Chapter 0146
Charlotte straightened up, understanding the situation, “That Dong heiress is no saint either. It’s not all Tianhao’s fault if she went along willingly.”
“You’re really… *cough cough cough*…” Mason struggled to breathe between his coughs..
The pair before him, mother and son, their attitudes made it
impossible for Mason to vent his anger. All he could do was wave them away, hoping they’d leave his sight before they infuriated him to his deathbed.
Charlotte noticed his worsening complexion and pulled Julius away first, “Can’t you act a bit more sensible in front of your dad?” she said frantically.
The thought of Mason suddenly passing away terrified her, if that happened, she and Julius would be left with nothing. How could Charlotte swallow such an injustice?
In Haisu City.
The helicopter touched down safely just past ten o’clock.
Madison stepped out and took a deep breath, trying to capture the essence of this seaside city. The air did feel different here than in Slandon Harbor, which was often marred by pollution due to its dense population and traffic.
“Do you like it here?” Ethan approached, taking her hand.
Madison turned to him with a sweet smile, “With you, any city is
perfect.”
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Her job had her running between cities so often it left her feeling a
bit nomadic.
Her words, however, struck Ethan differently.
“Do you really feel that way?” He drew her closer, his gaze deepening.
Madison pursed her lips, “Mhm.”
Their love story might not have been groundbreaking, but it had certainly been intense and passionate.
After all, Ethan had given her experiences she’d never had before. If asked about their romance, Madison would definitely give it her
glowing endorsement.
Just as Ethan was about to speak, a call came through.
He frowned, “Wait for me.”
Stepping aside, Ethan answered, “What’s happened?”
It was the butler from the Grant family estate, his voice heavy with concern, “Master Ethan, Mr. Jiang’s illness has worsened this year. Will you come to see him?”
Ethan scoffed, “He has his own family, doesn’t he? Why should I care? It’s not like I’m a doctor.”
He didn’t care about Mason’s fate and was no longer interested in hiding it.
Harsh as it sounded, whether Mason lived or died had nothing to do with Ethan anymore.
“The thing is, you’re still his son at the end of the day. With Mrs. Xin and her son causing mayhem, and me with limited power as the butler, I fear for the fate of the estate…”
The butler was naturally loyal to the legitimate heir, but with little
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influence, there wasn’t much he could do.
If he hadn’t overheard Charlotte coaching Julius on how to coax Mr. Jiang into transferring the estate over to Julius’s name, he would
have never troubled Ethan with a call.
Getting the hint, Ethan said, “I’ll be back in a few days.”
“Ah, yes, thank you, Master Ethan. You’re busy, I understand.”
As Ethan returned to her, Madison noticed the subtle change in his demeanor, “Is something wrong?”
Ethan paused, “Why do you ask?”
“Even though you’re trying to hide it, my eyes are trained to notice,” she said, squeezing his wrist, “Can you share with me?”
His mood lifted slightly at her smile.
Ethan chuckled, pulling her hand, “First, let’s get you to the spa l booked.”
“A spa?”
Madison suddenly remembered Ethan mentioning a skin treatment, You really think my skin is that bad?”
“I didn’t mean that at all.”
He explained, “But the beautician we’re seeing is internationally renowned. She’s worked with many Hollywood stars. She’s in Haisu City now, and William booked an appointment for you. It can’t hurt.”
“Do you want a treatment too?” Madison teased with a twinkle in her eye.
“I’m a man, what skincare do I need?”
“Men need to take care of their skin too. Otherwise, I’ll still look young and you’ll be all wrinkled, how aging that would be,” she teased
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him.
It was meant as a joke, but to her surprise, Ethan took it seriously.
By the time they met the skincare expert, Madison was promptly placed on the treatment bed for professional care, while Ethan found himself chatting with the beautician.
“Do I have wrinkles? Is my skin okay? Does it look old?”
The mention of looking older had hit a nerve. Ethan, already insecure. about being a few years senior to Madison, was plunged further into panic.
Old? Unacceptable!
The beautician, seasoned and professional, didn’t bat an eye at Ethan’s concerns about his skin. She gave him solid advice and even offered a complimentary skin treatment, insisting on doing it herself.
Madison graciously suggested Ethan go first.
Unable to argue with her, Ethan acquiesced, lying on the treatment bed for a series of skincare routines typically reserved for women: hydrating, anti-wrinkle, and eye wrinkle reduction. Madison had to stifle her laughter.
While Ethan had a gold Sophia mask applied, Madison snapped a photo with her phone, capturing both her laughing reflection and
Ethan on the treatment bed.
She noticed how his hand still rested on her waist as if he couldn’t bear not to touch her.
“Hey, can I post this on F******k?” she leaned over and asked.
Ethan, eyes still closed, said, “Go ahead.”
“You’re not embarrassed?” she whispered.
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Ethan finally opened his eyes, “President Grant has a thick skin. Don’t overthink it, just post it.”
“Alright.”
Madison posted the photo on F******k with the caption:
[President Grant, offline for once, indulges in a day of skincare.]
William copied it to his own F******k instantly.
“Let me see,” Ethan reached out.
Madison handed him the phone.
He examined the post, “Hmm, not bad. You didn’t make me look like some middle-aged uncle.”
“What’s wrong with middle-aged uncles?” Madison retrieved her phone, “I’d like them too.”
Ethan’s gaze fell on her, laden with an unspeakable depth of emotion.
“Madison.”
“Yes?”
In a grave tone, he asked, “How much longer until you’re ready to consider marriage?”
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