Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 81: Stumbling Block

"You must have a lot of time on your hands, Mr. Hawthorne. Miss Lynch is pregnant and needs your devoted care, yet you’re still in the mood to worry about others?"

Raina’s grip on her chopsticks tightened. She glanced up at Miles Hawthorne, whose expression clearly flashed with displeasure.

The other two customers in the shop glanced back and forth as they ate. ’Judging by the looks of it,’ they thought, ’this looks like a love triangle.’

The proprietress brought over a bowl of cellophane noodle soup, but Ethan Lancaster didn’t touch it. Seeing that Raina couldn’t take it anymore, Miles said, "Let’s go. We’ll eat at another restaurant."

’What is he doing here, just muddying the waters?’ Raina thought, then said with a deadpan expression, "There’s no need."

Ethan Lancaster’s lips curled into a smirk, but Miles Hawthorne wasn’t deterred. "Why are you looking for a place to live?"

Raina glanced at the half-finished bowl of noodle soup. "What other reason could there be? I’m getting a divorce."

"Divorce?" Miles Hawthorne was genuinely surprised. Hearing this, Ethan Lancaster looked like he wanted to slam the table and shoot to his feet. Miles gave him a skeptical look. "In that case, you don’t need to look for rentals. I’ll take you to see some villas downtown. Once you’re divorced and have taken half of the Fourth Master’s fortune, what kind of house won’t you be able to afford?"

Ethan Lancaster shoved his bowl aside and turned, fixing Raina with a dark glare. "You want a divorce? Fine. Pay me for my losses."

"I don’t want your money, you can rest assured about that." Raina really wanted to shove something in both their mouths.

"But I want *your* money," Ethan Lancaster said, and he didn’t look like he was joking. "You’ve slept with me for more nights than I can count. You’re not getting out of paying compensation for my emotional distress."

Furious, Raina threw down her chopsticks and stood up to leave. She scanned the QR code at the entrance to pay her bill and walked out.

Miles Hawthorne quickly followed her out. Seeing this, Ethan Lancaster stood up as well.

"Hey, hey, hey! You haven’t paid your bill!"

Seth Sinclair saw Raina push the door open and rush out. He went inside and paid for Ethan Lancaster’s bowl of noodle soup.

Raina walked quickly into the adjacent residential complex. Miles Hawthorne got a call from home and had to hurry back, so he stopped following her.

Seth Sinclair came out after paying, but he didn’t see any sign of Raina. He walked over to Ethan Lancaster. "Fourth Master, where to now?"

The man stood rooted to the spot, not saying a word, his expression absolutely foul.

Raina arrived before the landlord and had to wait by the door for a while until he showed up.

"Sorry, I got stuck in rush-hour traffic."

"It’s fine, I just got here myself."

The landlord unlocked the door and led Raina inside. It was a simple three-bedroom apartment. Though it had three rooms, none of them were large, and the total area was less than ninety square meters.

"The other two rooms are already rented out to girls, so you don’t have to worry."

Raina glanced around. Uncleaned takeout containers sat on the coffee table, and a few articles of clothing were tossed carelessly on the sofa. The landlord said, a little embarrassed, "They’re just young women. A bit messy."

"It’s fine."

The front door hadn’t been closed, and just as the landlord was about to show Raina to her room, Ethan Lancaster walked in.

"Tsk, tsk." The disgust was written all over Ethan Lancaster’s face. "I thought it just looked a little run-down from the outside, but it’s even worse in here. What is this place? It looks like it hasn’t been renovated in years. You can tell at a glance these floor tiles are the cheapest kind, and the paint is peeling off the walls..."

The landlord glared at him, clearly displeased. "And who are you?"

Ethan Lancaster lifted his chin, motioning toward Raina. "I’m with her."

"The two of you plan to live here?"

"I’m sorry, please ignore him." Raina walked to the bedroom door. The landlord took out the key and opened it. The room was tiny, with just enough space for a bed and a small wardrobe against the wall.

Ethan Lancaster peered inside. ’This room isn’t even as big as my bathroom,’ he thought. "Why does it smell so strong in here? Is that formaldehyde?"

The landlord said through gritted teeth, "The apartment was renovated years ago. How could there be formaldehyde?"

"So you admit it’s an old building. How can anyone live here?"

"What’s your problem?"

Raina, however, found it satisfactory. She could eat her meals at the hospital; all she really needed was a place to sleep. "It’s good. I’ll take it."

"Great, let’s sign the contract right now."

Ethan Lancaster hadn’t expected her to be serious. She really was planning to rent a place and move out.

A burst of laughter came from the doorway, followed by two young women. They looked to be seventeen or eighteen, with elaborate makeup. Dressed like twins, they both wore matching short skirts and thigh-high boots.

"Oh, the landlord’s here!"

The landlord greeted them. One of them, holding a takeout container, asked, "Is this the new tenant?"

"Yes." The landlord gestured for Raina to sit on the sofa. "The terms are one month’s rent for deposit and three months’ rent upfront. That’s the standard."

"Okay."

Seeing Raina take the rental contract and begin to read it, Ethan Lancaster walked over. "Before you sign, aren’t you going to ask what kind of people you’ll be living with? Look at them, dressed so provocatively with those brazen looks. They’ll probably bring a man home tonight."

The young woman standing nearby heard this and looked ready to explode. "What did you just say?"

"Yeah, what’s that supposed to mean?"

Raina, her head starting to ache, quickly stood up and confronted Ethan Lancaster. "This is my business. It has nothing to do with you. Please leave."

Ethan Lancaster kicked a nearby trash can. "What’s this? A condom wrapper? Raina, see for yourself. Just thrown in the living room trash. Are you hoping to walk out of your room into some ’shocking and exciting’ scenes?"

Raina’s face went pale. The landlord glared furiously at Ethan Lancaster, and the two tenants looked at each other in dismay. One of them walked over to check.

"That’s the packet for a wet wipe that came with our takeout last night. It’s just a wrapper."

"I am so sorry," Raina had no choice but to step forward and apologize. "I’m very sorry."

Ethan Lancaster decided to go for the kill. "After she rents this room, I’ll be staying here too. I can’t have any noise while I’m sleeping, the living room can’t be a mess, and... when I’m taking a shower, it would be best if you all went out for a walk. Don’t stay in the apartment."

"Landlord, if you really rent the apartment to them, we’re moving out."

"Exactly! Who’d want to live with someone like that?!"

Raina didn’t know what to say. The landlord’s face was white with anger; he had rushed over right after work without even grabbing a bite to eat.

He reached out and snatched the rental contract from Raina’s hands. "With all these demands, why don’t you go live in a mansion? A high-class place like The Verdant Garden is the only thing that would suit you. Why don’t you just go steal one and live there!"

A lump formed in Raina’s throat. Without a word, she grabbed her bag from the table and hurried out.

Ethan Lancaster watched her leave, a smile still playing on his lips.

"The Verdant Garden *is* mine. So what?"

The landlord smacked the coffee table with the contract. ’Pah! What a braggart,’ he thought. ’He isn’t afraid of his lies catching up to him. Ethan Lancaster’s clothes were certainly impressive, but going by the tropes on TV, they were probably all rented.’