Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 110: Courting Disaster
When she came out of the shower, Ethan Lancaster was leaning against the headboard, watching TV.
Raina Reddington could only treat him like he was invisible. It was getting late; time for bed.
She lay down on the bed, keeping her distance from him. The sound of the TV grated on her nerves. Raina turned her back to Ethan Lancaster, her eyes squeezed shut.
She couldn’t sleep at all. After a long while, she heard Ethan Lancaster get out of bed. When he returned, he turned off the TV, and soon after, the room’s lights went out.
Raina lay in the dark with her eyes wide open. The occasional rustling sound from beside her kept her on edge, making it hard to fall asleep. It wasn’t until the early morning that she finally succumbed to exhaustion and dozed off for a bit.
When the alarm went off, she sat up and glanced at the empty space beside her.
Raina Reddington threw back the covers, changed her clothes, and went into the bathroom to wash up. When she went downstairs, she saw Butler Cameron standing in the living room, seemingly waiting just for her.
"Young Madam."
Raina saw the suitcase at Butler Cameron’s feet. "What’s this...?"
"The Fourth Master told me to go back to the Lancaster Family estate to look after things."
Raina understood. "Alright."
"Young Madam, you must take good care of yourself. The Fourth Master hasn’t been back these past few days because he’s been staying at the Lancaster estate, so you don’t need to worry."
A bitter smile touched Raina’s lips. "Okay. Goodbye, then."
Butler Cameron wheeled his suitcase out. Raina glanced at the breakfast on the dining table, where her place was already set. She walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
The maid, having just returned from grocery shopping, saw Raina getting up to leave for work. "Young Madam, I bought an old hen today. I’ll make a nourishing soup for you later..."
An unexpected warmth spread through Raina’s heart, but her nose tingled with the urge to cry. "Ma’am, I’d like to talk to you about something."
"Please don’t say that. Just tell me what you need."
"It’s just me in the house now, so it’s not necessary to go to all this trouble. I sometimes have to work overtime at night and I don’t come back for lunch. I don’t need anyone to look after me here. You came from the Lancaster estate as well, so I’ll have a word with Butler Cameron. You should go back with him."
The maid set down her shopping bags, looking confused. "Young Madam, did I do something wrong?"
"No, of course not. It’s just that I’ll be busy at the hospital until late these days..."
"Then I can at least stay and clean up for you."
Raina shook her head gently. "Really, there’s no need."
’I can’t just take everything Ethan Lancaster provides for granted. I can’t afford to accept it.’
Raina left the house, pulling the door gently shut behind her. Once in the yard, she couldn’t help but look back. ’From now on, I’ll probably be all alone here.’
’Eating alone, sleeping alone... locked away by myself in this spacious, soulless, luxurious prison.’
「When Raina returned to The Verdant Garden, it was almost seven in the evening.」
The house was dark, making the entire villa seem a bit sinister. She went inside, her hand fumbling for the switch on the wall.
As the lights flickered on, she squinted, her eyes adjusting. Raina was famished and wanted to find something to eat in the kitchen.
She saw that the rice cooker was on, filled with freshly cooked rice. A pot of soup was also simmering on the ’keep warm’ setting in an electric casserole pot. Raina was just that kind of person—strong, yet fragile. Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face.
Suddenly, the phone in her pocket rang. She glanced at the screen and saw it was Annabelle Spencer.
Raina put the phone on speaker and set it aside, then picked up a bowl to ladle some soup. "What’s up? Want to grab dinner again?"
"Raina, quick, you have to save me—"
"What are you freaking out about now?" Raina knew Annabelle Spencer all too well. She made a fuss over everything, big or small, making it hard to tell if she was serious.
"Raina, I’ve fallen into their hands! They’re really not going to let me go this time."
Raina quickly put down the bowl in her hand. "Whose hands?"
"Cameron Fairchild."
Raina’s heart skipped a beat. The incident with Minnie Hale was still fresh in her mind. Cameron Fairchild was the furthest thing from a good person. Once you were in his sights, you’d be lucky to escape with your life, let alone unscathed.
"What did you do to offend him?"
"I didn’t—"
The phone was snatched away, and Cameron Fairchild’s voice soon reached Raina’s ear. "Little sister-in-law."
"Cameron Fairchild, don’t do anything reckless."
"How is this reckless? Your friend here doesn’t know her place. She’s been hounding the Fourth Master like a mad dog and won’t let go. How can I not teach her a little lesson?"
Raina grabbed her phone and hurried outside. "Yes, you’re right, it’s her fault. If she really did take any pictures, you can have them back. I’m coming over to get her now. I promise she won’t do it again—"
"Little sister-in-law, you promise? And what’s your promise worth?" Cameron Fairchild sneered. "Since your friend loves taking pictures so much, I’ll let her have a taste of what it’s like to be the star of the show."
"Don’t—"
’Annabelle Spencer really is the type to charge straight at a tiger, knowing full well it’s there. Even if it’s for work, she truly has no sense of who she can’t afford to offend.’
"Get away, don’t come near me..."
In a panic, Raina started her car and sped out of The Verdant Garden. "Cameron Fairchild, don’t do anything rash! We can talk about this!"
"See, the little sister-in-law is the reasonable one. How about this: she said the camera she used to take pictures of the Fourth Master is at her house. I’ll have to trouble you to go get it. I’ll be waiting for you at Aristor Hall."
Annabelle was being held down on the sofa, unable to get up. "Raina, hurry and save me."
"Okay, I’m going right now! Don’t you dare touch her before I get there!"
"You have half an hour. That should be enough, right?" After saying this, Cameron Fairchild tossed the phone next to Annabelle Spencer’s cheek. He propped his hand on the sofa, watching her struggle in terror, the amusement in his eyes growing stronger. "You just never learn, do you? You deserve this."
Raina quickly arrived at Annabelle Spencer’s house. Her fingerprint was registered on the front door lock. As soon as Raina entered, she spotted the camera Cameron Fairchild had mentioned.
She grabbed it and rushed to Aristor Hall. Raina entered the private room Cameron Fairchild had specified and saw that it was filled entirely with men.
A group of them stood surrounding Annabelle Spencer. Camera equipment was set up by the coffee table. Annabelle was currently bent over the sofa, her knees on the soft carpet and her head held down by someone’s hand. When she saw Raina enter, a spark of life returned to her eyes.
No matter how you looked at it, the position was utterly humiliating.
Raina took two steps forward, holding up the camera. "I brought it."
Out of the corner of her eye, she was shocked to see Ethan Lancaster there as well. He didn’t seem to be involved, however. His expression was cool and detached, making him seem completely out of place with the scene unfolding in the room.
Cameron Fairchild reached out and took the camera. "Little sister-in-law, can you really blame me for this?"
"You can delete all the photos inside, or you can smash the camera for all I care. I just want her back."
Cameron Fairchild crossed his long legs. "And what if she does it again?"
"I will make sure—absolutely sure—that there won’t be a next time." ’Even if I have to force Annabelle Spencer to cut ties with me, or make her quit her job, I won’t let her get involved in this mess again.’
Cameron Fairchild jutted his chin in Ethan Lancaster’s direction. "Fourth Master, what do you say?"
"Let her go that easily? Aren’t you afraid people will laugh at you if word gets out?"
