Celeste Harper looked puffed up, cheeks slightly flushed like someone had just inflated her delicate face in one breath—it was oddly cute. "You just said it was a rumor," Ethan Shaw sighed, clearly at a loss. "So how am I supposed to explain a rumor?" Her angry expression froze for a couple of seconds, and she was momentarily speechless. Neither of them said a word after that. Her gaze was questioning, his totally unbothered. But even if Ethan looked completely calm and honest, it wasn’t like her doubts had just disappeared. She didn’t bring it up again—mostly out of pride. No way was she going to lay all her cards on the table first. "I’ll half-trust you then," she muttered, dodging his eyes, tone still a bit bitter. Ethan chuckled lightly. "Got anything to eat in the

