Chapter 20: Throw them out.
2164 Words
“Ethan?” Yvonne murmured, her eyes widening in disbelief as her steps faltered.
What right did she have to get everything I couldn’t lay my hands on? Her lips pressed into a thin line as she watched Ethan caressing Jasmine’s, eyes darkening with something unspoken.
“Ethan?” Paul, Jasmine’s father whispered, his earlier arrogance disappeared the moment he finally noticed him.
It was only Jasmine’s mother that was unfazed, not caring to process what Ethan just said.
“Who the hell are you to shut me up when I’m disciplining my daughter?” she hissed, her hands planted firmly on her waist as if she owned the room.
Paul’s eyes widened in horror. “Juliet…” he whispered, tugging her arm to shut her up, but she jerked away.
“Why are you scared of him? He is not Ethan Morgan. He is a fraud.” Juliet eyed Ethan from head to toe, her nose wrinkled in disgust.
Yes, she had seen Ethan Morgan on the news a couple of times with other billionaires, but not physically.
On their wedding day, she and her family arrived a few hours to the end of the reception. She didn’t see Ethan that day.
She had pictured Ethan in her mind, and she was sure that the fraud standing in front of her wasn’t fit to be him. The Ethan the news had reported on was a cold, unfeeling billionaire.
He was always seen with women with heavy curves. Even if Ethan was fixed to marry Jasmine, he would never spare her a glance because she wasn’t even close to the types of women Ethan likes.
This man in front of her was just trying to scare her. Nothing else. She speculated.
Jasmine studied her mother and her lips curled up. From her body language, it seems like she really didn’t know Ethan, or let’s say she hadn’t met him before.
“Juliet, keep quiet.” Paul pulled her back. “That’s Ethan Morgan, the heir to the Morgan’s empire.”
“Yes, mom. He is Ethan.” Yvonne moved closer to her mom and confirmed Ethan’s identity, which made Juliet freeze in place, mouth parted.
“Impossible.” She whispered as she took a step back in shock.
“Ohh? Mrs. Wood,” Ethan took a step forward, “since you are so sure I’m not Ethan Morgan, who am I then?” he said, his arms crossed on his chest, his expression unreadable.
Juliet yelped in fear as she took a step back. She felt intimidated by Ethan, whose aura filled the room.
“Uh-uh,” Paul cleared his throat. “Ethan, My wife didn’t really mean that. She was just blinded with rage.”
“Mr. Morgan to you.” Ethan coldly corrected. “I didn’t recall giving you permission to address me by my first name.”
Paul’s mouth snapped shut instantly. “I’m sorry, Mr. Morgan.” He gritted his teeth, his sharp gaze travelled towards Jasmine, who was protected by Ethan’s powerful body.
You ungrateful daughter. Let’s see how I deal with you later...
If not because Paul had been trying to submit a proposal with the Morgan’s groups of companies for a while now, he wouldn’t have swallowed such disrespect.
Both families had business dealings, and with Jasmine being married to Ethan, seeing him should have been easier, but that wasn’t the case for him.
To compete with his elder brother for the position of the Wood’s enterprises next chairman, he had to prove himself worthy of the position without pulling any strings.
For the past three months, he had been trying to submit a proposal to Ethan, but he wasn’t able to. He was advised to book a reservation, which means waiting for another six months.
“I…” Juliet swallowed as her legs wobbled. “I didn’t mean—” she stammered, words tumbling from her lips in panic.
“You meant what, Mrs. Wood?” Ethan replied. “You barged into my wife’s ward shouting and insulting her, then had the audacity to call me a fraud?”
He took another step forward, slow and deliberate.
Juliet took a step back in panic. She hit the wall behind her and hissed in pain.
“I—She—We didn’t know—” she whispered, her voice shaking.
“You didn’t care to know,” Ethan interrupted her. “You walked in with no concern and care for my wife!”
Jasmine’s breath hitched behind him. Ethan was really good at this. This was the first time he was calling her his wife with so much affection as if he couldn’t bear to see her get hurt.
A feeling Jasmine couldn’t describe filled her heart, her piled up anger from her parents visit, and Ethan’s earlier words instantly evaporated. Her eyes softened unknowingly as they gazed at Ethan’s powerful back.
He looked powerful and cute as he protected me. She noted, smiling.
Paul swallowed hard. “Mr. Morgan, please forgive my wife. She didn’t mean any harm.”
Ethan’s eyes flickered to him, unforgiving. “I don’t care,” he said simply. “Ignorance isn’t an excuse. No one speaks to my wife anyhow in front of me and goes scot free.”
Yvonne fists tightened beside her, eyes shining with jealousy. Why? Why is she always better than me, why? She raged internally.
She should have been the one who married Ethan, but her biased grandfather gave Jasmine the marriage instead. She wasn’t reconciled. She would snatch everything away from Jasmine, just like when they were kids.
“Mr Morgan,” Paul said again, trying to find another excuse. “We really care about Jasmine. We came to check up on her to see if she was doing well.”
“Ahh,” Ethan chuckled. “Check up on her by this time of the night shouting and kicking the door open?”
“No,” they chorused as they shook their heads in protest.” Guilt flashing across their faces.
“Had I not been here today, who knows what you would have done to my wife in my absence.” Ethan snapped, his words sending shivers down Yvonne and her parents’ spine.
The thought of this alone was enough to make Ethan’s blood boil. He never knew Jasmine was treated this badly by her parents. No wonder anytime he asked her about her parents when they were still in a relationship years ago, she always brushed it off.
“And you…” Ethan pointed at Yvonne, who shrank her neck back.
“To think you are Jasmine’s elder sister is really sickening.”
Yvonne bit her lips so hard that she drew out blood, her fingers digging hard into her flesh.
“Just because you are jealous of her, you always do unspeakable things to her. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” Ethan really wanted to punch someone, but he controlled his rage.
“From today onward, if I see any of you anywhere close to my wife, you will face the consequences. And if you think I’m joking about this, try me and see what I would do to each of you.”
He pinned them with his gaze for a second before turning back to Jasmine, whose eyes were also on him. He could see the emotions swimming in them, but he doesn’t know how to interpret them.
He patted her head, smiling, which made Jasmine stunned. This should be the first time she would be seeing a natural smile on Ethan’s face. It wasn’t filled with calculations, mocking, and disgust.
He looked really handsome when he smiled. Jasmine wondered.
“Jasmine,” Paul’s false, gentle voice cut through their warm moment.
“What did you want?” Jasmine scoffed, her eyes cold.
This b***h. Who does she think she is to speak to dad like that? Yvonne eyed Jasmine.
“You…” Paul wanted to curse her out of habit, but remembering that Ethan was still around, he painfully swallowed them.
“I’m your father. I won’t hurt you.” He said softly, masking his anger. “I was just trying to confirm if you really bullied Yvonne like she had reported.”
“Can you please make Mr. Morgan understands that we didn’t mean any harm.” Paul said in expectation.
“You are not my father, Paul. You are just a sperm donor.” Jasmine yelled, unable to take it anymore. She’d had it up to her neck, and she was tired of pretending.
“You…” Juliet pointed a shaky finger at Jasmine. “How dare you say that to your father, you ungrateful, badluck bitch.” She yelled, not minding that Ethan was still around.
“Woman, mind your language.” Ethan warned Juliet, who immediately swallowed the words she hadn’t said.
Paul gritted his teeth, wanting to say something, but Jasmine cut him off.
“You called yourself my father. Have you ever for a day played the role of a father to me?” Jasmine continued, tears filling her eyes, pricking Ethan’s heart.
“I have to work part-time to pay my tuition fees in college. I have to do many jobs not to go hungry, and I have a wealthy father who really don’t give a f**k about me!”
Her tears spilled as she remembered the past. She thought she was over it, but the memories were still there.
Ethan took out a handkerchief from his suit pocket and wiped her face. “Everything would be fine. I’m here now. No one would bully you anymore.”
Ethan shut his eyes tightly, trying really hard to control the rage brewing inside of him. He should have known better when they were in school.
He had thought Jasmine was a poor student, who needed to work to survive. Who knew she came from a prestigious family like the Woods.
“Someone,” Ethan shouted at the door in anger.
The door was pushed open, and six bodyguards rushed in.
“Throw them out. I never wanted to see them anywhere close to my wife again.” Ethan ordered.
“Yes boss.” They chorused before rushing to the shameless family of three.
Two bodyguards grabbed them each as they dragged them out.
“Jasmine, you ungrateful b***h. How dare you treat your mother this way?” Juliet shouted, her legs flailing in the air. The bodyguards were forced to shove a dirty handkerchief in her mouth before she was shut up.
A few minutes later, the room was finally silent. Ethan sat beside Jasmine, her head resting on his shoulder as he patted her head gently.
“Let it all out. I’m here. Everything will be fine.” Ethan whispered.
Ethan’s word was the agent that finally broke all the barriers Jasmine had been shielding herself with. Jasmine let out all her pent up frustration and cried on his shoulder.
Ethan accompanied her in a peaceful silence, only Jasmine’s sniffs filled the room.
A short time later, Jasmine stopped crying. Looking at the wet patches on Ethan’s shirt, her ears reddened.
“I ruined your shirt. I’m sorry.” She lowered her head like a child who was waiting to be judged for her wrongdoings.
Ethan watched her through lowered lashes, enjoying how she was nervously twisting her fingers just the way he remembered.
“It’s fine.” Ethan breathed, his fingers raising her chin up so she could look straight into his eyes.
“Do you want me to get someone to deal with them?” He asked, but Jasmine shook her head.
“No.” Her eyes looked deeply into his, searching for something she herself didn’t realize. “I will deal with them myself.”
Ethan sighed quietly. It’s fine. Anything she wanted to do, I’d just have to support her from behind…
“Alright.” He agreed.
Both of them didn’t seem to realize how close they were as they sat there, looking deeply into each other’s eyes.
The tension in the air suddenly thickened. Before they realized what was happening, their mouths were inch apart, almost touching.
Ethan was about to close in and held the back of Jasmine’s head when the door was kicked open.
“Jasmine, I saw your parents and Yvonne dragged out of here just now. “Are you okay?” Daniel rushed in, breaking the kissing spell in the air.
Jasmine immediately pushed Ethan away, her cheeks tinted red. Ethan really wanted to punch Daniel, for ruining his chance to kiss her.
Daniel, who noticed the awkwardness in the room, didn't understand the situation. He took in the scene and immediately concluded what was happening on his own.
Seeing Jasmine’s red eyes, his jaw tightened as his fists clenched. “You bastard. What did you do to her?”
Daniel rushed forward, his fist shot out in a punch at Ethan’s direction.
- Writer
