CHAPTER 158: CHAPTER 158: STARVE YOU, LITTLE INGRATE

Seraphina Redgrave had always thought of herself as merely a kept woman by Ethan Sterling, and Ethan had told her as much.

She had also always believed that Ethan’s interest in her was minimal, perhaps because of her looks, or maybe because of her surprising abilities, or perhaps due to desire.

But now Ethan was getting jealous on her behalf, even risking his own life for her, suppressing his overwhelming anger. Even if she were slow, she should realize something was off.

Ethan turned over and lay down beside her, his breathing erratic, still not recovered from the pinnacle of pleasure.

A long time passed.

Seraphina thought she wouldn’t get an answer from Ethan, but then he spoke through gritted teeth: "Bullshit."

Really?

Seraphina didn’t speak further. Some things didn’t need to be clarified, so the atmosphere between them wouldn’t become too awkward.

It was already early morning.

After showering, Seraphina put on a silk robe, which wasn’t her size and was a bit too big, so she tightened the belt around her waist.

After someone delivered the medical kit, they left.

Ethan sat on the bed, and Seraphina sat beside him, tending to his explosive wounds. The injury on his shoulder looked fiercer because of their earlier activity, and Seraphina frowned: "It might need stitches."

"No need, just bandage it."

Ethan didn’t think it was severe at all.

Hearing this, Seraphina had no choice but to continue bandaging. As the disinfectant alcohol pressed against the wound, Ethan noticed Seraphina’s face turn visibly pale for a moment, yet she didn’t utter a sound.

After applying the medicine, Seraphina put the gauze on Ethan’s wound.

Just after bandaging the shoulder, Ethan extended his hand towards Seraphina, waiting for her to continue treating his injuries.

Seraphina sat in front of Ethan, helplessly bandaging his wound, and spoke: "What happened to your hand?"

"Shouldn’t I be asking you that?"

Ethan glanced coolly at Seraphina.

Seraphina was utterly at a loss as to how the messy wounds on his hands could have anything to do with her, so she remained silent, continuing to deal with his wounds.

Seraphina lowered her head, diligently disinfecting Ethan’s wounds. Ethan leaned against the headboard, quietly watching her bandage the wounds, with no intention of looking away.

Just then, a strange sound echoed in the bedroom.

Ethan looked at Seraphina and spoke: "Hungry?"

Seraphina glanced at her uncooperative stomach, didn’t argue, nodded, and admitted she was hungry: "Yes."

She hadn’t even drunk much water tonight, and it was nearly morning. Of course, she was famished.

"It’d serve you right to starve, you heartless little thing."

Ethan reached out to pinch Seraphina’s chin, and with his other hand, he picked up the phone from the bedside, quickly texting Nathan Ayers to send food.

After the wound was bandaged, Seraphina sat next to Ethan, with no intention of sleeping. She took a business magazine from the small bookshelf by the bed and began to flip through it, speaking as she read: "Leo Lynch and I are really just acquaintances from the past; we have no current relation."

"No relation, yet you ride the same sightseeing vehicle, talking and laughing?"

Ethan was like a lit stick of dynamite, blasting instantly.

Seraphina looked at the magazine: "He boarded the car, but whether we’re as intimate as Serena Lowell claimed, you can check the surveillance."

In the vast courtyard of The Sterling Family’s old mansion, there must be surveillance cameras.

After saying this, Seraphina felt something amiss, looked at him, and spoke: "You must have checked the surveillance, or otherwise, you would have killed me at the pool."

Ethan was momentarily taken aback, his gaze fixed on Seraphina for a long time before speaking in a hoarse voice: "Guess whether you’ll die by my hand."

Seraphina looked into Ethan’s amber eyes and seriously replied: "I’m not sure."

He was like a ticking time bomb right now. She truly didn’t know when Ethan might suddenly explode and hurt someone.

"I can tell you now, I definitely won’t." Ethan looked more earnestly into Seraphina’s eyes, paused for a moment, and spoke again: "I’ll try not to kill you."

Try not to kill you?

Isn’t that as good as making no promise?

Seraphina didn’t even want to give Ethan a glance and lowered her head to continue reading the magazine, while Ethan glanced at his phone.

What on earth was Nathan Ayers doing? When someone is starving, he might not even get the food delivered.

"I’ll go check."

Ethan turned over and got up, going downstairs.

Seraphina found Ethan’s behavior odd. It was almost six, and he went out to do what?

After Ethan left, the bedroom quieted down again.

Seraphina put down the magazine, couldn’t help but pinch her sore shoulder, then lay down to prepare to sleep.

She most likely wouldn’t return to Hibiscus Garden tonight.

But as she closed her eyes, she recalled the image of Ethan talking to her in the pool.

He said he couldn’t bear to let her go.

In those amber eyes, she saw her own reflection.

Even when she had stabbed Ethan’s shoulder with a dagger, Ethan hadn’t done anything to harm her.

Sometime later, the doorbell rang.

Pressing the doorbell when returning to one’s room?

Seraphina sat up, confused, and walked towards the door. She looked through the peephole first.

It was Nathan Ayers at the door.

She tidied her robe and opened the door for Nathan.

Nathan stood before Seraphina, pushing a serving cart, and bowed his head, speaking: "Miss, Young Master Sterling instructed me to deliver the food."

Seraphina looked at the food on the cart, unsure of what to say.

Didn’t Ethan say he was going to starve her, this heartless little thing?

All talk and no action.

She glanced outside: "Where’s Ethan?"

Nathan stood there, eyes lowered, and said: "Please eat first, Miss. If there’s anything else you need, call me."

He clearly didn’t want to elaborate.

"Alright."

Seraphina wasn’t interested in probing further, pulled the cart inside, and closed the door.

Nathan had thoughtfully prepared a bit of everything, from supper to breakfast, meeting all her needs, and every dish was exquisitely made.

Seraphina was indeed hungry and sat on the room’s terrace to start eating.

Delicacies entered her stomach one by one, yet Ethan still hadn’t returned.

The night at The Sterling Family’s old mansion was exceptionally quiet.

Seraphina scooped up a dessert, the creamy texture melting in her mouth.

She looked at the bedroom door, finally putting down her fork, standing up and heading out.

Seraphina exited the room, intending to go downstairs via the stairs.

She had only walked down a couple of steps when she heard a man’s angry roar: "What are you doing now? Threatening me? Have you ever seen a son use a gun to force his own father to step down? Everyone in Sovereign knows how you, Ethan, got your position!"

It was the voice of Ryan Sterling.

Seraphina stopped and leaned forward to look down.

Underneath the massive crystal chandelier was the main hall.

The guests had all left, and the servants had gone to rest, leaving only the few members of The Sterling Family and two bodyguards in the main hall.

Ryan, Chloe Quinn, and Selena Quinn were all present.

Ethan sat in the center.

From upstairs, Seraphina could only see Ethan’s back, unable to discern his expression now.

Chloe stood up and tried to calm the furious Ryan: "Old Sterling, don’t be like this. Why can’t you and your son talk through the misunderstanding properly?"

"What else do I have to say? I raised him to this age, and this is how he repays me? Making a scene at my wedding reception just to embarrass me!"

Judging by Ryan’s voice, he was clearly drunk, probably from drinking too much at the reception, and he was unsteady on his feet.

Ethan sat there without a word, simply twirling the wine glass in his hand.