This call couldn’t have come at a worse time, Ethan thought as he took out his phone to see who had the audacity to call him now.
It was his father.
Whenever his father called, it was never good news. Ethan answered the phone, “What’s the matter?”
“Come back immediately.”
“What do I need to come back for?”
“Do you know the trouble you’ve caused for me out there? If you don’t come back today, I’ll break your legs.”
Ethan furrowed his brow, slightly annoyed. He was a grown man, yet his father still threatened to break his legs. At first, Ethan didn’t pay attention to his father’s words, until he saw a group of burly men in suits standing across the street, with the leader being someone he recognized as his father’s long-time bodyguard.
That’s when Ethan realized his father meant business.
Analyzing his father’s words, Ethan wondered, what trouble had he caused? Wasn’t he just acting honestly and keeping a low profile? He hadn’t even revealed his identity.
Seeing the imposing group of bodyguards his father had sent, it seemed he had no choice but to go back.
“Aoife, let me call a car for you to take you back. Sorry, I have to go.”
When Ethan made the call, he didn’t hide it from Aoife. Although Aoife didn’t hear the conversation, she could tell from Ethan’s demeanor that he was in trouble.
She didn’t want to hold him back, so she quickly replied, “You don’t have to worry about me, I’ll take a taxi back by myself. You should go quickly.”
The area was bustling, with plenty of taxis waiting by the roadside. Ethan also noticed the number of people outside the restaurant, as well as the traffic police. It seemed safe for Aoife to take a cab here.
“Okay, I’ll go. Send me a text when you get home.”
“Okay,” Aoife nodded.
Ethan texted her, and the bodyguards on the opposite side walked away. Ethan crossed the street.
Aoife watched him leave, not noticing anything unusual throughout the process. She stood by the roadside, watching the passing cars.
Aoife was introverted and had a touch of social anxiety. She preferred sitting quietly in a corner when in a crowd, afraid of facing someone alone and creating an awkward atmosphere. When on a bus, she was reluctant to ask the driver to stop even if she missed her stop. Waiting for a taxi on the roadside, she felt awkward not knowing where to put her hands.
After building up the courage for a while, just as Aoife was about to hail a cab, a car suddenly stopped in front of her, startling her.
The car looked familiar to Aoife. Her heart raced, and her body tensed as she saw the familiar yet intimidating face behind the car window.
Finn.
Aoife was stunned, her mind blank, rooted to the spot.
It wasn’t easy to forget someone you wanted to, and saying “goodbye” didn’t mean you’d never see them again.
Moreover, the two had just met two hours ago, but Aoife didn’t expect to see Finn again so soon.
Finn clearly stopped the car for her. Aoife felt a sense of resistance and her eyes welled up with tears.
Finn’s expression was grim, and his gaze was piercing. “Get in the car.”
Shaken by fear, Aoife shook her head, her speech stuttering, “I-I’ve already left, I can’t go back, I’m not getting in the car.”
Finn’s face turned red with anger. He had come down to pick her up, and she refused to get in? Was she disrespecting him?
Finn was blazing with anger. Thinking that Aoife had just been with Ethan, a bitterness crept into his heart as he sarcastically remarked, “It seems like finding a new sugar daddy for a week makes you forget whose dog you are, doesn’t it?”