Elizabeth's expression turned to one of suspicion as she read the message. She carefully removed the card from the machine and examined it closely, as if searching for any signs of forgery or tampering."What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, turning to face Ethan. "Is this some kind of joke?"What?"Ethan felt a surge of frustration and anger at Elizabeth's accusatory tone. He had been telling the truth all along, and he didn't appreciate being treated like a criminal."No, it's not a joke," he said, his voice rising in volume. "I told you that card is real, and you don't have the right to accuse me of anything.""So what now? Is the machine wrong?" She asked.Ethan thought for a moment and said,"Since it's your first time handling something like this, you might have made a mistake. This is a highly protected card; maybe you should have let me enter my password."Elizabeth bristled at Ethan's outburst, but she couldn't deny the fact that the machine had rejected the card. She kn
Ethan smirked; he intentionally didn't reply. He placed the phone aside and continued driving.After a few minutes of driving, Ethan took out his phone and opened up the search engine. He typed in "boutiques in Ashville" and scrolled through the list of options that came up. After a few minutes of searching, he found one that caught his eye."Madison Avenue Couture is one of the biggest and most prestigious boutiques in the city. He followed the route and drove to that place to get himself a new set of clothes.When he got there, he parked his car and entered the big building. The building was an impressive two-story structure with huge glass windows that gave a clear view of the stylish outfits displayed inside.As he walked towards the entrance, a well-dressed saleslady greeted him with a warm smile."Good evening, sir. How may I assist you today?" She asked politely.Ethan returned the smile and said, "I'm looking for some nice clothes for myself.""Of course, sir. We have a wide va
Lily sneered at him. "Do you think you're qualified to know his name?" She asked. "You're not worthy of even his shoes, Ethan." Lily continued yelling.Ethan chuckled. "Ah, I see," Ethan replied, feigning surprise. "Well, congratulations on finding such a wealthy suitor. I'm sure he must be quite the catch," he added, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Go and have fun with your boyfriend and leave me alone, then, Miss. I don't know if you want me back, but if you do, sorry, I won't accept you back."Lily's eyes blazed with determination as she clenched her fists. "Until I get you arrested, Ethan, I'm not leaving. You'll rot in jail for your crimes," she hissed.Ethan's patience wore thin, and his frustration bubbled to the surface. "Enough, Lily! You've crossed the line with your accusations. I won't tolerate your baseless claims any longer," he retorted, his voice laced with anger.Lily's voice grew louder as she shouted, drawing attention from other customers. "Th
Before the saleslady could respond, Lily chimed in with a smile that seemed incongruous with the accusations she had just made. "Miss, this guy here is a thief," Lily proclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at Ethan. Her attempt to frame him continued unabated.As Lily accused Ethan of theft, the boss listened attentively, her expression composed and observant. After Lily finished her accusations, the boss nodded calmly and said,"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. You can leave now; I will handle it." The lady said to LilyHUH?"Lily's eyes widened in disbelief. "Just like that? Are you going to spare him?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with incredulity."I said I'd take care of it, so don't worry." She replied.Lily, who was still clinging to getting Ethan arrested, replied. "He might escape if you don't get him arrested; he's actually a known guy who has done this in a lot of boutiques."The boss's serene facade transformed into a steely resolve. Her voice, laced with
After Ethan got back into his car, he let out a frustrated sigh."Damn that Lily," he muttered to himself. "She nearly caused me trouble today." He reached for his phone and opened the message from Lily on his other number. He quickly composed a reply, assuring her about the documents."About the documents, I'll arrange for someone to come and collect them. Don't worry," he typed. Within seconds, he received a reply from Lily. The message read,"Ok, sure. Thank you."Ethan pondered for a moment, contemplating whether or not to mention what he had witnessed at the boutique. Eventually, curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to inquire. He typed a message to Lily,"Actually, I was around the boutique earlier and saw you quarreling with a young guy. Who is he? Your boyfriend?" he asked."What?" A reply came from Lily. "Are you stalking me?" She asked.Ethan grinned and replied. "You can say that; just reply to me. Was that your boyfriend?"Lily's reply came swiftly, denying any
"Before we go to why I called you here, I want to apologize again for what happened at my megastore (boutique)."Please don't worry about it," Ethan reassured Sophia, his voice filled with genuine understanding.Sophia nodded, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you," she replied, appreciating Ethan's forgiving nature.Her curiosity getting the better of her, Sophia leaned forward slightly, her eyes focused intently on Ethan."Based on the CCTV footage, it seemed like you and that woman were acquainted because it seems you both were saying something before the quarrel started." She ventured, her voice laced with curiosity. "Is she a friend of yours?"Ethan's expression turned somber as he shook his head, a hint of weariness in his sigh."No," he replied, his voice tinged with a touch of melancholy. "She's actually my ex-wife, Lily Johnson."Sophia's eyes widened in surprise, her mind spinning with questions. The revelation of their past connection added a layer of complexity to
Sophia cleared her throat; her voice was tinged with a hint of nervousness. "The truth is, I've always lied to my family about having a boyfriend," she confessed.Ethan's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You don't actually have a boyfriend?" he interjected.Sophia shook her head, her gaze fixed on him. "I haven't really focused on relationships," she admitted.Ethan leaned forward, his curiosity evident. "So, let me get this straight. Your family wants you to introduce your boyfriend to them, but you don't actually have one?"Sophia nodded, her eyes filled with a mixture of anxiety and hope. "Exactly. My father, in particular, has been insisting on meeting the man in my life. It's becoming quite overwhelming, and I need a solution.Ethan furrowed his brow, contemplating the situation. "But why me? Why do you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend?"Sophia sighed, her gaze fixed on a distant point. "I've seen how you handled the situation earlier today, how composed and confident you
With a smug grin, the leader took a step forward, closing the distance between them. "I don't like introducing myself," he sneered, "but since I've been paid handsomely for this job, I suppose I can make an exception for you." His voice dripped with arrogance and malice. "I am Anthony Marino, a name that should ring a bell in certain circles."Ethan furrowed his brow, shaking his head slightly. "I haven't heard of you," he replied honestly, his tone tinged with skepticism. "Now, tell me what you want. Why are you targeting me?"Anthony's anger flared, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. "You offended someone, and that someone has paid me generously to make you suffer," he spat, his voice laced with venom. "My task is simple: to break your bones and cripple you for your transgression."Ethan's face contorted with a mix of confusion and disbelief. "Cripple me? For what?" he exclaimed, his voice betraying a mix of anger and frustration. "I have no enemies. Who sent you and why?"A wi