Chapter 151 Is He For Real?
Emily let out a cold laugh. "Hmph, you think he's some kind of good guy?"
"Ethan Bennett is fundamentally not someone who follows rules. He's always been unorthodox, walking the line between right and wrong. Even in the military, he had a notorious reputation. Though he never did anything explicitly illegal, his methods were no better than those of criminals."
Zoe remained silent, listening carefully.
"He could use methods as cruel as those of drug dealers to deal with drug dealers themselves. That should tell you he's not exactly a paragon of virtue."
Zoe had placed the call on speakerphone, and beside her stood Harry with an expressionless face. When she heard Emily disparaging Ethan, Zoe nearly stopped breathing in fear.
Emily went on: "He retired from service and entered business, and in just a few years established himself firmly in the corporate world, getting Bennett Enterprises firmly in his grip. Anyone with half a brain can figure out how deep his schemes run and how ruthless his methods are."
Zoe listened quietly for a while, but staying silent forever wasn't an option. She carefully responded, "I'm not familiar with any of that. But, Ms. Sullivan, what do we do now? I truly wanted to help you get even, but it seems I've just made things worse. This is all my fault!"
"You idiot," Emily snapped. "Fine, in the future think before you act. Check with me first, and don't make decisions on my behalf again!"
"Yes, yes, of course, Ms. Sullivan," Zoe agreed quickly. "I promise I won't do anything this stupid again!" Then, with an apologetic tone, she asked, "But what should we do now? Should I apologize to Ms. Pearson and tell her I was just jealous of her, and deliberately—"
Emily cut her off impatiently: "Enough. You stay out of this. I'll handle it."
Zoe played the part of the thoughtless employee perfectly, immediately asking, "How do you plan to handle it?"
"That's not your concern," Emily replied. "There's a cocktail party tomorrow night. Dress appropriately and accompany me."
Ethan entered the store just as Emily ended the call.
Emily's red lips curved into a seductive smile. "Where did you go, Ethan?"
"Company business," he replied. "Had to take a call."
Emily cast him a flirtatious glance. "Was it business at the company, or business at Oakwood Estate?" Then, half-jokingly, she added, "Or was it your little girlfriend calling to cry and beg you to come home?"
The corner of Ethan's mouth twitched slightly as he thought, If only.
That iron-hearted Olivia—her appearance completely contradicted her personality. She looked like a delicate willow that might bend in the slightest breeze, but her character was stubborn and unyielding. Whenever they argued, he was always the first to back down. If he didn't, she would never show weakness. Even if he stayed away for days or weeks, she wouldn't cry or beg him to return—she might even secretly be glad.
Emily caught the momentary softness in Ethan's eyes, and her hand at her side clenched involuntarily, her nails digging painfully into her palm.
She turned to pick up the crocodile skin handbag that Olivia had examined earlier. "What do you think of this bag?" she asked with a smile.
Ethan gave it a cursory glance. "If you like it, buy it."
A mere bag was nothing to him.
"Thank you, Ethan," Emily smiled warmly, with surprising depth of feeling. "I'll accept it as your Christmas gift to me."
"You're welcome," Ethan replied flatly.
Emily raised an eyebrow, her smile taking on a distinct allure. "I should give you a gift in return. I can't just take without giving back. What would you like?"
"Nothing," Ethan said.
Just as he finished speaking, his phone chimed with a message alert.
Ethan walked out of the flagship store, pulled out his phone, and saw a message from Justin—a long wall of text.
Ethan frowned, but still read through it patiently.
[Ethan, this is really none of my business, and I shouldn't interfere. But I've thought about it, and as both your employee and friend, I feel I should say something: honesty is the most important thing in a relationship. I think you should tell Olivia the truth about using Emily as a shield. Let her know you're doing this to protect her, so she won't misunderstand.]
Ethan stared at the message, his mouth twisting into a bitter smile.
Honest? How exactly?
He was using Emily while she used him. How could he explain such calculated manipulation to Olivia?
It wasn't that she wouldn't understand their social circle's ugly games. He knew with certainty that honesty would only push her away. If Olivia learned what he was doing, she'd never accept it or quietly endure it.
No, he couldn't tell her. He'd handle the dirty work quietly, weather the storm himself while she finished her studies under his protection. Later, once everything was resolved, she could become Mrs. Bennett without complications.
Ethan ignored Justin's message.
Justin persisted:
[The truth will come out eventually. And Emily isn't stupid—if you can use her, she can use you too.]
[What if she leverages public opinion to trap you? What if she turns this fake arrangement real? You might not escape cleanly.]
Ethan's expression hardened, eyes cold as ice.
[We'll see if she has what it takes.]
Justin: [You're right—Emily's no match for you. But if Olivia doesn't trust you completely, you'll have problems. The longer you wait to be honest, the worse it gets.]
Ethan frowned in frustration and sent a terse voice message: "Enough. Focus on your job!"
After listening to the message, Justin sighed.
Though he'd expected this reaction, it still disappointed him. He worried about Ethan's fate in love.
The problem was simple: Ethan had held power too long. He was used to controlling everything. When something threatened to slip away, he didn't adjust—he tightened his grip.
Such tactics worked in business and war, but not in relationships.
Like squeezing sand: the tighter you hold, the more quickly it escapes. Only with an open palm would the sand remain.
Ethan surely understood this concept, but pride prevented him from applying it.
---
Olivia had talked tough, acting like she didn't care, but after hanging up the phone, she felt incredibly anxious and troubled.
She wanted Ethan to be honest with her just once, to stop treating her like a fool or a plaything to be deceived. Whether he was engaged or not.
If he wasn't, that would be ideal.
But if he was, couldn't he tell her clearly so they could part ways amicably?
She picked up her phone, looked at the disconnected signal bars, cursed "you bastard" under her breath, and called Ethan.
When the call connected, Olivia asked directly, "Ethan, I'll only ask you once. Are you engaged to someone else or not? If you say no, I'll believe you."