Chapter 169
Irene looked at the photo, her eyes flashing with discomfort. “Why are you showing me this?”
‘So you can see it for yourself,” Ethan said seriously. “Take a closer look.”
Irene finally picked up the phone and studied the photo carefully.
But no matter how hard she looked, all she could see was that woman clinging to his waist.
Even if she was just a client, that did not mean he should be getting that close to her.
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With that thought, Irene set the phone back down in front of Ethan. “It still looks exactly like what I saw yesterday. The only lifference is that now I know she’s a client.”
Mr. Drake, are you saying that in our line of work, we have to sell our dignity?” she asked.
Even after making it to the top, do you still have to rely on your looks to please wealthy female clients?”
rene had always been someone who never sugarcoated her words. She said whatever was on her mind.
Even though Ethan was the boss of Drake Law Firm, she didn’t hold back at all.
Ethan let out a short laugh, clearly annoyed, yet faintly amused by her bluntness.
Irene, you cannot let your personal feelings interfere with your work. Wasn’t that the very first thing I taught you when you tarted here?” he said.
After all these years, I thought you would have learned that by now, but apparently, you still have not.”
is he spoke, Ethan took the phone and walked over to her. “You only noticed what she did. Did you ever pay attention to what I was doing?”
Right after you took that photo, I pulled her hand away. Did you really miss that?”
Irene, when you only see part of the picture, you lose sight of the whole thing. It becomes far too easy to blame the wrong
erson, Ethan said, shaking his head.
If this were anyone else, I would not care. But you are a lawyer at Drake Law Firm. I need you to be sharper than this. Do not make such a basic mistake again.”
Ethan spoke with such certainty that, to her surprise, Irene found herself slowly reassured by his words.
She studied the photo carefully, really paying attention this time.
Sure enough; in a corner of the image she had completely overlooked before, Ethan was clearly pulling the woman’s hand
away.
Maybe she was too shocked yesterday. After snapping the photo and sending that message, then receiving no reply, she left with Eliana without even looking back at Ethan once
Now that she realized it might have all been a misunderstanding, a wave of relief quietly spread through her chest
But once the misunderstanding was cleared up, Irene also realized she had gone too far yesterday.
Just as Irene was about to speak, she noticed that the blinds covering the large office windows suddenly lowered all at once,
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Chapter 169
sealing them off from the outside.
Her heart skipped involuntarily.
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Her relationship with Ethan had always been kept strictly under wraps. No one at Drake Law Firm had a clue about it.
Sure, there’d been whispers when people noticed her sticking close to Ethan ever since she started working there, but no one truly understood what was going on between them.
Now, with him doing this, the gossip around the office was bound to explode.
Irene had not expected him to pull something like this. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Ethan, what is this supposed
to mean?”
Ethan looked at her with an intense, almost predatory gaze. His voice dropped low and rough. “Come here.”
After two years working beside Ethan, Irene knew him far too well. She could read him easily, and she knew exactly what
that look meant.
But this was the law firm.
Just moments ago, nearly everyone saw her come in.
“Ethan, what the hell are you doing?” Irene snapped as she turned away from him and stood up to leave.
But before she could reach the door, Ethan grabbed her wrist and pulled her straight into his arms.
With swift movement, he locked the door and pressed Irene back against it.
“Ethan…” Irene stammered, her voice trembling as shock and nerves crashed over her all at once.
She hadn’t seen that coming at all, and the surprise made her voice quiver even more.
“Irene, what were you thinking about all night?” Ethan asked, his voice low and intense.
“Were you trying to figure out how to end the affair with me?”
Irene finally looked up at him, her gaze steady. “Isn’t it better to know when to walk away?”
“If you really do have someone else, I won’t make a scene. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?” Irene said, her tone calm but edged with quiet resignation.
Ethan nodded. ‘Exactly
Her chest tightened at his simple reply.
The flutter in her heart from his earlier move vanished instantly. Irene gently pushed him away. If that’s the case, then let’s end it now, before things get any more complicated
As she spoke, Irene reached out to push him away.
But Ethan pulled her close instead, his arm sliding around her waist. “Why the rush? Neither of us is married, and we get along just fine. Why are you so eager to pur distance between us?”
“Is there something about me that bothers you?‘ Ethan asked, a mischievous glint flashing in his eyes as he looked at her
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Chapter 169
A devilish, playful smile tugged at his lips as he spoke.
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“Relax. I’m not about to break the law, and I wouldn’t cross any moral line either,” Ethan said, his tone easy and confident.
“If I ever fall for someone else, you’ll be the first to know.
“And the same goes for you. If you ever want to settle down or get married, just tell me. We can end things cleanly,” Ethan added, his tone casual but sincere.
As he spoke, Ethan’s hand slid up along her slender waist, just as it had so many times before.
Irene’s body trembled slightly, her eyes growing misty as she looked up at him.
She wanted to tell him she did not want this anymore, but her resolve faltered the moment he touched her. Her body softened against his without her meaning to.
Being a lawyer was stressful, and aside from shopping with Eliana, Irene barely had any other way to unwind. So maybe letting Ethan be her outlet was not a bad idea after all.
Thinking that, Irene slipped her arms around his neck, rose up on her toes, and kissed him softly.
Ethan’s breathing deepened instantly as he lifted her with ease and carried her over to his desk.
They had been sneaking around for two years, but this was the first time things had ever gone this far in his office.
Irene bit her lip, her voice low as she whispered in his ear, “Don’t you worry someone might suddenly knock?”
‘Here? Are you really serious about this?”
Ethan glanced down at her, his voice deep and teasing. “Getting cold feet?”
Her lips curled into a mischievous smile.
Now that she had decided to treat him as nothing more than a way to let off steam, Irene felt completely carefree. I’m not scared, but do you really not care about your reputation, Mr. Drake?”
Seeing the challenge in her eyes, Ethan pressed her down against the desk, his voice rough. If you’re not scared, why should
I be?
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
