CHAPTER 78: CHAPTER 78: SUSPECTED MARITAL CRISIS

"Compassion is something everyone has, especially when it’s towards your biological mother. Though your relationship with her is distant, Florence, you are not a cold-hearted person."

She is passionate, sincere, kind...

The days he spent in a wheelchair were actually not pleasant; the rehabilitation process was painful, but with her arrival, he found happiness.

The Fuller Family didn’t value her, and she never thought about mending this relationship actively. Perhaps letting it remain cold was fine. If Laura Yates ended up like this, she could have mocked Clara Fuller for not coming anymore or done nothing about it.

But upon self-reflection.

She couldn’t do it.

Florence Fuller closed her eyes: "I really wish I could be a cold-hearted person."

"Perhaps you might be in some areas, but not towards your mother."

Florence looked at him quietly: "I still remember you once told me that being indifferent and selfish wasn’t necessarily bad, instead, it was about protecting oneself. If I ignore her, does that fall under a good indifference or bad selfishness?"

Is ignoring Laura Yates protecting herself?

"Perhaps." Ethan Harper smiled slightly: "You’re just addressing something in the Fuller Family and happened to lend a hand to her in the process; it isn’t truly helping her."

Florence nodded in satisfaction.

Ethan Harper understood her well, knowing she only needed a reason to convince herself at this moment; it didn’t need to be entirely reasonable, just enough.

Seeing her nod, Ethan Harper looked at her: "Then can I ask for a reward?"

Florence could guess his intention and, with a smile on her lips, reached out, placed her hand on his shoulder, and stepped up on her toes.

Ethan Harper lowered his head to meet her, their lips about to touch when Florence’s words poured over him like a bucket of cold water: "No."

The subtle romantic atmosphere vanished instantly.

Florence stepped back: "I’m going to rest now, do as you please."

Ethan Harper stood there stunned, unable to regain his senses for a while.

He even began to worry that Florence’s thoughts might have turned towards Luke Gardiner.

No.

He reassured himself.

Florence wouldn’t be interested in someone like that.

——

The next morning, early.

Florence was awakened by pain.

Not having eaten dinner and drinking strong alcohol on an empty stomach last night, her stomach was in serious pain by morning.

She ordered some medicine on her phone, endured through washing up, and went out, unsure if Ethan Harper was around.

In the dining area, that familiar silhouette was busy there.

"You’re up." His voice was gentle, dressed in casual loungewear with an apron on, skillfully chopping vegetables, speaking without forgetting to glance over.

As he looked up and saw Florence walking out listlessly, clutching her stomach, he put down what he was doing and hurried over: "What’s wrong?"

"It hurts!" she murmured.

"Stomach ache?" Ethan Harper recalled last night: "Did you not eat?"

She nodded.

Didn’t eat lunch, either.

"Why didn’t I think to ask you last night?" His voice held some remorse: "I’ll take you to the hospital."

He intended to turn off the stove.

"No." Florence grabbed him: "Pour me a glass of water, I’ve ordered some medicine."

Ethan Harper went to pour her a glass of warm water. After she took a couple of sips, the doorbell rang.

Ethan Harper went to answer it.

The concierge downstairs delivered: "Please verify if these are the items you purchased."

Ethan Harper nodded, closing the door and went over to unwrap the medicine.

After taking the medicine, Florence rested for a while and felt much better, and at the same time, she felt hungry.

Sitting quietly at the dining table, watching the broad-shouldered, slim-waisted person busy in the kitchen.

Ethan Harper actually didn’t know how to cook, and neither did she. Once, she whimsically wanted to make a dish for him, but after searching online for a tutorial, the dish wasn’t ready, and her hand ended up with a big blister from boiling oil.

It looked a little scary, and Ethan Harper took her to the hospital, asking her why she suddenly wanted to cook.

"Just thought one of us should know how," she had said, not daring to admit she wanted to make him a dish.

After that, the blister on her hand healed, and one day, he just suddenly said he’d give it a try and made three dishes and a soup, tasting absolutely superb.

He had grown up in a wealthy family, and couldn’t have known how to cook.

So he must have learned secretly.

So much that she brazenly said once, he should take care of the household, and she’d earn money.

"Breakfast is ready." As the words fell, a bowl of clear soup noodles was placed in front of Florence.

Inside, there was a perfectly fried soft-boiled egg, paired with some greens.

Florence took a big bite, and it was still that familiar taste, subtly bringing tears to her eyes.

"How does it taste?"

Florence chewed, mumbling: "Pretty good."

Ethan Harper watched her eat earnestly, smiled contentedly, sat down opposite her, and also started eating.

Halfway through eating, Florence’s phone rang.

Lily Hart was calling.

"Boss." She answered the call, Lily Hart hurriedly said: "Did you see the headlines?"

"What’s wrong?" she asked.

From her calm tone, Lily Hart knew she hadn’t seen it yet.

"You were caught on video arguing with Mr. Gardiner in the garage, and it’s been posted online!"

Florence frowned: "Let me take a look."

She hung up and clicked the link Lily Hart sent. Upon opening it, the parking garage video wasn’t too blurry, the lighting bright; the video had no sound, but from their tense expressions and some physical contact, it was obviously a quarrel.

Neither of them was a public figure, but interestingly, the person who exposed it linked Luke Gardiner to past rumored celebrity girlfriends, to let the public know who he was.

The headline clearly had four bold characters: "Suspected Marriage Change."

"So this woman isn’t a rumored girlfriend? She’s a wife he married before."

"Why is there no sound in the video... and it’s recorded so clearly."

"We don’t need to hear it; just by looks, they’re arguing fiercely. I’d also be upset if I had a husband like that."

"This wife is pitiful, guarding an empty title."

"Is she really pitiful? After all, being a wealthy wife isn’t as simple as it appears on the surface."

"Speaking of which, hasn’t she ever dealt with his numerous rumors? They’ve really lessened lately though."

"..."

Florence skimmed through it. Though not of public figures, it received a lot of traffic, and with the label ’wealthy’, the views were climbing rapidly.

She put down her chopsticks, glanced at Ethan Harper, and got up to call Lily Hart back by the floor-to-ceiling window.

Ethan Harper noticed her not finishing the bowl of noodles, seemingly due to a work issue, and after the call ended, she dialed again.

Suddenly, he also lost his appetite.

He checked the time, went to fetch his phone, and Thomas Jones had sent him a link.

It was surprisingly the video of Florence Fuller arguing with Luke Gardiner in the underground garage.

Florence called Lily Hart to take down the video and asked Lily Lancaster to trace the source of the post.