Suzy stared at them in disbelief.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, she reacted, rushing in front of Ethan and blocking his way with her hand.
"Ethan, what are you doing? Do you know that it was her who caused me and Alex to be separated for four years, and you and your son to be separated for four years? Such a woman doesn't deserve your kindness."
Ethan's brows furrowed, his thin lips slightly opened, and he slowly uttered two words, "Get lost."
"Ethan, I gave birth to two sons for you. Can it be that in your eyes, I'm still not as good as this woman?" Suzy couldn't accept that they were being allowed to go upstairs like this.
A man and a woman alone together, who knows what might happen.
A layer of hostility spread on Ethan's face, and against his extraordinarily handsome but now sinister face, he coldly commanded, "Step aside."
Suzy was frightened by his demeanor, her legs went weak, and she unconsciously stepped back.
Ethan carried Samantha and went upstairs without looking back.
Suzy stomped her feet in frustration.
Ethan placed Samantha on the bed, covered her gently with a quilt, and sat on the edge of the bed with his tall figure, his deep and unfathomable eyes fixed on her peacefully sleeping face.
She had cried for too long, which resulted in her eyes still being swollen.
Her face was dirty, and at some point, she had a few small scratches, with a few dried blood spots.
Ethan's throat tightened, and his heart seemed to be firmly grasped by a hand, making it hard to breathe.
He stood up, twisted a half-wet towel from the bathroom, and gently, carefully wiped her face and hands little by little.
His fingers inadvertently touched her soft skin.
An electric current passed through his body through his fingertips.
Ah...
What should he do with her?
...
Steele family's old mansion.
Because there was suddenly an additional great-grandson, the entire old mansion was brightly lit.
The old master was afraid that Alexander had suffered with the kidnappers, so he instructed the kitchen to prepare a table full of dishes.
The whole family surrounded him like stars surrounding the moon.
The old master kept putting food into Alexander's plate.
"Alexander, eat more. Look at you, as thin as a dried fish. In the four years you were away from us, you must have had a tough time, right?"
Alexander looked at the delicious food on the table but had no appetite. He didn't want to disappoint the old man, so he took a bite and defended Samantha. "In the first two years abroad, my mom had a hard time supporting both me and Charlotte. However, she never mistreated us. With a hundred dollars, she only used one, and the remaining ninety-nine were spent on Charlotte and me."
The old master believed Suzy's words and didn't have a favorable impression of Samantha. After hearing Alexander's words, his aversion towards her increased. He thought that her kindness to Alexander was an act, deliberately winning people over.
However, to avoid upsetting Alexander and to maintain a positive image in his eyes, the old master did not show his dislike for Samantha on his face. Instead, he turned to Anna and Liam, saying, "Go to Chelsea Creek and make sure to investigate the cause and effect of this matter thoroughly."
Anna hadn't exchanged a word with Alexander yet and was reluctant to leave. But she didn't dare to defy the old master's order. After exchanging a glance with Liam, they both stood up.
Brent lazily yawned, his eyelids too heavy to open. "Dad, can I go to sleep now? I just finished a lawsuit, and I haven't slept for several days."
Seeing the dark circles around his eyes, the old master no longer pressed him and nodded in agreement.
Brent stretched in a big lazy yawn, patted Alexander's head, and left.
Seeing him leave, Kilian also wanted to go. "Grandpa, I haven't slept for several days either. Can I go back to my room to rest?"
The old master shot him a stern look.
"You never do any proper work, always fooling around with random women. I haven't scolded you yet, and you want to leave already? Stand up and take your scolding first."
Kilian immediately closed his mouth in frustration. He cast a resentful glance at Alexander.
Ellena glanced at him as if he were a fool.
The second and third branches of the family felt uncomfortable seeing the old master favor Alexander so much.
Clearly, they also had grandsons, but the old master preferred the eldest branch's descendants. Even the unreliable Kilian was especially liked by the old master and old madam.
What's he but a great-grandson! Yet so many people staying up late just for him.
After the meal, the old master arranged for servants to help Alexander bathe and set up a clean room for him to rest.
...
When Anna and Liam arrived at Chelsea Creek, it was already broad daylight.
The housekeeper was instructing the kitchen staff to prepare breakfast.
Suzy was sprawled on the sofa, deeply asleep.
Looking around, there was no sign of Ethan and Samantha.
Anna frowned, a bad feeling rising within her. She woke up Suzy and asked in a serious tone, "Where are Samantha and Ethan?"
Suzy blinked her sleepy eyes, her mind momentarily blank.
Impatient, Anna asked again, "I'm asking you, where are Samantha and Ethan? Why are you the only one here?"
Suzy slowly recollected her thoughts. The events of last night rushed back to her like a tide.
She jolted awake, jumped off the sofa, tugged at her wrinkled clothes, and said with a tone of grievance, "Samantha was carried upstairs by Ethan."
Anna raised an eyebrow, "Carried upstairs?"
Suzy nodded, "Yes! I wanted to stop them, but Ethan's expression was too frightening! They've been upstairs for a long time, and they haven't come down. I was too tired and couldn't hold on, so I fell asleep."
A sense of foreboding expanded in Anna's heart.
Without a second thought, she pulled Liam upstairs, heading straight to the master bedroom.
Suzy followed with a gloating expression.
The door to the master bedroom wasn't locked.
It opened with a twist.
The three of them entered unceremoniously.
On the large double bed, Ethan and Samantha were tightly embraced, facing each other.
Samantha's head was resting on Ethan's arm, her hands tightly encircling his waist. Ethan's long arm was also draped over Samantha's waist. The two bodies were intimately close.
Their breaths intertwined.
They looked like a sweet newlywed couple.
The scene stabbed Suzy's eyes with jealousy.
Although she had thought that the two might engage in some undescribable activities, witnessing it firsthand drove her mad. She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms, blood streaming out unnoticed.
Anna's face turned ashen with anger.
Liam's expression was also dark and unpleasant. His son had always been a light sleeper, immediately waking up at the slightest disturbance. Yet, at this moment, the three of them had stood by the bedside for so long, and Ethan hadn't even noticed.
This was a very bad sign.
***
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