Chapter 134: Chapter 132: Did You Go Lay an Egg? (3)
With that, Mrs. Grant made her stance clear: she did not approve of them being together.
Quentin Grant opened his mouth to say more, but Nora Ainsworth grabbed his hand, silently telling him to stop.
"We’ll be leaving now."
As they turned to leave, Mrs. Grant called out, "We still haven’t discussed your sister. I want to hear your opinion on the matter."
"I suggest we wait until Dad is back to discuss this."
Mrs. Grant nodded. "Very well. Then come back together on Saturday night. Now all of you, leave. Out of sight, out of mind."
Jean Grant grabbed Marlon Marshall’s hand and stormed out. She’d been so furious at her mother’s words she felt she might explode, only managing to suppress her anger when Quentin returned. Now that the queen mother had given the order, she was more than ready to leave.
The group filed out of the living room, with Ethan Ellsworth trailing behind. His eyes were fixed on Jean Grant and Marlon’s intertwined hands, and a sharp, needle-like pain pierced his heart.
Once they were finally clear of the Grant Residence, the couple walked to a Porsche. Jean got behind the wheel with Marlon in the passenger seat. They even shared a kiss before she drove off. The sight was a constant reminder to Ethan Ellsworth that even though he said nothing, he was the one hurting inside.
Nora Ainsworth stepped forward, blocking Ethan Ellsworth’s view. "Ethan," she said softly, "when it comes to love, you have to be brave at least once. Even if it doesn’t work out, you won’t have any regrets."
Quentin Grant nodded. "Nora’s right. Ethan, you should let her know how you feel."
"I can already guess the outcome, but... I’ll take your advice. I’ll find a chance to tell Jean myself. Like Nora said, at least I won’t have any regrets."
「Maeve Sutton took a midday flight abroad, arriving at the hotel where Leon Lynch was staying.」
She deliberately booked the room next to his. Brimming with excitement, she coordinated with one of Leon Lynch’s staff, and as night fell, she quietly slipped into his room.
She took a bath in his tub, and just as she finished, Leon Lynch returned.
He closed the door, and just as he lay down on the bed, the power went out.
He was about to get up to investigate when the sight before him stopped him in his tracks.
In the darkness, a woman appeared before him, draped in a sheer white nightgown, looking exceptionally seductive.
"Who is it?"
Maeve Sutton took a few steps forward. With her head bowed, she walked right up to Leon Lynch and brazenly wrapped her arms around his waist.
Leon Lynch pried her hands off him. He seized her by the chin, forcing her head up. "You’re pulling a cheap trick like this on me?"
The grip hurt. "Leon," Maeve Sutton gasped, "it’s me."
"Who are you?" he repeated.
Though she couldn’t see his face, the pain in her jaw was intensifying, forcing her to answer, "It’s Maeve Sutton."
Leon Lynch let her go. "Who sent you?"
Maeve Sutton’s hands fell, and the sheer gown drifted to the floor. Her feminine scent filled the air. "I came on my own. Leon, I’m in love with you. I’ve been in love with you for so long. I want to be your woman."
Leon Lynch started walking toward the door. "But I don’t want you."
Seeing him about to leave, Maeve Sutton scrambled to wrap her arms around him from behind. "Leon, I’ll give you my first time."
He sneered. "Do you think that’s a huge selling point? Or do you think I’m lacking for women?"
Maeve Sutton pressed her cheek tightly against his back. "I just love you so much it’s killing me. Leon, give me one chance. I’ll love you forever."
Leon Lynch pried her hands off. "Get out. And don’t ever appear before me again."
Maeve Sutton’s heart shattered. "You can’t stay single forever. You’re your family’s only son! Even if you don’t care about yourself, you have to consider your parents. Leon, marry me! Even if you never touch me, I’ll just be by your side, quietly."
She quietly untied a handkerchief from her wrist. Then, from behind, just as Leon was about to speak, she suddenly clamped it over his mouth and nose. It happened so fast he was caught completely off guard.
Watching him collapse, Maeve Sutton murmured to herself, ’I came prepared. This was too good an opportunity to pass up. I’m not going to just throw it away. Leon, you will understand how much I love you. It’s okay if you don’t understand now. One day, you will know.’
She bent over and, with some effort, managed to heave him onto the bed. Then she called toward the door, "Okay, we’re good."
The power, which had been cut, instantly flickered back on.
This was the closest Maeve Sutton had ever been to Leon Lynch, the first time she had ever kissed him.
Maeve Sutton’s heart thrummed with both nervousness and elation.
She straightened his body on the bed and carefully undid the buttons on his shirt, revealing his tan chest.
Kneeling beside the bed, Maeve Sutton leaned down and kissed him.
’My wish is about to come true,’ she thought. ’I could die right now and have no regrets.’
She took out her phone, snuggled up against him, and quickly snapped a few photos of them from the waist up, followed by a few full-body shots.
Maeve Sutton quickly pixelated one of the waist-up photos on her phone and sent it to an entertainment news outlet. Then, with a clear conscience, she wrapped her arms around Leon Lynch’s waist and drifted off to sleep.
And so, nothing else happened that night.
「That night, Ethan Ellsworth got drunk.」 He hadn’t actually had much to drink, but he was slumped over the table, seemingly too intoxicated to get up.
They were supposed to be filming the finale that evening, but he had suddenly started drinking at dinner. Chloe Marshall figured he’d have a glass or two, but before she knew it, he had polished off the entire bottle.
Considering his tolerance, a single bottle shouldn’t have been a problem. But tonight, no matter how many times Chloe Marshall called out to him, he just lay there with his eyes shut, unmoving.
Helpless, Chloe Marshall sat down beside him and said forlornly, "Boss Ellsworth, I know you’re not completely wasted. What’s wrong?"
She had a faint inkling as to why he was acting this way, but she had to feign ignorance so as not to touch a raw nerve.
Ethan Ellsworth slowly sat up. His almond-shaped eyes, which were usually full of laughter, were now hazy with a cool distance.
His voice was a bit hoarse, his expression tinged with melancholy. "I’m fine. Is it time to start filming?"
"We’re just waiting for you."
He stood up, perfectly steady. "Let’s go. The sooner we film, the sooner we can wrap. After we’re done, grab a cab home. I have something I need to do."
Chloe Marshall nodded. "Okay."
She followed him to the set.
The moment the director yelled, "CUT!" the entire crew burst into cheers.
The producer was all smiles. "That’s a wrap!"
After more than three months of shooting, they had finally, successfully, finished.
Ethan Ellsworth immediately turned to go change, his agent and two assistants following behind as they prepared to leave.
"Ethan!"
He stopped. "Director."
The director walked up with a smile. "We wrapped tonight. Let’s go celebrate."
Ethan Ellsworth politely declined. "Director, I’m afraid I can’t make it. I have some important family business to attend to."
The director replied instantly, "Of course, family comes first. We’ll get together some other time."
Ethan Ellsworth offered a faint smile. "Sounds good."
