Claimed by My Ex's Half-Brother-Chapter 194 Ungrateful little pup!

Author’s POV

William wouldn’t return for several more days, and Ethan Sterling had just been released from prison.

He was much thinner, his face more gaunt and haggard than before. There was something unsettling beneath his appearance—a dark aura that made my wolf Nora growl low warnings whenever I thought of him.

When Ethan returned to Sterling Manor, Marcia Cross was overjoyed, fussing over him like a mother with near-obsessive care. She knew nothing about what had transpired between Mona and Lawrence Sterling—in fact, no one did. Marcia had wanted to throw Ethan a welcome-back party to "help cleanse his bad luck," but Lawrence immediately vetoed the idea.

"Enough!" Lawrence roared, his undeniable authority filling the room. "There’s nothing to celebrate here. What’s there to be proud of? Throw a party? Celebrate?" He slammed his fist on the dining table, making the cutlery clatter. "Now that you’re back, get to work and stop fooling around. Do you know how much effort it took me to get you out?"

Lawrence’s tone was harsh, which clearly infuriated Ethan. He suddenly grabbed his fork and hurled it across the table, where it struck a crystal water glass with a sharp ring.

"Then you should have left me to rot in there!" Ethan roared, his eyes flickering with the pale yellow glow of a weakened wolf spirit. "You should have let me rot in that cell for life!"

Without another word, Ethan stormed upstairs to his room in fury. Marcia immediately followed, her voice echoing behind her: "Ethan, darling! Ethan!"

"Ungrateful little pup!" Lawrence bellowed, his face flushed red.

Mona quickly moved to his side, gently massaging his shoulders and back to soothe him. Her full chest brushed against his arm—deliberately, and he naturally noticed. "Daddy," she called softly, their intimate code word. "Don’t be angry..."

Only after calming Lawrence did Mona dare go upstairs to check on Ethan. Marcia, overly protective of her son, glared daggers at her as she entered.

"Can’t you see he’s upset?" Marcia hissed quietly. "Yet you still had the appetite to sit there eating."

Mona was no longer the submissive woman who once sought Marcia’s approval. She narrowed her eyes, one hand unconsciously protecting her slightly rounded belly.

"I might skip a few meals, but my child needs nutrition," she replied coldly. "What? Am I not allowed to eat properly in the Sterling house?"

At the mention of the child, Marcia backed down, though her lips remained tightly pressed in disapproval.

Later that afternoon, Ethan went out and didn’t return until late at night, stumbling home drunk. Mona hurried to help him back to the bedroom. As she supported him, he suddenly turned to face her. His eyes were unfocused, influenced by both alcohol and something else—some lingering memory—then he lunged forward, clumsily pressing his lips to hers.

"Victoria," he mumbled incoherently as he kissed her. "Victoria..."

Even being used as a substitute, Mona wasn’t angry. She knew how pathetic Ethan was—after what had happened, he was broken beyond repair. He could still kiss her, but that was all his damaged body could manage. His wolf spirit was too weak to even surface.

Mona’s pregnancy had made her more sensitive, her physical needs more intense. Ethan’s kiss left her unsatisfied, frustrated and aching. After Ethan passed out like a corpse on the bed, she texted Lawrence:

"Daddy, are you awake?"

"I’m thinking about you... my whole body is thinking about you."

"I’m waiting for you in the guest room next door~"

After sending the message, she glanced at the unconscious Ethan, mouth agape and snoring, then slipped into the adjacent guest room.

She wasn’t sure Lawrence would come. Last time, he’d insisted they pretend nothing had happened. This time, she was testing him, seeing how far his self-control could stretch.

She felt like she’d been waiting for hours, and just when she was about to give up, the door opened. Lawrence entered, his expression unreadable as he looked at her lying on the bed in just a thin nightgown.

"Didn’t I tell you to behave yourself in this house?" he threatened quietly. "Ethan’s back now. You shouldn’t be texting me like this."

"But you still came, didn’t you, Daddy?" Mona smiled seductively, rising from the bed. "I know you care about me. Ethan doesn’t love me—our marriage is just for show. In this house, you’re the only one who’s truly kind to me." She moved closer, deliberately releasing a more intense scent to entice him. "I know some things shouldn’t happen, but I can’t control myself. I’ve fallen in love with you."

She pressed herself against Lawrence, her hands sliding up his chest as she whispered, "Daddy, I think I’m in love with you."

She had many more tricks up her sleeve. While embracing him, she subtly rubbed against him, feeling his body’s response to her touch. Where Lawrence couldn’t see, her lips curved in a victorious smile. She didn’t believe a man his age could resist a young, beautiful woman like her.

"Stop!" Lawrence growled low, struggling to maintain composure. "You shouldn’t say such things!"

"But I do love you," Mona insisted, her voice low and husky. "I can’t control it, and I don’t want to."

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Lawrence’s lips. He initially tried to avoid her, but Mona cupped his face with both hands, forcing him to look at her. She kissed him with skilled technique, slowly breaking down his resistance until he completely collapsed. Lawrence released a wolf-like growl, grabbed her, and threw her onto the bed.

Ethan remained unconscious in the adjacent room, completely unaware that his wife and father were entangled in the sheets next door.

The next morning, when Ethan finally woke with a splitting headache, Mona was already up, applying makeup beside him.

Ethan stared at her face, feeling confused. She looked so much like Victoria...

Pregnancy had indeed made Mona more attractive, radiating a sensual glow. Too bad Ethan could only look but not touch. He could no longer love her as a man should.

The thought made him hate Damian even more. His miserable condition was all Damian’s fault!

Ethan’s gaze fell on the marks on Mona’s neck—marks that looked very much like love bites. He suddenly grabbed her throat. "Who did this?" he roared, his voice trembling with rage. "What happened to your neck?"

"It was your father!" Mona thought, but said nothing. She just looked at him with sad, victimized eyes.

"It was you, husband," she said softly. "You were drunk last night and kept kissing me. Don’t you remember?"

It sounded plausible. Ethan released his grip, leaving faint red marks where his fingers had been.

After showering and dressing, Ethan left without a word. He hadn’t seen Victoria in so long—he desperately wanted to see her true face, not Mona’s imitation.

Though Mona’s appearance increasingly resembled Victoria’s, she was still just a fake—a cheap knockoff.

Through his connections, Ethan learned Victoria had a business meeting that evening and would be entertaining clients at an upscale restaurant. He’d been waiting near the restaurant entrance for hours, anticipating her arrival.

When he finally saw her walk through the door, his heart nearly stopped. She was even more beautiful than he remembered, her golden hair cascading like a waterfall, her presence commanding every gaze in the room.

"Victoria!" he called, approaching her. "What a coincidence! Are you dining here too?"

Seeing her face up close again made his heart race. Her natural beauty was completely different from Mona’s carefully crafted appearance. Victoria’s features were clean, elegant, and flawless.

"Back off!" Victoria commanded, her voice sharp and authoritative with the presence only an Alpha could possess.

"What do you want? What are you trying to do?" Her golden eyes flashed with warning. "Don’t pretend we’re acquaintances. We’re nothing to each other."

"That’s not what I meant," Ethan raised his hands in surrender, pleading. "Don’t be afraid of me. I won’t do anything to you. Victoria, I’ve been thinking lately—I was too impulsive before. I know I was wrong. Is there any chance we could be friends?"

Of course, Ethan didn’t plan to stop at friendship. His plan was to gradually regain her trust, make her lower her guard—perhaps then he’d have another chance.

"Who has time to be your friend?" Victoria waved dismissively, impatiently shooing him away. Her security immediately stepped forward to "escort" Ethan out.

Ethan hadn’t expected Victoria to be so cold and ruthless. He waited outside the restaurant, hoping for another chance to speak with her. However, he saw Damian arrive, obviously coming to pick up Victoria.

Watching them leave the restaurant together, Ethan’s pupils contracted with shock and rage. Were they really together? Victoria had actually chosen Damian over him?

What was wrong with him? How could he be inferior to Damian?

Hatred burned in Ethan’s chest, rushing to his head. He wanted to kill them both! 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

These two had ruined his life. He could no longer live as a man, and his gunshot wound still ached, constantly reminding him of the humiliation he’d endured.

He would find an assassin, no matter the cost. Either Damian would disappear forever, or Victoria would be completely destroyed!

Ethan contacted the largest underground criminal network abroad. They specialized in murder and arson—willing to do anything for the right price.

At the Rainer family estate overseas, someone knocked on Howard Rainer’s door.

"Sir, our organization has received a lucrative assassination request," a subordinate reported, standing before Howard’s massive desk.

"Accept the contract and complete it," Howard replied dismissively, barely looking up from the documents he was reviewing. His department handled dozens of contracts monthly.

"But sir, the target is Victoria Lancaster, heir to Lancaster Industries. The same lady whose trade agreement we sabotaged—the one you saved that night."

"Victoria Lancaster?" Howard narrowed his eyes, recalling her beautiful face and their dinner together. That memory was clearer than he cared to admit.

It was because Howard had saved her that his subordinate came to consult him before accepting the contract.

"Who wants her dead?" Howard asked, his tone seemingly casual but not really.

"The same person who had her kidnapped before—Ethan Sterling." The subordinate continued reporting: "We’ve also discovered that many factions are currently eyeing the Lancaster family, attempting to seize their assets. Even the Wagner family has begun making moves. Sir, if Victoria dies, Lancaster Industries will surely fall into chaos. If we can seize this opportunity, the Rainer family might establish a foothold in America."

A dangerous look flashed across Howard’s face, followed by a mysterious smile. His thin lips parted slightly as he made his decision.

"I’ll handle this contract personally."