Forced To Marry My Cousin's Fiancé

Chapter 50: Chapter 50

"I’m just going upstairs, Clara," Lane said as she finished packing Ethan’s lunch.

When Clara nodded, Lane left the kitchen to lay out Ethan’s clothes for the office. Since he’d finished breakfast and headed up to get ready, she’d stayed behind to handle the food, but now it was time to move on to the wardrobe.

Lane had grown used to picking out his outfits, and it seemed Ethan had grown used to it, too. He actually waited for her to do it now. Before, he would’ve snapped at her for touching his stuff, but lately, everything had flipped. He wasn’t mad at all; in fact, he seemed to like it. It was as if he was finally letting her into his life.

She was thrilled by the change. Her heart felt full because she finally felt like she mattered to him. He wasn’t exactly vocal about his feelings, but she could read them in his actions.

For a long time, Lane had given up on the idea of Ethan loving her. She figured his heart was permanently locked, with Lianne holding the only key. But now, seeing this new side of him, she found herself hoping again.

She hoped that one day she might actually replace Olivia in his heart and that he might see her as a woman worthy of his love and give their marriage a real shot at being a family. She’d even stopped praying for a while, but now she did it every single night.

Once upstairs, Lane walked into the bedroom they shared. Ethan wasn’t in the main area, but the sound of running water behind the bathroom door told her he was still in the shower.

She headed straight for the walk-in closet to get his clothes ready so he could change the second he stepped out.

Picking his outfit wasn’t exactly rocket science since he stuck to one look: white long-sleeves and a black suit. Lane couldn’t help but smile, thinking he’d probably look amazing in other colors, like deep blue or charcoal. She made a mental note to maybe buy him something different and see if she could talk him into trying it on.

She grabbed the shirt, the jacket, and the slacks, then picked out a tie that pulled it all together. The last thing she reached for was his underwear.

Just as she picked up the briefs, the closet door swung open. She looked up to see Ethan walking in, topless, with nothing but a thin towel hanging low on his hips.

Lane fought the urge to let her eyes wander, especially with the very obvious bulge beneath the towel.

She felt her face go up in flames when his eyes dropped to the briefs she was still holding. She quickly lowered her hand, her cheeks turning a darker shade of red when she caught the corner of his mouth curling into a smirk.

Lane cleared her throat, trying to find her voice. "I-I was just getting your clothes ready, Ethan," she said, mentally kicking herself for the stutter.

Instead of saying anything, Ethan stepped closer, his eyes locked onto hers. She wanted to back away, but her legs felt like lead. He stopped just inches from her, and because of his height, she had to crane her neck to look at him. Her heart was pounding like a drum, making her feel like prey backed into a corner by a predator.

"Here, Ethan," she said, holding out the clothes.

He didn’t take them. He just kept staring into her eyes.

"Help me get dressed, Lane," he said, his voice dropping an octave.

Her heart skipped a beat. "What?"

"Help me put them on," he repeated. Without waiting for a "yes," he dropped the towel, standing completely naked in front of her.

Lane gasped and covered her eyes. He didn’t seem even a little bit fazed.

"Ethan!"

She bit her lip when she heard him chuckle. Just like before, the sound was like music to her ears. He gently pulled her hand away from her eyes, looking amused by her blushing mess of a face.

"Why are you still so shy, Lane? You’ve seen it all more than once," he said, his voice raspy.

"It’s not like you haven’t already touched and—"

She cut him off by slapping her hand over his mouth before he could finish that thought. Her eyes went wide when he playfully bit her palm.

She yanked her hand back. He didn’t lose his smirk; his eyes were practically dancing with mischief.

"G-get dressed, or you’re gonna be late," she managed to say. She shoved the clothes into his hands and bolted from the closet.

Once she made it into the bedroom, she clutched her chest, feeling her heart trying to kick its way out. She couldn’t help but grin. She was about to head downstairs to wait for him when the phone on the nightstand started buzzing.

She picked it up and saw it was Noah. She answered immediately.

"You’re calling pretty early, Noah," Lane said with a smile.

She laughed as he chuckled on the other end. "Well, I wanted to see if you and Ava were free for lunch later," he said.

"Giving you a heads-up now in case you’ve got plans. And I’m picking the spot this time, Lane. No more fast food, I’m serious."

Lane laughed. Noah was always giving her a hard time about her fast-food cravings.

Actually, those cravings had calmed down lately, and Ethan had been a man of his word, making sure she had plenty of fruit and veggies whenever she did want a burger. He’d even unblocked her number and told her to text him whenever she wanted something. Usually, his driver would have it at the door within an hour.

"Okay, okay," she laughed. "Where are we going, Noah? It better be somewhere good—"

"Lane."

She stopped mid-sentence at the sound of Ethan’s voice. She turned around and was surprised by the look on his face. His brows were knit together and his jaw was set. He looked pissed.

Lane covered the phone’s mic. "What is it, Ethan?"

He didn’t answer. He just stalked over until he was towering over her. "Help me with my sleeves," he said.

She looked down and saw his cuffs were still open, showing off his forearms. It felt intentional. Was he really waiting for her to button them?

Lane nodded. "Noah, let me call you back. Just text me the place," she told her friend.

She looked up at Ethan and noticed his jaw tighten even more while she was talking. He was glaring at the phone like he wanted to snatch it out of her hand and throw it across the room.

She ended the call and set the phone back on the nightstand, then stepped closer to help him with his shirt.

As she reached for his cuffs, Ethan slid his hands onto her waist. The touch sent a jolt through her, making every hair on her arms stand up. She could feel the heat of his gaze on her. She felt a little self-conscious, considering she hadn’t even showered yet while he was all fresh and clean.

"What did Noah want?"

Lane paused. She didn’t get why he was suddenly so nosy about her talks with Noah. He’d never cared before. She looked up and met his dead-serious stare.

"He just invited me out for lunch," she explained.

Ethan didn’t say anything, but his jaw clenched and his grip on her waist tightened. Looking into his eyes, she saw a clear flash of irritation. It was pretty obvious he wasn’t thrilled about her lunch date.

_____________

It was still a bit early for her plans with Noah, but Lane got ready anyway since she had a stop to make first. Her mom had called earlier, asking her to swing by the house because she had some souvenirs to give to her and Ethan.

Lane’s mom was like that. Whenever she traveled anywhere, she never forgot to pick something up for her daughter.

Lane definitely took after her. Whenever she was at the mall or out of town, she couldn’t help but buy little gifts for the important people in her life.

Once she was all set, she headed out of her room and stopped by the kitchen to let Clara know she was heading out. Aunt Grace wasn’t back yet, though she was expected later that night.

"Clara, I’m heading out for a bit," Lane said. She made sure to tell the staff because they’d often come knocking on her door to check if she wanted anything to eat.

"Sure thing, Ma’am Lane. Stay safe," Clara replied.

Lane gave her a quick smile and headed for the garage. She pulled her keys out of her bag and hit the unlock button.

The car chirped, but just as she was about to pull the driver-side door open, a voice stopped her.

"Ma’am."

Lane turned and saw one of Ethan’s security guards. "What’s up?" she asked.

"Ma’am, you can’t use your car," the guard told her.

She frowned. "Why not?"

"You’ve got a flat, Ma’am," he said, pointing toward her tire.

Lane looked down, her confusion deepening when she saw the tire was indeed completely pancaked. How did that happen? It was perfectly fine yesterday.

"How did it get flat?" she asked, looking back at the guard. She noticed he seemed a little shifty, unable to look her in the eye.

He hesitated for a second. "I-I’m not sure, Ma’am. I just noticed it during my rounds," he stammered.

Lane let out a heavy sigh. Talk about bad timing.

"Do you know how to change a tire?" she asked. If he could fix it now, she’d just wait.

"I’m sorry, Ma’am. I don’t know how," he replied. "But I already called someone to come fix it."

Her disappointment eased a bit. "Will it be fixed today? I really have somewhere to be," she said.

"I’m sorry, Ma’am. The repairman won’t be here until this afternoon."

She sighed again, glancing at the flat tire before looking over at Ethan’s collection of cars.

"Can I borrow one of Ethan’s cars?" she asked, pointing to one. "I’ll call him and ask for permission."

"Ma’am, that one is scheduled for maintenance."

"What about the other one?"

"That one’s out of gas, Ma’am."

"And that one?" she pointed to a third car.

"That one hasn’t been started in ages. I’m not sure the engine will even turn over."

She frowned at his excuses. She could tell he was avoiding her gaze. She looked at the fourth car in the garage. It was a high-end luxury vehicle that probably cost millions. She thought about asking for that one but quickly changed her mind. She didn’t want to drive something that flashy. It was way too intimidating.

"I get it," Lane said.

"Could you call a ride for me then?" There was no public transport in this exclusive neighborhood since everyone had their own wheels, and it was way too far to walk to the main road.

The guard scratched his head nervously. "O-okay, Ma’am. But please wait inside while I make the call."

Lane smiled. "Sure. Just let me know when the taxi gets here."

She went back inside and sat on the sofa. She got so caught up scrolling through social media that she completely lost track of time. When she finally checked the clock, she realized she’d been waiting for half an hour.

The guard still hadn’t come to get her.

Did he forget? she wondered.

She stood up and headed back outside to check on him. The second the guard saw her, he looked incredibly nervous.

"Is the ride still not here?" she asked.

"Ma’am, I called the guardhouse, but... nothing’s showed up yet," he replied.

"Could you please try again?"

He hesitated before nodding and walking away. Lane waited patiently until he came back, looking even more awkward than before.

"Ma’am, I’m sorry. They said no taxis are passing through, and the ones nearby are all busy."

"I see," Lane said. "Alright, I’ll just call a friend to pick me up. I’ll head to my parents’ house once my car is fixed." Since it was still early for her lunch with Noah, she turned to go back inside.

She’d only taken a few steps when she heard the guard say a name.

"Sir Ethan."

She spun around and saw him with his phone pressed to his ear. It looked like he was talking to Ethan. When he realized she was watching, his eyes went wide like he’d just seen a ghost, and he quickly stepped away to finish the call.

Curious, Lane watched him retreat, wondering what was really going on.

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