Chapter 111 East Gate Surprise
"Olivia." Ethan's voice was cold and deep, sending a chill down my spine. "Can't I call you without there being something wrong?"
I leaned against the wall, forcing a smile into my voice. "I didn't mean it like that."
He let out a derisive snort. "If I didn't call you, would you ever call me?"
I bit my lip, searching for the right words. "No, I wanted to call you, but the time difference—"
"It's just a few hours. How is that an excuse?" His tone left no room for argument.
I didn't respond. Truthfully, it wasn't an oversight on my part. Ethan and I had nothing in common to talk about. Our calls either devolved into arguments or him saying provocative things just to make me blush. So when he hadn't reached out, I hadn't exactly rushed to dial his number either.
Ethan seemed to read my silence correctly but chose not to press the issue. "Where are you right now?" he asked instead.
"I'm at the university library, working on some practice problems," I replied quickly.
"Don't you have a study at home? Why are you at the library?" His questions came rapid-fire, each one sharper than the last. "What problems? What kind of problems would a fashion design major need to solve?"
I listened to his interrogation without getting defensive, keeping my voice soft and even. "I've registered for the teacher certification exam."
There was a brief pause before he responded with a hint of amusement. "You really want to be a teacher?"
"Not desperately," I admitted, watching students pass by outside the window.
"Do whatever you want. Don't force yourself into something you don't care about."
My voice softened. "It's not forcing myself. Just keeping my options open."
"With me around, you don't need to worry about 'options,'" Ethan stated, possessiveness saturating every word.
I didn't want to continue down this path, so I changed the subject. "When are you coming back?"
"Miss me?" His voice dropped an octave, turning seductive.
I couldn't bring myself to deny it outright, so I offered a noncommittal "Mmm."
I could practically feel the heat of his satisfaction through the phone. "I miss you too. Hard enough that it hurts."
"..." My face burned, and I immediately regretted asking.
"How much longer will you be?" he asked, his commanding tone returning.
I exhaled slowly. "I've actually finished. I was about to leave."
"No rush. Leave in half an hour," Ethan ordered. "Exit through the east gate. Walter will pick you up there."
I frowned in confusion. "Why the east gate?" We always used the south gate since it was closer to the road back home. The east gate would mean taking the long way around.
"Are you a child? Why so many questions? When I say east gate, go to the east gate."
"Compared to you, I am a child," I muttered under my breath, acutely aware of our nearly ten-year age gap.
"Olivia, you're asking for..." Ethan's voice turned dangerous, but he caught himself. "I'll deal with you properly when I get back."
I stayed silent, mentally retorting: You're the one who needs dealing with.
"East gate. Got it?" His tone brooked no argument.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it," I replied dismissively, eager to end this uncomfortable conversation.
After hanging up, I returned to the library and buried myself in my books. This was my brief window of freedom, even if it was just within the university walls. What I didn't know was that Ethan had already returned to Los Angeles and was driving toward my campus.
Thirty minutes later, I closed my books, packed my bag, and headed toward the east gate. The autumn sunset bathed the campus in a warm golden glow, with a gentle breeze rustling the trees. I hugged my books to my chest, walking along the leaf-strewn path, savoring this rare moment of peace.
As I approached the gate, I heard someone call my name.
"Olivia! Olivia Reed!"
I turned to see a guy from my department jogging toward me. He was in the class next to mine, and we shared a few electives.
"Hey," he said with a friendly smile, holding up a small pink plush keychain. "Your Labubu fell off your bag."
Only then did I notice the missing charm from my backpack, with just the metal clasp remaining. "Thank you," I said, taking it with a grateful smile.
"No problem." His eyes fell to the books in my arms. "Are you studying for the teaching certification too?"
I nodded. "Yeah." Being polite, I asked, "Are you?"
"Just signed up," he replied, his smile widening. "Maybe we could study together sometime?"
We chatted briefly about the exam, and then I glanced at my watch. "I should go. Someone's waiting for me."
"See you around," he waved.
I turned toward the gate but froze mid-step. A familiar black Maybach was parked at the curb—Ethan's car. My heart skipped a beat. Walter had never picked me up in this vehicle before; only Ethan drove it.
While I stood there confused, the window slowly lowered, revealing Ethan's cold, severe face. I stared in shock, momentarily unable to move.
"Olivia." His voice carried across the distance between us.
From behind me, the guy called out again: "Olivia, wait up!"
I watched helplessly as Ethan's expression darkened further. His jawline tightened, and his hawk-like eyes took on a dangerous reddish tint at the corners. This version of Ethan terrified me, and I remained frozen in place.
Oblivious to the tension, the guy walked up beside me with a hopeful smile. "Olivia, I'm having my twentieth birthday party the day after tomorrow. Would you like to come?"