No Sex for Six Years Because of Her? I’m Done!standstill once again.
Ethan thought about his plans for the evening, a complicated look flickering in his eyes.
At a red light, he suddenly turned the wheel and pulled over into a temporary parking spot by the curb.
“Wait here,” he said as he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out.
A few minutes later, Ethan came back holding a bouquet of bluebells, neatly wrapped in plain kraft paper.
The delicate, bell-shaped purple flowers looked especially beautiful in the evening light.
He handed the flowers to her, his voice softer and even a little awkward, almost as if he was trying to please her. “These are for you. Can you stop being mad now?”
Amelia stared at the bouquet, completely lost in thought.
She had barely ever talked about her preferences with Ethan. Long ago, when things were good between them, she’d once mentioned that she liked bluebells. She liked them for their quiet, unassuming beauty, as well as their meaning – blessings from afar.
She’d thought he had long forgotten.
But he hadn’t.
Maybe this man wasn’t completely hopeless after all.
Looking at the bouquet, Amelia’s expression finally softened.
She looked up at Ethan, a faint smile curving her lips.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
The car soon pulled up in front of an elegant private restaurant.
It was a restaurant she liked, famous for its creative fusion dishes.
Apparently, Ethan remembered her tastes.
He opened her door for her, and Amelia stepped out, flowers in her arms, following him into the reserved private dining room.
Most of her irritation at being forced to come had faded.
But when the waiter pushed open the heavy wooden door, the smile on her face instantly disappeared.
The room was lit with warm, yellow lighting, and Hannah and Isla were inside.
For a second, Amelia felt ridiculous for feeling touched in the car just moments ago.
Even the bluebells in her arms seemed like a joke now.
Hannah clearly froze when she saw Amelia at the door. A flash of annoyance crossed her eyes before she smoothed it over with perfect acting.
She stood and feigned surprise. “Ms. Harlow? I didn’t expect to see you here!”
Isla was not as good at hiding her feelings as her mother. She glared openly at Amelia the moment she came in.
Ethan seemed totally oblivious to the tension between the three of them. He stepped forward, explaining naturally, “Isla just won first prize in her school’s art competition. I promised her a special dinner to celebrate.
“And since I was going to have dinner with you too, I figured we’d just combine it. It’s more fun with everyone around.”
He spoke as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Amelia’s hand tightened around the bouquet.
She glanced at Isla and squeezed out, “Congratulations.”
Hannah forced a considerate smile, reaching to take Isla’s hand, and spoke softly to Ethan. “Ethan, maybe … I should just take Isla out to the main dining hall. You and Ms. Harlow finally patched things up. I’m sure you’d prefer some time alone. We’re probably just getting in the way.”
But Ethan stopped her, frowning. “Don’t be silly. It’s fine. Since you’re already here, let’s all eat together. I promised Isla a celebration.”
He pulled out a chair for Amelia.
Expressionless, she sat down and set the bluebells bouquet on the empty seat next to her, not sparing them another glance.
Soon, the food arrived.
Nearly every dish was sweet. Clearly, they were picked for a child’s tastes.
Ethan even served Isla some pork ribs himself, encouraging her to eat more.
The waiter brought in a custom princess-themed cake, topped with a chocolate plaque piped in fancy script – “Congratulations to our little princess, Isla!”
In that moment, the room brimmed with happiness – Hannah smiling sweetly, Isla’s eyes bright with excitement, Ethan smiling fondly at them both.
Amelia sat quietly, watching the happy “family of three.”
So much for the make-up dinner, her favorite restaurant, or the bouquet of bluebells that had almost softened her heart …
All of it suddenly felt like a huge joke.
She even felt like the real reason for tonight’s dinner was actually to celebrate Isla.
And she was just someone Ethan brought along for cover.
The small custom cake for Isla felt like a line splitting the four people in the room into two completely different worlds.
On one side were Ethan, Hannah, and Isla – a warm, happy family.
On the other side was Amelia, all by herself.
She sat there quietly, her plate still basically untouched.
The fancy food looked and smelled amazing, but she couldn’t taste a thing.
Right then, Amelia got a call from Lily.
She grabbed her phone and said to Ethan,
No Sex for Six Years Because of Her? I’m Done!who was smiling at Isla cutting the cake, “I’m going out to take this.”
She didn’t wait for him to respond. She stood up and walked out quickly.
On the phone, Lily said she was also at the restaurant and asked her to come outside.
Amelia headed straight toward the entrance.
And yes, Lily was there. She was dressed in a red suit, standing in the night like a flame.
Seeing Amelia, Lily rushed over and put her hand on Amelia’s forehead. “Girl, are you okay?
“Why are you here, eating dinner with Ethan and those disgusting little homewrecker and her daughter?!”
Amelia couldn’t help smiling at how dramatic she was. “I’m fine. I got tricked into coming.”
She explained quickly, “Ethan said he wanted to take me to dinner to apologize. When I got here, I found out Hannah and her daughter were here too.”
“Apologize?” Lily exploded. “He’s using you as a shield!”
Amelia frowned, catching the important part. “What do you mean? Tell me clearly.”
Lily pulled her into a quieter corner and lowered her voice. “You don’t know? Everyone has been gossiping about Ethan and Hannah getting too close. The rumors are blowing up.
“I have a client who’s an entertainment reporter. A couple of days ago, he bragged that his co-worker secretly took pictures of Ethan hanging out with Hannah and her daughter. Guess what? Before the photos even spread, Ethan’s mom paid a huge amount of money to buy all of them!
“Now every paparazzi knows that taking photos of them can make big money. They’re all watching him. And right at this moment, Ethan tricks you – his legal wife – into having dinner with them. What do you think his goal is?”
Lily’s words instantly cleared all the confusion in Amelia’s heart.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.