Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 130: It Was All Because of Jealousy

"Raina, don’t say that," Annabelle Spencer said. She didn’t think for a second that Raina should bear the consequences. "He did it on purpose to make you think it was all your fault. Don’t torture yourself with the mindset of a despicable person like him. You helped Gwen Sharp because you’re kind. No matter what, a person can never lose their kindness. It’s the most basic principle of being human."

Raina’s tears flowed even faster. "You’d make a great teacher."

"I’m not just trying to comfort you; I’m telling you the truth. Maybe Gwen Sharp isn’t entirely to blame, either. She was just too desperate to get out of that place. When you finally grab a lifeline, how can you just let go? But what you did, helping her, wasn’t wrong at all. If that’s considered meddling, then how cold-hearted must someone be to just look the other way? Of course, Ethan Lancaster and Gwen Sharp are the exceptions. They’re just a scumbag and a bitch."

Annabelle wiped away her tears. "Get some good sleep."

Raina walked her to the door. "Will you be safe getting home by yourself?"

"Hugo Hayes is following us. Don’t worry."

She gave a small nod and saw Annabelle out.

The car sped down the road, seemingly without a destination. The driver glanced hesitantly into the rearview mirror.

’Tonight, Ethan Lancaster has a woman with a bruised and swollen face beside him. Surely we can’t drive back to the Lancaster estate like this?’

Seth Sinclair leaned over and asked quietly, "Fourth Master, where are we headed?"

After a moment of silence, Ethan Lancaster said, "A hotel."

"Understood."

Seth found a nearby hotel and went inside to arrange the check-in. Only after all the formalities were complete did Ethan Lancaster get out of the car.

Gwen Sharp saw him and quickly followed. When the hotel staff saw her, they couldn’t help but whisper amongst themselves. Anyone who didn’t know the situation might have thought a sadist was checking in.

Ethan opened the door to the suite and walked into the bedroom. Gwen followed him, gently closing the door behind her.

The man strode directly to the king-sized bed. Without even taking off his shoes, he collapsed onto it. Already tall and long-limbed, his domineering sprawl took up the entire mattress.

Gwen stood by the bed, timid and subservient. Her heart was a mix of apprehension and an inexplicable thrill.

Ethan’s temples throbbed. His body felt spent, so exhausted he didn’t want to move a single muscle. Yet, the unfamiliar scents of the room closed in around him like giant hands, threatening to crush him. He couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, all he saw was Raina’s lost and broken expression.

He felt a strange sensation on his feet. Ethan looked over and saw Gwen squatting down, trying to take off his shoes. He jerked his foot away in irritation. "Get away from me."

"Fourth Master, you should take a shower before you sleep."

"Get the hell out of my sight."

Gwen’s eyes turned red, her face a mask of bewilderment as tears streamed down her cheeks. But as Ethan watched her, how could he possibly feel a shred of pity?

Terrified of upsetting him further, she scrambled to her feet and retreated to the sofa.

Ethan closed his eyes. ’I have absolutely no interest in whether this girl is pretty or not.’ His heart was completely unavailable; he couldn’t spare even the smallest sliver of it for anyone else.

’It’s over.’ He thought. ’I’ve completely fallen for Raina.’

At first, he hadn’t understood the meaning behind his anger and the hurt he’d inflicted. Now, thinking back, he realized it was all because of jealousy.

Ethan’s jaw clenched. He didn’t want to believe it. He refused to believe it.

That night, Raina only managed to sleep for three hours. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

When she climbed out of bed in the morning, her vision went black. She had to sit on the edge of the bed for a long while before she came to her senses. After quickly washing up, she left and drove to the hospital.

That sort of place wasn’t open during the day, so she needed to steel herself for the night ahead.

After work, Raina went to the hospital to spend some time with May Sullivan. Although May didn’t say it outright, her worry for Miles Hawthorne was evident in everything she said.

Raina could only change the subject and offer what little comfort she could.

「That evening.」

Ethan Lancaster sat at the dining table in the Lancaster home. Midway through the meal, Jessica Jacobs went upstairs. Zion Lancaster placed some food in his brother’s bowl. "Ethan, why haven’t we seen Raina around lately?"

"She’s busy."

"But she can’t be so busy that she doesn’t even have time for a single meal, can she?"

The screen of Ethan’s phone, which was sitting on the table, lit up with an incoming call. He put down his chopsticks and answered, "Hello?"

"Fourth Master, what’s going on? Your Mrs. Lancaster is at my club looking for someone, and my phone is blowing up with complaints from guests."

Ethan hadn’t expected her to go back. ’She still hasn’t given up.’

A tight, stuffy feeling filled his chest. He pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Just have someone throw her out."

"I can’t do that. If she refuses to leave and just stands by the entrance, how am I supposed to run my business?"

Ethan was getting annoyed. "Fine, I’ll cover your losses, alright?"

"That’s not what I mean! There are some guests I can’t afford to offend..." The man on the other end of the line sounded frantic. "I even offered to show her the staff roster, but she doesn’t believe me."

"Enough," Ethan cut him off. "I’m on my way."

Zion watched him get up, mutter that something had come up, and then rush out of the house.

The more the club staff tried to stop Raina, the more convinced she was that something was wrong. She pushed open the door to a private room and stepped inside. The air was thick with the stench of liquor and smoke. Waving a hand in front of her face to clear the air, she saw a male server kneeling on the floor.

Without a second thought, Raina rushed forward. A customer sitting on the sofa was kicking the server in the shoulder. "You can’t even pour a drink, you useless piece of trash!"

The server was kicked over. Raina moved to help him up, but when she did, she saw it was a stranger’s face.

A wave of despair and disappointment crashed over her. Raina looked at the server’s youthful face and thought about how Miles Hawthorne might be suffering the same fate. She pulled the young man to his feet.

"Thank you."

"And who the hell are you?" The customer’s lecherous eyes raked over Raina’s body. "You’re a fresh-looking thing. You work here?"

Raina ignored him and turned to leave, but the customer shot up and grabbed her arm. "Hey, don’t go. Now that you’re here, why not have a drink with us?"

"You’ve got the wrong idea. I’m looking for someone."

"I know. I’m the one you’re looking for. C’mere... how about a kiss first?"

Raina’s eyes fell on a row of liquor bottles of various shapes and sizes on the table. She was already on edge, like a startled bird, and this man’s disgusting tone was like rubbing salt in an open wound.

Raina snatched a bottle from the table. In one swift motion, she spun around and swung it at his head. He dodged with surprising speed, and the bottle scraped across his potbelly, sending him stumbling backward onto the sofa in fright.

"You fucking—" The man, furious and humiliated, was cut short when the door to the room was pushed open again. The manager entered, smiling apologetically. "My apologies, my apologies."

The manager didn’t dare offend Raina either, so he gestured for her to leave quickly.

The customer tried to lunge forward but was held back by the manager. As Raina reached the doorway, she looked up and saw Ethan Lancaster standing just outside the room across the hall.