Chapter 274 Fraught with Problems
After things cooled down a bit, Ethan reminisced about that rough patch with Lauren.
He cleared his throat and finally said, "Lauren, that day was on me. I got way too worked up."
"It's cool. No hard feelings. No need to say sorry. Let's just talk it out," Lauren replied softly.
Hearing her say that, Ethan couldn't hide his excitement. He grabbed her hand and said, "Lauren, I knew you'd get me. Thanks."
Lauren kept smiling but gently pulled her hand away.
"Ethan, let's just leave the past where it belongs, alright? Whether it's about you or me," Lauren advised.
"Sure thing," Ethan agreed quickly, but he was still a bit suspicious about Lauren's showing up here today.
Lauren went on, "Also, my mom's beauty salon is opening early next month. I hope you can come with me to the opening."
Kimberly had asked Lauren to tell Ethan about this, but Lauren still hadn't said what she really wanted to say.
Ethan nodded eagerly and reassured her, "Don't worry. Kimberly's event is important. I'll make sure to get her a great gift."
"No need for a big gift. But, Ethan, there's something I need to talk to you about," Lauren finally got to the point.
Ethan looked at her with bright eyes. It was rare for her to bring something up, which made him think their relationship was heading in a good direction. This was a good sign.
"Go ahead. I'm all ears," Ethan said.
Lauren took a deep breath and finally said, "Ethan, I think I should move out with my mom and Matthew."
"What do you mean by that?" Ethan couldn't help but get angry halfway through her words.
Lauren got anxious and said, "Ethan, hear me out. I mean..."
"Lauren, are you having second thoughts? Are you breaking up with me just because I didn't take you that day? How can you be so selfish?" Ethan fired off questions, not giving her a chance to explain.
Lauren felt heartbroken. She hadn't expected Ethan to misunderstand her so easily.
She looked at him with hurt in her eyes. After he finally stopped, she slowly replied, "My mom wants me to go to the White Villa with you to meet your family and finalize our wedding plans. I can't stay at your place when we get married, so we have to move out first."
"Lauren, I'm sorry! I misunderstood you. I got too emotional. I love you so much and was scared you wanted to break up," Ethan explained regretfully, holding her hand tightly.
Lauren looked at him with a complicated expression. She said, "Ethan, what kind of person do you think I am? What do you really love about me?"
"Lauren, my love for you is real! I've liked you since we were kids. Don't you know how I feel?" Ethan answered seriously.
Lauren said, "Ethan, I know you've waited for me for years and helped me a lot. You were there when I was at my lowest. I'm really touched and grateful, and I want to build a good life with you. But if you have other thoughts, I support you. You don't need to feel sorry for me or think I'm pitiful. In this world, we can compromise on everything except marriage."
Lauren poured her heart out, really hoping Ethan could find happiness, whether it was with her or not.
Ethan jumped in, "Lauren, I really love you. I'm sorry for losing my cool earlier. I hope you're not mad."
His eyes were sincere, and he watched her closely. Seeing her calm and not angry, he continued, "About moving out, and I'm totally down to help you find a cool place. Work's been chill lately, so how about we swing by my parents in a few days? Sound good to you?"
Lauren asked, "Ethan, have you really thought this through? Are you ready to live with me, take care of Matthew, and deal with what people might say? Once I go to the White Villa with you, everything changes."
Ethan was now a big deal, someone everyone in City A wanted to be around. If he chose her, it could mess with his future plans.
More importantly, Lauren felt like maybe Ethan didn't love her the same way anymore. Maybe he did once, but three years of waiting had worn him down.
"Of course, I'm ready. I've waited so long for this. Trust me, I'll make you happy," Ethan said confidently.
Lauren nodded, trying not to overthink. 'I promised to marry Ethan three years ago. If I backed out now, I'd be the selfish person he accused me of being.'
Everything was moving toward their wedding. Lauren had agreed verbally, and slowly, she accepted in her heart that she would become Ethan's wife.
Two days later, Ethan came back to his villa with a big grin and joined Kimberly and Lauren for dinner.
At the table, Ethan eagerly asked, "Lauren, how about I take you to the White Villa tomorrow? Ryan heard we're coming and is super excited. He's been getting ready for us. My dad's coming back from a business trip tomorrow, so let's go then."
"Why so soon? Ethan, didn't I say we should find a place to move out first?" Lauren asked, surprised.
Kimberly chimed in, "It's a good idea, Lauren. You gotta meet Ethan's fam at some point. Don't be shy. After the meeting, we can move out. Ethan's dad is very busy, you should work around his schedule."
Ethan agreed, "Yeah, Lauren, my dad's rarely home. If we don't do this now, he might take my mom on another trip abroad."
Lauren had planned to wait for Matthew to come back from Quentin's place and talk to him before going to the White Villa with Ethan. After all, Matthew was part of the family too.
But Ethan and Kimberly didn't seem to care about Matthew's feelings, which bugged her.
"Ethan, I should listen to you, but I still want to wait for Matthew to come back," Lauren said, looking down.
Kimberly was shocked and said, "Lauren, I think it's best to leave Matthew out of your first visit to the White Villa. Ethan's parents might know a bit about your situation, but it's not the right time to bring up Matthew."
Hearing this, Lauren looked at Kimberly with a distant gaze. She got where Kimberly was coming from, but she had promised Ethan to be with him and couldn't hide Matthew. She had never intended to keep her past a secret because there was nothing to be ashamed of.
