Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 203: Go Away, Don’t Touch Me

The man closest to the door realized something was wrong and tried to shut it.

Before he could, someone outside kicked the door open. The force of it swinging back slammed into the man, knocking him to the ground.

Ethan Lancaster strode in at the front. The men who had been buttoning their pants froze, unsure whether to continue or run for their lives.

Of everyone in the room, only Cameron Fairchild’s expression remained relatively normal.

When Ethan Lancaster saw him, his face was already dark with anger. But when his gaze swept over to Raina Reddington, the dying ember of his fury erupted into a raging inferno.

Raina Reddington lay disheveled on the sofa. The collar of her shirt was damp, and her elegant, swan-like neck was now marred by several red marks from where someone had just grabbed her.

Her blouse had been tugged open, leaving one shoulder completely bare, and even the button of her pants had been undone...

A crimson rage filled Ethan Lancaster’s eyes. He took a few steps forward, and one of the men hurried to explain, "Fourth Master, this really has nothing to do with us! It was her... she took them off herself."

Ethan Lancaster pulled off his glove and whipped it across the man’s face. The sting was agonizing. Clutching his cheek, the man didn’t dare utter another word.

Ethan Lancaster’s fury was unquenchable. "Take your hand away!"

The man straightened up and lowered his hand from his face.

SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!

The glove relentlessly struck the man’s face, each blow harder and more vicious than the last. Soon, half his face was swollen high.

Cameron Fairchild stared intently at Raina Reddington on the sofa. ’These men clearly hadn’t even touched her, yet she’d managed to get herself into this state. But of course, Ethan Lancaster would fall for her act. Now I can’t even defend myself.’

An unfamiliar heat surged through Raina Reddington’s body, and she gasped for air. Ethan Lancaster moved forward, wanting to pull her up. "Raina."

"Don’t come near me! Stay away!" Raina Reddington shrank into the corner of the sofa, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. "Don’t touch me—"

"Raina, it’s me." Seeing her so out of control, Ethan Lancaster anxiously reached for her, but Raina swung her arm and slapped him across the face.

It was as if she couldn’t tell who was who anymore. Her eyes were unfocused and hazy as she cried and screamed for him to leave.

"Don’t touch me! Don’t do this to me! Help—"

Ethan Lancaster’s face stung, but he felt no pain. He gripped Raina’s struggling hands and pulled her into his arms. "Don’t be afraid. It’s alright. I’m here."

Raina Reddington shook her head, tears soaking the hair at her temples. She curled her legs up, looking utterly terrified, her lips trembling.

Consumed by rage, Ethan Lancaster turned and glared at Cameron Fairchild. The look in his eyes was completely alien to Cameron—a chilling coldness that made him feel as if Ethan wanted to tear him to shreds.

A vein throbbed in Cameron Fairchild’s temple. But at a time like this, he couldn’t very well say Raina was faking it, could he?

"What did you give her to drink?"

Cameron Fairchild’s gaze swept over the mineral water bottle on the floor. "Do you even need to ask me?"

Raina Reddington pushed against Ethan Lancaster’s shoulder. "Go away."

He took the opportunity to pull her fully into his embrace. She thrashed about like a frightened deer, and Ethan Lancaster tightened his arms around her. "I’m here. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid."

He tried to soothe her patiently, but Raina’s sobs only grew more frantic, her body trembling more violently.

The men standing around were stunned to see Ethan Lancaster cradling Raina like a precious treasure. They all knew she was faking it, but the situation had become impossible to explain.

Holding her, Ethan Lancaster’s hand brushed against Raina’s exposed shoulder. He grabbed a nearby jacket and draped it over her. "We’re leaving."

She was too weak to resist. Raina buried her head in the crook of Ethan Lancaster’s neck, streams of tears flowing down his collar. Her heart-wrenching sobs tormented him, and his expression grew fierce and tense. "Cameron Fairchild, you’d better have an explanation for me."

"Whether she’s the real Raina Reddington or not, keeping her around is a disaster."

Ethan Lancaster turned to glare at Cameron Fairchild. They had grown up like brothers, and Cameron genuinely believed he was acting in Ethan’s best interest. "If she really is Raina, then she came back with ulterior motives. She might even be after your life!"

"So? You resort to these kinds of tactics to deal with her?"

Cameron Fairchild couldn’t accept it. He was always the one playing others, yet this was the first time a woman had run circles around him. "You think she’s so innocent? The moment she knew you were coming, she stripped off her own clothes and lay down here..."

"Shut up!" Ethan Lancaster roared, cutting him off.

’Though my mind is hazy, I know his words are full of holes. I was dragged here by force and drugged against my will. Who would believe I undressed myself?’

Ethan Lancaster lifted her into his arms. Putting on a show of being afraid to see the other men, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Ethan Lancaster leaned close to her ear and whispered comfortingly, "Don’t be scared."

"What kind of spell has this woman cast on you?"

"Get lost!" If it weren’t for Raina’s current state, Ethan Lancaster would never have let this go. "I’ll settle the score with you later."

He carried Raina past Cameron Fairchild. Raina lowered her head slightly, her gaze passing over Ethan Lancaster’s shoulder to meet Cameron’s. He saw the corner of her lips curl into a faint, dazzling smile, her eyes filled with triumph.

Cameron Fairchild’s eyes narrowed. His impression of this woman had never changed. ’She is the very definition of vicious and sinister.’

Raina was carried out. When Seth Sinclair saw them approach, he quickly opened the car door.

Ethan Lancaster placed her in the back seat. Raina was covered in sweat, the hair at her temples soaked through. Ethan squeezed in beside her and wiped the sweat from her forehead with his hand.

"I want to go home."

Ethan Lancaster’s eyes sharpened. "How can you go home like this?"

"Take... take me home."

Seth Sinclair got into the driver’s seat. Ethan Lancaster ordered him, "Back to The Verdant Garden."

When Raina heard that, her skin crawled. It felt like she’d just escaped the tiger’s den only to enter the wolf’s lair. She turned to her side, but she didn’t even have the strength to get up.

She fumbled for her phone in her pocket and pulled it out. Seeing this, Ethan Lancaster reached to snatch it, but Raina clutched it to her chest. "Have someone come get me. Quickly."

"Get you for what? To help you with the drug?" Ethan Lancaster braced a hand on the seat beside her and leaned forward. "I can help you with that too."

Tear tracks crisscrossed Raina’s face, and her voice was heavy with panting. "I don’t need your help. Just take me home."

A smirk played on Ethan Lancaster’s lips as his large hand reached out and landed on Raina’s calf. Startled, she tried to pull her leg back.

’I should have kept up the act.’

Raina kicked at Ethan Lancaster, but he caught her leg and bent over, trapping her between his arms.

Her eyes were hazy as she mumbled, "Don’t touch me, or I’ll make you regret it..."

Ethan Lancaster’s fingers gently caressed her face. "How are you going to make me regret it?"

Raina’s chest heaved, a soft sound escaping her throat. At this point, his every touch was fatal to her. Ethan Lancaster could see how much she was struggling to suppress her reactions.

Raina’s lips parted slightly, their color a shade of red he had never seen before. How could Ethan Lancaster possibly resist such a temptation? He leaned down and captured her lips with his.