Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 118: He Will Come Find You

Raina’s lips trembled, and every breath she took felt bitter. "Why would he come looking for me? What could I possibly do to help him?"

"I’ve always believed he would come to you."

Raina swallowed awkwardly, forced to laugh at herself for so foolishly getting into the car. "Ethan Lancaster, if it were you, would you come for me? When you know showing your face is dangerous, isn’t it better to hide and build back your strength? You might even get a chance to make a comeback."

"He left Hemlock Village back then and made a name for himself as Mr. Hawthorne. He’s got some skills. But this time is different. He has so many eyes on him, and every single person watching him wishes he were dead. Who would let him get back on his feet again?"

"That... still has nothing to do with me."

"Raina, you lure him out, and we’ll wipe the slate clean." It took a great deal of effort for Ethan Lancaster to convince himself to say those words.

But Raina felt no sense of relief. ’She knew some words were just meant to be said, like the three simple words ’I love you.’ A man can say them to countless women; whoever believes him is the one who loses.’

"Wipe the slate clean? After what happened to Dad, you’re not going to blame me anymore?"

Ethan Lancaster was so desperate to find Miles Hawthorne precisely to put that incident to rest. He pressed his lips together, saying nothing. He wasn’t sure if he could truly follow through on his promise.

"So tell me, Fourth Master, what ability do I have to lure him out? Should I pretend I’m on the verge of death? Or get myself kidnapped and wait for him to come to the rescue?"

Ethan Lancaster asked just one question. "Are you willing to do it?"

"You want him dead?"

"That’s not your concern."

Raina shook her head with a self-deprecating smile. ’How many lives am I going to owe? Ethan Lancaster, I won’t do it. I will never do something like that.’

Ethan Lancaster had expected this answer. He wasn’t rushed or annoyed. "So sentimental. How nice."

A heavy feeling in her stomach made Raina nauseous. Despite the open window, she still felt dizzy and lightheaded, like she was about to get carsick.

The car sped along. Raina leaned against the door, the evening wind hitting her face with a suffocating force. She pressed a hand to her stomach in discomfort. "Stop the car."

"Young Madam, what’s wrong?"

"Stop the car." Raina slapped the door. "I’m going to be sick."

The driver saw her state and pulled over. Raina shoved the door open and scrambled out. She bent over, dry-heaving, but the awful sensation just lingered. Nothing came up.

Ethan Lancaster stared at Raina’s back. ’She must be going through a lot lately. With the housekeeper from The Verdant Garden gone, it’s even less likely that she’s eating properly.’

Raina rested her hands on her knees. After a moment, she looked back and saw the car was still there.

"Just go back without me."

The car door was open. Ethan sat inside, unmoving. "Get in."

Raina straightened up. A sharp pain throbbed in her temples, growing more intense, and her bones ached as if something were gnawing on them. She sniffled. ’Looks like I’m catching a cold.’ "Don’t waste your time on me."

"I’m just taking you home. No need to be so tense."

Her head was pounding, so Raina quickly got back into the car. She hugged her arms and leaned against the side. Ethan Lancaster glanced at her. "Are you cold in this weather?"

"It gets a little chilly at night."

Halfway through the drive, Ethan Lancaster’s phone rang. Raina heard his magnetic voice. "I’m staying home tonight. I won’t be coming over, so get some rest."

Raina hid her heart away, building a wall of hard stones around it. ’But what was the use?’

The pain still came all the same.

That night in bed, Raina started to cough, the hacking fits impossible to suppress. Ethan rolled over and stared at her back. "With a cough like that, have you taken any medicine?"

"It just started. I’ll get a prescription from the hospital tomorrow." Raina managed to get the sentence out before breaking into another series of coughs. "I’ll go sleep in the guest room."

As she lifted the thin blanket to get up, Ethan grabbed the corner of it. "Don’t. I can’t sleep anyway. You’ll only catch a worse cold if you keep moving around."

Raina sank back under the covers. Ethan sat up against the headboard and picked up his phone to handle some work.

She coughed for a long time before finally drifting off, though a few coughs still punctuated her sleep.

「The next morning」

Raina was woken by her own coughing. Her head hurt even more than it had the night before. After freshening up, she went downstairs, planning to find some medicine.

Just as she was walking down the stairs, she heard the faint sounds of voices from the living room.

"Doesn’t he have a mother on death’s door? I’ve got people watching every hospital, big and small. Unless he’s ready to give up on her treatment."

Ethan Lancaster poured a glass of water, leaning against the dining table. "You’ve seen May Sullivan’s medical records. I’d say she’s probably already dead somewhere."

Listening to this made Raina’s stomach turn. She stopped in her tracks. She didn’t even need to look to know who the other man was.

Cameron Fairchild didn’t like waiting around either. "I’ve come up with a plan, actually."

"What plan?"

"Everything Miles Hawthorne is doing, isn’t it all for his dad’s so-called justice? I’ll send some people to the cemetery. We’ll smash the headstone, dig up the grave... Let’s see if the dutiful son still stays hidden then."

Raina listened, horrified. Only Cameron Fairchild could come up with something so depraved.

Ethan took a sip of water, his eyes sweeping over Cameron Fairchild. Cameron shot him a look, nudging his gaze toward the staircase.

They could faintly make out the corner of her clothing. Ethan placed the glass on the table. "Fine. We’ll do it your way."

"We should’ve done this ages ago." Cameron Fairchild’s eyes crinkled. "This kind of work is my specialty."

He took two steps forward, feigning surprise. "Well now, little sister-in-law. Good morning."

Hearing that, Raina knew there was no point in hiding. She descended the stairs step by step.

"Long time no see. Looks like you’ve lost weight, little sister-in-law. You shouldn’t be dieting. Fourth Master might not like it if you’re nothing but a bag of bones. You know, his tastes have changed recently. He likes them a bit more... full-figured." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Seeing Raina’s face pale, Ethan cut Cameron Fairchild off. "Why are you spouting so much crap this early in the morning?"

"Fine, fine, I’ll shut up. But when did you come down, little sister-in-law? Did you happen to overhear what Fourth Master and I were talking about?"

Raina nodded. "Not everything, but I got the gist of it."

"What a coincidence. We should’ve taken this conversation outside. You’re not... thinking of tipping off Miles Hawthorne, are you?"

Raina walked past him. "Don’t worry. Your business has nothing to do with me."

"Good." Cameron turned to stare at Raina again. "Tipping him off won’t do him any good, by the way. I’m already sending people to watch the cemetery. There are only two outcomes now: he shows up, or he doesn’t. If you tell him, you’ll just be helping him walk right into the trap."

Raina walked to the dining table. On it was a wide array of cold medicines, nearly every variety available. It was clear they had just been bought.