Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 191: The Newcomer

Jordan Zane sat there awkwardly, not knowing whether to eat or to leave.

Raina Reddington glanced at the food in her bowl. "I wasn’t full, but seeing that some people are here, I’ve completely lost my appetite."

She could get away with saying that; Ethan Lancaster wouldn’t do anything to her. But her male colleague across the table didn’t dare respond.

Ethan Lancaster shot a glance at the man beside her. He knew this guy posed no threat and didn’t seem to have that kind of relationship with Raina. He suppressed the urge to drag her away. ’There’s still time,’ he thought. ’As long as she’s where I can see her, it’s fine.’ Ethan didn’t dare push her too hard, either. After all, Raina had such a fiery personality; otherwise, she wouldn’t have so resolutely jumped three years ago.

Ethan Lancaster stood up and, as he left, took the marriage certificate with him.

Raina’s eyelids twitched. Seeing her colleague across the table frozen in place, she said, "You barely ate anything. Have some more."

"N-No, I’m good."

"You don’t have to pay any attention to people like him. Eat."

Jordan Zane picked up his chopsticks and took a few more bites. He really was full.

Raina had lost her enthusiasm as well. It was rare for her to eat out, and the whole experience had been ruined. The two of them walked to the cashier to pay, but there was no way Jordan Zane was going to let her treat him. He and Raina both rushed to pay the bill.

The cashier smiled and gave them a handful of candy. "The gentleman who was sitting at your table earlier already paid."

Raina said, "Thank you," and after parting ways with Jordan Zane, she headed straight home.

She felt utterly suffocated. To think that even how she interacted with others was subject to Ethan Lancaster’s control. What right did he have to meddle in her affairs?

Raina felt like she’d been sealed in a jar, finding it harder and harder to breathe, growing more and more agitated.

On the way back, a call came from Miles Hawthorne. Raina answered irritably. "Hello."

"What’s wrong? You sound ready to explode."

"It’s nothing."

When it came to Raina, Miles Hawthorne’s patience was first-class. "Have you had dinner?"

"Yeah, I ate out."

"Head home for now. I’ve arranged for someone to come over. From now on, he’ll look after you and stay with you."

Raina turned the steering wheel, making a turn at the side of the road. She was just two more turns from home. "I don’t need that. I can handle things myself."

"This person is completely reliable. And he’s an orphan. Ethan Lancaster won’t be able to find anything to threaten him with. With him by your side, I can rest a little easier."

Both Miles Hawthorne and Raina had narrowly escaped death. The scars and pain seared into their hearts were far too deep to be soothed by a few small gestures of goodwill. The ones who had tried to take their lives were the ones they had to seek retribution from—this was an immutable truth.

When Raina got home, she saw a suitcase by her door with a man sitting on it.

Seeing Raina approach, Ian Sinclair stood up from the suitcase.

She never would have imagined that the person Miles Hawthorne sent was a man. Raina quickly pulled out her phone, intending to ask for clarification, but Ian Sinclair picked up his suitcase and moved to stand by the door. "Mr. Hawthorne sent me."

"You..."

"Don’t worry, I’m not into women."

Raina’s jaw nearly dropped. "I really don’t need protection. Seriously."

"Open the door." Ian Sinclair had been waiting for a long time. He was wearing a black, cropped leather jacket, and the hallway was still cold. Raina glanced at him. He was tall, at least six feet, with a fair and clean-cut look, resembling a K-pop star Raina had been a fan of in her younger days.

Raina opened the door and went inside. Ian Sinclair followed, pushing his luggage. "Which room am I in?"

She decided to go along with Miles Hawthorne’s arrangement. Raina gestured vaguely toward the guest room. For the past three years, she and Miles had relied on each other for survival. He had exhausted everything he had to snatch her life back from the jaws of death. He was the only one she could trust.

After putting his luggage away, Ian Sinclair went straight to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator, took out some ingredients, and started making dinner.

Raina was surprised by how skilled he was. He quickly prepared a meal of three dishes and a soup. The rice was cooked perfectly too—fragrant, soft, and slightly sticky.

"Not bad. You’ve really got some skills."

Ian Sinclair wasn’t one to smile. He glanced at Raina and said, "Mr. Hawthorne said that if you want to return to a normal life, you have to get past Ethan Lancaster. Rather than letting him go after others and harm innocent people, it’s better to give him a clear target from the start."

Hearing this, Raina felt a pang of unease. "If he sets his sights on you, it won’t end well."

"I’m not afraid of anything," Ian Sinclair said, picking up his chopsticks but not taking any food. "For me, the thing I’ve had the most of since I was a child is physical suffering. I’m used to it. I have no other ties and no one I care about, so he has no leverage over me."

Raina stared at the man across from her. "Then what does that make you? A shield standing in our way?"

"It’s not that pessimistic. Only when he’s completely at a loss with you can you get over this hurdle and live the life you want."

Raina didn’t say anything more. Her heart felt a little heavy as she picked up a piece of pork rib and placed it in the man’s bowl.

They were all in the same boat. Ethan Lancaster was their only common enemy.

When Raina was at work, Ian Sinclair would stay home to avoid trouble. She would buy groceries at a nearby supermarket every day on her way back. After a few days of living together, things became less awkward between them.

One day, Raina arrived at the hospital and had just reached the information desk when she saw a nurse excitedly waving at her. "Dr. Ainsworth!"

"What’s wrong? Something good happen?"

"Dr. Ainsworth, you’re so secretive! You have such a wonderful husband and you never told us."

Raina’s head started to ache at those words. "What husband? I don’t have one."

"Look, look," the nurse said, pointing at the information desk, which was piled high with snacks, and at the numerous gift boxes of nuts on the floor. "He sent all of this."

"I really don’t have a husband."

"Then what’s all this about?"

"It’s just someone pestering me relentlessly. If this happens again, just call security." Raina looked at the display without a flicker of emotion, finding it all absurd. Ethan Lancaster used to pull these same stunts back at Mercy Seas Hospital. And how did that end? Didn’t he have her transferred with a single word?

Her heart was now encased in a mountain of ice; there was no way he could ever warm it up.

Raina walked toward her consultation room, only to see several people already seated in the hallway.

As soon as they saw Raina coming, they all stood up. "Dr. Ainsworth."

"Hello, Dr. Ainsworth."

"I’m sorry, but my consultation hours haven’t started yet."

"We’re not here to see a doctor. We’re here to thank you!"

Raina watched as they unfurled the silk banners in their hands. The words of gratitude on them were all different.

"Skillful Hands, Compassionate Heart."

"For Your Selfless Dedication and Professional Excellence."

One of them simply read: Our Savior.

A strange expression crossed Raina’s face. Her phone vibrated, and she answered without checking the caller ID.

"Hello," came Ethan Lancaster’s voice from the other end. "So? Not bad, right? I guarantee you’ve received more banners than anyone else in your entire hospital."