Chapter 181: Chapter 179: Damn it! Are You an Idiot? (3)
He jumped out of bed, fumbled for his phone, and dialed Chloe Marshall’s number. But as soon as it started ringing, he immediately hung up.
’What kind of excuse should I use?’
It was the middle of the night.
Slipping on his slippers, he grabbed the spare key, walked out, and opened the door to Chloe Marshall’s room. As expected, it was empty.
Remembering the scene that had unfolded in the restroom, Ethan Ellsworth still felt a little flustered.
He left the room, closing the door behind him. The hallway was silent and deserted.
Unable to sleep, Ethan Ellsworth returned to his own room and finally got through to Chloe Marshall’s phone.
It rang once with no answer. He immediately grew wary. ’Could my guess be right?’
’Did that damn girl really go get a room with someone?!’
He tried calling again. Still no answer.
Finally, refusing to give up, Ethan Ellsworth kept calling until she picked up on the fifth try.
"You idiot! Where have you been? It’s the middle of the night!"
"Boss Ellsworth—" Her voice was unusually hoarse.
"What’s wrong?" Ethan Ellsworth’s tone softened unconsciously.
Chloe Marshall choked back a sob and said, "I’m not coming back tonight. I need to take a few days off."
"What happened?" he pressed.
"I’ll tell you when I get back."
The more she held back, the more anxious Ethan Ellsworth became. He could finally understand how Young Master Grant must have felt earlier.
"Just tell me now!"
"My father is gone," she confessed. "I have to go."
"Idiot, don’t hang up. Where are you?" He frowned, slipping his feet into his leather shoes and grabbing a coat with one hand as he headed for the door.
"I’m with Nora."
"Then wait for me. I’m coming to find you." With that, he hung up.
Stepping out of the hotel, Ethan Ellsworth froze. ’Since when did I become so approachable? Since when did I get so worried about my own assistant? Could it be that I—’
「*」
’Am I becoming obsessed?’
’Or am I possessed?’
Ethan Ellsworth shook his head to clear it, adjusted his coat, and pulled out his keys, pressing the button. With a BEEP BEEP, the car unlocked. He pulled open the door and got in.
He spun the car around and sped out of the film studio complex.
The car sped through the night, his hands gripping the steering wheel, his gaze steady.
When he stopped at an upscale residential complex, Ethan Ellsworth got out of the car and headed straight for the building entrance.
The elevator stopped on the fourth floor. As he stepped out, Ethan Ellsworth’s heart was surprisingly pounding.
He reached out and rang the doorbell. The moment the door opened...
Seeing Chloe Marshall’s red, swollen eyes, the depths of Ethan Ellsworth’s pupils darkened.
He reached out, pulled her into his arms, and buried her face in his chest.
"Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"
For some reason, Chloe Marshall lost control. The emotions she had been holding back were released once more, and she began to cry uncontrollably.
He stood there, unconsciously patting her on the shoulder.
Nora Ainsworth peeked her head out of her bedroom. The sight brought her a great sense of relief.
Seeing Ethan Ellsworth come in, Nora Ainsworth quickly closed her door. Once the two had entered Chloe Marshall’s room, she came out again, silently put on her shoes, and tiptoed downstairs.
Downstairs, the cool breeze sharpened her senses.
There wasn’t a soul in sight under the dim, yellow light. She stood there, idly kicking her feet, and looked around. Seeing that she was truly alone, and with her spirits somewhat heavy, she began to dance. Her moves were unremarkable, but in the lonely night, they added a certain charm.
Her shadow on the ground danced along with her.
At the main gate, through a crack in the door, a pair of eyes watched her, unblinking.
Nora quietly pushed open Chloe Marshall’s door. She saw that Chloe was already asleep, while Ethan Ellsworth sat on the edge of the bed, leaning against the headboard.
They weren’t lovers, but the scene looked more harmonious than if they were.
Nora Ainsworth pursed her lips and returned to her room to sleep.
Jean Grant, who had promised to call tonight, never did.
When Ethan Ellsworth woke up in the morning, he sat up and checked his phone. No missed calls, no text messages.
An indescribable look of disappointment filled his eyes.
When Chloe Marshall woke up, she saw him sitting there, holding his phone.
"Boss Ellsworth, did you film your scene last night?"
He slipped the phone into his coat pocket and looked back at her. "You think I can’t film without you? I did. After I finished, I even watched two movies before calling you."
"That’s good. You have scenes to film today, Boss Ellsworth. You and Nora should go back. I’m not going to wait three days. I’ll go to the hospital today and take my father’s body to the crematorium to lay him to rest."
Ethan Ellsworth stood up. "Get up. Nora and I aren’t going today. I’ll call the director in a bit and have them film someone else’s scenes first."
"Really, you don’t have to—"
"Are you the boss or am I? No more nonsense. Get up, let’s get breakfast. No matter how sad you are, you still have to take care of yourself."
Chloe Marshall could only manage two words, "Thank you."
After washing up and combing their hair, the group went to a restaurant downstairs for breakfast. Just as they were about to get in the car, a burst of laughter came from behind them.
They all turned around to see Jean Grant coming out of her villa, arm in arm with Marlon Marshall. Both were all smiles, looking incredibly happy.
Nora Ainsworth and Chloe Marshall subconsciously glanced at Ethan Ellsworth. His lips were pressed into a tight line. After a long moment, he said one thing, "Get in the car."
The three of them, sharing a tacit understanding, were about to open the car doors when Marlon Marshall deliberately called out to them.
"Young Master Ellsworth."
In reality, the moment Jean Grant saw Ethan Ellsworth, the smile had vanished completely from her face. She desperately wanted to turn so he wouldn’t see her.
But clearly, at such a close distance, it was impossible not to be seen.
"What is it?" Ethan Ellsworth’s tone was cold.
Marlon Marshall, his fingers intertwined with Jean Grant’s, smiled. "I have some happy news to share with you. Jean is pregnant. We’re on our way to the hospital now."
This was indeed good news for them, but for Ethan Ellsworth, it was a bolt from the blue.
His hands clenched into fists. He suddenly looked at Jean Grant and smiled. "I’m truly happy that you’ve found happiness. Congratulations on becoming a mother. My best to you both."
Marlon Marshall was a little disappointed. He thought Ethan Ellsworth would get angry or even jealous, but he saw no such emotion in his eyes.
"Thank you for your kind words, Young Master Ellsworth. We have to get to the hospital, so we’ll be going now."
"Mhm." Ethan Ellsworth pulled open the car door and got in.
Hand in hand with Marlon Marshall, Jean Grant walked past the car. Her face held a hint of embarrassment and other emotions. She looked back toward Ethan Ellsworth, but he was already in the car.
Chloe Marshall watched him lean back in the driver’s seat, his eyes closed. The veins on his forehead were bulging, as if he were struggling to control his emotions.
She slowly reached out her hand and took his. "Boss Ellsworth."
He relaxed slightly and turned the key. "I’m fine. Let’s go."
