Ethan stared at the sleek logo on the meal container with an evident frown. “What is this, Jessica? You expect me to eat this?”
Jessica turned to face him, her arms crossed, an amused smirk on her lips. “It’s from a five-star restaurant. Hardly substandard.”
Ethan pushed the container aside with a dismissive gesture, his tone cold and firm. “I’d prefer you make something for me.”
Jessica scoffed, her laughter tinged with disbelief and sarcasm. “You can’t be serious, Mr. Clark. Is this a joke?”
Ethan’ face darkened. “Jessica, my father told you to bring me food, not to throw random takeout at me just to tick the box. I want food you made.”
Remaining utterly unfazed, Jessica responded evenly, “This is what I brought. Whether you eat it or not is entirely up to you.”
Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and made her way to the door.
________________________________________
A Tense Encounter
As Jessica reached for the door, it suddenly swung open.
She froze momentarily, her expression tightening as her eyes fell on the two unexpected visitors: Emily and Ryan.
Emily’s reaction was subtle—her eyes narrowed slightly in surprise—while Ryan’s face lit up with a wide grin.
“Ms. Thomas! What a pleasant surprise,” Ryan said warmly, his tone overly friendly.
Jessica spared him only a brief glance before stepping past them without a word. Her cool demeanor made it clear she had no interest in engaging with them.
________________________________________
Questions and Suspicions
After Jessica left, Emily and Ryan stepped fully into Ethan’ office.
Emily wasted no time in questioning Ethan. “Why was Ms. Thomas here?”
Ethan, his face expressionless, sidestepped the inquiry entirely. “Why are you two here?”
Emily’s suspicions deepened at his evasive response.
Ryan chimed in quickly, “Emily was worried you hadn’t eaten, so she asked me to accompany her to bring you lunch.”
Ethan gestured toward the container on his desk. “I already have food here.”
Emily’s eyes darted toward the container, her instincts whispering that it must have come from Jessica.
She forced a smile and said, “That takeout isn’t nutritious enough. Try this instead—it’s home-cooked by our family’s chef.”
As she moved to discard the container, Ethan’ sharp voice halted her.
“Don’t touch it.”
Emily’s hand froze mid-air.
________________________________________
Rising Tension
Ryan, sensing the tension, quickly stepped in. “Let’s just leave both options here, Emily. Ethan can decide what to eat himself.”
Emily reluctantly withdrew her hand, though the unease in her expression remained.
Changing the topic, Ryan turned to Ethan. “So, how are things going with Jessica? When is she finalizing the divorce?”
Ethan leaned back in his chair, his tone calm but firm. “The divorce will happen, but not until after my father’s birthday next month. His condition is that we wait until then.”
Emily’s face fell slightly. “So, you’re saying the divorce is delayed for another month?”
“That’s correct,” Ethan replied curtly.
Ryan, visibly annoyed, muttered a curse under his breath. “That woman must have influenced your father. I knew she wouldn’t let go of you so easily.”
His frustration escalating, Ryan sneered, “Damn, that bitch really has some nerve.”
________________________________________
Ethan’ Warning
The room turned icy as Ethan’ expression hardened. His sharp gaze snapped to Ryan, cutting through the air like a blade.
“She is still my wife in name,” Ethan said, his voice dangerously low. “Don’t let me hear you talk about her like that again.”
Ryan’s bravado faltered under Ethan’ intense glare. “I didn’t mean it like that,” he stammered, trying to backtrack.
Emily, unsettled by Ethan’ reaction, quickly chimed in, “Ryan only meant—”
“Enough,” Ethan interrupted, his tone final.
The tension in the room was palpable, and neither Emily nor Ryan dared to press further.
________________________________________
Ethan’ Thoughts
After Ryan and Emily left, Ethan leaned back in his chair, his thoughts tangled.
He couldn’t explain why he had been so protective of Jessica. Despite his insistence on divorcing her, the idea of someone else disrespecting her left him seething.
It wasn’t something he was ready to examine too closely, but one thing was clear: Jessica, whether he liked it or not, still held a presence in his life that he couldn’t easily dismiss.