Substitute Bride: Utterly Pampered by Her Billionaire Husband-Chapter 1278: Do You Like Me?

Miles Linden pressed his thin lips together and turned to leave.

"Hey, Miles, you haven’t said if you’re going on the spring outing!" Zachary scratched his head, finding it increasingly difficult to understand Miles Linden’s thoughts.

"Zachary, Miles will definitely go. You should go too and enjoy the day."

"Sister Celeste, I’ll stay and keep you company..."

Celeste Linden shook her head, "No need, it’s just a day trip. You’ll be back by evening. I don’t need company. Zachary, I’ll feel more at ease if you go with Miles. Otherwise, he might get into a fight with someone over Willow Crawford. Miles is willing to fight for the person he loves."

Zachary thought it made sense, "Sister Celeste, then we’ll be off."

"Zachary." Celeste suddenly called out to Zachary.

Zachary stopped and looked back at Celeste.

Celeste remained seated quietly by the bed, a gentle smile on her lips. It was as if time had returned to over four years ago, when she was still a clean, beautiful college student full of dreams and hopes for the world and future, with faith in her heart, moving forward step by step. "Zachary, tell Miles to take care of himself."

She had much more to say, but in the end, she only reminded Miles to take care.

She and Miles lost their mother when they were very young. They say the eldest sister is like a mother, but she felt she was just a burden to Miles.

Zachary laughed happily, "Sister Celeste, I’ll tell Miles. We’ll all be fine."

"Alright, hurry along."

"Goodbye, Sister Celeste."

Celeste waved her small hand, saying goodbye in her heart.

...

Evening came quickly, with the sound of a Ferrari sports car flamboyantly stopping at the hospital entrance, Ethan Barnes stepped out of the car, holding a bouquet of roses.

The bouquet was for Celeste Linden.

Ethan went upstairs and pushed open the hospital room door.

The room was dimly lit, Celeste sitting by the bedside, having changed out of her hospital gown into a white dress. Her pure black hair was tied into a low ponytail, and she sat under the light, flipping through a design book by Coco.

The design book was opened in her hands.

Ethan didn’t enter immediately. He stood at the door, watching her; she looked beautiful tonight, especially in the white dress.

He loved seeing her in a white dress the most.

Ethan walked over.

Celeste was engrossed in her book, unaware of his approach until he was right behind her.

Ethan lifted his hand and placed it on her shoulder, "Have you figured it out?"

Celeste’s fingers, flipping through the book, suddenly paused as she awoke from her immersion. She looked up, seeing his reflection in the mirror. Ethan gazed at her with undisguised desire, like a beast eyeing its delectable prey.

Celeste slowly closed the design book, calmly saying, "You’re here?"

Ethan handed over the roses, "Celeste, these are for you."

Celeste didn’t reach out to take them, "Thank you."

Ethan wasn’t angered by her cold demeanor because the way she looked in the white dress was enough to please him. He lowered his head, leaning in for a kiss.

Celeste tried to pull away.

But before she could move, Ethan’s lazy drawl came, "Playing hard to get is fun, but if you overdo it, it just feels like you’re... being a whore while wanting to be a martyr. Don’t you think so, Celeste?"

Celeste looked into his eyes, now half-squinted with a cool smile and contempt for her.

Indeed, he was the Crown Prince of the Barnes family, viewing everyone as ants, and she was no exception.

Celeste knew all along she was his plaything, a purchase he could indulge with desire, freely humiliate and trample upon.

Celeste met his gaze calmly, with no hint of retreat or fear, "Why do you always cling to me?"

"I mean, I’ve been confined by you for quite some time; aren’t you tired of it yet? There are so many women out there, and by your words, I’m always whining with a sullen face and deadlike in bed—so why do you keep haunting me?"

"Ethan, do you like me?"

She asked, Ethan, do you like me?

Ethan’s eyebrow twitched slightly as he squinted, looking somewhat puzzled at Celeste, "Like? What is like? I don’t understand."

He truly didn’t understand what liking meant; no one had ever taught him what it was.

Ha.

Celeste suddenly burst into laughter.

"What are you laughing at?"

Celeste truly laughed, her big bright eyes sparkling like starlight, "Sorry, I’ll never tell you... what liking is."

Ethan’s eyes turned cold suddenly, his gaze at Celeste becoming chilling.

"I heard your mother left you at a young age, is that right?" Celeste shifted the topic.

Ethan reached over, threading his fingers through her hair, holding the back of her head, "What’s with you today? You’ve said more to me than you have in a year."

Celeste looked up at him, "I just want to chat with you, know more about you. How did your mother... leave?"

Ethan closed his charming eyes, "When I pushed open the door, she was already lying in a pool of blood, blood everywhere."

"Then..."

Celeste wanted to continue, but Ethan had already bent down, capturing her lips fiercely.

Celeste shivered slightly, and soon she lifted her small hand, wrapping it around his neck, beginning to respond to him, albeit awkwardly.

Ethan’s eyes blazed like fire. In the past, she seldom showed such docility and submission. This was right; as long as she was obedient.

Ethan swept her up in his arms, placing her on the hospital bed before lowering himself onto her.

His fingers were deft, and even though three years had passed since he last touched her, undoing her buttons still came naturally.

However, he found himself a bit impatient now, the buttons becoming cumbersome, considering whether to simply tear the white dress apart.

Then, a small hand came up to stop his.

Ethan let go, his gaze intense and heated, "What’s wrong now?"

He had lost his patience.

"I haven’t showered yet. I want to take a shower first. Is that okay?" Celeste looked at him.

Ethan said nothing, seemingly assessing the truth of her words.

"My fate is in your hands; are you afraid I’ll run?" With that, Celeste pushed him away.

Ethan lay back, his throat moving, "I’ll give you five minutes. If you’re not out by then, I’ll take it as an invitation to join you for a bath."

He slightly regretted it then, thinking he should have taken her to a hotel tonight instead.

Celeste entered the bathroom, closing the door behind her.