Chapter 11 An Unexpected Twist

The moment he saw the man, it struck him—this was someone he couldn't see through at all. For the first time, his instincts failed him. "Ethan, I'll be returning back to report to Old Mr. Smith. By the way, you're the first man to ever stay in this villa. From now on, you'll need to take good care of the young lady," Jared said politely to Ethan. There was an unmistakable undertone to his words, subtly hinting that Ethan and Rebecca could get freaky with each other. "Thank you, Mr. Jared. I'll leave it to you," Ethan replied with a smile. "No trouble at all. I'll be on my way now, Ethan." With that, Jared quickly left the villa, his footsteps brisk and deliberate. As the sound of Jared's departure faded, a faint smile appeared on Ethan's face. He turned and headed up to the second floor at a quick pace. Now that no one else was around to interfere, he thought this was the perfect opportunity. Even if Rebecca screamed her lungs out, no one would come to her rescue. When he reached the second floor, Ethan scanned the hallway. It didn't take long for him to pinpoint which room belonged to Rebecca. With steady determination, he strode toward the door. Knock. Knock. Standing at her door, Ethan gave it a firm knock. To his surprise, before he even finished knocking, the door creaked open—it hadn't been locked. Pushing the door fully open, Ethan's expectations were instantly dashed. The scene he had imagined did not greet him. Instead, Rebecca stormed toward him angrily, clutching a pair of scissors in her hand. "Tsk. It's not like you were changing clothes. Why are you so worked up?" Ethan said, a look of disdain flashing across his face as he smirked. "And even if you were, so what? You're my wife. Sooner or later, it's something I'll see anyway." "You shameless scoundrel! What did you just say?" Hearing his words, Rebecca was even more furious. Clenching the scissors tightly, she charged at him in fury. "I'll kill you, you lecherous rogue!" Thud! As Rebecca charged at him, Ethan effortlessly snatched the scissors from her hand and pinned her against the wall with one swift motion. "Mr. Jared!" Pressed firmly against the wall, Rebecca shouted in panic, her voice trembling. "Mr. Jared has already left," Ethan said with a sly grin, his tone almost teasing. Her heart sank, and panic took hold. "Ethan, what are you trying to do? I'm warning you—don't try anything reckless! If you do, I won't let you get away with it!" She was genuinely afraid that he might force himself on her or do something irreversible. "Oh? What do you think I'm going to do, then?" Ethan's mischievous smile deepened as he gazed at her. "I... I don't know," Rebecca stammered, her heart tightening. She could guess his intentions, but at this moment, it seemed there was no one around to help her. "Ethan, what will it take for you to let me go?" "Just promise me two things, and I might consider letting you go," he replied with a faint smile. "What are they?" she asked hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper. "What does Tristan's family do for a living?" Ethan asked, his expression calm. "What?" Rebecca froze, caught off guard by his question. Of all things, she hadn't expected him to bring this up. "They're in pharmaceutical distribution and also own a chain of beauty salons," she answered after a moment. Hearing her response, a faint trace of killing intent flashed in Ethan's eyes, though it disappeared as quickly as it came. "What's your second request?" Oblivious to the shift in his expression, Rebecca pressed on, eager to free herself from this rogue's grasp as soon as possible. "Can I get 30 bucks?" Ethan asked, his smile turning playful. "What?" Rebecca was stunned again. She had been bracing herself for some outrageous demand, something she might not be able to refuse. Instead, here he was, pinning her against the wall for a mere 30 bucks. She couldn't help but feel insulted. "You only want 30 bucks?" Rebecca stared at Ethan in disbelief. "I don't even have enough for a change of clothes," he explained with a grin. "Let me go. I'll give it to you," she replied, her tone filled with frustration. "Thanks for your generosity, babe," Ethan said with a laugh, taking the money before turning to leave. "Get lost! Who'd want that?" Rebecca shouted, stomping her foot angrily. She found herself utterly exasperated whenever she dealt with Ethan. It was both infuriating and humiliating! For a moment, she couldn't help but feel as if she was worth less than 30 bucks in his eyes. After pocketing the money, Ethan didn't leave the villa immediately. Instead, he found a room and rested for the afternoon. Having traveled for two days straight, he needed a proper break. That evening, after eating dinner prepared by the housekeeper, Ethan finally decided to head out. "Good evening, Mr. Ethan!" As he passed the security post, the guard greeted him politely. "Just call me Ethan," he replied warmly, patting the guard on the shoulder with a friendly smile. "Got a cigarette on you?" "I do, but I'm not sure if you'll like it. It's just a cheap one," the guard answered, looking flustered and a bit flattered by Ethan's down-to-earth demeanor. "No problem. Let me have one," Ethan said with a smile. The guard quickly took out a pack and handed him a cigarette. "Want to join me for one?" Ethan offered. "Not while I'm on duty. If I get caught, my pay will be docked," the guard replied hesitantly. "Don't worry. I'll cover for you," Ethan assured him, lighting one for the guard as well. By the time they finished their cigarettes, Ethan had gathered enough information. There weren't any shops around the villa; to buy personal items like clothes, he'd have to go down the mountain to a mall several miles away.