Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 47: I Still Haven’t Touched Her

"What does Fourth Master want in return?"

He lowered his head, his thin lips brushing against her ear. A sudden tickle made Raina flinch. "Don’t you know what I want?"

"You just told me to get lost."

Ethan Lancaster glanced at Raina’s profile, then bit down on her chin.

Raina cried out in pain, tears springing to her eyes. "Are you crazy?! Ethan Lancaster!"

Hearing this, the man bit down even harder. Raina’s tone quickly softened. "I have to work tomorrow. If you leave a mark, I won’t be able to show my face."

The pressure of Ethan’s bite eased slightly. "You’re a married woman. Are you afraid of having a few marks on you?"

"But this is my face! What will my patients think? They might even file a complaint against me."

Ethan Lancaster grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the room. Though they were husband and wife, they were rarely intimate. Raina usually avoided it whenever possible. She backed away until her back hit the wall.

Ethan Lancaster braced an arm against the wall on either side of her. He never hid his intentions. He cupped the back of Raina’s head with his other hand and leaned in to kiss her.

He carried her as they tumbled onto the large bed nearby. The cloying scent of alcohol lingered on his breath. He pulled open her bathrobe, his lips pressing against her neck.

A mix of pain and tingling spread across Raina’s neck, and she uncomfortably tried to push him away. Ethan Lancaster looked up at her. "This isn’t your face. You don’t have to worry about anyone filing a complaint."

"This is making me uncomfortable."

"What’s so uncomfortable?" Ethan Lancaster continued, his words muffled. "I like it."

"Let go. I have to see people tomorrow."

Ethan Lancaster looked up again, a smirk playing on his lips. "I like seeing my marks on you."

Raina’s hair was still damp. The man’s fingers ran through it, alternating between a gentle caress and a tight grip. Her pleas were useless and her struggles futile, so in the end, she could only surrender.

The next day, Raina woke up with a stuffy nose. She had been too exhausted after their late-night ordeal and had fallen asleep with her hair still damp.

She went into the bathroom to freshen up, still in her nightgown. As she squeezed toothpaste onto her brush, she caught her reflection in the mirror, and her almond-shaped eyes flew wide open. She leaned in, her face nearly touching the glass. The state of her neck, visible above the collar of her robe, was a horrifying sight. Raina touched it lightly; a faint pain still lingered. She brushed her teeth with a few quick strokes just as she heard the doorbell ring.

She quickly rinsed her mouth and went to the door. Thinking how unpresentable she looked, she hid her body behind the door as she opened it, peeking her head out.

"Good morning. Here are the clothes you requested."

Raina saw the hotel manager standing outside. She quickly reached out her hand. "Thank you."

’Ethan Lancaster was surprisingly thoughtful, having prepared everything for her.’

She hurriedly changed in the bathroom. Ethan Lancaster was still lying in bed. Raina grabbed her bag, ready to leave. She saw that he was wrapped in the blanket, completely still. It was a professional habit of hers; unnatural silence always made her fear that an accident had occurred. Raina couldn’t help but step closer.

Ethan Lancaster was sleeping with his head under the covers. Raina lifted a corner of the blanket, only to find him wide awake, staring at her with those captivating, almond-shaped eyes.

She quickly let go of the blanket. "You scared me."

"What is it? Did you think I’d died of exhaustion?"

Raina pulled her coat collar tight. "I’m going to work."

The hotel was a bit far from the hospital, but Raina timed her drive and managed not to be late. On the way, she stopped at an accessory shop to buy a scarf. Even though her office was well-heated, she kept the scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, terrified someone would notice something was amiss.

After lunch, Raina put her head down on her desk in the consultation room for a bit. She felt like she hadn’t gotten nearly enough sleep and was dead tired.

Miles Hawthorne leaned against the elevator wall, lost in thought. Hannah Lynch linked her arm with his. "What are you thinking about?"

"What exactly is wrong with you?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"What’s the matter? Are you unhappy to be here with me?"

DING. The elevator doors opened. Miles Hawthorne glanced at the words "Mercy Seas Hospital" visible everywhere, and his expression darkened.

Hannah Lynch had booked the hospital’s VIP service, so a nurse personally escorted her to the consultation room. Raina heard a knock on her door and called out, "Come in."

Miles Hawthorne stood outside, not planning to enter, but just as Hannah Lynch opened the door, she linked her arm through his.

When Raina looked up, the nurse approached her desk first to explain the situation.

"Okay, I understand." Raina opened the patient file and pulled a pen from her pocket. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Nothing’s wrong. We’re planning to have a baby, so we’re just here for a routine check-up."

Hearing this, Miles tried to pull his arm away, but Hannah Lynch just clung to him tighter, refusing to let go.

"Alright, I’ll order some tests." Raina’s nose was still stuffy. ’This Hannah Lynch, just like Miranda Cameron before her, came prepared. She’s even using the exact same excuse. Do they think just by mentioning pregnancy, they can twist a knife in my heart?’

"Just follow this list for the tests. Bring the results back to me when you’re done."

Hannah Lynch stared at the scarf around Raina’s neck. "It’s quite warm in here. Are you that sensitive to the cold, Doctor Reddington?"

"Yes." Raina handed over the lab request, catching Miles Hawthorne’s gaze in her peripheral vision.

Hannah Lynch took the slip and dragged Miles Hawthorne out. ’She really did want to have a baby with Miles as soon as possible. Besides, Mercy Seas Hospital had an excellent reputation. She had simply taken the opportunity to see Raina and make sure she knew.’

Miles Hawthorne waited outside the examination room. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, his fingers brushing against his phone.

Raina got up to get a cup of water. She had just sat down and taken a sip when she received a text from an unknown number.

"Raina, I’ve never touched her."

’How bizarre.’

’Why was he telling her this?’ Raina was about to delete the message when she heard a sharp cry for help from the hallway.

"What’s happening? Help! My daughter is hemorrhaging!" Raina tossed her phone aside and rushed out immediately.

It was almost ten o’clock at night when Raina finally left the hospital.

Her phone showed several missed calls, all from Ethan Lancaster.

She was completely exhausted and didn’t even have the energy to call him back. When Raina walked into the bedroom, Ethan Lancaster was already in bed. "What took you so long?"

"I had two surgeries. I was in the operating room when you called."

Raina tossed her phone and car keys onto the nightstand. "I’m going to take a shower."

Ethan Lancaster closed his book, watching as Raina grabbed a change of clothes and went into the bathroom. Her phone vibrated. Ethan picked it up and saw the screen was locked.

He tried using Raina’s birthday as the password and was surprised when it actually unlocked.

The vibration was just a routine notification from a news app. Ethan Lancaster scrolled through her phone, eventually finding the text message in her inbox that Raina had forgotten to delete.