Chapter 152: Ethan’s Happy Days

Ethan shook himself from his reverie. With an apologetic smile he said, "Sorry, sweetheart. I’m not as good at games as you are."

Freya pouted, then brightened. "It’s okay. It was just a game. Don’t worry... I’ll teach you. You’ll be a pro in no time."

Enthusiastically, she began explaining the two‑player controls. Despite her young age, she was a natural strategist, a gifted player. Ethan followed every instruction, gazing fondly at her earnest face. He loved these moments... his daughter teaching him, role and counter‑role reversed.

Just then, Eleanor appeared in the doorway. "What are you two up to?"

Both looked at their back. Ethan smiled. "You’re back."

Freya bounded across the room and wrapped her arms around her. "Mommy, I missed you!"

"I missed you too, sweetie," Eleanor murmured, hugging her close.

"Freya," Ethan said, "let your mother change. We should start preparing dinner now so she can join us later."

Freya nodded and released Eleanor. Father and daughter headed downstairs to the kitchen while Eleanor slipped away to freshen up.

Since the duel, Ethan had cleared his schedule for every hour Freya was out of school. The workload at Purplebricks had surged after a sudden expansion into the Stockport market, but he delegated most tasks to his managers; time with his daughter was worth more than any contract. Eleanor’s own calendar had been packed, so she’d asked him to handle school pick‑ups for a few days, and he’d leapt at the chance.

Rumours drifted through the family about how, while he was locked in combat, Eleanor had shattered the Gerymoore Clan’s long-standing political base. Ethan had suspected she was planning something when she requested him to prolong the duel, yet he had never imagined she would cripple a Gerymoore Clan’s power base overnight. In Manchester’s business circles he was known as a ruthless businessman, but Eleanor’s actions redefined ruthlessness in his mind. She had destroyed the Brown family completely and severed the Gerymoore’s London-based political lifeline.

The Gerymoore Clan searched every corner possible for proof of Raynor involvement in their downfall, but found none. People whispered that the Raynors had orchestrated the downfall, yet without evidence the Gerymoores could do nothing. They had lost both inside the Coliseum and outside of it.

To outsiders, Ethan’s victory over Lucian Gerymoore had looked effortless; in truth, it had almost broken him. He possessed no extraordinary physical gifts... his power lay in calculation and prediction. He could foresee an attack’s trajectory and prepare an instant defence, but when two alphas clashed... that moment was vanishingly brief.

Lucian, a prodigy who had awakened his clan’s earth magic, boasted a body as resilient as granite and benefited by training from the renowned Fenroth Clan. Elder Bedivere had therefore drilled Ethan in a single technique: a rebounding counter that multiplied an opponent’s force but required landing at the precise center of the incoming blow. Ethan’s predictive talent made him uniquely suited, yet his lighter frame meant he spent most of the fight evading until that one decisive instant. When the rebound struck, Lucian fell... but Ethan bled inside.

Endurance, however, had its rewards. In one bout, he became a star among werewolf youth. Calls and messages poured in... greetings, offers of partnership, invitations to parties. For a man who had lived quietly at the

these golden hours with Freya. He told himself

the stairs... but before they

evening, Mr. Raynor! Darling Freya! I’ve come for

Eleanor from Russia, she now lived

mingle, yet Anastasiya’s bright spirit had thawed the tension among the villa’s guards. After a brief period of wary silence, it became almost ordinary

don’t love you

from Anastasiya. In only a few days, they had

darling angry with me?" Anastasiya asked, pulling an exaggeratedly woeful face. "If you don’t love me,

today, but you forgot. You’re not the sweet aunt who loves me the most!" Freya huffed, still refusing to

Anastasiya protested. "I just had a mountain of work at the office. Look... I brought you an apology

’present’, Freya’s ears twitched, though she kept her

guess

don’t want your

the new version of Assetto Corsa would be perfect for you. But if you don’t want it, I suppose I’ll give it to

snapped around. "But, Aunt Ana, I already have the latest

stores," Anastasiya replied, shaking the case. "I thought you’d like

marched over and snatched the box. "All right, I guess I still love you a little." Her grin dazzled. "We’re getting

in triumph. "Yay!

toward the stairs. "Where’s

said. "She’ll be down

"Straight from the office?"

Freya nodded. "Uh‑huh."

into the house, yet Eleanor trusted her and Freya seemed to like her. Besides, though Anastasiya looked barely twenty, he knew she was far older and

Miss Ivanova. Dinner will be ready in

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