Chapter 935 Playing Cupid for Ethan
Standing in the bathroom, Tom remained silent for a long time.
Whatever Ethan refused to say must be the past that Connor had been avoiding and hiding all along.
Tom knew Connor had issues—psychological problems. That would explain his severe germaphobia and reclusive personality. But Connor never spoke about what happened years ago, and Tom never dared to ask directly.
Even though Ethan wouldn't talk either, Tom could guess the severity of the situation.
If he couldn't get answers from Connor, that didn't mean he couldn't investigate Beck.
During his days hanging around with the wealthy crowd, Tom had heard about Beck. Those rich kids talked openly about how the women who worked as escorts feared Beck and Rhett the most. They called them psychopaths—crazy. Girls who suddenly disappeared from the social scene were almost always connected to the Murray family.
Beck was powerful enough to cover anything up. He was truly a monster.
Could Connor's past be connected to the Murray family?
"Hey, Bodhi, I need you to look into something," Tom called his friend. "Check out Beck's circle."
"Uncle Connor!" Hearing glass shatter, Joe and Justin rushed over.
Connor forced a smile. "It's nothing. Just slipped from my hand."
Joe and Justin exchanged glances, determined to complete their mission of distracting him. "Uncle Connor, teach us how to solve a Rubik's cube! And these too—we want to learn."
They pulled out puzzle toys from their backpacks, trying to divert Connor's attention.
Connor understood Ethan's intentions perfectly. No one knew him better than Ethan did. Ethan was worried Connor would spiral into dark thoughts, so he sent the kids to keep him occupied.
Hearing the commotion, Tom ran out anxiously. "What happened?"
"Nothing. My hand slipped and I broke a glass," Connor explained, reaching for the oversized Rubik's cube covered in tiny squares that Justin was holding. "What would you like to make with this cube?"
"A star," Justin said, drawing a five-pointed star on one face of the cube.
Connor thought for a moment before attempting to create a red star pattern. The difficulty of forming specific shapes with a Rubik's cube was extremely high—it required such mental calculation that it left no room for intrusive thoughts.
This method was something Ethan had used to help Connor redirect his focus when they were children. After being hurt by Owen, young Connor had been lost and confused, not knowing who to tell or why he was being "punished" that way.
He had become withdrawn, extreme, silent, refusing contact with anyone—until he met Ethan and finally saw a glimmer of light. It was the first time he opened up, revealing his wounds to someone.
Back then, he thought he had done something wrong, believing the molestation and abuse were just Owen's way of punishing him. Only after telling Ethan did the nightmare begin to find resolution.
Ethan had arranged for Connor to stay at the Douglas Mansion under the pretext of studying together. At that time, Ethan's mother was still alive—a gentle, kind woman who gave Connor the maternal love he'd never experienced.
This was why Connor was willing to help Ethan find the real culprit behind his mother's death. Ethan had never mentioned Connor's past to anyone, keeping that secret buried while protecting Connor in his own way.
In Connor's world, Ethan was the sun, the light whose rays seemed capable of healing any wound. So when Connor met Jasmine, his first thought was of Ethan. He believed only Ethan could save her.
Jasmine was a rose covered in thorns, and only by being with the sun could she find redemption. So despite his pain and jealousy, Connor chose to guide Jasmine to Ethan. He knew too well that two people covered in thorns and scars couldn't find happiness together—they would only hurt each other more.
Later, Connor realized his deliberate matchmaking had brought together two people who were meant for each other, culminating in marriage and children—a good deed after all.
"You can actually solve this thing?" Tom scratched his head. Creating a red star from all those tiny squares? That would be impossible even if his brain were on fire.
Connor looked at Tom like he was an idiot. "Isn't it obvious to anyone with a brain?"
Tom's mouth twitched. "Fine, I have no brain. I can't do it..."
Connor smiled helplessly, explaining his approach to Justin so the boy could try solving it himself.
Justin glanced at Joe, who immediately took over. "Uncle Connor, look at this toy—how do I get the ball out from inside?"
Connor took Joe's puzzle, examining it carefully. This one was genuinely challenging.
Tom watched the three of them, noting that Connor seemed stable for now. He realized Ethan's purpose in leaving the children here.
Clearly, Ethan knew about Connor's past—knew it intimately.
Suddenly, Tom felt jealous. After living together for so long, Connor still treated him like an outsider, never willing to share his past or show any vulnerability.
Tom flopped onto the sofa, staring blankly at his phone.
Soon, his friend called back. Tom sat up quickly, glancing cautiously at Connor. Seeing him still engaged with the children, Tom went to the bedroom and closed the door.
"Hello? Did you find anything?"
"I did. The guy's a complete psychopath who enjoys torturing women. Extremely violent, uses women as outlets for his rage. A total monster."
Tom's expression darkened. "Does he like both men and women?"
"What? No, he's only into women. Never heard of any men around him."
Tom sighed with relief. That was good—at least Connor hadn't suffered that kind of abuse.
But as soon as that relief washed over him, Tom's nerves tightened again. Why was he so worried about Connor being hurt?
"See if you can find anything about Connor," Tom said quietly.
"Wait, are you two still feuding? You asked me to look into him before, remember? The guy's flawless from every angle—smart, high IQ, great education, excellent in every way with zero scandals. He's not easy to take down..."
"No, it's not like that. We're not fighting anymore. I just want to know more about him..." Tom said, frustrated and vague.
His friend misunderstood, thinking Tom was still looking for revenge after being bested by Connor. "Alright, I'll dig deeper and let you know immediately if I find anything. We'll catch him slipping and help you even the score."
"No, that's not—" Tom tried to explain.
"Gotta go, I'm driving," his friend said, hanging up.
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