The sudden warmth that pressed against him left Ethan momentarily stunned, but he quickly understood Isabella's intentions. This kiss wasn't for them—it was a performance, staged for the "Dylan's people" she assumed were tailing them.
Isabella had likely decided to kiss him as a tactic, ensuring the so-called spies would witness it and hopefully snap photos to send to Dylan. She wanted nothing more than to infuriate him.
But it wasn't just anger driving Isabella to kiss Ethan; she'd decided that his value to her now made him worthy of a kiss—worth the risk of making it a little more real.
The moment he sensed her inexperience, Ethan realized this was likely her first kiss. She was trying to act confident, even slightly aggressive, unwilling to show any sign of timidity, but her lack of experience was painfully obvious. Determined to appear as skilled as he was, she went in harder than necessary.
After ten seconds, she released her hold on his neck, her breathing heavy. She quickly withdrew back into the car, composed herself, and, with a slight curve of her lips, said, "Good night."
Ethan looked at her silently for three seconds before smiling back. "Sweet dreams. Drive safe and take it slow."
He turned and walked away, considering for a moment whether he should push his relationship with Isabella further that evening. He was confident that, with a few more words, he could deepen their connection tonight. But he also knew that pursuing this too soon might upset the balance between them.
Ethan wanted more than a superficial conquest. In his previous experiences with Isabella, she had always retained the upper hand, treating their encounters as calculated arrangements rather than genuine affection. She had even left him with "overnight fees" and once, a rather insulting "donation," hinting that she was only using him as a form of "genetic material"—an ally against her family's pressure to marry Dylan.
Now, with a brighter future in sight, Ethan was determined to ensure that any relationship they had was truly mutual, free from the manipulations of the past. He wanted to guide Isabella into respecting and seeing him as an equal, someone she couldn't just treat as a resource to exploit.
Pondering this, Ethan strolled down the street, pulling out a tissue to wipe off her lipstick and residual warmth. Examining his reflection in his phone's darkened screen, he was grateful to find his lips hadn't swollen from her overly enthusiastic attempt.
Arriving at his apartment building, he paused and glanced around to check for any lingering observers before heading upstairs.
Meanwhile, upstairs at Ethan's door…
"Lily, I'm starving! We haven't eaten all day. Let's just grab some food instead of waiting here," Chloe said, rubbing her empty stomach.
"No way! We're catching this scumbag tonight! I don't care if he thinks he can just slip away without any consequences," Lily insisted, her tone determined. "We'll confront him, and then we'll call the police to get him arrested for his lies!"
"But… I was kind of okay with it," Chloe muttered sheepishly. "It was actually kind of fun, and honestly, last night…"
"Chloe! Are you seriously defending him?" Lily whispered harshly, waving an electric baton with a tight grip. "He tricked you, took advantage of you, and you're seriously just going to let that go?"
"Well, no… but I mean, it wasn't that bad," Chloe admitted, her face turning red. "Besides, I don't feel cheated or anything. I'm not upset…"
"Then why did you call me all upset, thinking I set you up? You really thought I'd throw you to the wolves like that?"
"I just wanted his number…" Chloe mumbled, glancing away.
"Forget it! You're clearly too nice for your own good. We're waiting here until he comes back, and that's final!" Lily insisted.
From their spot on the stairs just outside Ethan's apartment, Chloe had long since lost her initial drive. She was beginning to regret not eating all day, especially after her attempts to leave were thwarted by Lily's insistence on "teaching this scumbag a lesson he'll never forget."
Suddenly, they heard the distinct sound of footsteps echoing from below.
"Shhh! Someone's coming up… it might be him!" Lily whispered urgently, gripping her electric baton tightly.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]