Chapter 151 Ethan Gives Justin a Name
Jasmine nervously covers Justin's mouth and whispers an apology. "Mr. Ethan... I'm sorry, he's just a kid, he's just..."
He was just overly eager to have a complete family.
"Yes." Ethan's answer is firm.
Henry was taken aback by the response.
Angrier than ever, he glared at Ethan. "Mr. Ethan, you're lying to a child."
"There's no need to explain whether it's a lie or not," Ethan says, opening the car door for Jasmine and the child to get in.
Jasmine was also stunned by Ethan.
He said yes.
However, she knew she shouldn't overthink it; they were technically married partners.
So, Ethan isn't lying, he really did get a marriage certificate with her.
Justin's gaze burns into Ethan, eyes reddening with excitement. "Dad, you'll marry Mom and protect her, right?"
Ethan nodded and ruffled Justin's hair.
Justin hugged Jasmine and sobbed, "Mom, Dad said he will marry you..."
Jasmine's body feels numb and stiff as she comforted Justin and sat in the car, closing the door.
The adult world was really complicated.
Some things weren't as simple as kids think. Being married didn't necessarily meant being a family.
...
"Ethan, what game are you playing? You don't love Jasmine, there's no emotions involved, why are you competing with me?" Henry asks in a low, frustrated voice.
"Who says there's no emotions involved?" Ethan closed the car door and looked at Henry calmly. "I've known Jasmine for a while. Even though we've only started being close recently, she deserves to be cherished, not shirked like you."
Henry clenches his teeth.
Ethan was playing his part well.
"Ethan, we're both men, there's no need for these games," Henry says, massaging his forehead. "You haven't even dealt with your own crisis, and now you're meddling in my son's business. Do you think Jasmine is safe with you? Do you think you can protect Justin?"
"Let's find out," Ethan says, his voice deep.
"Ethan, if anything happens to Justin while he's with you, I'll take him away immediately," Henry warned Ethan.
"The Douglas family situation is a thorny one, but as it stands... If the Browns don't come clean and admit Zelda's crime against Jasmine, and get her out of Silverlight City, I'm not going to let it go easily. Once the Brown family's reputation is tarnished, the Patricks will inevitably be dragged down. If I were you, I'd know what to do to avoid risks and personal losses," Ethan said calmly, opened the car door, and got in.
The driver pulled away, leaving Henry alone at the entrance of the hospital.
Muttering a curse under his breath, Henry massaged his temples.
Ethan was a madman; he might actually go through with his threat.
Once Zelda's reputation was destroyed, he would have to call a press conference immediately to call off the engagement and minimize the fallout.
Ethan was crafty, dragging the Patrick family into the mess.
Although Ethan was known for his ruthless methods, Henry couldn't understand his fixation on the Browns this time.
He wondered if it was because Harper had repeatedly crossed Ethan, or was it because Clara was too close to Zelda.
"Mr. Henry..." Ben approached.
"Send Zelda and Harper back home, and tell Harper, I want to see her alone tomorrow morning."
Henry was keen to find out what exactly had happened between Ethan and Harper.
He didn't believe Ethan had any intention of marrying Jasmine nor did he believe Ethan had any real affection for her.
Possession was more likely the case.
...
In the car, Justin reached out, asking for a hug from Ethan.
Ethan embraced Justin, looking out the window with him.
"Daddy, can you make a pinky promise with me?" Justin asked cutely, fearful that Ethan would lie and deceive him.
He was worried Ethan would go back on his words.
Jasmine was a bit anxious, grabbing Justin's hand. "Justin... Don't do that."
She was afraid Ethan would be put off by Justin, considering him too clever and eager to latch onto the Douglas family.
However, Ethan just felt his heart ached.
He wondered how insecure this child must he be, and how much he must crave a father's love, to be so cautious.
"Pinky promise," Ethan said, hooking his finger with Justin's tiny one.
Justin's eyes reddened again, his voice choked as he spoke, "Pinky promise, you can't break it."
Ethan patted Justin's back in a silent gesture of comfort.
Jasmine's eyes brimmed with tears as she turned her gaze to the view outside the opposite car window.
She knew what her son wanted.
Once Ethan no longer needed her, she'd probably go on dates, find someone willing to accept her and Justin, and marry to spend the rest of her life with.
She would give Justin a home.
"Mr. Ethan..."
Back at home, Justin fell asleep.
Ethan laid Justin down in the guest room's bed and tiptoed out.
It was apparent he cared deeply for Justin, but this was no excuse for Jasmine to be greedy.
"There's no children's room at home, but tomorrow I'll have someone remodel the master bedroom downstairs into a children's room," Ethan said softly.
"But..." Jasmine nervously bit the corner of her lip.
"You won't need to stay in the master bedroom downstairs anymore. If Justin wants a complete home, shouldn't Dad and Mom sleep together?" Ethan skillfully played on Jasmine's vulnerability.
Tears welled in Jasmine's eyes again. "Mr. Ethan... I'm sorry for all the trouble. Please don't dislike Justin. He... He's grown up without a father, and I've been...in prison, so he's more mature than other kids his age."
"He's a lot like me," Ethan whispered.
Jasmine paused, looking down in silence.
"Daniel is only three years younger than me," Ethan said, his voice low.
Daniel was the illegitimate child of the Douglas family.
That meant when Ethan was three, Howard had Daniel with Clara outside of their marriage.
His childhood, too, was devoid of a father's love.
His family, too, wasn't complete.
This was why Ethan empathized with Justin more than anyone and could truly relate.
"I'm sorry..." Jasmine didn't want to dredge up Ethan's painful past and hurried into the kitchen to serve the steaming noodles with sliced pork and greens.
Ethan looked at the steaming noodles and smiled.
It turned out the simplest joys were what truly grip the heart.
He really only regretted not meeting Jasmine sooner.
"If only I had been born three years later," Ethan murmured.
"Hm?" Jasmine, serving vegetables to Ethan, didn't grasp the meaning of his words.
"That way, you, me... and Daniel, we might have met at the same school." Ethan was confident that between him and Daniel, Jasmine would have chosen him first.
Alas, the world wasn't filled with so many 'what ifs'.
He wouldn't have allowed Jasmine to be trampled on by others.
Jasmine's grip on her chopsticks tightened gradually before she finally looked up at Ethan. "Mr. Ethan, the noodles will get soggy if we let them sit..."
If it had been Ethan who entered her life back then instead of Daniel, how wonderful that would have been.
That wasn't right.
In that situation, nobody would have believed her.
Her encounter with Ethan had come too late.
She now felt unworthy of Ethan.
She shouldn't harbor such hopes.
Ethan shouldn't give her false hope.
"Jasmine, I'm thinking of formally adopting Justin," Ethan said decisively. He wanted to publicly declare Justin as his adoptive son, with all the legal rights to inherit everything from him.
The fork in Jasmine's hand dropped to the floor with a clatter.
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