Chapter 5 How can life be so unfair?
**Rachel's POV**
My eyes widened in surprise. Ethan’s words kept ringing in my ears.
*Be with me.*
*I want you to be with me.*
Why would he want to be with me? *Me?* I was his nightmare!
We should be enemies. If I were him, I’d gloat at me in a situation like this. But instead, he wanted to help me? Why?
I was about to say something when a discomfort in my throat stopped me, and—
“*Achoo!*” A huge sneeze escaped my lips, breaking the awkward silence between us.
“Are you okay? How long were you standing on the bridge before I found you? You must have caught a cold.”
I stared at Ethan, confused by the sudden shift in his demeanor. Seconds ago, he was so close to me that I thought he was going to... do something. Now he was acting so concerned, it was scary.
Before I could respond, my knees gave way, and I lost my balance. Bracing myself for a painful fall, I closed my eyes. But instead of my face harshly hitting the floor, I felt a warm embrace.
My heart pounded as I looked up at him.
“I only said you should be with me, but you’re already throwing yourself at me,” Ethan teased, a playful smirk on his face.
His teasing instantly killed the butterflies that had started fluttering in my stomach.
“Throwing myself at you? Never! I’d rather die!” I retorted inwardly, regaining my composure.
“I think I’ve developed a cold,” I said curtly, shrugging his hands off me.
Ethan gave me a blank stare, as if I’d just said something ridiculous.
“Rest now. I’ll have a doctor check on you in the morning,” he said simply.
“Morning? But it’s still late...” I started to say, realizing I didn’t even know what time it was. “What’s the time?” I asked, frantically searching for my phone.
Then I remembered.
*Shit.*
I’d thrown my phone against the wall earlier in anger after my grandfather’s insistence that I apologize to David. He even said something outrageous—that having two wives wasn’t such a bad thing, as long as I was the first. “You’ll have more respect,” he said, “especially if you get pregnant first.”
Me, Rachel Estrella Andrew—a Gen Z *baddie*—being told to fight for a man and force myself into a situation like that? It was disgusting.
Thinking back now, maybe Ethan helping me get revenge on David, Lana, and even my dumb family wasn’t such a bad idea. All he asked was for me to “be with him.” It wasn’t like I’d actually fall for him. I could just freeload here until I got my revenge.
“It’s around midnight,” Ethan finally answered, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Okay,” I said softly, expecting him to leave. But he didn’t.
Why wasn’t he leaving?
“Is there anything else you need?” I asked, trying to hint that it was time for him to go.
If he caught the hint, he didn’t show it. He just stood there, still as a statue, as though waiting for something.
“Ethan?” I called after a few moments, puzzled.
His lips curled into a breathtaking smile, a smile that made me want to smile back.
*Snap out of it, Rachel!*
“What’s so funny?” I asked, raising a brow and doing my best to act unaffected by his charm.
“This is the first time you’ve called me by my name—without any stupid honorific before or after it.”
That was the reason for his smile? *This guy...*
“I’ll be leaving now,” he said, finally stepping away and out of the room.
When he left, I sat down on the queen-sized bed, my mind swirling with thoughts.
Ethan saved me when I’d completely lost my sanity and wanted to end my life. Now, the same nerdy guy I used to bully—*goggle-glasses Ethan*—was standing before me as a hot, rich, powerful man.
How did he get so rich?
I looked around the room, marveling at its opulence. Gold tones covered the walls and furniture. Everything screamed wealth.
But... was this really his house?
Couldn’t he have rented it? Or maybe it belonged to a friend, and he was just posing?
Deep down, I knew my excuses didn’t make sense. Ethan’s posture and aura didn’t match someone borrowing a favor. He *owned* this place.
How could life be so unfair?
I fell back on the soft bed, staring at the ceiling as the reality of my messed-up life sank in.
Today was supposed to be special—my personal honeymoon, the one I never got in three years of marriage.
When David was still my boyfriend, he was the one always asking for sex, but I never gave in. I wanted to save myself for my husband, and he claimed to respect that. Still, we made out constantly. I’d thought we had something real.
When my parents wanted to expand their empire, I was the one who suggested the marriage. I thought it was perfect, and David didn’t object.
But on our wedding night, he didn’t even show up.
At first, I refused to call him because of my pride. But when the entire night passed, I gave in and dialed his number. His excuse still echoed in my ears:
“I had an urgent business trip. I’m sorry, but I can’t come.”
I should have known he was playing me even back then. Maybe he was with Lana, laughing at my stupidity as they schemed behind my back.
I sighed, pulling the blanket closer to my chest.
Then I remembered something.
Who texted me?
Someone from an unknown number had sent me a message, telling me to come to the hotel and even providing the room number.
Who could it have been?
It couldn’t have been Lana—she’d been visibly shocked when she saw me there. If it had been her, she would’ve mocked me outright for being so naïve.
It couldn’t have been David either. He was surprised and even called to tell me he wasn’t coming.
So, who was it?
And why had they given me that information anonymously?
What could they possibly gain from my breakup with David?