Chapter 2

Ethan looked like he genuinely considered the question for two seconds before nodding.

"She's pretty."

My heart plummeted straight into my stomach.

For years, Chloe had used that fragile, beautiful face to effortlessly win everyone over. Linda, the relatives, even Daniel had initially called her "innocent" and "pitiful."

I curled my fingers into fists, bracing myself for him to compliment her sweet personality.

But silence stretched between us. He didn't say another word.

"That's it?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "I've seen her exactly once. Her face is all I have to go on." His eyes narrowed, studying me. "Are you trying to change the subject again?"

I hesitated for a long time before finally telling him everything about Daniel.

Ethan's jaw clenched so hard a muscle feathered in his cheek. He ground out, "How long were you with him?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "Two years."

Ethan let out a harsh, humorless laugh.

"Perfect. Just perfect, Grace. You date a guy for two years and take him home to meet the family. You've been with me for six, and you won't even let them know I exist?"

I froze. Looking up, I saw the raw, unfiltered hurt in his eyes, and my chest ached with a sudden, overwhelming softness.

My phone rang again. It was Linda.

Before I could react, Ethan took the phone from my hand and answered it.

The moment the line connected, Linda's screaming echoed through the speaker.

"Grace, do you have any conscience at all?! Chloe spends all morning making you lunch, and you tell her she's an embarrassment? Is this how you treat your own family?!"

Ice flooded my veins. "My company has a cafeteria. She just wanted an excuse to get close to my boyfriend."

Linda exploded. "She is your cousin! You don't have to like her, but you have no right to humiliate her like that!"

She paused, the gears suddenly shifting in her head as her tone completely changed. "Wait. You have a boyfriend? Since when? Why haven't you ever mentioned him?"

"Because if I did, I was afraid you'd just force me to hand him over to Chloe."

Dead silence on the other end of the line.

Right then, Ethan brought the phone to his mouth. His tone was impeccably polite.

"Hello, Linda. I'm Grace's boyfriend, Ethan Carter. When would be a convenient time? I'd like to formally visit you and the family."

Linda's voice instantly warmed up, practically dripping with honey. "Oh, Ethan! Of course, it's convenient. It's just that you're all the way in New York, it's quite a drive."

"That's no problem. I have a car."

"That's wonderful! By the way, Ethan, what exactly do you do for a living? Where is your family from?"

Before Ethan could answer, I snatched the phone back. "Mom, I'm at work. I have to go."

I hung up and stared at Ethan.

"If you want to marry me, you do not need my mother's approval."

He reached out, his hand gently smoothing my hair. His expression was incredibly tender.

"I don't want you to have any regrets on your wedding day."

Tears pricked the back of my eyes. "You have no idea how biased my mother is. I'm terrified they're going to put you through hell."

"Don't worry." He pinched my cheek lightly. "I won't be the one getting played."

Three days later, Ethan cleared his schedule and drove me back to Millbrook.

The second our car pulled into the driveway, Chloe sprinted off the front porch, shoved past me, and wedged herself right in front of Ethan.

Her voice was sickeningly sweet. "Ethan, I get so car sick. Do you mind if I sit up front?"

"If you get car sick, take a train," I said coldly.

Chloe's eyes instantly welled with tears. She looked up at Ethan, the picture of absolute misery.

Ethan offered a flawless, polite smile. "Of course."

He personally opened the passenger door.

Chloe's eyes lit up like fireworks. She shot me a triumphant smirk and happily slid into the seat.

The second she was settled, Ethan turned to the driver behind the wheel.

"Mr. Harris, take it slow on the road. The lady gets car sick."

Chloe's smile shattered.

Ethan took my hand, turned his back on her, and walked us over to the second car parked behind them—a Mercedes-Maybach.

He opened the passenger door, shielded the roof with his hand as I got in, and leaned over to buckle my seatbelt himself.

Looking at the sharp, clean line of his jaw, a fierce warmth spread through my chest.

In all these years, no one had ever so openly and unapologetically chosen my side.

As the Maybach pulled out, I looked through the window and saw Chloe sitting in the front car, her face rigid with fury.

I knew this was just the opening act.

The real nightmare was yet to come.

Chapter 2

Ethan looked like he genuinely considered the question for two seconds before nodding.

"She's pretty."

My heart plummeted straight into my stomach.

For years, Chloe had used that fragile, beautiful face to effortlessly win everyone over. Linda, the relatives, even Daniel had initially called her "innocent" and "pitiful."

I curled my fingers into fists, bracing myself for him to compliment her sweet personality.

But silence stretched between us. He didn't say another word.

"That's it?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "I've seen her exactly once. Her face is all I have to go on." His eyes narrowed, studying me. "Are you trying to change the subject again?"

I hesitated for a long time before finally telling him everything about Daniel.

Ethan's jaw clenched so hard a muscle feathered in his cheek. He ground out, "How long were you with him?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "Two years."

Ethan let out a harsh, humorless laugh.

"Perfect. Just perfect, Grace. You date a guy for two years and take him home to meet the family. You've been with me for six, and you won't even let them know I exist?"

I froze. Looking up, I saw the raw, unfiltered hurt in his eyes, and my chest ached with a sudden, overwhelming softness.

My phone rang again. It was Linda.

Before I could react, Ethan took the phone from my hand and answered it.

The moment the line connected, Linda's screaming echoed through the speaker.

"Grace, do you have any conscience at all?! Chloe spends all morning making you lunch, and you tell her she's an embarrassment? Is this how you treat your own family?!"

Ice flooded my veins. "My company has a cafeteria. She just wanted an excuse to get close to my boyfriend."

Linda exploded. "She is your cousin! You don't have to like her, but you have no right to humiliate her like that!"

She paused, the gears suddenly shifting in her head as her tone completely changed. "Wait. You have a boyfriend? Since when? Why haven't you ever mentioned him?"

"Because if I did, I was afraid you'd just force me to hand him over to Chloe."

Dead silence on the other end of the line.

Right then, Ethan brought the phone to his mouth. His tone was impeccably polite.

"Hello, Linda. I'm Grace's boyfriend, Ethan Carter. When would be a convenient time? I'd like to formally visit you and the family."

Linda's voice instantly warmed up, practically dripping with honey. "Oh, Ethan! Of course, it's convenient. It's just that you're all the way in New York, it's quite a drive."

"That's no problem. I have a car."

"That's wonderful! By the way, Ethan, what exactly do you do for a living? Where is your family from?"

Before Ethan could answer, I snatched the phone back. "Mom, I'm at work. I have to go."

I hung up and stared at Ethan.

"If you want to marry me, you do not need my mother's approval."

He reached out, his hand gently smoothing my hair. His expression was incredibly tender.

"I don't want you to have any regrets on your wedding day."

Tears pricked the back of my eyes. "You have no idea how biased my mother is. I'm terrified they're going to put you through hell."

"Don't worry." He pinched my cheek lightly. "I won't be the one getting played."

Three days later, Ethan cleared his schedule and drove me back to Millbrook.

The second our car pulled into the driveway, Chloe sprinted off the front porch, shoved past me, and wedged herself right in front of Ethan.

Her voice was sickeningly sweet. "Ethan, I get so car sick. Do you mind if I sit up front?"

"If you get car sick, take a train," I said coldly.

Chloe's eyes instantly welled with tears. She looked up at Ethan, the picture of absolute misery.

Ethan offered a flawless, polite smile. "Of course."

He personally opened the passenger door.

Chloe's eyes lit up like fireworks. She shot me a triumphant smirk and happily slid into the seat.

The second she was settled, Ethan turned to the driver behind the wheel.

"Mr. Harris, take it slow on the road. The lady gets car sick."

Chloe's smile shattered.

Ethan took my hand, turned his back on her, and walked us over to the second car parked behind them—a Mercedes-Maybach.

He opened the passenger door, shielded the roof with his hand as I got in, and leaned over to buckle my seatbelt himself.

Looking at the sharp, clean line of his jaw, a fierce warmth spread through my chest.

In all these years, no one had ever so openly and unapologetically chosen my side.

As the Maybach pulled out, I looked through the window and saw Chloe sitting in the front car, her face rigid with fury.

I knew this was just the opening act.

The real nightmare was yet to come.