Chapter 203 Lisa Tips Off Ethan
In the hotel suite, Casey sat in the bathtub, blowing bubbles through his runny nose while playing with the suds alongside Justin.
"Daddy, your face looks kind of dark..." Justin whispered.
Ethan stood nearby, feeling utterly helpless as he watched the two boys struggle.
Jasmine had gone back to the Shaw residence, insisting he not follow.
He was tasked with taking care of the children at the hotel.
Justin was manageable—he didn't mind—but Casey seemed to have a cold, his nose perpetually runny.
To Ethan, who was a bit of a clean freak, this was... torture.
"Justin, Casey, you're not toddlers anymore; you need to learn to bathe yourselves, right?" Ethan queried.
Justin nodded.
Casey counted on his fingers and said, "Uncle, I'm five, not a toddler anymore."
"Right, then clean up well, and I will check on you afterward."
"Okay." Casey nodded clumsily, his face brimming with happiness.
Ding Dong.
The hotel doorbell rang.
Ethan thought it was Jasmine and hastily went to open the door, relieved.
However, it wasn't Jasmine outside; it was Lisa.
"BroEthan..." Lisa seemed anxious. "Sorry for disturbing you so late."
"How did you find this place?" Ethan frowned.
He had instructed the hotel to keep their stay confidential—this hotel wasn't part of the Gu establishment but was under the ownership of a different conglomerate.
With Lisa's abilities, it seemed unlikely she could have tracked them down.
"Well... Casey's watch has GPS, so..." Lisa whispered, noticing Ethan's disapproving expression, she quickly added, "I didn't inform mom or dad."
"Is there a problem? Or do you want to take the kids?" Ethan wasn't keen on a lengthy conversation with Lisa.
"No, no... Ethan, I'm surprised you're looking after the kids," Lisa said softly, thinking Ethan wouldn't care much for Casey.
"I'm surprised too, because it was just a coincidence," Ethan said, somewhat sullenly. He had only intended to take care of Justin, not have Casey tag along.
"Ethan... listen, please apologize to dad, make things right, okay?" Lisa nervously twisted her hands, caught between her mother and brother on one side, and Ethan on the other.
"Am I in the wrong?" Ethan raised an eyebrow in question. "No," Lisa took a deep breath, glancing around. "Ethan, Dad was furious tonight; he called Lawyer Liu over to discuss some matters..."
It seemed Lisa had come to share some information. "You know, Lawyer Liu Jie was Grandpa's personal attorney, dealing exclusively with shares and wills..."
Ethan had long suspected Howard was planning something.
"If Dad resorts to legal means to regain his shares, you'll be in a vulnerable position within the company," Lisa looked genuinely concerned for Ethan. "And Ethan, I suggest you distance yourself from Jasmine. You should let her go..."
Ethan regarded Lisa with a brooding expression.
"Mom is up to something as well. Jasmine, as compromised as she is, will only exacerbate your situation. There's no advantage in supporting her," Lisa couldn't comprehend Ethan's stance.
"The Browns met with our father again tonight, and now they're not even avoiding the press anymore, openly referring to each other as in-laws in front of the reporters..." Lisa also knew Howard was pressuring Ethan to comply.
Agreeing to an arranged marriage with the Browns would keep Howard from making a move. However, if Ethan refused, Howard would undoubtedly reclaim the shares rightfully belonging to Ethan.
"Do your parents know you came to tell me all this?" Ethan's tone was serious.
Lisa hurriedly shook her head. "Ethan... don't put it like that, he's our father."
Lisa was visibly distressed; she genuinely desired a harmonious family. But tensions at home had everyone on edge, ready to snap at any moment.
"Ethan... I really don't want our family to become enemies," Lisa's voice quivered with emotion.
Ethan frowned, and after a lengthy pause, finally responded, "We could never truly be a family; don't be so naive."
Clara was the other woman, the cause of his mother's demise. Being a family would be a joke.
Lisa's eyes reddened, painfully aware of Ethan's contempt for the fact that her mother was the home-wrecker. "I'm sorry..."
"Do you want to take Casey back?" Ethan's tone softened slightly.
Lisa pondered for a moment. "Sorry for the inconvenience, I'll take him back."
Ethan remained silent.
In the bathroom, Justin and Casey, each wrapped in a towel, stepped out with bare feet and began hopping on the carpet.
"Uncle, I washed myself!" Casey exclaimed with joy.
Lisa looked at Casey in amazement. This was not the same Casey who couldn't care for himself at home, still wetting the bed at five.
She could hardly recognize her own son. After just a few days with Ethan and Richard, Casey had already learned to bathe independently.
"Mommy..." As soon as Casey spotted Lisa, he hushed and called out for his mother plaintively.
"Casey, your mommy is here to pick you up," Justin whispered, trying to comfort him.
Casey glanced at Justin, then back at Lisa. "Justin, will you always play with me?"
Justin nodded reassuringly. "Of course, I will."
Lisa stood at the doorway, awkwardly diverting her gaze.
She harbored a dislike for Justin, influenced by personal grudges.
Previously, she had suspected Justin to be Jordan and Jasmine’s illegitimate child, but seeing his intelligence, she knew he couldn't possibly share any traits with that bastard Jordan.
"Casey, it's time to go home," Lisa signaled to her son.
Casey hesitated, torn between not wanting to leave and missing his mommy a bit. "Mommy, will you still yell at me when you're drunk?"
Lisa was taken aback by the question.
"Children shouldn't be blamed or yelled at; once you choose to bring them into this world, you're responsible for them," Ethan interjected sternly, reminding Lisa of her responsibilities.
Lisa nodded solemnly. "I understand."
Taking Casey's hand, Lisa glanced down, ready to leave.
"Stay out of it," Ethan advised as he escorted them to the door. "Whatever happens at home, just pretend you don't know anything."
Lisa paused, looking up at Ethan.
In that moment, she felt... Ethan wasn't as distant and cold as before; he gave her a sense of brotherhood.
Truth be told, Lisa and Daniel had always been intimidated by Ethan.
Lisa both respected and feared him.
However, this brother seemed unfamiliar, and cold.
"There's one more thing..." Lisa suddenly remembered. "Ethan, today Dad had Daniel contact Jasmine's biological mother, the nanny from that real-fake heiress case. He might be planning something against Jasmine."
Ethan's expression darkened. He turned and went back inside the room, put on his coat, picked up Justin who was busy blow-drying his hair, dressed him, and left straight away.
"Daddy, where are we going?" Justin asked quietly.
"To the Xia's."
Ethan was worried about Jasmine.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
