Forced To Marry My Cousin's Fiancé

Chapter 52: Chapter 52

Lane didn’t dare move, even though her leg was starting to go numb. She didn’t want to risk waking him. He needed the rest; he was such a workaholic, always glued to his laptop even when he was home. Eventually, she leaned her head back against the headboard and her own eyes drifted shut.

She woke up later to the sound of a soft voice.

"Chris, I need you to reschedule the board meeting for next week."

Lane slowly opened her eyes. She was surprised to find that she was no longer leaning against the headboard, but was instead lying comfortably on the bed with a pillow under her head. Without even asking, she knew Ethan had been the one to tuck her in.

She looked around and saw him standing by the window with his phone to his ear. "And cancel my appointments for tomorrow, too," he told whoever was on the other end.

She kept her eyes on him, and he must have felt her stare because he turned around. When their eyes met, he didn’t look away, even as he finished his call. He hung up with his secretary and walked over to her, his gaze intense.

He sat on the edge of the bed, and when she tried to sit up, he gently held her arm to keep her down.

"W-why?"

"Stay still, Lane," Ethan said. "Rest."

She blinked at him, frowning slightly. "You’re the one who’s supposed to be resting. Your head hurts."

"And you’re pregnant, so you need your rest, too," he countered.

"But—"

He cut her off by placing a finger over her lips. "Don’t worry about me. I’m fine now. That massage really did the trick," he said.

"Your head... it really doesn’t hurt anymore?" she asked, just to be sure.

He waited a beat before answering. "Yes. So, go back to sleep."

"I can’t. I’m wide awake now," she replied.

"Well, I have an idea to help you fall back asleep," Ethan said.

"What?"

Without another word, he climbed into bed beside her. Before she could react, he hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against his chest. She found herself nestled right against him.

She smiled, thinking she knew where this was going. "Are you letting me smell you again?" she asked, breathing in his scent. Even though he’d changed clothes, his expensive cologne still lingered.

"No," Ethan replied. She pulled back slightly to look at him.

His dark eyes were fixed on her, and this time, they were full of hunger.

"I’m letting you taste me, Lane."

He didn’t give her a chance to respond before he leaned in and crashed his lips against hers. Lane felt him nip at her lower lip, and when she gasped, he slid his tongue inside. He explored her mouth, making her whimper softly against his lips.

He’d said he was going to help her rest, but this was doing the exact opposite. He was waking up every single nerve in her body. She felt like she was burning up. She knew he was feeling it too because she could feel his hardness pressing against her.

Ethan pulled her roughly against him, their bodies colliding. He cupped her cheek, deepening the kiss as if there were no tomorrow. He was devouring her, tasting and sucking on her lips with a desperate hunger. Lane ran her hands through his hair, her head spinning as he sucked on her tongue. It felt like it had been a lifetime since he’d kissed anyone this intensely.

By the time he finally let her go, she was gasping for air. Their noses were still touching.

"H-how am I supposed to rest like this, Ethan?" she breathed.

"Let’s not rest then," he replied.

Without waiting for a comeback, he pulled her on top of him.

"Let’s just keep kissing," he murmured, before claiming her lips all over again.

_____________________

Lane’s eyes fluttered open when she heard a soft knock at the bedroom door. Her heart skipped a beat as she took in Ethan’s sleeping face.

Seeing him like that made her feel all warm and fuzzy, especially when she realized they were still tangled together. She was resting her head on his arm, tucked perfectly into his embrace.

She pulled her gaze away when she heard the second knock from the hallway. She slowly untangled herself from the bed, being extra careful not to wake him so he could keep resting. She had told him to take a nap because of his headache, but instead of sleeping, he’d had other ideas.

Ethan never seemed to get enough of her, and he definitely never seemed to tire of kissing her. He hadn’t let her go until they both passed out in each other’s arms. Once she was up, she walked to the door to see who was there.

Clara was waiting on the other side. "What’s up, Clara?" Lane asked softly.

"Ma’am Lane, your mother is downstairs," Clara told her.

"Oh!" Lane blinked in surprise. Her mom hadn’t mentioned she was coming over.

"Okay, Clara. Tell her I’ll be down in a second."

After Clara left, Lane glanced back at Ethan. He was still out cold, so she decided to let him sleep. She tidied herself up in the mirror, making sure she didn’t look too "well-loved" before heading out. She was halfway out the door when Ethan’s deep baritone stopped her in her tracks.

"Lane."

She turned around and saw him propped up on one arm, staring at her. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"Downstairs. My mom’s here," she replied.

Instead of staying in bed, he climbed out and ran a hand through his messy hair before walking over to her. Lane bit her lip as he placed a hand on the small of her back.

"Let’s go," he said.

He didn’t take his hand off her back as they left the room or even as they walked down the stairs. She scanned the living room and smiled when she saw her mom and Aunt Catherine chatting away on the sofa. It looked like Aunt Catherine was finally back, too.

The two women looked up as they approached. Lane noticed Aunt Catherine’s eyes drop to Ethan’s hand. It wasn’t just resting on her back anymore; he had slid it around her waist in a firm, possessive grip. A knowing smile spread across Aunt Catherine’s face.

Lane didn’t need a mirror to know her cheeks were turning bright red.

She cleared her throat. "Hey, Mom," she said, going over to greet her mother and Aunt Catherine properly.

"What brings you here, Mom?" Lane asked.

"You said you were coming over earlier, but you never showed. I got worried," her mother admitted.

Lane started to explain, but Ethan cut her in. "Sorry, Aunt. Lane couldn’t make it because she was busy taking care of me," he said, answering for her.

Before her mother could even respond, Ethan stepped forward. Lane felt a rush of emotion as he showed her mother the kind of respect he usually reserved for high-ranking officials. Her mother looked absolutely stunned, but once she found her footing, she reached out to accept his greeting.

This was a huge deal. Ethan used to blame Lane’s parents for the mess their lives had become.

He thought they’d all conspired to trap him and pull him away from Olivia. It used to kill Lane to see him treat her parents so coldly, but now, everything was different. It felt like he was finally welcoming them into the fold, and it made her heart soar.

"Are you sick, Ethan?" Aunt Catherine asked her son after a moment.

"Just a headache, Ma," Ethan replied.

Aunt Catherine raised an eyebrow, looking at him with pure amusement.

"You came home and made your wife baby you over a simple headache? That’s new. You used to just power through it," she teased.

"You even skipped a board meeting. That is so not like you, Ethan. You used to go to work even if a storm was hitting or you had a hundred-degree fever."

Ethan didn’t say a word, so Lane glanced up at him. She blinked in surprise—his ears were actually turning red.

Later that evening, Lane was distracted by another soft knock at her door. She set her phone on the nightstand and went to see who it was.

"Aunt Catherine," Lane said, surprised to find her mother-in-law standing there.

Aunt Catherine gave her a warm smile. "Lane, can we talk for a minute?"

"Of course," Lane said, stepping aside to let her in. "Is everything okay?"

Aunt Catherine sighed heavily. "I’m actually here to say goodbye. I’m heading back home, Lane."

Lane’s face fell. "What? Is Uncle Victor still busy?" That had been Aunt Catherine’s excuse for staying so long.

"I lied," Aunt Catherine admitted.

Lane frowned, totally confused. "What do you mean, Aunt Catherine?"

"Victor didn’t actually have a conference," Aunt Catherine explained.

"It was just a cover story so Ethan wouldn’t catch onto my plan." She paused, looking Lane in the eye.

"To be honest, I’ve always wanted you for my son. You have such a kind heart, and I wanted Ethan to see that. I knew he was angry and blaming you for everything, and after talking to your mother, I realized how bad things were between you two. You didn’t deserve that. So, I decided to move in for a while to keep an eye on things and push you two together."

Lane blinked, stunned. Aunt Catherine had been playing playmaker this whole time?

"Once I realized you actually loved him, I knew I had to help. And it’s working, Lane. I can see the change in him, and I know you can feel it, too. But my work here is done. I need to get back because your Uncle Victor is starting to get lonely," she added with a wink.

"I’m going to miss you so much, Aunt Catherine," Lane said softly.

"I’ll miss you too, honey," she replied. "But you better visit. Bring Ethan, or just come by yourself. And you know I’ll be popping in here all the time anyway."

Lane couldn’t help it. She hugged her tight. She tried to keep it together, but the tears started falling anyway. Aunt Catherine had become like a second mother to her.

"Shh... stop that. If Ethan sees you, he’s gonna think I’m the one making you cry,"

Aunt Catherine joked, rubbing her back.

Lane pulled away and wiped her eyes.

"Sorry, Aunt. I’m just being emotional."

Aunt Catherine squeezed her hand. "Don’t apologize. Just take care of yourself and that baby. And don’t worry, I told Ethan he’s dead meat if he doesn’t treat you right."

Aunt Catherine stayed just long enough to pack her bags before Victor pulled up to get her. Once she was gone, the house felt strangely quiet. Lane’s mind started racing.

Now that their chaperone was gone, would Ethan go back to his old ways? And more importantly, was he going to expect her to move back into the guest room now that it was empty?

__________

Lane stepped out of the room and walked down the hallway toward the guestroom where she used to stay. Now that Aunt Catherine was gone, she figured she should probably clean it up in case Ethan decided it was time to move her back there.

Truthfully, the thought of being kicked out of his room sent a dull ache through her chest. She didn’t want to leave; she wanted to stay right where she was—beside him.

She had grown to love that he was the very last person she saw before closing her eyes at night and the first thing she saw when she woke up in the morning.

More than anything, she loved the secure feeling of being held in his arms and the comforting warmth of his body. But if he decided it was time for her to pack up her things, there wasn’t much she could do about it.

She would just have to deal with it.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she kept walking. But when she reached her old door and turned the knob, it wouldn’t budge. She frowned.

Why is it locked? Did Aunt Catherine lock it on her way out?

Since she couldn’t get inside, Lane headed downstairs to find Clara and borrow the spare key.

She wanted to handle it quietly; if the rest of the villa staff found out what she was doing, they would insist on cleaning the room for her, and she didn’t want to explain her reasons.

She found Clara busy in the kitchen. "Clara," she called out.

"Oh, Ma’am Lane," Clara said, turning around with a warm smile. "Do you need something?"

"Can I borrow the key to the guestroom? I tried to go in, but it’s locked," Lane explained.

"Sir Ethan took the key, Ma’am," Clara replied smoothly.

Lane’s frown deepened. He locked it? Why on earth would he keep the key to an empty guestroom? "Did he say why?"

"I’m not entirely sure," Clara said, pausing for a moment. "But I did hear him mention that he’s having that room renovated."

Lane’s brow furrowed in confusion. "Renovated?"

Clara nodded knowingly. "He said it’s going to be the nursery, Ma’am Lane."

Lane’s mouth hung open in sheer disbelief. A warm, fuzzy feeling instantly washed over her, melting away her lingering anxieties.

Ethan was turning her old room into a nursery? For their baby? A sudden rush of joy bubbled up inside her chest at the realization that he was actually, actively planning for the child’s arrival.

The unexpected news sparked a sudden wave of excitement. Even though she was only three months along and didn’t know the gender yet, she suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to go look at baby things.

Deciding that a little retail therapy was exactly what she needed, she told Clara she was going back upstairs to get ready.

After a quick, refreshing shower, Lane hunted through her closet for something to wear.

She noticed her usual clothes were already starting to feel tight around her middle. The small baby bump was definitely becoming noticeable now, and she knew it was only going to get bigger from here.

She figured she could pick up a few comfortable maternity dresses while she was out.

Once she was dressed and ready, she headed back down to the kitchen. "Clara, I’m heading out for a bit," she called out.

"Where to, Ma’am?" Clara asked.

Lane thought it was a little unusual since Clara didn’t normally play twenty questions, but she didn’t think much of it and told her which mall she was visiting before saying goodbye.

She walked out to the garage and pressed the remote to unlock her car. After checking the tires and seeing they were all good to go, she hopped into the driver’s seat and tossed her handbag onto the passenger side.

She was just about to twist the key in the ignition when her phone began to buzz loudly in her bag.

Her heart did a sudden somersault when she glanced at the screen and saw the caller ID. It was Ethan.

Why is he calling me right now?

She stared at the vibrating phone for a second before hitting answer and bringing it to her ear. "H-hello?" She mentally scolded herself for the nervous stutter.

"Where are you going, Lane?" his deep, baritone voice rumbled through the line.

"Huh?" Lane blinked, caught off guard.

"Clara told me you were leaving the villa."

Lane was stunned. Did Clara really just narc on me the second I walked out the door?

"Yes," she managed to say. "I am."

"And where exactly are you going?" he pressed.

"Just to the mall."

"To do what?"

"I just have some stuff I need to buy and check out."

"Let Clara or one of the others handle the shopping for you, Lane," Ethan said, his tone leaving little room for argument.

"I can’t do that, Ethan."

"And why not?" Even without seeing his face, she could practically picture the dark scowl crossing his features.

"I... I have to see something for myself," she replied, her voice dropping lower.

"What is it?" When she hesitated and bit her lip, he pressed further, his voice tightening.

"What are you looking for, Lane?"

"I’m going to look at baby clothes," she said softly, ensuring she spoke clearly enough for him to hear.

The line went completely quiet. Thinking he might have missed her explanation, she quickly added, "Clara mentioned that you’re turning the guestroom into a nursery. So... I just thought I’d go look at some things. I won’t buy anything major yet."

"Which mall are you going to?" he asked, completely ignoring her explanation.

Lane softly gave him the name of the shopping center.

"Okay, Lane. Take care," he said simply, and the line went dead.

Lane stared at her phone in total confusion before tossing it back into her bag. Shaking her head at his unpredictable behavior, she started the car and made the drive to the mall.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long to find a parking spot. Once she was parked safely, she grabbed her bag and stepped out into the afternoon air.

It didn’t take long to find a spot, and once she was parked, she headed inside.

"Lane."

She froze at the sound of that familiar voice. When she spun around, she couldn’t believe her eyes. Ethan was walking right toward her

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!