Chapter 236 The Debt of Love is Hard to Repay
Lauren and Ryan had never been in touch over the years, and their relationship wasn't particularly good before. Seeing Ryan so suddenly left her at a loss.
"Ryan, Ethan isn't home. He should be at the office. Besides, I'm temporarily staying here at Ethan's due to some special circumstances," Lauren explained hastily.
Ryan looked at Lauren with a broad smile. He said, "I know all that. I'm not here to see Ethan but you. Lauren, can we have a talk in private?"
Lauren nodded dumbly. Since Ryan had come to find her, he must have a reason. She had no good reason to refuse.
She sent Kimberly a text saying she was going to the supermarket to buy some spices. After quickly tidying herself up, she followed Ryan out.
Lauren sat nervously in the café, watching Ryan leisurely sip his coffee. She was very anxious.
She knew Ryan must have come to see her because of Ethan. It made sense. Ethan hadn't married all these years, yet she, without any status, was living in Ethan's villa. It was indeed very unreasonable.
"Ryan, please say what you need to say," Lauren said with a smile, looking seriously at Ryan.
Ryan smiled warmly. He remarked, "Lauren, you're so smart. You should know what I want to say, right?"
Lauren looked away, her eyes avoiding Ryan's gaze.
"Ryan, I know staying in Ethan's villa isn't good for him. I'm in a tough spot right now. Please give me a little more time, and I'll move out as soon as possible," Lauren said seriously.
"Lauren, don't play dumb. You know that's not what I want to talk about. Ethan grew up with you, and the bond you two have built over the years is beyond measure. Ethan has been waiting for you, and I know about the promise you made three years ago. I'm here to ask on Ethan's behalf what you are really thinking. Lauren, please stop avoiding this," Ryan said, his sharp gaze fixed on Lauren, his tone leaving no room for her to dodge.
Lauren fell silent. She remembered it too, but she had been making excuses to avoid facing Ethan's deep feelings. She knew she was wrong and owed Ethan a lot.
"Lauren, I don't force you to be with Ethan. You know Ethan; he seems carefree , but he hides his inner torment and struggles deeply. You might not know, but my dad has scolded him many times because of you. Yet, he refuses to give up on you. Don't you really care about his deep feelings?" Ryan said earnestly, feeling both anxious and heartbroken for Ethan, who was troubled by love.
Lauren spoken up, "Ryan, it's not that I don't care. It's just my status..."
Ryan retorted, "Status is just an excuse! Ethan loves you and has never cared about your status. At this point, you're still using your status as an excuse. I really feel disappointed!! If you truly can't accept Ethan, please find him and make it clear. Don't drag him down any longer!"
Ryan was really angry. He had intended to bring Lauren and Ethan together but couldn't keep his cool. Ryan was a mature man who had seen all kinds of people in the business world, but when it came to Ethan's happiness, he lost his patience.
Lauren felt very sad, not because of Ryan's accusatory tone, but because she remembered all of Ethan's silent sacrifices over the years.
Lauren didn't know how she had left the café or what Ryan had said afterward. She only knew she was lost in memories, and when Ryan left in anger, she returned to Ethan's villa in a daze.
She really was a troublemaker, bringing so much trouble into Ethan's life. She knew Ethan's feelings but neither accepted nor rejected them. How was she any different from the scheming women Sophia talked about?
Ethan had always been by Lauren's side. During her difficult labor, Ethan signed the papers. When Quentin kicked her out, Ethan stayed with her. When she was forced to leave City A and go to Pariz, Ethan found her. And now, Ethan took her in.
Ethan seemed to run through all of Lauren's difficult times.
Lauren was heartbroken. She remembered how Ethan had almost given everything to her. Although she had rejected Ethan many times, he never got angry and always extended a helping hand in her most difficult times.
Debts of money were easy to repay, but debts of love were hard to settle. Lauren had figured it out. Since she had promised Ethan three years ago, now that the time had come, she had to fulfill that promise.
Lauren returned to the villa in a daze, only to be greeted by a smiling Ethan.
"Lauren, where did you go? I was looking everywhere for you. Why didn't you answer your phone?" Ethan asked anxiously, grabbing Lauren's hands with concern.
Lauren stared blankly at Ethan, and this time, she didn't pull her hands away.
Lauren replied, "I went to buy some spices."
Ethan looked at Lauren's empty hands, even more puzzled.
Ethan asked, "Where are the spices?"
Lauren felt a bit embarrassed and said, "I got a call and might have left them at the supermarket. I'll go get them now."
He said, "Lauren, I have some good news to tell you. Look at this."
Ethan smiled broadly and mysteriously took a document from the table, handing it to Lauren solemnly.
Lauren's face remained expressionless, not catching Ethan's joy. She could have been more interested in the good news. However, when she opened the document and saw the admission notice inside, a hint of pleasure finally appeared on her pale face.
Lauren was stunned. "Ethan, this is..."
"I have finally settled Matthew's admission. Now, you can rest easy, Lauren," Ethan said with a smile, his casual tone making Lauren feel a bit heartbroken.
Before Ethan could react, Lauren threw herself into his arms, crying. She said, "Ethan, thank you!"
Ethan was both happy and excited as Lauren hugged him, feeling a sense of joy after enduring so much hardship. He stood stiffly, his hands at his sides, unsure whether to hug Lauren back or just let them hang there.
Ethan remarked, "You're welcome. I promised you I would help with Matthew's schooling, and now I've done it."
"Ethan, thank you for everything you've done for me. I know you're the best person for me in this world. I'm sorry for dragging you down and making you wait for me all these years," Lauren said, burying her head in Ethan's chest and crying softly.
Ethan was extremely excited. He didn't know why Lauren was suddenly acting so differently and expressing her feelings for him. He was a bit overwhelmed.
Finally, he mustered the courage to embrace Lauren tightly, afraid he might hurt her.
