Chapter 44: She Was Straightforward

"Coming?" Suzie and Natalie asked Ethan at the same time.

"Yeah, hasn't the meeting started yet." Ethan asked the two ladies.

"Tsk, isn't this meeting waiting for you? How can it begin without you?" Suzie rolled her eyes dramatically.

Ethan scratched his head, thinking, Why are they waiting for me? Aren't they the leaders?

Meanwhile, in a quiet corner, a few village women huddled together, whispering.

"Did you hear? Our new village Secretary spent the night at Ethan's house," one of them said mysteriously.

"Really? Don't spread rumors! If the new Secretary hears about this, she'll tear you apart!" another woman replied, her eyes wide with excitement and nervousness.

"It's not a rumor. My man saw her get into Ethan's car and go back with him. After that, she didn't leave the house. He was paying attention! Oh, and Natalie took her little girl over for dinner too. But after nine, Natalie and her daughter left, however, the lights in Ethan's house stayed on. The new Secretary never came out."

"Ah? Doesn't that mean the new Secretary is going to be our aunt soon? That's great news!"

"Great? I thought when Ethan came back, Natalie's hard days would finally be over. Who knew a new woman would appear out of nowhere? Are you supporting Natalie or this outsider?"

"Of course I support Natalie! I watched that girl grow up. But what can we do?"

"I have an idea!" Suddenly, a long-faced woman who'd been eavesdropping chimed in.

"What idea? Hurry and spill it!"

"Hehe, the biggest obstacle between Natalie and Ethan is her daughter, Missy. But that's also the key to solving everything. Ethan's biggest weakness is his soft heart — he can't stand to see others cry. Plus, he loves kids and animals."

The women leaned in closer.

"If Missy starts calling Ethan 'Dad' in front of everyone, do you think Ethan will be able to say no? He'll have to accept her! Once that happens, everything else will fall into place."

"Yes, yes! That's a brilliant plan. We'll take action right after the meeting. We can't let some outsider steal Ethan away. He's rich now, and he's planning to build a big house. No way we're letting someone else reap the benefits."

The three women grew more excited as they plotted, Ethan and the others on the other hand had no idea what was being planned behind their backs.

Soon, the meeting began. Everyone gathered in the village hall, and the atmosphere grew quiet as the old village secretary, Fred, stood up to speak.

"Calm down, calm down!" Fred patted the podium, and the crowd quickly settled.

"Today is our village's first assembly of the year and also the last one I'll be hosting. As you all know, I've reached the age of retirement, but no one has been willing to take over as Branch Secretary. Of the two university graduates in our village, one — Natalie — has already become the village director. The other is Ethan." Fred glanced at Ethan. "But this kid refused to take the position no matter what."

The crowd chuckled softly.

"I had no choice but to go to the town and ask for help. Luckily, this young woman beside me, Suzie Cromwel, has a high sense of duty. She's willing to share our hardships and help us escape poverty. Let's welcome her with a round of applause!"

The hall erupted with applause, especially from the younger men, who clapped a little harder than necessary.

"Thank you! Thank you for your enthusiasm." Suzie raised her hands to quiet the crowd. Then, with a firm voice, she continued. "What the old secretary said wasn't entirely accurate."

The crowd fell silent, confused. Even Fred looked taken aback.

"At first, I didn't come here out of any grand sense of duty. To be honest, when I heard about Ethan, I was skeptical. In this world where money rules everything, why would a young man come back to a poor village and throw his own money into helping others? I thought he was either a fool or someone trying to build a reputation."

The villagers murmured amongst themselves.

"But when I met Ethan, I was proven wrong." She glanced at him briefly before continuing. "They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. When I looked into Ethan's eyes, I saw no greed, no cunning — just honesty and kindness."

"Seeing someone like him, willing to pour his heart and wealth into this village, made me realize that there was something special here. That's why I decided to stay."

She paused, scanning the crowd. "Let's be clear. I didn't come here to save the village. I came here because Ethan inspired me. He's the reason I'm standing before you now. And I'll do everything I can to work alongside him and all of you to make Mistwood a place we can be proud of."

The hall erupted into applause once again, louder and more enthusiastic than before.

Ethan sat quietly, watching Suzie. He never expected her to be so blunt, speaking her mind so openly in front of everyone. It earned her respect, but Ethan knew that such straightforwardness could be a double-edged sword in politics.

Still, in that moment, he couldn't help but admire her honesty.

As the applause continued, Ethan leaned back in his chair, wondering what other surprises Mistwood had in store for him.