Chapter 109
[ 469 words ]
Chapter 109:
Then I waved down a taxi.
In the back seat, I leaned against the window and watched the passing scenery blur together as tears clouded my eyes.
I thought back to that night. Ethan had pushed open the door with the chill still clinging to him and handed me the bubble tea. I had been so happy then.
So I had only ever been the spare choice. He turned to me as a substitute only after Ivy walked away from him.
I didn’t want this worthless kind of affection, handed out like pity.
I rested my hand lightly against my still-flat stomach. Beneath it was a faint, steady stir.
𝗝𝗈𝗂𝘯 𝘁h𝗲 𝗰o𝘮𝘮uոі𝘵y 𝘢𝘵 ga𝗅𝗇𝗈𝗏el𝗌.𝖼o𝘮
I felt sorry for my baby.
I swore I would never let my child accept what others had thrown away, the way I once did.
Lianne’s POV
On the night before Sparkle’s launch event, the whole city seemed to be holding its breath.
The online frenzy had peaked, and three of the top five trending topics were tied to me, Ethan, and Ivy.
People all over the internet were picking apart every clue, waiting for the three of us to clash in public.
I sat in my office, scrolling through the flood of mocking comments, my fingertips brushing lightly over the cool desktop.
No matter how this farce played out, I still had to go on stage and introduce the product myself.
It wasn’t only for Sparkle. It was also for me.
Right before I clocked out, my phone gave a short buzz.
A message from Ethan popped up. “Wait for me. Let’s head home together.”
I stared at the screen for a long moment, then sent back, “Okay,” with a dry little smile at my lips.
I sat in the car in the underground garage for nearly ten minutes before the door opened and Ethan got into the passenger seat. He pulled at his tie and turned my way.
“You really intend to go onstage at tomorrow’s launch?” His deep voice carried a faint note of appraisal.
I started the engine, eyes fixed ahead. “You’d rather I don’t? Afraid I’ll disgrace the company?”
“Were you the one who got it onto the trending charts?” His tone was impossible to read. “Using this kind of gossip-fueled attention to push the brand. Lianne, when did you start doing things this way?”
He found my methods dirty, but was Ivy somehow above that?
All I felt was bitter amusement, but I was too tired to fight with him.
“As long as it works, the method doesn’t matter.” I kept my eyes ahead. “Isn’t that what you taught me? Business is business.”
Ethan fell quiet for a second, then suddenly reached over and covered the hand I had on the steering wheel.
“Don’t force yourself too hard.” His voice dropped. “I’ll be there tomorrow, so you don’t need to worry about anything.”
A cold sense of ridicule surged through me, and I nearly laughed.
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