Alexander sat down, embracing Iris.
Iris straightened her body. She wanted to separate from Alexander, to not be so intimate. But she couldn’t make it too obvious, or else Alexander would get angry.
Right now, she only had Alexander.
Alexander was the best she could find, and she didn’t want to make him angry. She couldn’t afford to.
“Clara…” Iris looked at Clara.
Clara smiled and said, “Sis, what’s up?”
Iris shook her head. “Nothing.”
She wanted to ask Clara if she returned those gifts to Ethan.
After she returned them, what did Ethan say? Did he say anything?
But now, it was obvious that she couldn’t ask in front of Alexander.
The three of them chatted over coffee, talking about other things, avoiding the topic of Ethan.
Clara noticed it too.
It was clear that her sister and Alexander were in a romantic relationship, but… her sister seemed hesitant to let her know. Even if she knew now, her sister didn’t want to appear too intimate with Alexander in front of her.
Clara thought that her sister might be worried that she would tell Ethan when she went back.
But in reality, she wouldn’t say anything.
That was her sister’s business.
She wouldn’t blabber about it.
If Ethan doesn’t ask, she won’t say.
And… Ethan won’t ask.
They’ve been married for some time now, and she has never heard Ethan mention her sister.
It’s as if her sister has disappeared from Ethan’s life.
After a while, Iris said to Clara, “Clara, let’s go to the restroom together.”
Clara nodded.
They went to the restroom together.
“Clara, did you return the things… to Ethan?” Iris asked.
Clara hesitated for a moment, feeling a bit guilty. She looked at Iris, who was looking at her intently.
Clara nodded reluctantly. “Yeah. I gave them back to him.”
Iris asked, “And what did Ethan say?”
Clara replied, “… He didn’t say anything.”
What else could he say?
Tell her that he asked her to throw away the things, but she couldn’t bear to and sold them secondhand? And… Ethan didn’t object or agree with her selling them?
If she told her sister this… her sister would definitely be sad and upset.
“… I see.” Disappointment flashed in Iris’ eyes.
So… Ethan didn’t say anything after all.
It seems… for Ethan, she really is someone he doesn’t even want to mention.
Before, she could still imagine… because Ethan loved her so much, and she hurt his heart, that’s why he treated her so coldly.
But now, she understood. Ethan treated her coldly not because he loved her, but because he simply didn’t care about her at all.
It’s been a while since that happened, and Ethan has never contacted her privately.
And she has sent Ethan WhatsApp messages and called him… without exception, they were all blocked by Ethan.
“Clara… I think Alexander is good,” Clara said.
Alexander had left a good impression on her. He was gentle and considerate.
Iris smiled. “He is indeed very good… but actually, I don’t love him. My heart still belongs to Ethan.”
She felt awkward.
She didn’t know how to respond to her sister’s words.
Should she say it’s good to love Ethan and continue loving him?
Or should she persuade her sister to forget about Ethan and be with Alexander? If she said that, her sister might think that she has fallen in love with Ethan and that’s why she wants her sister to give up on him completely.
Whatever she said felt wrong.
“I actually know… there’s no possibility between me and Ethan anymore. I did something unforgivable, and Ethan can never forgive me. But… I can’t control my feelings. Even though I did something wrong to him, I truly love him,” Iris said.
Her sister’s words… sounded so hypocritical.
I love him, so I did something wrong to him.
Even though I did something wrong to him, I still love him.
“But… Clara, don’t worry. I will keep my love for him in my heart. I won’t say it out loud or tell Ethan. Clara, rest assured, I won’t interfere with your life with Ethan,” Iris said.
“I know,” Clara replied.
What else could she say?
Iris looked at Clara deeply.
A hint of complexity flashed in her eyes.
It seems… Clara is truly falling for Ethan.
Even after saying all that, Clara still didn’t open up.
She didn’t open up about matchmaking her and Ethan, or helping her.
If Clara didn’t have feelings for Ethan and heard her say that she still loves him, she would probably say: Sis, don’t worry, I will help you. I will try my best to make Ethan forgive you and be together with you again.
But Clara didn’t say anything. Clara didn’t say anything at all.
That night, Clara had dinner with Iris and Alexander together.
They decided to have seafood hot pot.
At a restaurant upstairs from the coffee shop.
Just as they sat down and ordered their food, Clara’s phone rang.
It was Ethan.
Iris happened to glance at it… catching a glimpse of Ethan’s name on Clara’s phone.
Was that how Clara saved his number? They didn’t have any intimate terms of address?
If that’s the case… can she imagine that Clara and Ethan haven’t developed any feelings for each other?
Clara hesitated for a moment and subconsciously glanced at Iris.
Iris smiled lightly and asked, “What’s wrong? Who’s calling you?”
“It’s… a friend,” Clara replied.
Saying that, she answered the call.
“Hello…”
“Ethan: Where are you? Haven’t you finished school yet?”
Clara: “I’m outside having dinner with my sister.”
Ethan hung up the phone.
He just hung up like that?
What does he mean?
Is he angry?
Yes, her sister did something wrong to him.
But even if her sister did something wrong to him, she is still her sister. She can’t cut off ties with her just because her sister betrayed Ethan, right?
Having dinner with your own sister is perfectly normal.
Why is he so angry?
“What’s wrong?” Iris asked.
Why did he hang up after just a few words?
“Nothing,” Clara smiled and said.
Iris glanced at Clara deeply but didn’t ask further.
Soon, the food arrived.
They started eating.
—
Ethan hung up Clara’s call.
Heartless girl.
She went out for dinner with Iris.
Hmph…
…
Clara, Iris, and Alexander finished their meal and declined Alexander’s invitation to watch a movie. They went home instead.
Upon opening the door, Clara saw Ethan half-lying on the bed, looking at his phone.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, he looked up briefly, saw it was her… didn’t say anything and continued looking down at his phone.
Ethan didn’t say anything.
But she could tell from his poker face expression: he was not happy.
After spending some time together, she had gradually learned to read his emotions from his poker face expression.
“I’m back,” Clara said.
Ethan remained silent, not even lifting his head.
See? He’s angry now.
When Ethan isn’t angry, Clara doesn’t dare to provoke him. Now that he’s angry, Clara dares not provoke him even more.
She took her clothes and went into the bathroom to take a shower. After showering and coming out, she obediently got into bed.
She quietly glanced at Ethan. He was still in the same position, looking at his phone.
Then slowly slipped under the covers with her back facing Ethan while playing with her phone.
Ethan looked at the lump under the blanket and frowned…
Is that it?
Hmph…
Ethan still didn’t say anything. He got into bed and went to sleep.
—
Clara opened her eyes. She turned over and realized Ethan wasn’t in bed anymore.
She sat up in surprise.
It seems… Ethan was really angry last night.
Because last night, Ethan didn’t touch her at all.
Even though she was on her period now, in the previous few days when she had her period, Ethan would still kiss and touch her at night… just short of going all the way.
But last night, Ethan didn’t touch her at all.
Not to mention kissing or touching intimately…
He didn’t even come close to her.
She actually knew why Ethan was mad at her.
He was mad because she had dinner with her sister Iris.
But having dinner with your own sister is perfectly normal. What is there to be angry about?
He can’t possibly cut off their sisterly relationship just because Iris betrayed him?