Chapter 58: Unexpected Revelations

Chapter 58: Unexpected Revelations

The video was short, lasting less than ten seconds, but it was packed with information, and the people featured in it were quite notable.

The main character, of course, was Emily, being held in the arms of a man in a tailored gray suit. That man was none other than Ethan. Ryan was also in the frame, standing nearby and watching them. His freshly buzzed haircut, which had recently trended on social media, made him easily recognizable.

In addition to them, familiar faces like Jessica, Olivia, and Eric were also in the background, witnessing the scene unfold.

The camera was zoomed out, indicating that the video had been discreetly recorded on a phone by someone who remained unknown.

In the footage, Emily, who was being carried bridal-style by the wealthiest man around, seemed to struggle in his arms, trying to get free. Ryan, standing nearby, frowned and looked like he was about to intervene. But before he could make a move, something unexpected happened—Emily raised her hand and slapped Ethan across the face with precision and force.

The surroundings fell eerily silent, and the sound of the slap echoed distinctly. The person recording the video gasped, muttering a startled expletive as the camera jerked and fell, perfectly capturing the sentiment of "I was so shocked I dropped my phone."

The video ended there. Emily stared at the now black screen, her lips slightly parted in disbelief.

Did she... really slap him?

Why? And what happened afterward? What led to this?

How did Ethan even end up on the yacht yesterday? And what was Ryan's involvement?

Emily was fully immersed in the details of her own drama, realizing that, for once, her personal "tea" was more intriguing than anyone else's.

Just as she was about to message Jessica for answers, she heard footsteps approaching the door.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly tossed her phone aside, scrambling to get back under the covers.

Once she lay down, she realized something was off—Why was she pretending to be asleep?

She wasn't the one who had taken advantage of someone in a vulnerable state; why was she feeling so guilty?

But now that she had started this charade, she had to see it through.

Facing away from the door, Emily tightened the blanket around herself, hearing the door quietly open. Soon, she felt the mattress dip under the added weight.

Emily instinctively held her breath, but when she felt a calloused hand cup her cheek, she couldn't help but feel a shiver run down her spine.

Her face, small and delicate, was nearly enveloped by Ethan's hand. His fingers traced her skin for a while, much like the way she had played with his nose the other day. However, it seemed that he had a particular fondness for her long eyelashes.

After a while of toying with her lashes, Emily heard him sigh behind her. The low, husky sound he made carried a sense of satisfaction, as though he was savoring something delightful.

Emily thought to herself, "…"

Ethan was clearly pleased, yet she was still sore from the previous night, to the point of struggling to walk properly.

While she was mentally cursing him, Ethan suddenly wrapped his arm around her waist and gently pulled her closer, cradling her against his chest.

He didn't make any further moves, simply resting his stubbled chin on her shoulder and inhaling the scent of her hair.

In that quiet, intimate moment, Emily could detect the scents of his bath soap and aftershave, mingling with his natural cool, woody fragrance. It was clean and pleasant.

He held her in silence, occasionally brushing his chin against her head, radiating a sense of affection.

Emily squinted open one eye, just in time to see the morning sunlight filtering through the large floor-to-ceiling windows. The white curtains softened the already gentle light, and for a brief moment, Emily felt a serene sense of peace.

But the tranquility didn't last long—Ethan soon started to stir again.

He adjusted his arm, pulling her even closer, and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.

Emily couldn't help but swallow nervously, her long lashes trembling slightly.

The man beside her paused, then slowly curled his lips into a smile. He leaned in again, letting his delicate kisses flutter down like butterfly wings.

Emily thought, "…!"

Completely unaware that she had already been found out, she let out a small, sleepy murmur and buried her face further into the pillow.

Her eyelashes continued to flutter uncontrollably, and the tips of her ears, which had turned a deep shade of red, betrayed her.

Ethan remained silent, but his breathy, silent chuckle filled the space. He resumed his gentle kisses, seemingly determined to kiss her awake.

Emily thought, "…"

As she listened to the sound of those soft kisses, she grew more and more embarrassed.

Wasn't he the one who used to refuse to cuddle after... activities? What had changed?

Why couldn't he stop?

And what happened to the "I must conquer the world" persona of the relentless businessman? What time was it, and why wasn't he heading to the office already?

"Are you hungry?" His deep voice suddenly broke the silence.

Emily decided to continue pretending to be asleep.

She wasn't hungry. Not at all.

Ethan continued to kiss and coax her like one might soothe a child, his tone affectionate and tinged with amusement.

"Why don't you get up and have something to eat?"

Emily remained silent.

He had definitely figured her out.

But it didn't matter.

As long as she didn't open her eyes, no one could wake her.

She wasn't sure why, but she just couldn't bring herself to face him right now.

The sight of the disarrayed room and the multiple pieces of evidence in the trash kept flashing in her mind. She felt so embarrassed.

And it made no sense. They were practically an old married couple.

So why did it feel like they were newlyweds?

As she lay there, lost in thought, Emily suddenly stiffened, her legs tensing up.

…!

Not again!

Get your hand off me!

As if he had heard her inner plea, Ethan actually withdrew his hand. He smirked slightly, a mix of helplessness and affection in his expression.

You can never wake someone pretending to be asleep.

"I'm going to the office for a morning meeting. I'll be back soon." He planted one last kiss on her forehead. "Wait for me."

Soon after, Emily heard the rustle of clothing and the soft click of the door closing, leaving the room quiet once more.

She exhaled slowly, finally sitting up. Glancing at the small mirror on the bedside table, she saw just how red her face had become. Her skin looked smoother and more radiant than usual, clearly well-cared-for.

If someone didn't know any better, they might have thought she had woken up that way due to… what Jessica had hinted at.

It was annoying.

She got out of bed, venting her frustration by kicking the crumpled shirt on the floor, before striding into the bathroom.

After they had signed the agreement, Ethan had left her with the Starry Pavilion. Now that she was back, she realized everything had been preserved exactly as it was. The closet was still full of her clothes and jewelry, the bathroom stocked with her favorite fragrances and lighting. Even the mirror she liked to keep on the nightstand was still there.

It was as if she had never left.

At first, Emily thought Ethan hadn't been living here, but then she noticed signs of daily life everywhere...

So, had he been living here alone, keeping everything the same to remember her?

After showering and dressing, Emily wrapped a scarf around her neck to cover any marks, feeling fresh and ready to face the day.

Just as she reached the small sitting room, she heard someone call her name. She turned to see Mrs. Chen approaching with a tray.

"Good morning, ma'am."

For some reason, Emily found Mrs. Chen's smile and expression a bit odd. She was as warm and welcoming as always, but there was something else there… something reminiscent of a character in a palace drama, an old maid excitedly presenting the wedding night sheets to the young bride the morning after, with a knowing smile.

Mrs. Chen opened the small pot on the tray. "You should drink this, ma'am. It's good for your health."

Emily thought, "…"

Good for her health?

This was getting weirder.

Emily waved off the pot of bird's nest soup, eager to escape. She couldn't shake the feeling that everyone in this house somehow knew she'd been thoroughly worn out the previous night.

"No, thank you, Mrs. Chen. I have some errands to run." Emily replied, a bit awkwardly. "I appreciate you making this, but please, feel free to have it yourself."

"This wasn't made by me," Mrs. Chen shook her head. "Mr. Ethan made it for you!"

Emily was stunned. "What?"

"Yes, Mr. Ethan made it." Mrs. Chen nodded, confirming it again.

She could understand Emily's surprise. None of them had ever seen Ethan step foot in the kitchen before. When he had come in that morning, even the chefs and staff had thought they were imagining things.

"He went into the kitchen before seven this morning and stood there for quite a while, personally watching over the stove."

Emily's lips parted slightly.

She was aware of how their night had gone, so if he had been up that early making soup for her, it meant he hadn't slept at all…

Mrs. Chen held the pot closer, smiling. "Come now, ma'am. Drink it while it's still warm."

Emily smiled, accepting the pot without hesitation, and drank it down.

**

After stepping out and

getting into her car, Emily didn't need to message Jessica for more information. Her name was already trending on the top news headlines.

Emily was used to seeing her name on the top of news feeds, usually accompanied by either a lawyer's letter or some major twist in the story. This time, the article didn't say much, probably out of fear of getting things wrong again. It simply posted the ten-second video, leaving it to the public to draw their conclusions.

The comments section, with thousands of responses, was more entertaining than the article itself:

"OMG, there's video proof now. Ryan's fans have nothing to say. This is even more damning than when he released that song!"

"What does this have to do with Ryan?? Just because he's standing there doesn't mean he's involved. Get real!"

"Ryan's fans are still in denial. Sure, there were a bunch of people standing around, but none of them looked like they were about to charge in and break things up, except for your precious idol [eye-roll emoji]."

"You're missing the point, people! This isn't about Ryan! Didn't you see that it's the billionaire himself holding Alisa??"

"No, you're missing the point. Not only was he holding her, but she slapped him! I didn't believe the rumors about Alisa and Creston Media before, but now I do!"

"…I still don't believe it. What kind of mistress would dare slap her sugar daddy? My wildest dream is to have a billionaire shower me with cash. Slapping him? I wouldn't even dream of it. Alisa, you're a queen."

"But isn't the billionaire married? And wasn't Alisa also rumored to have a husband? So, what's the deal here? Are they both cheating? [sips tea]."

"I don't get you rich people. But if Alisa writes a book, I'm buying it. The billionaire and the top idol both fell for me?? Plus, her rich husband? Three men… This woman is a legend."

"Disgusting. Probably trying to force a divorce to get ahead. Both of them cheating while married—gross [vomit emoji][vomit emoji]."

…

Emily was flipping through the comments when her phone suddenly rang. It was Olivia.

Emily barely had time to answer before the voice on the other end started yelling.

"Emily, I hate you!!!"

Emily was stunned for a moment, struggling to respond with a faint "Um…"

She knew she had messed up Olivia's engagement party with the drama that had unfolded. She was about to apologize and promise Olivia a top-tier photoshoot to make up for it when Olivia shouted again, her voice even louder:

"I feel like such an idiot right now!!!"

Emily thought, "?"

Emily hadn't expected things to be this serious. What had happened to make Olivia so intensely self-reflective all of a sudden?

Feeling awkward, Emily cleared her throat and tried to console her. "…It's okay, don't think like that. You're actually very—"

"You kept this from me! You kept this from me! How could you hide this from me!" Olivia's voice took on a rapid-fire quality, as she unleashed a barrage of words. "Emily, you're so unfair to me!"

As Emily slowly typed out a response, she received a second notification on her phone:

"Top billionaire opens verified Weibo account, drops bombshell!"

Seeing "billionaire" and "bombshell" in the same sentence made Emily's heart skip a beat. She hurriedly opened Weibo, not even needing to search—someone had already shared it.

The account name was [Ethanxx], followed by a bright red verification mark. The user's identity was listed as the CEO of Creston Media Enterprises.

Emily was floored—he actually made a Weibo account??

Ethan's private Weibo account followed only one person. He had just posted his first update: a very familiar wedding photo, with a simple caption:

[@Alisa, my wife.]