Chapter 277
Ethan had given Harry clear orders: erase all traces of the operation. Lilian couldn't know he was behind it. She had insisted on solving the case alone—and out of respect, he had promised to keep his distance.
But now... everything indicated that she knew.
Worry tightened his chest. He needed to talk to Harry immediately and find out who had broken confidentiality.
“Mr. Ethan Legrand, please answer me,” Lilian insisted, her tone now firmer. “Did you send the evidence?”
Ethan continued to stare at her, his gaze distant, as if he were there, but at the same time miles away in thought.
Lilian frowned, confused.
Then, slowly, a slight smile appeared on his lips. There was tenderness, but also caution.
“Lilian, my love...” he said in a calm tone as he caressed her face. “The important thing is that you have what you needed.”
She watched him silently, trying to decipher what was hidden behind that ambiguous answer. Something in his gaze told her that there was much more to this story—and that Ethan Legrand still had secrets.
An idea popped into Ethan's mind—a test to gauge how much Lilian really knew about his involvement.
“Why did you assume it was me who sent it?” he asked calmly, keeping a slight smile on his lips. “Is there something I've done that makes you suspect me?”
Lilian hesitated. For a moment, she doubted her own intuition.
Had she been too hasty?
“Why don't we sit down first?” Ethan suggested, taking her hand. “Then maybe you can tell me exactly what you're thinking.”
He led her to the sofa, and they sat down side by side. The silence lasted a few seconds before Lilian began to speak.
She explained in detail everything about the Joana case—how they were stuck, with no solid evidence to put her in prison, and how the woman had been using social media to play the victim, attracting public support. But when all seemed lost, the mysterious package had arrived, bringing the perfect evidence.
As Lilian spoke, Ethan listened silently, controlling every reaction.
“Ethan,” she continued, fixing her gaze on him, “Dinho found out that the person who left the package in my office knew one of the men who was with you that day... in the park... when the gangster attacked me.”
Ethan felt his body stiffen.
Instantly, the name Charlie, head of his security team, echoed in his mind. Of course—Charlie was with him that day.
Inside, he cursed himself for the team's small slip-up. But at the same time, a subtle relief washed over him. Lilian still didn't seem to suspect his parallel operations. Not yet, anyway.
Even so, it was impossible to completely hide the tension. Ethan rubbed the back of his neck and smiled guiltily.
“I'm sorry, Lilian...” he began, choosing his words carefully. “If I helped you without telling you first, it was only because I wanted to lighten the burden you were carrying with this case.”
I asked Charlie, who was with me that day, to investigate and look for evidence. He ended up sending everything to you..."
Ethan stopped talking—abruptly.
Lilian's lips touched his, warm, soft, silent. A quick, unexpected kiss, but full of gratitude. She pulled away before he could respond more intensely.
“Thank you, Ethan,” she said, smiling tenderly. “This time, I'm really happy with your help. When everything seemed like a dead end, you gave us a way out. And what makes me happiest is that you didn't try to brag about it. You let me figure it out for myself, in your own way... without condescension.”
Ethan blinked, surprised. He had expected a scolding—not a kiss.
She continued, her gaze steady.
“You know... if we didn't have this evidence, that woman could be back in the entertainment industry in the blink of an eye.” Lilian paused when she noticed the look of astonishment on her husband's face. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Ethan took a deep breath, a slow, sincere smile appearing.
“I thought you were going to be mad at me,” he admitted. “Because I helped you without you asking.”
Lilian laughed softly, shaking her head.
“Oh, Ethan... with you, I've learned that not all help is intrusion. Sometimes it's love disguised as strategy.”
His smile widened—and in that instant, the tension that had hung in the air dissolved.
“Ethan, why would I be angry about that?” Lilian laughed at his confused expression. “Instead, thank you. You helped me a lot...”
“You've probably forgotten,” Ethan replied, raising an eyebrow.
“But you were the one who asked me not to get involved when I offered to help.”
Lilian nodded, taking a deep breath. At first, she had underestimated the case. She thought Joana was just a desperate woman trying to get away with something. But as the days went by, she realized there was something much bigger behind it.
“I know,” she said. “At first, I thought it was a simple case. But I found out that someone with experience is helping that woman.”
Ethan frowned.
“Someone behind her?”
He had never considered that possibility. When he got the evidence, he just made sure Fabio was arrested, without delving into Joana's connections.
“Yes.” Lilian crossed her arms thoughtfully. “At first, I suspected your mother. I thought Suelen might be involved. But after we investigated, we found out that she hasn't had any contact with Joana since...” She paused briefly. “Since that meeting at the restaurant two months ago.”
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
“And what happened there?”
“According to what we found out, Joana left the restaurant in a terrible state, as if she had been humiliated. After that, she disappeared completely. No one was able to track where she went.”
Ethan was silent for a few seconds, processing the information.
“Interesting...” he muttered, already mentally formulating orders for his team. “So she has someone behind the scenes.”
Lilian nodded.
“Yes, but I'm not thinking about her anymore. She'll be behind bars soon. My lawyer is already sending the evidence to the police.”
Her eyes sparkled with a satisfaction that mixed justice and relief.
Ethan smiled when he saw her finally relax. He approached her and wrapped her in a firm embrace, feeling her body surrender to calm.
“I'm happy to see you smile again,” he said softly.
Lilian rested her head on his chest, feeling the familiar and comforting warmth.
But in a few seconds, Ethan tilted his face, letting out a mischievous whisper in her ear.
“Wife... let's give Théo a little sister.”
Lilian looked up, completely speechless.
She could only stare at him, between surprise and disbelief, while he smiled with that air of someone who never misses a chance to tease her.
“Ethan Legrand...” she murmured, shaking her head and trying to contain her laughter. “You really have no limits.”
He just chuckled softly, satisfied with her reaction, before pulling her a little closer.