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.

nineteen, and even with a child, she still had plenty

arranged with Lacey to

kindergarten was on holiday, but the daycare still had some kids, so there wasn't much to

had found a decent job. She looked way

on for

and I went our separate

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

a mask and tried to stay low-key,

until she came out

and didn't notice me. When she reached

conveniently blocked me from her view. We were super

heard her

her family. She shared good news

like she'd been crying. She walked quickly with her head down and still didn't

that I suddenly brought up Faye,

mom's been paralyzed for years,

they were all

was born as God's favorite. We all had our own share of misfortune. Just

do a deep clean of the house to welcome

service, saying that cleaning such a big house would be

got up pretty early. After Ethan

I took a break on the sofa

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

came

pretended to be pitiful. "I got injured for you, and it's been days.

Don't tell me

new one. I'm lying at home all day, with no one to cook

say anything. Faris chuckled, and his laugh sounded off to

you at home. Remember to bring some groceries to cook. If

was so angry I almost couldn't catch

the phone, I angrily threw down the rag, went upstairs

first went to the market to buy some groceries, then took a cab to the address Faris gave

out of the cab, I remembered that this villa halfway up the hill was the place Faris

open. I walked in and saw Faris lying on

he looked up and smiled broadly. "You're

You threatened me;

I just faced him with

didn't see my expression and patted the seat next to him. "Come

walked over but didn't

hand and muttered, "Corn,

shamelessly smiled at

ignored him and looked at

darkened. "It's like this. Anyway, I

it really

at his leg again, feeling

coffee table. He might have been eating takeout all this time; he probably wasn't lying about

bit