Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

I jolted awake, like someone dumped a bucket of ice water on me.

Ethan was just standing there, half-hidden in the shadows. I couldn't see his face, but he was as still as a statue.

Seeing him like that made my heart hurt for some reason. Life was screwing with both of us.

I sat up, feeling like the world's biggest jerk, and stared at his outline. "I'm sorry!"

Ethan put down the report he was holding, turned to me, and smiled like nothing happened. "Why are you apologizing?"

The more he acted chill, the worse I felt. "I can't have kids for you anymore. You should find someone else who can."

"Shut up!" He snapped and yanked me into his arms.

I was drained from being sad all day, so I just leaned on his shoulder.

All my pain and anger bubbled up. "Ethan, do you even know what I went through the day I met you?"

Thinking about that night made my heart ache. My pain wasn't just from Arthur's cruelty anymore, but from losing my innocent child and the lifelong scar it left.

I said, "My baby was five months old, but he took it away on purpose. How can someone be such a scumbag? I hate him, I really hate him!"

Ethan gently lay down with me in his arms, letting me rest on his chest. I could hear his heartbeat loud and clear.

His voice rumbled from his chest. "Some hatred isn't meant to weigh you down but to remind you of the lesson and fuel your revenge."

If I saw Arthur again, what would I do?

If I had a knife when I saw Arthur again, I might really stab him. One stab wouldn't be enough to kill my hatred.

Ethan went on, "Honestly, kids are cute and all, but they can be a pain. And having kids means more responsibilities. How can a couple enjoy life with all that?"

I knew he was trying to make me feel better. I said, feeling hopeless, "It's not just about us. Your grandpa's been waiting for a grandkid."

There was something else I didn't say. Victor never liked me. If he found out, he'd be even more determined to get rid of me.

Ethan suddenly laughed and pulled me closer. "Emily, don't worry."

I looked up at him, confused.

He suddenly flipped me over, pinning me down, and his hand slipped under my clothes. "The test results are just probabilities; they didn't say you can't have kids at all. Why so down? I'll just try harder. More seeds, better odds, right? One of 'em's gotta take."

He gave it his all in bed that night, but I couldn't fully get into it. I wanted to tell him, it's not about the seeds; it's about the soil.

The test didn't say I couldn't get pregnant, just that the chances were low. But low chances still felt like no chances to me.

I admitted, I was a pessimist most of the time. "Ethan, I hate him so much!"

In the middle of our heavy breathing, Ethan's eyes got this fierce look as he reached his peak. "Trust me, you'll get your chance for revenge!"

It wasn't a question; it was a promise.

The next morning, I was whipping up breakfast in the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

Wondering who'd show up so early, I went to open the door and was floored by who I saw.

Lacey, in her usual white shirt and sharp suit pants, looking all professional. She smiled at me. "Is Mr. Windsor here? I have an urgent document for him to review and sign." She was holding a document folder, alright.

I heard footsteps coming down the stairs behind me and turned to see Ethan descending.

Trying to be polite, I grabbed a pair of slippers for Lacey. "Come in."

Then I headed back to the kitchen. Ethan sat on the living room sofa, flipping through the documents Lacey brought.

I could barely hear their conversation, but I didn't get what they were talking about. Still, from the way Lacey spoke, I could tell she was a sharp cookie.

After a bit, Jason came into the kitchen to help with breakfast. When we brought it out, Ethan was signing the document.

After putting the signed document back in the folder, Lacey glanced at the dining table, got up, and walked over with a smile. "Smells amazing. I haven't had breakfast yet."

I didn't like her attitude. "I didn't know you were coming or that you hadn't eaten, so I didn't make extra."

I tried to keep my tone neutral.

Ethan stood up from the sofa and walked over.

I suddenly smiled faintly and pushed my breakfast towards Lacey. "You can have mine. As Ethan's sister, it's not right to let you go hungry."

Lacey's face did look a bit awkward when I said there was no extra portion, but she quickly bounced back. She glanced at the breakfast on the table, crossed her arms, and smiled. "No, thanks. I was just joking." Since she declined, I didn't bother with fake politeness and sat down to eat.

Ethan and Jason joined me.

Lacey kept talking, "I don't like to eat much in the morning. Usually, a glass of milk and an apple do the trick. Otherwise, I gain weight easily. I weigh myself every day, and if I see a few extra pounds, I freak out." Hearing her, I instinctively touched my stomach. I wasn't fat, just out of shape, so my body was a bit soft.

From Lacey's words, I could tell she was super conscious about her figure. I couldn't help but check her out.

She didn't have an ounce of extra fat. Her body was curvy with long, toned limbs. The kind of body that drives men wild and makes women envious.

I figured she must be strict with her diet and probably worked out a lot.

My eyes landed on her hips. The tailored suit pants hugged her tight, perky hips perfectly.

While I was lost in thought, Ethan handed me a piece of bread with spread on it. "Eat more, you're too skinny. Gaining a bit of weight would be good."

I took the bread, feeling a warm glow in my heart.

After Ethan finished his breakfast, he left with Lacey.

I walked to the door and watched their cars leave one after the other.

Lacey was driving the car Victor had given her, with the window down, and a few strands of her hair were lifted by the breeze.

A woman driving really looked beautiful. On a whim, I took my savings and signed up for driving school, spending a lot of money.

After signing up, I passed by Skyline International Corporation and saw the entrance decked out with balloons and a banner that read "Celebrating Skyline International Corporation's Sixth Anniversary."

So Skyline International Corporation was only six years old. Ethan's achievements were seriously impressive.

I suddenly wanted to see Ethan, so I got out of the car.

When I arrived at Ethan's office, Piper told me they were in a meeting and asked me to wait in the office.

I glanced towards the meeting room not far away and quietly walked over, peeking through the blinds.

The meeting room was huge and packed with people, probably all high-level execs of Skyline International Corporation.

Lacey stood in front of the big screen, holding a remote, explaining something while playing a slideshow. She was confident and graceful.

Everyone was listening intently, including Ethan.

Putting aside my personal feelings, Lacey's charisma was something even I, as a woman, admired. I couldn't help but wonder if Ethan found her attractive too.

Not knowing when their meeting would end, I felt awkward standing there and decided to head back to the office to wait.

Piper was constantly on the phone and running around. I'd never seen such a busy scene before.

When Piper finally hung up the phone, I asked, "Are you super busy today?"

She smiled and said, "Yeah, tomorrow night is Skyline International Corporation's anniversary celebration, and there's a ton to arrange. I was just coordinating with the hotel."

It seemed this anniversary celebration was going to be a big deal. I nodded and walked into the office, immediately noticing a beautifully wrapped box on the sofa. Curious, I opened the box. Inside was a stunning black evening gown.

The dress was my size. I thought, 'Could it be that Ethan is planning to take me to the anniversary celebration?'

I didn't wait for their meeting to end and got a call from Sophie. She said the nanny had taken a day off due to a family matter, and Abby was suddenly feeling unwell. Kids' issues can be serious, so I didn't delay and left after informing Piper.

It turned out Abby had spit up milk, but Sophie, being young and inexperienced, panicked when she saw it.

Although I didn't have experience raising kids, I had read many parenting books when I was pregnant, so I knew a bit.

I told her that spitting up milk was normal for Abby and explained how to prevent it.

I hadn't been at Sophie's house for long when Ethan called.

Ethan asked where I was, and after I explained the situation, he said he would come to pick me up.

On the way home, he didn't mention the anniversary celebration, and I didn't see him bring the dress home.

I comforted myself, thinking he might have forgotten because he was busy and would remember tomorrow. But he didn't. The next day, as night fell, I still hadn't received his call.

I sat in the living room without even turning on the TV, feeling restless. Jason saw I was bored and offered to take me out for a drive.

As we passed by the Grand International Hotel, where Skyline International Corporation was holding its anniversary celebration, my attention was drawn to it.

The hotel entrance was bustling, with many people walking in. Just as Jason's car was about to pass, I suddenly saw a familiar car stop at the hotel entrance. When I saw who got out of the car, I was completely stunned.