Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 149: The Most Provocative Gift

Ethan Lancaster saw her, too. He didn’t threaten her and demand she leave like last time.

He walked into the living room and, seeing the pile of things on the coffee table, began to rummage through them. "Are these presents for me?"

Zion Lancaster couldn’t help but laugh. "Raina bought those for Mom."

"Nothing for me?" Unwilling to give up, Ethan Lancaster poked through the pile again. "Then why did you all call me back?"

"To celebrate your birthday, you ungrateful thing." Jessica Jacobs came out of the kitchen, setting a bowl of washed fruit on the table.

Raina Reddington actually remembered Ethan Lancaster’s birthday; she had just completely forgotten today’s date. The man sat down on the sofa. "So someone does remember after all."

"You’re a grown man, still sulking over something like this."

Zion Lancaster walked into the kitchen and took out the baked cake layers. "Raina, come help me."

"Oh." Raina walked over, and Zion asked her to help slice the fruit.

Ethan Lancaster sat there watching, his hand loosely clenched. After a moment, he grew bored and got up, moving to the dining table.

Zion was whipping cream. She asked Ethan, "Want to try?"

"No."

He reached into the fruit bowl, took out a kiwi, and placed it by Raina’s hand. "Add more of this. I like it."

Raina glanced at it and picked it up. Ethan picked a piece from her sliced fruit and popped it in his mouth. Zion rushed to swat his hand. "Manners?"

"We’re in our own home. What’s the point of manners?"

Ethan handed Raina a mango, and she accepted it automatically. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight. ’This is so much better,’ he thought. ’Obedient and docile, just the way I like her.’

The phone in his pocket rang unexpectedly. Ethan glanced at it—an unknown number.

He stepped aside to answer it. "Hello?"

"Hello, am I speaking with Mr. Lancaster?"

"Yes."

"We have a cake for you. The delivery address is The Verdant Garden. Are you at home right now?"

Ethan Lancaster turned to look in Raina’s direction. ’So she did remember. Even though our relationship is so strained right now, she still ordered a birthday cake for me.’ "I’m not at The Verdant Garden," he said. "Change the address."

In a low voice, Ethan gave the person the Lancaster family address.

After hanging up, he returned to the dining table. He picked up half a leftover apple from the cutting board and took a bite. "Why even make it yourselves? Ordering one from a shop is so much easier."

He stared at Raina, watching for any change in her expression. Zion, focused on her work, said, "Store-bought is never as good as homemade. Besides, these ingredients are the freshest, so we can eat it without worry."

"I think store-bought is just fine."

Zion shot Ethan a look. Raina was still here helping; half the credit for this cake would be hers. She kicked him.

When the cake arrived, the delivery person called Ethan, and he hurried out.

When he returned, he was holding a cake. Zion called out, "Who sent it?"

"Obviously from someone who remembered my birthday and specially ordered it for me." Ethan set the cake on the table, right in front of Raina.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye, but she kept her head down and didn’t stop what she was doing. Ethan pulled off the ribbon and opened the lid.

The cake was surprisingly creative—it was a model of the car Ethan often drove, right down to the matching license plate on the front.

Zion leaned in for a look. "Happy Birthday. It’s so good to have you. Wendy..."

The smile on Ethan’s lips froze. Zion’s expression changed, too. "Wendy? Who’s that?"

He hadn’t even considered Gwen Sharp; the first person who had come to mind when he got the call was Raina. Ethan pulled the cake closer for a careful look. Sure enough, the name "Wendy" was written on it.

Just then, Jessica Jacobs walked over, and her expression instantly soured. "What is this thing!"

She swore on the spot. Zion, who was always cooped up at home, didn’t know what was happening in the outside world, but Jessica Jacobs had heard whispers. She looked at Ethan, her face clouded with displeasure.

The fruit knife in Raina’s hand stilled. "Should we still make the cake?"

’He already has one, and it’s clearly to his liking. Why are we wasting our time and energy?’

’Gwen Sharp is so much more suitable for him than I am. What man could resist such a thoughtful arrangement? That must be why Ethan gave her the family’s address. If Jessica Jacobs hadn’t insisted he come home, he probably would have already arranged a candlelight dinner with Gwen Sharp for tonight.’

Zion stepped in to smooth things over. "Make it? Of course, we’re making it. We’re almost finished anyway."

Jessica Jacobs called a servant over. She pointed to the cake on the dining table. "Throw it out."

"Yes, ma’am."

Raina lowered her gaze. Ethan stood frozen in place. The servant approached him and spoke hesitantly, "Fourth Master?"

The man stepped aside. The servant put the lid back on the box, picked the whole thing up, and walked out. Jessica Jacobs added in a disgusted tone, "Don’t bring things from questionable sources into this house in the future. Who knows what kind of nasty ingredients are in it!"

Ethan kicked the leg of a chair. ’If he’d known earlier, he never would have let this happen.’

Raina helped Zion finish the cake. Zion was very deft, and the finished product looked just like a custom cake from a bakery.

The household staff prepared a table laden with food. When it was time for dinner, Jessica Jacobs had Butler Cameron join them.

Butler Cameron raised his glass to toast Ethan and Raina. "Young Madam, I am so very happy to see you here."

Ever since Zachary Lancaster’s accident, Ethan hadn’t let Raina set foot in the Lancaster home. ’Now that they’re sitting together again, does this mean they’ve made up?’

"Butler Cameron, it’s been a long time."

Jessica Jacobs used the serving chopsticks to put some food in Raina’s bowl. "Raina, I really worry about you being at The Verdant Garden with no one to look after you. Why don’t you let Butler Cameron go back there?"

Ethan glanced at Raina imperceptibly, surprised when she refused so decisively. "Mom, I’m at the hospital every day, who needs looking after? Really, there’s no need."

"How can that be acceptable? You’re so busy, you probably haven’t been eating well, have you?"

"I have been. The hospital food is very good; they have everything."

Jessica Jacobs kept piling food into her bowl. "After your father’s accident, I haven’t had the energy to manage you and Ethan’s affairs. Raina, you’ve had to suffer."

Raina’s heart leaped into her throat at Jessica’s words. She tightened her grip on her chopsticks. ’It seems Ethan still hasn’t told the family about the evidence.’ Racked with guilt, she could barely sit still. "Mom, please don’t say that."

"Raina, I know this isn’t the right time to say this, but I hope you can be understanding. With the Lancaster family in its current state, certain matters have become even more pressing. I hope you and Ethan can have a child as soon as possible."

Raina froze, utterly stunned by her words.