Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

"Which hottie caught your eye?" Bella noticed my weird expression and leaned in.

I awkwardly whispered, "I think I saw the guy who took me to the hospital that day."

"Which one?" Bella got curious and followed my gaze. "The one in the white shirt, looking pretty hot, and smoking?" Ethan had striking looks and a strong presence. No wonder Bella spotted him right away.

I barely nodded before Bella dragged me toward him.

"Bella, forget it." I tried to hold her back. I wanted to thank Ethan, but not here.

"What are you scared of? You know him, so just say hi." Bella wouldn't listen. She was strong, and I couldn't stop her. "Hey, long time no see." Bella acted like she knew Ethan, even though she didn't. I knew him but was too shy to speak. Ethan, lounging on the sofa, looked up and locked eyes with me. I felt flustered.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

"Sorry, old friends catching up. Mind if we join?" Bella pushed me next to Ethan, then sat on the other side, addressing the others.

I lost my balance and fell next to Ethan. He put his arm around me, and his scent overwhelmed me, making me blush.

I tried to pull away, but Ethan tightened his grip. He leaned in close, almost kissing my ear. "Still mad at me? Can we make up?" His deep voice was like an electric current, loud enough for everyone to hear. I blushed deeply. A bald middle-aged man gave me a curious look and asked Ethan, "Who is this?"

"My girlfriend." Ethan's quick response shocked everyone, including Bella and me.

The man, after recovering, looked regretfully at the girl next to him. "Looks like my daughter is late."

"Yeah, my daughter missed her chance too. But Mr. Windsor, you're so low-key. When did you get a girlfriend? No news at all." Another man with a big belly also expressed regret.

I started to understand. They were trying to set their daughters up with Ethan, and he was using me as an excuse to reject them.

The two girls, young and beautiful, now looked at me with resentment. I felt wronged but had to play along. Ethan had helped me before, so I owed him this favor.

"Which family is this young lady from?" The bald man seemed intent on embarrassing me.

I couldn't answer that. I wasn't from a wealthy family, and my background might embarrass Ethan.

Ethan extinguished his cigarette and held my hand, smiling slightly. "She's my future wife."

His protective stance was strong, just like when he defended me at the hospital, making my heart flutter.

Ethan's assertive declaration silenced their jealousy and curiosity, creating an awkward atmosphere. Finally, the big-bellied man tried to ease the tension by toasting us, which helped a bit.

I noticed their somewhat flattering attitude towards Ethan, making me even more curious. 'Who exactly is Ethan? What kind of business is he in?'

I thought I might catch some clues from their conversation, but they only talked about trivial matters.

The two men occasionally toasted Ethan, who accepted every drink, but he never let go of my hand.

Later, when I went to the restroom, Bella, who had been playing with her phone, immediately offered to come with me. I knew she was curious about my relationship with Ethan. Given her temperament, it was impressive she had held back this long.

Sure enough, we hadn't walked far when Bella wrapped her arm around my neck and questioned me, "Spill it. When did you two get together? You're amazing at keeping secrets."

I looked at Bella, half amused, half exasperated. "You're so smart. Can't you tell he's just using me as an excuse?"

"Really? He acted so convincingly. The way he looked at you didn't seem fake."

"That just means he's a good actor," I said.

I didn't know what kind of look he gave me; I was too busy being embarrassed and nervous.

After I repeatedly assured Bella that there was no romantic entanglement between Ethan and me, she finally let it go.

After leaving the restroom, we hadn't walked far when I froze. In the bar hallway not far away, my legal husband Arthur was passionately kissing Vivian.