Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 93: Are You Trying to Please Me?

Miles Hawthorne’s eyes gradually darkened. There was no reluctance, no pain—just a terrifying calm.

Hannah Lynch finished her milk. Miles Hawthorne took the glass to wash it. As they headed upstairs, Hannah paused. "Miles, you’ve been so busy lately and haven’t had any time for me. Why don’t we move back home?"

"Are you not comfortable living here?"

"It’s not that..."

Miles Hawthorne didn’t want to hear her speak anymore. Even in her gentle, soothing tone, every syllable grated on his ears. "Is this Dad’s idea?"

"No, no, it was just something I said off the cuff."

"I don’t like living with other people."

Hannah Lynch quickly took his arm. "Alright then. We won’t go back."

Miles Hawthorne knew what Frederick Lynch was thinking. ’On one hand, he doesn’t want to tip his hand, but on the other, he’s worried about his daughter. This time, though, he hasn’t just rustled the grass—he’s brought the stick down directly on me.’

Raina Reddington had a restless night. When she woke up, she reached for the other side of the bed, only to be surprised that Ethan Lancaster was gone.

’He just got back, so he must have a mountain of work to deal with at the company.’ Raina Reddington sat up, quickly washed her face, and went downstairs.

She heard voices coming from downstairs, and Raina Reddington slowed her pace.

"Dad, why are you giving me some dumpy hospital? I can’t even keep up with the work I already have."

Zachary Lancaster was sitting on the sofa, his back to the stairs. "It was your grandfather’s idea. He gave one to your cousin as well. It’s to see which of you can produce results. Whoever succeeds will get the plot of land on Hawthorne Road."

"You’re sure that’s what Grandpa said?"

"Of course," Zachary Lancaster said, unable to stand Ethan Lancaster’s flippant attitude. "Your cousin is no pushover. He’s wanted that land for a while, but your grandfather held on to it and refused to give it to him. This time, he’s letting you two compete for it."

"What’s there to even compete for?" Ethan Lancaster’s face was a picture of confidence bordering on narcissism. "Grandpa likes me best. That land on Hawthorne Road will be a gold mine once it’s developed. Just tell him to give it to me directly."

"Get lost!" If it weren’t for the fact that Ethan was a married man, and that he had promised Raina Reddington not to lay a hand on him, Zachary Lancaster really would have slapped him. "The Old Man keeps upgrading his cane just for the sake of beating you. How can you be so clueless?"

"Alright, alright," Ethan Lancaster said, not wanting to relive his past beatings. "But if he’s going to give me something, can’t it be something else? What am I supposed to do with a hospital? I have no idea how to run one."

"It’s an asset from the early days; we’re not about to just get rid of it. Besides, if we gave you both something you’re good at, how would that be a fair comparison?"

Raina Reddington glanced at the time. ’If I keep standing here, I’m going to be late.’

She walked down the stairs and into the living room, greeting Zachary Lancaster politely. "Dad."

Zachary Lancaster nodded, still intending to give Ethan Lancaster a few more pointers to make him understand this wasn’t a game.

The moment Ethan Lancaster saw Raina, he suddenly remembered something. He shot to his feet before Zachary Lancaster could speak again. "Crap, crap."

Raina watched him hurry into the kitchen. She followed a few steps behind him and saw some kind of soup simmering on the stove. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

’It’s not right to leave Zachary alone like this,’ Raina thought, so she went over to make small talk with him.

Ethan Lancaster turned off the burner and started cooking noodles. The soup base had been simmering since before the maid left for the day; his only job had been to keep an eye on it.

He transferred the cooked noodles into a bowl, ladled in the chicken soup and meat, and brought the huge bowl to the table, feeling a profound sense of accomplishment.

"What are you spacing out for? Come and eat breakfast."

Zachary Lancaster turned his head and saw the bowl of noodles.

Raina stood up. "Dad, would you like to have some?"

"N-no, thanks. I’ve already eaten." Zachary Lancaster cleared his throat. ’Strange, why am I stuttering?’ His gaze quickly flicked to his son, who was eagerly pulling out a chair for Raina.

Raina walked to the dining table. The chair he’d pulled out was the one she usually sat in. "Thank you," she said, sitting down with a hint of hesitation.

"Try some."

Zachary Lancaster finally figured out what felt so strange. In his eyes, Ethan Lancaster was a useless rich kid who’d never done a day of housework in his life—a description usually reserved for women, but Mr. Lancaster was just that fastidious.

If anyone ever tried to make him cook, he would rather starve.

But Zachary Lancaster hadn’t been mistaken. His son really had carried that bowl of noodles out from the kitchen himself.

Ethan handed the chopsticks to Raina. "Go on, eat."

"This is a huge bowl. I can’t finish it."

"Just eat what you can. I’ll finish the rest."

Zachary Lancaster’s jaw nearly hit the floor. Ethan Lancaster was something of a germaphobe when it came to food. Whenever the family had hotpot, he always insisted on his own personal pot. And now he was willing to eat someone else’s leftovers?

Of course, Raina couldn’t let him do that. "Why don’t you get another bowl, and we can split it?"

"Okay." Ethan obediently went to get his own bowl and chopsticks. Once Raina had divided the noodles, he watched her take her first bite. "Is it good?"

"It’s delicious."

"The secret is the broth. It’s been simmering for almost an hour and a half."

Zachary stood up, preparing to leave. "You didn’t add the seasonings to the broth yourself, did you? Is it not too salty or bland?"

Ethan looked flustered. "Dad, don’t you have work to do?"

"Not at all. I have you toiling away for me now. I’ve reached the age where I can kick back and relax." Despite his words, Zachary tactfully took his leave. He couldn’t be happier seeing Ethan like this.

"You stood watch over this for more than an hour? Where’s the housekeeper?"

"She went out to buy groceries."

Raina hadn’t been hungry at all, but now she found herself eating seriously, taking small, deliberate bites. She finished the entire bowl, not leaving a single noodle behind.

’Kindness from others was the rarest thing in the world. She had to cherish it, not let it go to waste.’

Once at the hospital, Raina forced herself to focus on her patients. Last night, she had paid her final respects to Felix Finch. But even though he was an old classmate, she couldn’t bring herself to attend his memorial service.

She couldn’t bear scenes like that. To Raina, the sound of a grieving family was the cruelest form of torture.

Just as her shift ended, Raina got a call from Ethan Lancaster. He said he was waiting for her at the hospital entrance.

He had timed it perfectly, calculating exactly when she would be finished. The moment Raina stepped out of the hospital, she spotted his car.

Ethan watched her approach through the tinted glass. Her face was pale, as if she hadn’t eaten a thing all day.

Raina got into the car. Without asking for a destination, Seth Sinclair simply told the driver to go.

They arrived at their destination shortly after. Ethan led Raina out of the car, and she saw a massive pet store. He put an arm around her shoulder, about to guide her inside.

"Wait."

"What is it?"

Raina looked up at him. "Ethan Lancaster, are you trying to win me over?"

Heh.

The man pulled his lips into an unnatural smirk. "It’s always been other people trying to win *my* favor. A guy like me..."

’I’ve really fallen on my face this time,’ he thought. ’Am I trying to win her over? How could she not tell?’