Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 45: Celebrating a Dog’s Birthday

"Raina, say one more word and I’ll tear you to shreds!"

She stared straight into Ethan Lancaster’s eyes and even took a step closer to him. "Isn’t it true? Fourth Master, you openly brought another woman before me, and I tolerated it. Wasn’t that enough?"

The strength in Ethan Lancaster’s grip loosened. "Get out."

Raina’s eyelids fluttered. That single word carried immense weight, like a sharp shard of ice being smashed brutally against her face. She didn’t know when her heart had become so fragile. She had always considered herself tough, yet she still tasted the sting of heartache.

A bitter sting pricked her nose as she started walking away, barefoot.

Just then, her phone started ringing incessantly. Raina couldn’t be bothered to answer. It would be useless even if she dragged Joanna Lloyd in front of Ethan Lancaster to explain.

If Ethan Lancaster didn’t believe her, he could just claim that Joanna Lloyd was merely an excuse. That her ultimate goal was to have a secret rendezvous with Miles Hawthorne.

Her bare feet padded across the smooth cobblestone path. It didn’t hurt, but the bumps were uncomfortable.

Ethan Lancaster watched her walk faster and faster. He stood in the cold wind, the damp fabric of his clothes clinging uncomfortably to his skin, but the fire raging inside him had yet to be extinguished.

’Raina was right,’ he thought. ’Why should I care about her business?’

Cameron Fairchild had called him just yesterday, inviting him out for a wild night. Why did he have to be so fixated on her birthday? If she wanted to get entangled with Miles Hawthorne and wasn’t afraid of the trouble that would follow, what did that have to do with him?

As long as she didn’t interfere with his plans, he could just turn a blind eye, couldn’t he?

Ethan Lancaster’s eyes remained fixed on Raina’s back. Just as she was about to disappear from his line of sight, he strode quickly after her.

He caught up to her, grabbing her arm. Raina struggled to pull away, but Ethan Lancaster twisted her arm up, and her body suddenly felt weightless as he hoisted her over his shoulder.

His shoulder dug uncomfortably into her stomach. Raina started hitting his back. "Put me down."

The man’s fingers found her waist, his fingertips hooking under the hem of her two-piece swimsuit. "Hit me again, and I’ll strip you naked and spank you."

Raina’s raised arm slowly lowered. "Just put me down first. I feel sick."

Ethan Lancaster didn’t hear a word she said. He carried her into the hotel and then all the way back to their room.

He kicked the door shut with his foot and took a few steps inside before finally setting Raina down. She had been upside down for so long that when her feet hit the floor, she was completely dazed. Ethan Lancaster stood with his hands on his hips, water still dripping from his hair.

Raina steadied herself, her gaze involuntarily drawn to the side. A birthday cake sat in a conspicuous spot, its packaging so exquisite she wondered if it was some luxurious work of art. Raina swallowed, her hesitant gaze returning to Ethan Lancaster’s face. "Is it your birthday?"

The man scoffed. "Some mutt’s birthday."

The corners of Raina’s lips twitched. ’Could it be... for me?’

’But would he be that thoughtful?’

Ethan Lancaster reached for his collar and undid the buttons one by one. Being soaking wet felt awful. He shot an irritated command at Raina, "If I come out and you’re not here, you can imagine the consequences!"

He turned and walked toward the bathroom. At the doorway, Ethan Lancaster paused and glanced back at Raina. He’d almost forgotten she was just as soaked and had been freezing for just as long. He waved a hand impatiently. "You shower first."

"You go ahead. Don’t worry about me."

"So you like it when I use force, is that it?"

Raina said no more. She walked quickly into the bathroom. The moment the hot water hit her skin, it was so scalding she flinched.

Ethan Lancaster entered without knocking just as Raina was finishing her shower. Hearing the noise, she turned off the water. As she spun around, a dark shape came flying toward her. She instinctively reached out and caught the bathrobe he had thrown, clutching it to her chest.

There was no time to worry about whether she had underwear on. Raina scrambled to wrap the bathrobe around herself.

"Get out," Ethan Lancaster said coolly, without giving her a second glance.

Dressed like this, he figured she wouldn’t have the guts to leave the room.

As she left, she pulled the bathroom door closed. Her gaze couldn’t help but drift to the cake. Raina shoved her hands in her pockets and leaned against the nearby wall.

’Ethan Lancaster asked me out tonight. Could this cake really be for me?’

’He actually knows my birthday?’

A strange feeling welled up inside Raina. She put on the hotel slippers, then leaned back against the wall.

She kicked at the floor a few times with her right foot. ’Maybe it’s not a birthday cake at all, just something shaped like one.’ Hearing the RUSH of the shower still going, Raina straightened up and walked forward.

The top of the cake box was transparent. She bent over and saw what was inside.

A white swan, so lifelike it seemed alive, sat on the cake. There was also an exquisite crown and the words "Happy Birthday."

The bathroom door was suddenly flung open. Raina jumped, startled. She straightened up but had no time to move away, so she could only look awkwardly toward the door.

Ethan Lancaster watched her as he dried his hair. Raina’s gaze was evasive, making her look like a child caught doing something wrong.

"Hmph."

Raina was long accustomed to Ethan Lancaster’s mercurial moods. Hearing his cold snort, she pretended she hadn’t.

The man walked up to her and placed a hand on the cake box. "Call the front desk. Have them send a janitor up to throw this cake in the trash."

"If you want to call, call them yourself." Raina lowered her gaze, staring at her own feet.

"So ungrateful, and a traitor to boot."

The two stood in a stalemate. Ethan Lancaster picked up the cake, looking like he was really about to throw it away. Raina could only watch, her small hands clenching involuntarily inside her pockets.

Ethan Lancaster shoved the cake box into her arms. Raina, stunned, reached out and held it.

"It’d be a waste to throw it out. Lucky you."

"I don’t want it," Raina said, but she didn’t hand the cake back. She was afraid that if Ethan Lancaster’s temper flared, he would slam it on the floor. "Who knows who you prepared this for."

"It’s for an ungrateful brat."

Raina couldn’t help but hug the cake box tighter. She had waited all this time, and her own parents hadn’t even called her.

On the day she was born, weren’t they filled with joy, eagerly awaiting her arrival?

She wasn’t hoping for cake or gifts; she just needed the person closest to her to say a simple "Happy Birthday."

Raina lifted her gaze to meet Ethan Lancaster’s. The anger in his eyes clearly hadn’t faded; there was even a combustible danger ready to ignite at any moment.

"This is for me," Raina said, this time as a statement, not a question.

Ethan Lancaster narrowed his eyes. ’Is she playing dumb with me?’

He walked to the bed and sat down casually on the edge. Raina’s fingers gently caressed the packaging.

"Ethan Lancaster, thank you."

Ethan Lancaster turned to look at her. ’This woman is so cunning,’ he thought. ’She’s probably using that tactic of showing weakness again. I’m not falling for it.’ But then he glanced at her profile and saw the sincerity shining so clearly in the depths of her eyes, and with a soft CRACK, the ice that had formed around his heart melted away.