Chapter 283 Everything
Author's POV:
After dinner, William Haxton led Ethan to his upstairs study, leaving Jade with Mrs. Haxton.
William closed the heavy oak door behind them and turned to his son. "Now that we're alone, I want to know the truth about Jade's injuries."
Ethan remained silent, carefully considering his response. Those injuries would be obvious to even a blind person that they weren't from any ordinary accident.
"That accident?" William continued, his voice firm but quiet."You disappeared at the end of last year, not even showing up for Christmas or New Year's. Then after months of silence, you return with unconscious Jade and fill our home with security personnel."
"If you don't want to tell me, that's fine," William said after a pause. "I just need to know—is it over? Is she safe now?"
Ethan looked directly at his father. "Probably. She killed the leader of the Shadow Organization."
William's eyes widened. "What?"
His father stared at him in disbelief, his expression shifting from shock to understanding as he processed this revelation. Ethan noticed that after this conversation, William looked at Jade differently—no longer with the gaze of an elder regarding a younger person, but with the respect one shows to an equal.
---
Walking back to the villa through the gentle snowfall, Ethan broke the comfortable silence. "How was dinner?"
"Fine," Jade replied.
"Did you enjoy talking with my mother?"
"Yes."
Ethan's shoulders relaxed. "Good." He reached into his coat pocket and handed her a red envelope. Inside was a black card.
"This was originally my father's welcome gift for you," Ethan explained. "But he decided it wasn't grand enough, so he asked me to tell you it's just a recovery gift. He'll prepare a proper welcome gift later."
He slipped the envelope into Jade's coat pocket, then asked, "Did my mother give you something too?"
Jade raised her arm, pulling back her sleeve to reveal a stunning blue crystal bracelet on her wrist.
Ethan's eyes widened slightly. "Do you know what it means that my mother gave you that bracelet? Did she tell you?"
"It's pretty," Jade replied simply.
Ethan's voice took on a careful tone. "Both my sisters-in-law have the same one."
Jade arched an eyebrow. "So it's mass-produced?"
"We should go back and have my mother explain it properly to you," Ethan said, slowing his pace as if ready to turn around.
"No need. Too much trouble," Jade replied.
"So she did explain it?" Ethan pressed.
Jade considered for a moment. "Sort of."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Sort of?"
The bracelet had been custom-made at Crystal Vault years ago, intended for the future wives of the three Haxton sons. Ethan's two sisters-in-law had received theirs after their engagements. The one on Jade's wrist was the last, which Mrs. Haxton had once feared would remain in her possession forever.
"Yes," Jade replied.
Ethan smiled. He took her hand, feeling how cold it was. "Are you cold?"
"Yes."
Ethan opened one side of his coat, wrapping Jade's slender body inside it, shielding her from the wind as they continued walking under the umbrella.
---
Captain was waiting at the villa entrance. As soon as he spotted them approaching, he bounded across the snow to greet them, his tail wagging furiously.
Upstairs, they walked toward Jade's room. At the doorway, she turned and asked Ethan, who was following close behind, "What, planning to sleep with me tonight too?"
"Are you going to shower and rest now?" Ethan asked.
"No."
"I just want to spend more time with you," he admitted.
Night was already on his way back to America. Tomorrow Ethan knew she would be busy, and he had been so absorbed in the joy of her awakening that he hadn't had a proper conversation with her.
Jade studied him before asking, "Do we have any cold medicine in the house?"
"Yes," Ethan replied, then realized she was concerned about him. He smiled warmly. "I'll take some."
He did have a slight cold, but had been too excited to notice the discomfort.
Ethan went downstairs to find medicine. After taking it, he returned to see Jade's door open. He quickened his pace and entered the room.
Jade sat on the sofa, stroking Captain's head. Ethan joined her, sitting nearby. Captain, who had been smiling happily, immediately pulled a long face and moved closer to Jade's leg, clearly seeking her attention.
Ethan wasn't about to compete with a dog, but this one was particularly annoying. He shot Captain a warning glare.
"You don't like him?" Jade asked, noticing the exchange.
Captain immediately stood up with a defiant "Woof!" as if saying he didn't like Ethan either.
Jade patted his head. "Sit down."
Captain obediently sat back on the floor.
Ethan recalled telling her during a massage that he disliked dogs and wanted to beat Captain. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "It's not that. What I said that day about not liking him was somewhat personal. Since you're raising him, it's fine."
Jade seemed amused. "Personal? Because Lawrence Linden gave him to me?"
Unwilling to admit he was jealous of both Lawrence and the dog, Ethan mimicked her earlier tone: "Sort of."
Jade glanced at him and laughed softly. "Sort of my ass."
Ethan smiled and leaned closer, gently bumping his head against hers.
---
The next day, after receiving Jade's video call, Night returned to America immediately. True to his nature, he expressed his longing for Jade without restraint.
Ethan, wanting to avoid conflict and not wishing to put Jade in an awkward position, said goodbye before Night arrived. He knew Night, who had never managed to win Jade's heart, harbored deep resentment toward him.
As Ethan had anticipated, Night wanted to take Jade to Russia. When that proved impossible, his suppressed anger toward Ethan resurfaced when he learned Jade was staying at the Haxton residence.
For the first time, Night seriously asked Jade about her feelings for Ethan.
Upon confirming from Jade herself that she genuinely had feelings for Ethan and was planning to move to the Haxton home, Night could barely contain his rage. He looked ready to murder Ethan.
"What exactly do you see in him?" Night demanded.
Jade's answer was casual but definitive: "Everything."
Night's shoulders trembled with fury.
Chris Jensen tried repeatedly to reason with him, but Night wouldn't listen. Several times, Night became so enraged during their conversations that he threw glasses at Chris's feet, nearly coming to blows with him.
---
Maxi, speaking with Ethan's voice, kept wandering in front of Night, who repeatedly resisted the urge to smash it.
Night stayed at Jade's villa for two or three days, attempting to change her mind about Ethan. During his first attempt, Jade told him: "I kissed him. I initiated it."
His subsequent attempts were met with even more shocking revelations.
"I invited him to bed in Crimson Valley," she said.
"We kissed in Africa too. Many times."
"While I was unconscious, he gave me a good morning kiss and good night kiss every day."
"When I woke up, we had a deep French kiss."
Each statement cut off Night's lecture, driving him to near insanity. He almost tore the villa apart. Captain watched him like he was observing a madman, staying alert to protect Jade should Night lose control.
The depressed Ethan, unable to see Jade, had no idea she had essentially exposed everything about their relationship. He couldn't imagine that during those days, Night had screamed his name at least twenty times: "I'm going to fucking shoot him!"
Two days earlier, Ethan had asked Jade how long Night would stay. She had said he would leave soon, but days passed and he remained.
When Ethan inquired again, Jade explained that Night was sick.
Ethan's first thought was that Night was faking illness, or perhaps manufacturing symptoms as Ethan himself had once done. His goal, Ethan suspected, was to prevent Jade from seeing him, possibly even "threatening" her with his illness while trying to persuade her to leave Ethan.
Surprisingly, Night really was sick.
Looking at the photo Jade sent of Night lying half-dead in bed, Ethan felt he had misjudged the situation.
Night truly was ill—sick with rage, his anger so intense it had physically affected him.
One comment from Jade—"He's really good at kissing"—had made Night see stars, leaving him bedridden for a day.
Chris had laughed for an entire day at Night's reaction.
When Jade photographed Night for Ethan, she had asked Night: "I'm taking a picture of you for him. Want to pose?"
Before returning to Russia, Night made his greatest concession.
"Don't let that Haxton guy appear in front of me. Don't let me see him, or I can't guarantee what I'll do."
"And you can date him at most. Sweetheart, if you dare marry him, I'll definitely crash the wedding with men and weapons."
The mere thought of Jade potentially marrying Ethan and bearing his children made Night want to slam his head against the villa's front door.
Jade responded with a final jab: "Although, I should mention, his 'weapons' are definitely more numerous than yours."