The thick sll of smoke filled his throat. Ethan Lancaster felt it burn, but he didn’t extinguish the cigarette in his hand.
"I’ve already looked into it. Raina Reddington was the one who gave those two book sets to your old man. You didn’t even tell us. What’s the deal with that?"
A wave of irritation washed over Ethan Lancaster. "I don’t have the ntal energy to think about that right now."
"Isn’t it obvious? The two of them are working together, clearing obstacles one by one. Once she drags you down, Miles Hawthorne can take her back. What’s one Hannah Lynch at this point? Believe it or not, the next thing Raina Reddington will do is ask you for a divorce."
A darkness gathered in the depths of Ethan Lancaster’s eyes. He was spread too thin and truly hadn’t considered that possibility.
A cold smirk played on Caron Fairchild’s lips. "Fourth Master, did you really think she was completely devoted to you?"
"I never thought that," Ethan Lancaster said, his voice tinged with a bit of embarrassnt.
Caron Fairchild had seen all types of won. "If she divorces you and gets together with that Miles Hawthorne, they’d make a pretty picture, wouldn’t they? Tell , would you call them childhood sweethearts?"
"Shut up!"
Caron Fairchild’s words had truly struck a nerve with Ethan Lancaster.
Raina Reddington drove ho from the hospital. Ethan Lancaster hadn’t been ho since that night. It had been about ten days now.
Annabelle Spencer’s call ca through. They were close, so she skipped the pleasantries. "Raina, where are you?"
"On the road, heading ho."
"Co out for dinner."
Raina didn’t really want to go out. For one, she wasn’t in the mood. For another, with the Lancaster Family in its current state, she didn’t want people saying she was acting like it was none of her business. If so new scandal broke, she wouldn’t be able to explain her way out of it even if she had ten mouths.
"I’m a bit tired, so I’d rather not. Besides, I need to go to the Lancaster estate to see Dad today."
"Then co out after you’re done. I really want to see you..."
Raina hesitated. "I’ll see what ti it is later, okay?"
"Okay, I’ll wait for you."
Raina drove to the Lancaster estate. She got out of the car and was just about to enter when Ethan Lancaster happened to walk out.
She froze. The mont Ethan Lancaster saw her, his expression changed. "What are you doing here?"
"I ca to see Dad."
He stood in the doorway, showing no intention of moving aside. "Did Miles Hawthorne not know what’s happening with my family, so he had to send you? What did you bring this ti? A pinhole cara? Let see..."
Ethan Lancaster reached for Raina. She hastily took a step back. "I don’t have anything. Don’t do this."
Jessica Jacobs heard their voices from inside and walked out. "Raina, you’re here."
"Mom."
"What are you doing just standing at the door? Co on in."
Raina wanted to step forward, but Ethan Lancaster didn’t move. "Go back."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. The light in front of the Lancaster house fell on her, casting a shadow in her eyes. Jessica Jacobs, not understanding the situation, tugged on Ethan Lancaster’s arm. "What are you doing?"
"Go back." Ethan Lancaster repeated himself. "There’s nothing to see with my dad. Even if you go in, he can’t see your hypocritical act anyway."
Besides humiliation, only a deathly pallor remained on Raina’s face.
Jessica Jacobs also sensed sothing was wrong with his words. Just as she was about to ask, Ethan Lancaster grabbed Raina’s arm and dragged her out.
He walked quickly. It wasn’t until he had pulled Raina to the gate that he finally let go.
"Don’t co here again."
She glanced past him. ’This place had once been my ho, a place that briefly accepted and gave a transient, beautiful warmth.’
"Okay," Raina murmured, a lump in her throat.
"And one more thing. Tell Miles Hawthorne not to think he’s safe and sound just because nothing has happened yet. He’s offended so many families. Any one of them could crush him without a second thought."
An indescribable feeling welled up in Raina. "Why are you asking to tell him?"
Ethan Lancaster’s lips curled into a cold smirk. Without explaining further, he strode quickly toward his car parked nearby.
Raina didn’t linger, afraid that Jessica Jacobs would co out looking for her to ask what was going on. She had no idea how she would explain it.
Once in her car, Raina rembered Annabelle Spencer was still waiting for her. She arranged a eting spot with her and headed over.
By the ti she arrived, the streetlights had already flickered on, one by one. In the distance, the windows of high-rise buildings shimred with light. Everyone has a ho, and everyone thinks of going ho when they’re tired.
Raina parked her car and went to et Annabelle Spencer. She glanced up at the hotel’s na, a confused look on her face.
Annabelle Spencer waved to her from the lobby. "Raina, over here!"
Raina walked quickly through the revolving door. "Why did you pick such a high-end place?"
"I can expense it."
"Are you working?"
Annabelle Spencer pulled her by the arm to the side. "Sothing’s up with Ethan Lancaster. Raina, you need to watch your back."
"What do you an?" A sudden sense of panic seized her.
"Let’s talk while we eat. It’s too awkward to just stand here."
There was a Western restaurant on the hotel’s ground floor. Annabelle Spencer led Raina inside, gripping her wrist tightly. A waiter showed them to a table, and Annabelle took the nu. "Raina, what do you want to eat?"
She was in no mood to eat. "Anything’s fine."
Annabelle Spencer ordered two set als. "Thank you."
Raina looked around, but just as she was about to look away, she spotted Ethan Lancaster. She quickly lowered her gaze. Annabelle Spencer noticed, turned to look, then glanced back at Raina with a troubled expression. "What’s going on with you and Ethan Lancaster lately?"
"Nothing’s going on. Why?"
"Don’t lie to . The Lancaster Family is in such huge trouble, yet you’re just staying at The Verdant Garden. Ethan Lancaster hasn’t been ho, has he? You went to the Lancaster estate today. Did he even let you in?"
Raina took a sip of lemonade, the sour taste filling her mouth. "How do you know all this?"
"To be honest, I’ve been assigned to tail him these past couple of days. Look, he’s with a different woman again today. Raina, I really feel it’s not worth it for you."
"There’s a lot you don’t understand."
Annabelle Spencer lowered her voice urgently. "Everyone’s saying the Lancaster Family won’t make it through this. Why don’t you take this chance to divorce him?"
Raina’s heart clenched in pain. "Divorce?"
"Yes! He tramples all over you. Are you really going to stick with him through thick and thin? Besides, does he even want you to? The Lancaster Family is being roasted over a fire right now, yet he still has the energy to be out carousing with won. What do you want with a man like that?"
Raina tightened her grip on her glass. "Maybe it’s not like that. He has his social obligations."
"Raina, you haven’t fallen in love with him, have you?"
Raina was startled and shook her head without thinking. "Don’t be ridiculous."
"Yours was an arranged marriage from the start, a matter of mutual benefit. Now that disaster has struck, of course you should both go your separate ways."
Ethan Lancaster poured a glass of wine for the woman across from him. As he casually glanced up, he saw Raina. He also recognized the person sitting opposite her: Annabelle Spencer.
’What, is she here to spy on ?’
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