Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Even though it was just a quick kiss, it still made me catch my breath. Seeing everyone staring at us, I felt super embarrassed. Ethan just enjoyed my flustered state, grinning wider, and then he pinched my cheek. "Why are you so cute, still blushing?"

I instinctively covered my face, feeling it heat up, and muttered, "I'm 26, and you call me 'cute'?"

Ethan laughed. "Even when you're 62, you'll still be cute to me."

I looked at him, a bit dazed, thinking, 'When I'm 62, will he still be with me? Will he still be my husband? Or will he be with someone else, saying the same sweet things?'

On the way back, Ethan drove slowly, the bustling streets gradually fading away.

Halfway there, traffic stopped. A long line of wedding cars was parked ahead, next to a big hotel decorated for a wedding.

The groom, in a sharp suit, carried the bride from the main car towards the hotel. She leaned against him, smiling blissfully in her white dress.

Lost in thought, I suddenly felt Ethan holding my hand. I turned to see his serious gaze. "Emily, I can't give you a wedding right now."

Maybe he saw the envy or longing in my eyes as I watched the newlyweds.

People often projected their feelings onto others' stories. But I wasn't expecting much. I was past the age of chasing grand gestures. Romance started with love.

"I'm not after those superficial things. I never thought about a big wedding after remarrying." My first wedding with Arthur was simple. So, even though I spoke calmly, there was a hint of bitterness. Ethan squeezed my hand and said softly, "It's not that. The timing isn't right. I have things to consider."

"I understand," I said, staring at my feet.

The brief silence was awkward, but traffic soon cleared.

As Ethan restarted the car, he broke the silence. "Let's book a private dining room at a hotel tonight. Even without a wedding, we should celebrate with our friends."

He meant inviting a few close friends. I thought a hotel was a waste and suggested hosting it at home. He didn't want me to get too tired, but seeing my insistence, he agreed. After grocery shopping, Ethan called his friends, and I called Bella.

When Bella heard we were having dinner at Ethan's villa, she seemed to know something and quickly agreed.

I wanted the meal to be perfect since it concerned my image as Ethan's wife. While washing vegetables, he offered to help. I said no, but when I turned around, he was slicing fish.

I was surprised. His handsome figure leaned forward, sleeves rolled up, and fish slices slid off his knife.

At that moment, it felt like time stood still. Ethan, looking handsome and domestic, made cooking seem beautiful.

"You're good at cooking?" I asked after a while.

Ethan smiled, focused on the fish. "Not bad, but I don't cook often."

"Why not?"

He put the sliced fish in a bowl and washed his hands. "Cooking depends on my mood. When I'm alone, nothing tastes good, so I don't like to cook. But now it's different because I have you. I can eat casually, but I can't let you eat casually with me."

His words revealed a sense of loneliness, tugging at my heart.

"Don't you need to work every day?" I asked casually, though it had been on my mind for a while. Not knowing what my husband did for a living was a joke.

"It's flexible hours, pretty free." His answer was vague.

Then the doorbell rang. Ethan smiled. "Our friends are here. I'll get the door."

Oliver and the others came in, lively and ready to turn the house upside down. Bella, whether by coincidence or prearrangement, came with them.

Bella rushed into the kitchen, asking what was going on. I had planned to tell her today anyway. "Ethan and I got married."

"What?" Bella's face lit up with surprise and delight. "This is great news, but Emmie, you're crazy. How did it happen so fast?"

I filled her in on everything, except the part about making love in the tent.

Bella leaned against the wall and sighed, "I always said the way he looks at you is different. Even if it was for his grandfather's wish, why didn't he choose someone else? It proves you're special to him." Special indeed, he said I was simple.

When it was time to eat, Bella helped me bring out the dishes. I noticed there weren't many people just Oliver and the guy Ethan called Frank from the bar that day.

Ethan patted the spot next to him, signaling for me to sit down. "Emily is my wife now, so you all need to respect her as you respect me."

I didn't expect Ethan to announce it so formally, which made me a bit embarrassed.

Oliver was initially in disbelief, but then he laughed heartily. "That's great. Emily's cooking is excellent. Ethan, you're really lucky."

Later, when Ethan introduced Frank, Oliver interrupted with a smile. "Let me do the introduction. This is Frank Wilson."

Frank Wilson nodded with a smile and said, "Hello, Emily."

I greeted him back politely.

After dinner, it was already dark. I finished washing the dishes and came out to find them playing cards in the living room.

The temperature had noticeably dropped tonight, and I heard Ethan sneeze, so I asked if he was cold.

He said, "A little. Can you get me a jacket from the room?"

As I went upstairs, I heard Oliver say, "So envious. Unlike us, no one cares about us."

Bella scoffed, "You get calls from women in the middle of the night, and you say no one cares? It's just that you have too many women, and you can't handle it." Ethan's room was very tidy. After taking a suit jacket from his closet, my attention was drawn to a guitar on the wall.

'He can play music?' This was a surprising discovery. I imagined him playing the guitar; he must look very handsome. Feeling a bit excited, I took the guitar down. "I saw this in your room. Can you play?" I asked as I handed him the jacket. Ethan's eyes darkened the moment he saw the guitar. He looked away and said flatly, "No."

I thought he was being modest and smiled. "Don't be modest. You wouldn't have it if you couldn't play."

Ethan's face stiffened, and he suddenly stood up, throwing the cards on the table. "Bad luck today, I'm done playing." He said and walked out to the balcony.

The lively atmosphere suddenly froze, becoming very awkward. I looked at his back, feeling a wave of grievance that made my eyes sting.

This scene stayed with me for a long time, becoming a shadow I couldn't shake off.

Oliver whispered, "Emily, you should put it back."

Oliver's words implied that I shouldn't have touched the guitar. 'Maybe it has some significance?' I didn't know.

Feeling like a child who had done something wrong, I hurriedly took the guitar back upstairs and hung it in its place.

Bella followed me upstairs and whispered to comfort me, "Ethan isn't an ungentlemanly person. There must be a reason for his unusual behavior today. Don't overthink it. It might not have anything to do with you. Maybe he's just having a bad day at work. Talk to him after we leave."

I felt very sad. This was the first time Ethan had been so cold to me.

When I went downstairs, Oliver was grabbing his coat from the sofa and shouted towards the balcony, "Ethan, we're leaving."

Ethan responded, and Oliver looked up at us coming down the stairs.

"I'll take you home," Oliver said, looking at Bella.

Bella didn't joke with Oliver as she usually did, given the tense atmosphere. She turned to me and said, "I'll head out now." "Okay," I said.

I saw them out and watched Oliver turn the car around and disappear into the night before going back inside.

I stood in the living room for a while, took a deep breath, and cautiously walked towards the balcony.

Ethan was lying on a leather recliner on the balcony, a cigarette in his mouth, motionless.

"I'm sorry. I won't touch your things again," I said softly as I approached him.

Ethan turned his head, his eyes unreadable, and suddenly reached out to pull my hand. I followed his lead and squatted down.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

He patted my head, took the cigarette out of his mouth with his other hand, and his voice was unexpectedly hoarse. "It's okay. Did I scare you?"

I gently shook my head. He fell silent again, saying nothing.

I thought everyone must have secrets they didn't want others to know, so I suppressed my curiosity and didn't ask anything.

"Go to sleep," Ethan said after a long time.

I said, "I'll stay with you."

He suddenly look at me, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips. "You want to sleep with me?"