She was Ethan’s wife.
Stephanie was Ethan’s suspected lover.
Nora was Ethan’s first love.
What was Ethan trying to do?
Did he want to enjoy the blessings of having them all?
Was his next step to bring his former fiancee, her sister Iris, into the office too?
If that were the case, Ethan’s secretarial office would certainly be lively.
Probably… everyone at Logan Group would be eager to watch the drama unfold in their secretarial office every day.
“No,” Clara said weakly.
Ethan looked at Clara and said, “There can be many secretaries, but there’s only one girl to serve tea and water.”
The term “girl to serve tea and water”… wasn’t exactly flattering.
Moreover… she felt insulted.
Ethan looked down on her.
He underestimated her abilities, thinking she wasn’t capable of handling other tasks and was only fit to serve tea and water, as such a job required neither intelligence nor skill-any normal person could do it.
She could imagine that when Nora arrived at Logan Group and found out she was only making tea and coffee for Ethan… she would surely laugh at her for being nothing more than a little maid.
Since Clara had little appetite for dinner and only ate a tiny bit, and then Ethan dragged her into doing some energy-consuming exercises. By midnight, her stomach was growling with hunger and she just couldn’t fall asleep.
She craved barbecue. She wanted crayfish and a little beer…
Clara started missing Emma and Lucy.
In the past, when they were back home, the three of them often went out for barbecue and crayfish, drinking a little beer… those were truly delightful days.
Naturally, Ethan heard Clara’s stomach growling.
“Hungry?” Ethan asked.
He wasn’t a harsh person.
Clara had satisfied him.
Naturally, he wouldn’t let Clara go hungry.
Clara blushed, looking at Ethan with her big watery eyes, and nodded shyly.
“Shall I have the kitchen make you some noodles?” Ethan suggested.
Clara didn’t respond; she didn’t want noodles.
Ethan had come to understand Clara to some extent. Seeing her expression, he knew she didn’t want noodles and asked, “Don’t want noodles?”
Clara nodded, softly affirming.
“Then… porridge?” Ethan asked.
No response.
Ethan: “Stir-fried dishes?”
Clara stayed silent.
Ethan: “What do you want to eat then?”
Clara looked at Ethan, hesitated for a moment, and said, “… Barbecue, crayfish, and maybe… a little beer.”
She wasn’t addicted to alcohol; in fact, she didn’t particularly like beer… but beer was the perfect match with barbecue and crayfish!
Ethan initially wanted to refuse when he heard barbecue and crayfish… he wasn’t fond of them because they were somewhat unhygienic. He pursued not only delicious food but also health, given that the Logan family had the means for such a lifestyle.
But upon hearing “a little beer”… he didn’t want to refuse anymore.
“Let’s go,” Ethan said.
Clara blinked in surprise, looking at Ethan in disbelief.
Did Ethan say let’s go?
Was he going to take her out for barbecue, crayfish, and beer?
She thought he would refuse; after all, most people knew that barbecue wasn’t exactly clean or healthy. Someone like Ethan, a noble gentleman… surely wouldn’t eat it.
But unexpectedly… Ethan agreed.
“Not going?” Ethan asked as he looked at Clara lying still despite his words.
Clara: “Let’s go!”
She immediately flipped over, sat up, and got out of bed to find clothes to wear.
Ethan watched the lively Clara and wondered… just moments ago, she seemed exhausted to the point of death, yet now… upon hearing about barbecue and crayfish, she was full of energy?
Could it be… she had pretended to be ‘on the verge of death’ earlier to deceive him? To gain his sympathy so he would let her off?
Heh…
She seemed quite cunning now.
Later… if she drank too much, she couldn’t blame him for dealing with her.
Clara seemed afraid that Ethan might change his mind. She quickly changed into her clothes and looked at Ethan with expectant eyes.
Ethan: “Let’s go.”
Clara nodded happily.
Ethan and Clara left the house.
They took a car because Ethan planned on drinking and couldn’t drive under the influence.
Clara took Ethan to a barbecue place she used to frequent.
Before getting married, she often came here. Since getting married… she hadn’t been back. The smell of barbecue in the air brought back fond memories.
“Clara… haven’t seen you in a while,” the owner greeted Clara with a smile. Clara was familiar with the owner since she often came with her girlfriends to eat here.
Clara smiled and nodded. “Well, now… I live a bit far away, so it’s not convenient to come over.”
This barbecue place wasn’t far from the Everett family home-about a ten-minute drive-but it was quite far from the Logan family home-over half an hour by car.
“Did you move?” the owner asked with a smile.
Clara smiled and nodded. “Yes.”
The owner looked at Ethan… he guessed that Ethan might be Clara’s boyfriend. However, he seemed older than Clara and appeared cold and silent, not quite matching lively and cute Clara… which made him uncertain.
“And this is…” the owner asked Clara about Ethan, instinctively toning down his smile.
“This is my… husband,” Clara said with a blush.
The owner was taken aback and asked in surprise: “You’re married?”
Clara blushed and nodded.
To his knowledge, Clara was still in her sophomore year… weren’t young women nowadays marrying late?
Clara got married so early?
The owner wanted to ask more but glanced at Ethan… and decided against it.
This man clearly wasn’t someone to mess with; it was best not to pry into others’ privacy.
Clara took Ethan to order food.
Clara ordered some of her favorite dishes and then asked Ethan: “What do you want?”
Ethan replied indifferently: “Just double what you ordered.”
He wasn’t fond of these foods and didn’t have any particular cravings. He figured… once it was cooked, he probably wouldn’t have much appetite for it either.
He didn’t care what he ate.
After all… he wasn’t hungry. His main purpose wasn’t to eat barbecue.
Clara looked at Ethan but suddenly blushed… She knew Ethan probably didn’t mean anything by it, but… she couldn’t help but think that maybe Ethan liked her? So he wanted to eat the same things as her.
She felt this thought was absurd and self-indulgent, but… she couldn’t help thinking it anyway.
Then… she felt embarrassed and annoyed with herself inside.
She was really fed up with herself… for being so shamelessly self-indulgent. Clearly, she wasn’t like this before…
After ordering the food, Clara and Ethan found a seat and waited for their meal to arrive.
“Boss…” Ethan called out to the owner and said: “Bring some beers.”
Owner: “Sure.”
The waiter brought over a case of beer, placing it by Ethan’s feet with a smile: “Sir, open as many as you drink; you can return any unopened ones.”
Ethan nodded lightly.
He took out a bottle of beer, opened it with an opener, and poured a glass for Clara.
Then he poured himself a glass too, raising it towards Clara as a gesture.
Clara blinked in surprise before raising her glass to clink with Ethan’s.
“Bottoms up,” Ethan said.
Clara nodded.
Then she downed her glass in one go.
Ethan also finished his drink in one go.
This was Clara’s first time going out alone with Ethan for a little drink. It felt like a unique experience.
Then… they finished one glass after another, one after another.
Before the barbecue was even ready, both Ethan and Clara had each finished a bottle of beer.
Clara’s face turned slightly red.
Ethan looked at Clara’s flushed cheeks and gently curled his lips… After drinking, her cheeks were rosy red, her eyes were bright and sparkling like water-she looked especially beautiful.