

It was she...

who had crossed the line.