Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 160 The Taste of Home

Ethan dropped the ice pack, leaned back on the couch, and pulled out a cigarette. But he didn't light it right away.

He stared at the cigarette for a long time before finally saying, "I took that bet, risking Skyline International Corporation, not because she was Faye. I would've done it for anyone. That video going public would've wrecked her life. I knew it." He wouldn't just stand by and do nothing for anyone else either. He's not cold-hearted.

When we first met, he could've ignored me, but he helped because he's a passionate guy.

He lit the cigarette and continued, "When I got the USB drive back, I thought about destroying it right away. But I hesitated because I was afraid you'd ask me about it one day. If you didn't ask, I wouldn't have told you because knowing wouldn't make you happy."

He was right. Even though I understood him, I still felt a bit upset.

"Later, when you said the USB drive was lost, I didn't want you to feel guilty. So I told you it was okay. The reason I went looking for it afterward was that I was afraid it would fall into someone else's hands and still ruin Faye. But I didn't find it. It probably fell into the sewer, which is as good as destroyed."

He explained everything honestly.

Ethan's thumb gently traced circles in my palm. "Do you trust me?"

I was silent for a long time, then I looked at him and said, "It's not that I don't trust you; it's that you don't trust me. You don't believe I can handle all of this."

He tilted his head, the soft light outlining his features. "Honey, do you know why people get conflicted? Why they get scared? Why they worry?"

After asking, he suddenly looked at me, his gaze intense.

"Because they care," he answered himself.

My heart was pounding. He suddenly climbed over and pinned me on the couch, kissing me hard until my lips went numb. He finally stopped, panting as he looked at me.

Ethan said, "Next time you want to play hero, call me along. We work better as a team, got it? You freaked me out."

I felt a mix of gratitude and relief.

I whispered, "I wanted to bring you along. But the situation was urgent. There wasn't time."

Ethan gently rubbed my lips with his thumb.

His gaze fell on my lips, and his smile at that moment was indescribable-not too intense but utterly captivating.

"I married a kind-hearted wife."

Hearing his emotional words, my eyes suddenly welled up.

In that moment, I finally got it-his smile was pure happiness.

After that whole mess, I hadn't heard a peep about Faye.

Ethan came home on time every day and never mentioned her. I had no clue if he'd met her privately or tried to comfort her. I figured that incident must've reopened old wounds and hit her hard. She needed time to heal. A few days later, I bumped into her on the street.

Lacey had told me that Sophie found a cleaning job at a kindergarten. The principal felt sorry for her and let her bring Abby to work as long as she got her tasks done.

I was thrilled to hear that. Even though it was a low-level job, it showed she was fighting back against fate with her own efforts.

She couldn't rely on men anymore; she had to stand on her own. No matter what the job was, as long as she integrated into society, she'd learn and grow.

with a child, she still had plenty of time

I arranged with Lacey to

daycare still had some kids, so

a few-month-old Abby, had found a decent job. She looked way

she relied on for survival, had given her

Lacey and I went our

far away, I saw a tall woman carrying large bags heading towards the post

a mask and tried to stay low-key,

stood there for ten minutes until she came out

notice me. When she reached the street, she took

me from her view. We were super

vaguely heard

She shared good news and reminded them to take care

walked past me. Her eyes were red, like she'd been crying. She walked quickly with her head down and still didn't see me. During

a bit surprised that I suddenly brought up Faye,

years, so Fiona dropped out of school early to work and support Faye's

they were

struggles. It seemed like no one was born as God's favorite. We all had our own share of misfortune. Just being alive was tough enough, so why make it

to do

saying that cleaning such a big house would be exhausting. I turned him down because I had nothing else

early. After Ethan

through, I took a break on the

He always seemed like trouble. But thinking about his leg, I picked up

you?" His voice came through the line. "What

pitiful. "I got injured for you, and it's been days. You

Don't tell me that Santa Claus on Christmas

hasn't healed, and there's a new one. I'm lying at home all day, with no one to cook for me, eating takeout until I'm about to puke. Can you really stand to see

Faris chuckled, and his laugh sounded off

he said, "I'm waiting for you at home. Remember to bring some

I almost couldn't catch

the phone, I angrily threw down the rag, went upstairs to change clothes,

market to buy some groceries, then took a cab to the

halfway up the hill was the

I walked in and saw Faris lying on the sofa, his legs draped over the

footsteps, he looked up

thought, 'No kidding! You threatened me; how could

I just faced him with a

acted like he didn't see my expression and patted the seat next

over but didn't

glanced at the groceries in my hand and muttered, "Corn, pumpkin,

shamelessly smiled at

ignored him and looked at his leg. "How's your

like

it really be that

looked at his leg again, feeling a pang

many takeout boxes on the coffee table. He might have been eating takeout all this time; he probably wasn't lying

bit surprised