Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 94: You Are My Pet

Ethan’s next words got stuck in his throat. He couldn’t say them, but he couldn’t admit to it either.

A subtle smile touched Raina’s lips as she followed Ethan inside.

"Do you prefer cats or dogs?"

"Dogs, I guess," Raina answered softly. If she had to choose between the two.

An employee enthusiastically approached them. "Hi, is there anything I can help you with?"

Ethan stared at the little creatures in the cages and frowned. "Do you have any dogs that don’t shed?"

"Bichons and poodles are relatively better in that regard."

Ethan imagined a dog burrowing under the covers and getting fur all over the bed. The thought repulsed him. He looked at Raina beside him. "Which kind do you like?"

Raina was standing outside a cage, playing with a poodle. Ethan straightened up and pointed. "We’ll take this one."

"What are you doing?" Raina grabbed his wrist.

"Don’t you like it?"

Raina stepped in front of Ethan and looked at him. "Why are we getting a dog? Do you like them?"

"Don’t all you women like dogs?"

Raina knew he had completely missed the mark. The puppy in the cage was YAPPING at her, and the noise gave her a headache. "I deal with so many patients every day. Where would I find the energy to raise a pet? Just hearing that sound is making my head pound."

"So you don’t like it, then." The plan Ethan had been thinking about all day went up in smoke. He had been so pleased with himself, even convincing himself to put up with it.

Seeing his dejected expression, Raina smiled and ruffled his hair. "We already have one at home who’s proud and always causing trouble. I’m afraid I don’t have the energy for another."

Ethan was confused. "When did we ever have a..."

He saw a smile spread across Raina’s face and instantly understood. Raina quickly walked out, and Ethan chased after her. "Tell me, are you calling me a dog or a cat?"

"Cats and dogs actually listen. You can’t compare to them."

’So, she’s saying I’m not even as good as a cat or a dog.’

Ethan caught up to Raina and, using his height advantage, playfully wrapped an arm around her neck. "You’d better explain yourself."

They horsed around all the way to the car. Raina couldn’t pry Ethan’s arm away and had to beg for mercy. "You’re choking me. Let go."

Ethan pulled open the car door but didn’t get in right away. "What do you want to eat tonight?"

Her back was pressed against Ethan’s chest. He loosened his arm around her neck, but it still rested across her chest. Raina patted it twice. "Let’s just eat at home."

"Don’t you get tired of eating at home?"

"Never. The food is delicious."

Ethan had no choice but to compromise. Raina got into the car, knowing he was just trying to find different ways to make her happy.

But she was exhausted after a long day at work. Raina closed her eyes and rested her head on Ethan’s shoulder.

Surprise flickered in his eyes. He looked down at her delicate, well-defined features. Ethan sat perfectly still, holding the position until his back went numb.

At this moment, Ethan was like a boy with his first crush, naive about love and singularly focused on being good to Raina. What he didn’t know was that he would one day nearly go mad for this woman. The same woman he now held so carefully in the palm of his hand, he would later desperately want to strangle.

「The Hospital」

Miles Hawthorne stood at the doorway, hearing the sound of things being thrown inside. A moment later, the door to the hospital room opened.

The doctor glanced at him. "Mr. Hawthorne, you should try to calm Mrs. Hawthorne down. This isn’t good for her recovery."

"I will." He masked his emotions and walked inside. Miles Hawthorne was composed and calm, a stark contrast to Hannah Lynch’s reaction.

The baby was gone.

Hannah Lynch was tearing at her hair, trying to pull out her IV line. Miles strode over and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Miles, why did this happen? The baby was fine. How could it just be gone?"

Miles pulled her into his arms, placating her with his usual lies. "We’ll have plenty of chances in the future. Just focus on getting better. Don’t cry."

He wiped away her tears, and Hannah leaned her head against his shoulder. She was both moved and relieved, thankful to have someone like him by her side.

After coaxing Hannah to sleep, Miles finally got up and stepped outside. Felix Finch had already been cremated, but the image of his final moments was seared into Miles’s mind, unlikely to be forgotten in this lifetime.

He took out his phone and dialed a number.

Standing in the desolate hallway, Miles Hawthorne gave a single instruction. "It’s time to close the net."

After spending two days in the hospital, Hannah Lynch was brought home by Miles. The Lynch Family still didn’t know about her miscarriage. Miles, afraid the shock would be too much for them, said he would tell them when the time was right.

The men Frederick Lynch had sent last time had, by a strange twist of fate, failed to kill Miles Hawthorne, making Felix Finch the scapegoat instead. Frederick Lynch was terrified that Miles would retaliate with reckless abandon. He had to find the right moment to eliminate this menace for good.

Mrs. Lynch saw him sitting on the sofa, his face etched with exhaustion. She walked over and handed him his medicine. "I have plans to play cards with some friends, so I’m heading out now."

Frederick Lynch glanced at the pills in his hand, swallowed them in one gulp, and waved her off.

Not long after, he was about to get up and leave for the office when he heard the front door open.

"Dad."

Frederick Lynch’s body went rigid. He didn’t turn around. Miles Hawthorne walked in, holding a manila envelope. "Where’s Mom? Off to play cards again?"

"Yes," Frederick Lynch loosened his tie slightly. "What brings you here so early in the morning?"

"I came across something. I wasn’t sure if I should show it to you."

"Stop being cryptic. What is it?"

Miles handed him the envelope. Frederick Lynch pulled out a stack of photos. His pupils contracted violently; he was in disbelief, and deeply humiliated.

In the photos, Mrs. Lynch was arm-in-arm with a young man, entering and leaving hotels—and not just one. Her outfits changed from picture to picture, but the man’s face remained the same. "Looks like Mom is quite the faithful one, isn’t she?"

A rush of blood surged through Frederick Lynch, and he saw stars. Miles noticed a half-empty glass of water on the table. "By the way, Mom is usually the one who prepares your medicine, Dad. What if she’s had a change of heart...?"

Frederick Lynch sank back. When he tried to stand, a sharp, stabbing pain shot through his chest. His health had indeed been deteriorating recently. With great difficulty, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle of pills.

Miles hadn’t expected him to be so fragile, unable to withstand just a few words. "Dad, Hannah had a miscarriage."

"Wh-what?" How had Frederick Lynch not heard a single word about this?

"I got rid of it myself."

Frederick Lynch’s hand trembled even more violently. The pill bottle fell to the floor. He slid down in his seat, his outstretched hand struggling to grasp it.

Miles took two steps forward and kicked the bottle away.

Outside, sunlight cut through the biting cold, streaming in through the clean glass window. The corner of his mouth lifted into a faint, relieved smile. The smile vanished in an instant, replaced by a venomous look. Next, it would be the Lancaster Family’s turn.

Zachary Lancaster, and Ethan Lancaster.