Chapter 6
The scene in the dream shifted again.
One day after school, I saw Ethan standing at the door of my house.
I was a little surprised. “Little boy, long time no see.”
Ethan handed me a drawing, as if showing off: “I drew this.“”
It was a picture of his mom, almost identical to a photo.
I had completely forgotten the promise I made back then.
I just said to him: “Wow, you’re so talented.”
His eyes were full of expectation, like he was about to say something.
Before he could speak, Victor suddenly grabbed the drawing from my hands.
He clicked his tongue and said:
“Who are you? Coming over to disturb my Jennie? Are you even old enough?”
Victor pulled me into his arms, asserting his claim:
“Stay away from my girlfriend, got it?”
I told Victor not to say such things: “Don’t bully the kid.”
Then I asked Ethan: “Little boy, is there something else you wanted?”
Ethan’s face turned dark.
He forcefully grabbed his drawing back from Victor’s hand.
Coldly, he said to me: “Never mind, I’m sorry to bother you!”
He walked away, his back straight and cool.
On the road to growing up, we crossed paths a few more times.
But every time he looked at me, his gaze was like looking at something irrelevant.
I would greet him, but he wouldn’t even acknowledge me.
Charder
I thought he was heartless, like an ungrateful little brat.
If it wasn’t for the time he stopped me in front of the art studio, I might have completely forgotten about him.
When I woke up, it was already dark outside.
I noticed Ethan, tall and slender, focused and charming. He was sitting in front of an easel, painting.
On the paper, the profile of someone sleeping soundly was clearly me.
He had drawn more than one, from different angles.
Victor also liked to draw me. He even said, “Only I can draw you.”
I gathered the nine sketches Ethan had done of me without makeup and posted them on Instagram.
A lot of friends liked the post, and some left comments:
“Wow, this must have been drawn by your Victor, right?”
“That’s so cute.”
“Every stroke in this drawing shows so much love. I’m in awe.”
“I can’t even be jealous, I just want to drink your wedding wine already.”
But there was no wedding wine.
I called my dad:
“Dad, I want to cancel the wedding with Victor. I’m not marrying him anymore.”
My dad teased me on the phone:
“Not marrying him? Who do you want to marry then? Didn’t you always say you could live without mom and dad but not without Victor? Did you two have a fight? Did Victor bully you?”
I tried to hold back the tears and told my dad about everything Victor had done, including staging 37 cheating incidents to trap me. I couldn’t control the sob in my voice:
“Dad, do you think I can marry a man like that?”
My dad, with his bad temper, yelled:
“Marry him? Hell no! How dare he bully my daughter? I’ll kill him! I’m calling Old Gu right now. We’re not going ahead with this wedding, I’ll find you a better fiancé!”
Suddenly, my phone was grabbed by Ethan, who pressed the speakerphone button.
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Without any shame, he self–recommended to my dad:
“Mr. Lawson, do you think I’m a good match?”
My dad was still angry and casually asked:
“Who the hell are you? Wait a second, why am I hearing a man’s voice on my daughter’s phone?”
Ethan said,
“Mr. Lawson, I can be Jennie’s lapdog. I’m Ethan.”
I couldn’t believe it.
He was truly a pro at being a smooth talker.
What kind of smooth talker would dare be so bold and aggressive?
“Ethan? Which Ethan?
Elliot’s sweet little son?”
Mr. Jensen, my dad’s childhood friend and nemesis, was also the biggest and toughest client my dad’s company had.
My dad was always under Mr. Jensen’s thumb, burning with frustration, but when it came to business with him, he had to suck it up and swallow his pride.
One moment, my dad was cursing Ethan out, the next he was laughing his head off:
“Are you sure you want to be my daughter’s dog?
Hahaha, I forgot to record it.
Say it again, and I’ll agree.”
I seriously suspected my dad wanted to record this and purposely annoy Mr. Jensen.
But Ethan didn’t even blink, keeping his focus on me as he said:
“Mr. Lawson, I’m willing to be Jennie’s dog.”
My dad on the other end of the phone was dying of laughter:
“Alright, alright, I agree!”
Chapter 7
