He stood at the hotel entrance, making call after call.
Finally, he smashed his phone in frustration.
I looked up at the hotel name, and realized it was exactly the one Ryan had sent me yesterday.
Ethan called right on cue.
“Arrived?”
“Should I come down to get you?”
His voice always had a calming effect.
I glanced at the scowling Ryan. “No need, I’ll come up myself.”
Perhaps hearing my voice, Ryan looked over.
His expression was difficult to describe.
Surprise, wild joy, mixed with barely suppressed anger.
He kicked away his shattered phone with red–eyed:
“Sophie…”
But that was all.
He pressed his lips together, looking away: “Let’s go.”
He turned around confidently.
This hotel had apparently been booked exclusively.
I suddenly realized what kind of “friends” Ethan meant when he said “meet some friends.”
Seeing I wasn’t following, Ryan deliberately slowed his pace.
“Alright, I’ll apologize first, okay?”
He lowered his voice: “You just don’t like Lily, right?”
“I won’t see her anymore, okay?”
“You’re being too sensitive–the girl never did anything to you.”
I took a deep breath, controlling my emotions.
Upstairs, I saw several familiar faces.
“Hey, your wife finally came back, huh?”
“Leave it to Ryan. A perfectly obedient girl playing runaway bride? Ridiculous!”
“Ryan, with so many people today, you brought her? Aren’t you afraid…”
“Yeah, there are important people here today!”
Ryan glared at them. “Shut up.”
He moved closer to me:
“Good girl for dressing up before coming.”
“Just stay behind me later. No matter what happens, don’t speak, just smile, understand?”
“Here.” He extended his hand. “Let me hold it.”
I stopped in my tracks, speechless.
“Ryan Brown.”
I spoke coldly. “I didn’t come for you.”
Ryan laughed dismissively:
“Come on, at this point, why keep pretending?”
“If you didn’t come for me, then who?”
The grand hall doors opened.
I immediately spotted Ethan.
Not his event, yet he sat in the main seat.
Flanked by Ryan’s mother and Ryan’s older brother who managed the company.
Others stood or sat, quietly drinking or whispering.
Yet they somehow formed a semicircle centered around Ethan.
“See that guy in the middle? Mom worked hard to invite him.”
“His wife is coming later too.”
“Behave yourself. If you embarrass the Brown family, my mom and brother will never let you hear the end of it!”
Ryan reached for my hand.
I jerked it away forcefully.
“Sophie Wells!”
His voice was loud.
Many people looked over.
Ethan also glanced over, his eyes darkening slightly.
“Ryan, what’s the commotion?” Ryan’s mother called to her son, but her disapproving gaze was fixed on me.
Ryan’s older brother frowned at me briefly before turning to Ethan with a smile.
“Mrs. Reed must have arrived? Shall I go down to welcome her?”
People whispered among themselves.
Ryan scolded me under his breath:
“I told you not to make a scene! Happy now?”
“This is your first time meeting so many Brown family relatives, and this is the impression you give them?”
Indeed. After three years of marriage, this was my first time seeing the entire Brown family.
“Sophie,” Ethan suddenly called me.
“Come here.”
He had left an empty seat between himself and Ryan’s mother.
Ryan froze.
Ryan’s mother and older brother wore identical expressions of shock.
I walked over.
“Let me introduce,” Ethan’s voice wasn’t loud, but everyone could hear.
“Sophie Wells.”
He kissed the back of my hand, looking back at everyone. “My wife.”
The banquet hall fell deathly silent.
Everyone seemed to forget how to breathe.
Only Ethan, ever the composed businessman, continued.
“Sophie, is there anything you’d like to say?”
All eyes turned to me.
Cold sweat broke out on my back.
I clutched my hands, my heart pounding erratically.
Ethan squeezed my hand, looked into my eyes, and nodded gently.
“Nothing is impossible.”
I took a deep breath.
“Mrs. Brown,” I addressed Ryan’s mother. “I…”
I clenched my fists. “Ryan and I divorced some time ago.”
“I don’t know why he hasn’t told you.”
Then to Ryan:
“Ryan Brown, I never thought that marriage and divorce could be an ‘act.“”
“There’s no possibility between us anymore.”
Finally, to everyone present:
“I am now Ethan Reed’s legal wife.”
“I have no further connection to the Brown family.”
Ryan stared at our intertwined hands, stepping back in disbelief.
Ethan also stood.
He picked up a napkin from the table and methodically wiped my hand where Ryan had grabbed it earlier.
“My wife prefers quiet.”
“And I am extremely protective.”
“After today, I hope not to see anyone harassing my wife in any form.”
“Mrs. Brown, am I clear?”
Ryan’s mother nodded repeatedly, still stunned.
