Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 41: The Third Party Meets the Fourth Party
"Hello, hello," Joanna Lloyd came forward to greet them. "Please, have a seat."
There was also an empty seat next to Raina Reddington. Miranda Cameron’s seat was directly across from her. She watched as Miranda pulled out a chair, but Ethan Lancaster didn’t sit down.
"Ethan," Miranda Cameron called softly.
The man retracted his gaze and bent down to take his seat. Miranda’s expression relaxed slightly, and she sat down in the chair beside him.
"Waiter, you can start bringing out the food," Joanna Lloyd called out to someone in the distance.
Eve Fletcher looked at Miranda Cameron across the table with envy. "It really makes a difference having such a thoughtful boyfriend. Not only does he help pick out elaborate gifts, but he also attends your gatherings. That’s the difference between someone who cares and someone who doesn’t. After all, some men just like to use ’busy with work’ as an excuse, right, Raina?"
Raina Reddington’s lips curled into a small smile. ’Eve probably never imagined that the two types of men she was talking about were actually the same person.’
"Yes," she replied nonchalantly. "A man like this gentleman here is truly a rare and precious find."
"Can’t be helped. Some people are just born lucky."
Miranda Cameron was actually a little embarrassed. She was extremely concerned with saving face and was terrified of the truth being exposed. ’But looking at Raina, she probably wouldn’t have the guts to expose it, would she? After all, this is a gathering of friends. Even if she’s furious, she’ll have to hold it in.’
Waiters began bringing the dishes out one by one. Raina Reddington picked up her chopsticks and started eating. She just wanted to eat in peace, but someone was determined to pick a fight with her.
"Oh, right, Raina. Your husband isn’t your first love, is he? I almost forgot, you two were so close back in school, you even went home together all the time. Did you get married?"
Joanna Lloyd gently kicked Eve Fletcher’s leg, but Eve was relentless. "Now that’s what the most beautiful kind of love looks like."
Miranda Cameron kept putting food into Ethan Lancaster’s bowl, her gaze occasionally flicking toward Raina Reddington across the table. ’Everyone has a past, but Ethan is so domineering. He’s definitely not going to be happy hearing things like that.’
"No," Raina Reddington shook her head slightly. "We didn’t end up together."
"Huh?" Eve Fletcher asked again in surprise. "Why not?"
"We weren’t a good match."
"What a shame, after so many years together. So what does your husband do now? Why don’t you call him over so your old classmates can meet him?"
Raina Reddington put down her chopsticks and rested her elbows on the edge of the table, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on the man across from her.
She didn’t speak, so everyone’s eyes fell on her face, and soon, their gazes followed hers to Ethan Lancaster. The man was like a stranger, completely detached from the situation. He didn’t seem to care even when he became the center of attention. ’Then again, who could blame them for staring when he was so handsome?’
Eve Fletcher’s mouth twisted into a sneer of contempt. "Raina, isn’t it rude to stare at someone like that?"
"What’s wrong with looking? This gentleman is as pretty as a flower. If you’re going to go out in public, you shouldn’t be afraid of people looking."
’The nerve of her is just unreal.’ Joanna Lloyd stepped on Eve Fletcher’s foot. "Alright, let’s just eat."
Miranda Cameron was leaning over, whispering something to Ethan Lancaster, but he didn’t hear a word. ’So, Raina didn’t just have a thing with Miles Hawthorne, they were in a lovey-dovey relationship for several years. How capable of her.’
A waiter served a new dish, and Miranda Cameron quickly used the pair of serving chopsticks she kept on hand specifically for Ethan Lancaster to place some of it into his bowl.
Even though Raina, the actual wife, was still there, Miranda Cameron showed no restraint. It was as if she wanted to slap Raina right across the face.
Raina Reddington saw a plate of Sizzling Eel Slivers nearby. She picked up a piece with her chopsticks, but instead of putting it in her own bowl, she stood up. She stretched her arm forward but couldn’t reach, so she got on her tiptoes and finally extended her chopsticks to Ethan Lancaster’s bowl.
Everyone at the table was stunned. Miranda Cameron’s face instantly changed. Raina Reddington placed the food in Ethan Lancaster’s bowl and then sat back down.
Eve Fletcher was so shocked her jaw nearly dropped. "Raina, you..."
’If it weren’t for everyone being there, she definitely would have said Raina was out of her mind. Isn’t this openly hitting on someone else’s man?’
Ethan Lancaster glanced at the eel in his bowl. He picked it up with his chopsticks and tossed it onto the table. "I don’t eat this stuff."
"Raina, could your intentions be any more obvious? Are you trying to cheat on your husband right in front of us?" Eve Fletcher’s lips curled in disdain. "His actual girlfriend is sitting right here, and you’re trying to seduce him. Don’t you think that’s inappropriate?"
When Ethan Lancaster heard the words "cheat on your husband," his gaze grew sharp and piercing. "That’s right, Miss. While I’m aware of my boundless charm, I’m not a promiscuous person. It’s not right for you to treat me this way, is it?"
Raina Reddington instantly became the target of everyone’s criticism. After all, anyone with eyes could see what happened. Joanna Lloyd also found it strange. She knew Raina’s character and didn’t believe she would act so recklessly, but her recent actions were truly baffling.
Raina bit her chopstick, her gaze quickly falling on Miranda Cameron’s face. "Miss Cameron, do you have anything to say?"
Miranda Cameron’s expression stiffened slightly. She didn’t want to provoke Raina, afraid she might just throw caution to the wind. "Miss Reddington probably thought Ethan liked this dish, but I’m sorry, he doesn’t eat eel."
"Is that so?" Raina feigned surprise and turned to ask Ethan Lancaster, "Then why did you eat it when you were with me the other day? You even ordered the dish yourself."
The hole she had just dug with those words was far too deep. The whole table grew awkward. Only Eve Fletcher could still speak at a time like this. "Raina, you don’t have something going on with him, do you?"
"Eve!" Joanna Lloyd’s face darkened, and her tone became much sharper. "Can you please just stop talking?"
Raina let out a dry laugh. "My apologies. Everyone, let’s eat."
With that act, Raina looked for all the world like a provocative third party. And from the others’ perspective, it seemed Miranda Cameron probably hadn’t even known the two had a thing going on.
From time to time, people would steal glances at Miranda Cameron, their gazes shifting from envy to pity. Her hands, resting on her lap, clenched into tight fists. In truth, if she just gritted her teeth and endured it, this whole incident might have blown over. But Miranda Cameron truly couldn’t swallow this humiliation.
Ever since she’d been with Ethan Lancaster, she had grown accustomed to being put on a pedestal, riding on his prestige. But whenever she ran into Raina Reddington, she was always forced to bow her head.
Miranda Cameron forced a faint smile. "Ethan, is what Miss Reddington said true? Did you two know each other before?"
Raina Reddington subtly lifted her gaze and saw Ethan Lancaster turn his head to reply, "Miss Reddington has probably mistaken me for someone else."
’He’s still siding with Miranda Cameron, just as I expected.’ Raina Reddington propped her cheek up with one hand, tapping her fingers a few times against her fair, delicate skin.
"Raina." Joanna Lloyd tugged at the corner of her shirt. "If word of this gets out, it won’t look good. Maybe you should just... let it go."
Raina Reddington gave her a beaming look, then dropped a bombshell. "This Mr. Lancaster is quite famous, you know. Hasn’t anyone recognized him? But I heard Mr. Lancaster is already married, so Miss Cameron can’t possibly be his girlfriend."
