The voice recorder continued playing.
Anna's voice came again.
"This is a blank check. Fill in any amount you want, but the condition is that you have to leave my son and grandson."
"Mrs. Steele, maybe there's something you haven't understood. I have no interest in Ethan, and I've never thought of marrying him. I just wanted to sleep with him. No need to be responsible after that!"
"Do you know what 'each takes what they need' means? I want a man, he wants a woman, we satisfy each other's needs. After putting on our clothes, he goes his way, and I go mine. No need for emotional attachments."
As her last sentence fell, a bone-chilling coldness spread wildly through the office.
Ethan's handsome face turned sinister, his eyes suddenly filled with a bloodthirsty gleam.
Anna put away the voice recorder, expressionless, and said, "Do you understand now? This woman is just playing with you, manipulating you. She doesn't really like you. Do you think it's worth taking risks for such a woman?"
Ethan didn't speak, his face ominously darkening, his eyes suddenly showing a bloodthirsty glint.
Anna knew her words were working on him. Continuing relentlessly, she said, "Her private life is not decent; she gave birth out of wedlock at the age of eighteen. Even if she becomes a bed companion, she is not qualified. Although the Miller family is not as prominent as ours, it is still an elite family that can provide mutual support in business. Besides, Suzy is Noah's biological mother. No matter what, a biological mother is definitely better than a stepmother. This woman has had malicious intentions from the beginning. Would you dare to let her be Noah's mother?"
Ethan's eyes were filled with a raging storm. He stood up, his face dark and terrifying, like a vengeful ghost crawling out of hell.
Anna was afraid he might be deceived by Samantha's words. Shouting at his retreating figure, she said, "If you don't believe me, you can ask the butler. He was present throughout."
Ethan ignored her, his back disappearing from the office.
Watching his furious figure, a trace of satisfaction flashed in Anna's eyes. She understood her son the best. There was no room for any grains of sand in her eyes.
With this recording, he would definitely kick Samantha out of his life.
Ethan stepped on the gas pedal, speeding all the way back to Chelsea Creek.
The butler was directing the gardeners to trim the flowers in the garden. Seeing him return with a murderous look, he was startled and asked, "Sir, why are you back?"
Ethan gritted his teeth and asked, "Where is Samantha?"
The butler's hands trembled, pointing towards the kitchen, "She... she is preparing lunch for you, sir!"
Since Samantha arrived, Ethan has been coming home for lunch every day. Therefore,m/. Samantha would always enter the kitchen to prepare lunch on time.
Ethan, surrounded by an icy aura, made his way to the kitchen.
Seeing Samantha chopping vegetables, he grabbed her wrist, ruthlessly pulling her out of the kitchen.
CLANG!
The knife in Samantha's hand fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
Her wrist seemed to be on the verge of being crushed by Ethan, causing her small face to wrinkle in pain.
"Ethan, what are you doing? Let go of me; my hand is about to break."
Ignoring her pleas, Ethan forcefully dragged her to the second-floor bedroom, locking the door behind them and throwing her onto the bed.
His handsome face looked ferocious, exuding a dangerous aura, much like an enraged lion. This Ethan was something Samantha had never seen before.
Terrified, she wanted to escape, but as soon as she got off the bed, Ethan threw her back onto it.
Immediately after, his tall figure loomed over her, pressing her down on the bed. He restrained her hands above her head with force.
Samantha struggled desperately, but his strength was overwhelming. She couldn't break free, and her small face turned bright red with exertion. "Ethan, what are you doing? Let go of me; you're hurting me!"
Hurt?
Did she also know hurt?
Did she know how much hurt his heart was in right now?
It turned out that her nightly affection was fake.
All just a game to manipulate him.
He had foolishly taken pleasure in it.
Now, looking back, he realized how stupid he had been.
To think he had believed her nonsense.
Ethan's eagle-like eyes tightly grasped her small face, coldly asking, "Satisfy each other's needs? Sleep with me? No need for emotions?"
Hearing his questions, Samantha instantly understood.
So, Anna had gone to complain.
No wonder Ethan was so angry.
Samantha smiled wryly, pretending to be calm, "Mrs. Steele is lying to you! Those words were all fabricated by her!"
Watching her lie with an unblushing face, Ethan's chest felt like it was set on fire, reaching the peak of fury.
"Still lying to me? Do you know the consequences of deceiving me?"
Samantha remained calm and said, "I didn't lie to you; it's really Mrs. Steele who's deceiving you! Well, she's your mother, and you believe she's right! I'm just an outsider."
She was convinced that as long as she didn't admit it, he couldn't do anything to her.
Can't force her to admit it, right?
Unfortunately, she was wrong.
Seeing that she still wouldn't admit it, it seemed like there was something in Ethan's chest that hurt so much it was about to burst open, and his eyes, blazing with flames, seemed like they wanted to devour her.
As she looked into the flames in his eyes, a foreboding feeling rose in Samantha's heart.
"Ethan, calm down, you must stay calm..."
Before she could finish her sentence, her lips were already sealed by Ethan.
All words vanished in that kiss.
Samantha's unease intensified.
Suddenly, she felt that the Ethan in front of her was different, dangerously so.
If she wasn't careful, she might end up in pieces.
The anxiety in her heart made her resist desperately.
The more she resisted, the more rough and overbearing Ethan became.
"You said we should each take what we need, right? What's the matter? Did you forget what you said so quickly?"
Ethan sneered, pressing her onto the bed, not giving her a chance to escape.
It felt like there was magma about to erupt from within his body.
...
Two hours later.
Samantha was completely exhausted, lying on the bed like stagnant water.
Everything just now felt like a dream.
She actually... was overpowered by Ethan.
She intended to snatch Ethan away from Suzy, but she never thought it would escalate at a rocket-like speed.
Ethan glanced at her indifferently, showing no mercy. He got out of bed and headed to the bathroom.
Ten minutes later, he came out after a shower.
Samantha was still lying on the bed, so tired that she didn't want to move her fingers.
Ethan picked up the clothes on the floor and threw them on her, coldly saying, "Don't dirty my bed. Put on your clothes and get lost."
Samantha's heart sank a bit, and she sarcastically remarked, "What? Mr. Steele planning to pull up his pants and deny it?"
Ethan retorted coldly, "We're just bed companions. Why should I deny anything? Marry you? Are you worthy? To be my wife, one must be a virgin. Women like you are only suitable for a fling, a pastime."
The sharp and cutting words drained the color from Samantha's face.
Her body felt like it was soaked in ice-cold water, thoroughly chilled.
She never knew that people's mouths could utter such hurtful words.
Tears blurred her vision involuntarily.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, swallowed all the grievances in her heart, and revealed a brilliantly fake smile, "Well, Mr. Steele is just one of the many men in my life. If everyone has to take responsibility, I really don't know who to marry! This is fine; we each take what we need, owe nothing to each other, and no need for responsibility."
Having said that, she forced herself to ignore the discomfort in her body, proudly got out of bed, put on each piece of clothing without looking back, and left the bedroom.
The person might have left.
But the room still carried the fragrance of her.
The messy sheets and the stains on them also revealed to Ethan everything that had just happened.
A previously unprecedented restlessness surged from the depths of his heart.
Furiously throwing the towel on the ground, he sat on the bed, seemingly lost and soulless...
***