Chapter 3 No One Can Bully You
1123 Words
Silence fell outside the door, and inside as well.
Ethan carefully laid Sophia on the bed, his arms braced on either side of her, caging her within his presence.
"Ethan..."
With flushed cheeks, she attempted to push him away, but after the night's events, her body felt limp and weak. Her push against him felt more like a caress.
Ethan's gaze deepened, his sensual lips pressed into a hard line.
He lifted his hand to brush away the tears at the corner of her eye, his touch tender, yet the aura he exuded at this moment was overwhelmingly domineering.
Sophia instinctively tried to dodge, but he gently cupped her chin.
She looked at him with her big watery eyes, her eyes betraying her fear.
"What’s there to fear? Hm?"
The man's voice was low and deep, as if rolling from the depths of his throat, inexplicably alluring.
"Mr. Graham..."
Ethan bent down and captured her trembling lips, brushing against them with a tenderness and affection she was unaware of.
"You're still calling me Mr. Graham?"
His voice was soft and slow, but Sophia could hear the underlying threat.
If she didn't comply, he might not remain so gentle.
Tears welled up in Sophia's eyes again as she grasped his hand as it lingered on her chest, suddenly flustered.
"Last night, I... I didn't know... I just..."
Her incoherent words brought a hint of tenderness to Ethan's eyes.
"As long as I'm here, no one will ever dare to hurt you again!"
He stopped, instead wrapping her in his arms and gently patting her back.
Sophia told herself she should push him away and explain that everything from last night was just a misunderstanding.
Tell him that if he really married her, he would face so much ridicule.
But in this moment, his embrace felt so warm—a warmth she had never known before.
She indulged in it for just a moment, and her weary body unexpectedly surrendered to sleep.
Only when her breathing had become more steady did Ethan gently place her into the soft bed, then pressed a button on the headboard.
A moment later, a knock sounded at the door. With Ethan's permission, it opened, and his assistant Oliver stepped inside.
He wore a black suit with glasses, his tie impeccably knotted. From the moment he entered, his gaze fell on Ethan, not looking around, clearly having received professional training.
"Mr. Graham, we've completed the investigation."
Ethan stood with his back turned, his deep gaze resting on Sophia's tranquil, sleeping face.
"Speak."
Ethan's voice was flat, but Oliver, who had worked for him for over a decade, knew better.
In truth, he bore some responsibility for what had happened.
That such a thing had happened at the banquet he was in charge of, he felt responsible.
Moreover, it concerned Miss Whitmore.
Oliver couldn’t bear to imagine what horrors might have unfolded if Miss Whitmore had entered a room other than Mr. Graham’s that night!
He adjusted his glasses, suppressing his nervousness, and reported the details of yesterday's events to Ethan.
"So, Julian sold out his own fiancée to secure a seat on the board?"
Ethan's voice remained indifferent, but the hidden anger made Oliver tense up.
"Yes, and the Whitmore family was involved as well," Oliver continued hesitantly. "Miss Whitmore has had a tough time living with the Whitmore family. The young master and Miss Melanie have been secretly together for some time. He wanted to kill two birds with one stone—securing Mr. Hudson's support while breaking off his engagement with Miss Whitmore to marry Melanie."
In essence, Miss Whitmore was just being used in this whole affair.
"Miss Whitmore holds 10% of the shares in the Whitmore Group, a legacy from her grandfather. Bruce, Mina, and Melanie all covet them. Only by ruining Miss Whitmore's reputation entirely would they have a chance to seize her shares."
After finishing, Oliver waited with bated breath for Ethan's reaction.
Sunlight streamed through the window, filling the room with a gentle warmth.
Yet it couldn't mask the man's expression, which was as cold as a winter gale.
Ethan glanced at Sophia sleeping on the bed, a hint of doting flashing in his eyes.
"Have someone deliver two sets of custom-designed couple's attire!"
Oliver understood immediately.
"Very well, Mr. Graham. I'll also prepare all the necessary documents for your marriage to Miss Whitmore."
*****
At that moment, in the Whitmore family home.
Recalling how Ethan had shielded Sophia, Melanie's face darkened. She snatched the remote control from the coffee table and hurled it to the ground with a furious force.
"What right does she have! What right!"
Mina, hearing the commotion, hurried over and grabbed the raging Melanie.
"Oh my, darling, lower your voice. Your father is still here—calm down!"
Melanie was so angry she spoke without thinking.
"What does it matter if he's here? Dad doesn't care for her anyway, she..."
Mina quickly covered her mouth, casting a cautious glance upstairs. Only after confirming no movement on the second floor did she let go.
Looking at Melanie's irritated expression, she sighed.
"You, have you forgotten all my teachings?"
"All men are shameless. You can act out, but never cross their bottom line, or it's like slapping them in the face!"
Seeing that she still had an indifferent expression, Mina could only feel helpless.
"Your father is selfish. He doesn't like Sophia, but do you know why I haven't made any bold moves all these years? It's because I'm wary of the shares in Sophia's hands."
Melanie understood this principle, but right now she was just jealous.
"Don't forget, we're talking about Ethan here!"
Mina patted her hand soothingly and sneered.
"She may want to marry him, but whether she can is another matter entirely!"
Melanie's eyes immediately lit up. She knew her mother must have a way.
"A scandal this big, wouldn't your friends be interested?"
Melanie was still hesitant.
"But wouldn't that be slapping Mr. Graham in the face?"
Mina shook her head, poking her forehead, and said with exasperation, "Use that head of yours, think about what kind of words people like to hear."
Melanie immediately understood. She picked up her phone, ready to send a message.
Mina reminded her from the side, "And don’t forget about Miss Tudor!"
Miss Tudor, the eldest daughter of the Tudor family, had been chasing after Ethan since she was twenty. Now thirty and still unmarried.
Everyone in Riverfront probably knew about her persistence towards Ethan.
Now that Ethan was going to get married, she must be the most unwilling person!
"Mom, I’ve got it!" Melanie curved her lips into a sly smile, a glint of cunning flashing in her eyes.
- Writer
