CHAPTER 95: CHAPTER 95: DREAM OR REALITY

Ruby Sullivan mustered strength to push him away and turned around angrily to leave, but Ethan Sterling grabbed her arm and gently pulled her back into his embrace.

Ethan Sterling pressed his chin on her shoulder, inhaling the faint fragrance from her, and finally felt a bit at ease. As she struggled, he held her tighter and suddenly said wistfully, "I won’t let you go again."

Ruby Sullivan didn’t know which delicate string inside her was stirred by those words, but suddenly her heart felt sour, and tears welled up uncontrollably, leaving her no time to think or control them.

She bit her lower lip to prevent herself from making any sound, but the tears still dripped onto Ethan Sterling’s wrist.

The wet and cool sensation startled Ethan Sterling. He turned her around to face him and only then realized she was crying, her pitiful yet stubborn expression tugged at his heart.

Somehow, Ethan Sterling was a little flustered, "What’s wrong?"

She turned her head away and took out a tissue, worried about her makeup, lightly wiping her tears, and asked hoarsely, "Mr. Sterling, can you let me go?"

Ethan Sterling reluctantly adopted a serious expression, "Do you... have someone you like?"

Ruby Sullivan looked at his suddenly clueless, boyish expression, feeling that he was certain of her past feelings for him and was deliberately putting on an act. She turned around and sat down, calming herself for over ten minutes, digesting what had just happened, and said, "I agree to remarry you."

Ethan Sterling was stunned for a moment, ensuring he hadn’t misheard, before smiling, "Let’s go." He then took large steps forward, walking ahead.

Ruby Sullivan stared coldly at his back, making her own plans.

Remarrying him wasn’t a disadvantage for her; besides, she could rightly have another child with Ethan Sterling. She knew sharing this would lead to Ethan Sterling reacting like he did in the past, but once they became a couple sharing the same bed, she would have plenty of opportunities to achieve this.

Moreover, the shares Miles Mona held were indeed particularly important to her. She agreed to his terms, even though her dad waking up still couldn’t accept Miles Mona’s gratuitous help. Feelings should never be tested.

In the car, Ruby Sullivan sent messages to Sasha Shaw and Faye Truman, explaining the situation, but this matter couldn’t be explained in just a few words. However, she still announced her decision to remarry Ethan Sterling.

The next moment, Faye Truman called, "What’s going on?"

"It’s quite complicated." Ruby Sullivan replied listlessly, instinctively letting out a sigh, "Temporarily... it’s the condition for me to reclaim The Sullivan Group."

Ethan Sterling somewhat guessed who was on the other end and suddenly grabbed her phone, smilingly saying, "We will invite you to the wedding reception if we organize the ceremony." Then he hung up the phone.

Ruby Sullivan was so furious, her face turned half black, "Mr. Sterling, don’t you think what you just did was a bit disrespectful to me?"

Ethan Sterling frowned, turning his head to glare at her, and seeing her lips pouting in anger, he couldn’t help but pinch her lips, "What are you calling me?"

Ruby Sullivan shrieked at his pinching, flailing her hands around trying to knock his hand away.

Only then did Ethan Sterling release her, raising his eyebrows and waiting for her reply.

Ruby Sullivan glared at him fiercely, turned sideways, and closed her eyes to sleep.

Ethan Sterling didn’t like being ignored, so he leaned over to look at her, pursed his lips, and suddenly used force to lay her down, pressing her onto his lap, "Sleep, I’ll wake you when we arrive."

Seeing the foundation on his pants, Ruby Sullivan closed her eyes tightly, determined not to open them. Her face probably already looked a mess.

Coming out of the civil affairs bureau, Ruby Sullivan felt dizzy, lacking the energy to ponder the reality of the situation, and almost fell asleep as soon as she got into the car.

Ethan Sterling initially wanted to have her lie down a bit for her sleep, but feared waking her, so he gently pressed her head onto his shoulder.

After thinking for a bit, he instructed Howard to go to Ruby Sullivan’s home.

Ruby Sullivan slept deeply without realizing Ethan Sterling carried her upstairs and into bed.

Mama Bennett was startled to see her returned this way, but hearing Ethan Sterling’s shush, she refrained from shouting.

Ethan Sterling placed her on the bed, covered her with the blanket, gently shut the door as he left, and instructed Mama Bennett to go to the hospital to look after Honey.

He had nearly slept last night, got up early to convene an emergency board meeting at the company, making all the arrangements, and had Howard go acting to lure her in—this was the best solution Ethan Sterling came up with to resolve The Sullivan Group issues in the shortest possible time.

The other reason was his personal intention.

He wanted her to admit herself to be Ruby Sullivan aloud; he didn’t want to theorize anymore. Despite being ninety percent sure, not hearing her admit it made him feel something was amiss.

It seemed only then could he confidently confront her.

He calculated the time and called Mama Bennett, discovering that Seth Sterling and Rachel Lawson were also at the hospital keeping company. Seth Sterling offered to stay at the hospital overnight, and knowing the bond between the two kids, Ethan Sterling agreed, advising Rachel Lawson to go home and rest, even calling Honey to inform them that he and Ruby Sullivan would visit her at the hospital the next day.

With Seth Sterling by her side, Honey’s longing for her mother had eased—a bit disappointed but comprehended that her mother was tired and asleep—and she did not wish to wake her mom, hoping she could rest well.

Waiting for Howard to bring his change of clothes, Ethan Sterling took a good shower.

Returning to the room, he saw Ruby Sullivan still sleeping deeply and realized she hadn’t removed her makeup.

Ethan Sterling furrowed his brows, contemplating for three minutes, and searched makeup removal methods on his phone, followed the video directions to find the supplies, prepared a towel and water, and started removing her makeup.

Ethan Sterling applied cleansing oil to her face, pondering to let this woman know she looked beautiful even without makeup!

Ruby Sullivan’s sleep was not particularly restful, feeling she dreamt all night, in which she not only remarried Ethan Sterling at the civil affairs bureau but in an even stranger turn, had him remove her makeup!

She gazed drowsily at the ceiling, amused by the dream scenes, thinking how Ethan Sterling would help remove her makeup?

"What are you laughing at?"

The sudden voice surprised Ruby Sullivan. Turning her head, she saw Ethan Sterling lying beside her, fluttering his eyelids casually while gazing at her.

Ruby Sullivan stiffened immediately, replaying a mini-film in her head yet struggling to quite comprehend.

Ethan Sterling saw her looking as if she had seen something ghostly; he couldn’t help but reach over to pinch her cheek, "Rest assured, it’s true." He yawned, checked his phone, then pulled her into his arms, "It’s still early, sleep a bit more."

Ruby Sullivan lay rigidly in his arms, unable to sleep anymore, nervously swallowing, tentatively asking, "Did I remarry you?"

"Uh-huh."

She glanced at the makeup remover and cotton pads on the bedside table, feeling even less composed, "Did you remove my makeup last night?"

Upon hearing this, Ethan Sterling laughed, brushing her cheek with his hand, feeling accomplished with its smoothness, "I even applied serum for you."

Ruby Sullivan blinked in surprise—then blinked hard—and pinched his thigh fiercely, hearing a somewhat restrained low cry near her ear, finally believing she wasn’t dreaming.

But the next second, she regretted the random pinch, for fully awakened Ethan Sterling flipped over, pressing her down, looking somewhat intimidating.

Ruby Sullivan pursed her lips, trembling as she spoke, "I-I haven’t brushed my teeth." She purposely blew forcefully towards his face.

Ethan Sterling closed his eyes in response to her breeze, laughing even more devilishly, "Ruby Sullivan, congratulations, you’ve successfully caught my attention." Then he pressed down on her.

Ruby Sullivan had no way to avoid it, leaving only a faint voice, murmuring indistinctly, "What happened to your cleanliness fetish..."