Chapter 281

Better Not

The familiar surroundings seemed to mock him.

Why had he said those things?

Looking back, it felt like his mind had been hijacked.

He had only cared about his own gratification.

Completely ignoring her despair at that moment.

In just one short year.

Sophia Sullivan had already returned to school.

Yet he remained trapped in this place.

Unable to move on.

Unwilling to move on.

Ethan Roscente's knuckles turned white as he gripped his glass.

He suddenly let out a low, bitter laugh.

The cleaner the breakup had been.

The deeper his regret now.

Charlie Lowell could only sigh watching him.

Unable to persuade him, he simply joined in.

"Ethan, I'll drink with you."

Soon, Ethan was dead drunk.

Charlie drove him back to the Beverly Hills mansion.

The man kept muttering incoherently with his eyes closed.

"Sophia... don't go..."

Charlie's heart ached for him.

He had witnessed this relationship from start to finish.

He never expected it to end like this.

After helping him into the bedroom.

Charlie hesitated for a moment before making a call.

"Martha, could you come to the mansion?"

Martha had just fallen asleep when she was awakened.

She arrived half an hour later, dark circles under her eyes.

Charlie was smoking, waiting for her.

"You're finally here!"

Martha glanced at the bed.

"Drunk again?"

Is this never going to end?

Charlie cleared his throat softly.

"He was in a bad mood and drank too much. Please take care of him."

He tried to make a quick exit.

Martha stopped him.

"Wait."

"?"

"There's a trash can in the room."

"I know?"

"Don't just drop your cigarette butts anywhere! You're not the one mopping the floor, are you?"

Charlie nodded awkwardly.

"I'll be more careful next time..."

Martha tucked Ethan in.

Muttering to herself, she went to the kitchen to make sobering soup.

When she returned, she found he had rolled onto the floor.

Her face fell.

Resigned, she dragged him back onto the bed.

Holding the sobering soup, she tried to feed him.

Ethan's teeth were clenched shut.

Martha tried several times without success.

The soup was getting cold.

Gritting her teeth, she pinched his cheeks.

Ethan's lips instantly puckered.

She finally managed to get some soup into him.

Martha felt his forehead; it was a little warm.

She quickly fetched a damp towel to place on it.

Ethan felt a cool sensation in his haze.

He tried hard to open his eyes but couldn't.

He remembered how Sophia always stayed by his side whenever he got drunk.

Longing instantly flooded his heart.

He suddenly grabbed that hand.

"Sophia, don't go... I love you..."

Martha was startled.

She tried hard to pull her hand back but couldn't break free.

This is unbearable!

Doing three jobs for one salary?

"Young Master, wake up! It's me, Martha!"

"Sophia... don't compare yourself to Martha... I forbid you... to belittle yourself..."

Martha: "??!!"

Why can't I be compared?

How is that belittling?!

"Sophia..."

"Sophia my foot!" Martha slapped him.

She startled herself after doing it.

But she couldn't help the corners of her mouth twitching upward.

Unexpectedly, the slap actually worked.

Ethan immediately let go.

Martha hurried back to her room.

Lying in bed, she tossed and turned.

Angry and worried.

She wouldn't be going back tonight.

Is Miss Sophia really not coming back?

Who can handle this madman in the future?

So worrying.

She finally managed to fall asleep.

She woke up with a start in the middle of the night.

Martha struggled to get up.

She quietly pushed open the master bedroom door.

A sour stench hit her.

It nearly made her vomit.

There was vomit all over the floor.

The culprit, however, was sleeping soundly.

Martha really wished heaven would just take her.

…

The next day, Ethan woke up early.

He shaved and put on his suit.

Looking clean and sharp.

A completely different person from last night.

Martha had already prepared the oatmeal porridge.

Not because she was diligent.

But because he always wanted it after getting drunk.

This time, she learned her lesson and prepared it in advance.

Just as she was about to take it to the bedroom.

She saw Ethan coming downstairs.

"Young Master, have some porridge to warm your stomach?"

Ethan stared at the porridge, momentarily dazed.

He shook his head gently.

"I'm not hungry. You don't need to make it specially anymore."

With that, he went straight out the door.

Martha: "?" Her first attempt at anticipating his needs was met with a brutal rejection.

…

In the coffee shop.

Sophia waited for less than five minutes.

She looked up and saw the man get out of his car and walk over.

A deep blue suit under a long overcoat.

The sharp cut accentuated his tall, straight figure.

He came in and sat down opposite her.

There seemed to be something more, and something less, in his eyes.

Sophia felt he seemed different.

She had been very surprised to receive Ethan's call this morning.

"Bring the documents over. I'll sign them."

Her heart, which had been hanged all night, finally settled.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

She had thought he might set conditions or deliberately make things difficult.

Unexpectedly, he took the documents, looked through them, and signed.

"Building a lab isn't easy. I wish you success. Remember to send me an invitation when it's completed."

Sophia: "Thank you."

Ethan smiled bitterly.

"It was my fault before. I lost you. Now I want to make amends, but it's too late. I know you want to draw a clear line, but I still have to ask: can we be friends?"

Sophia lowered her gaze, silent.

After a long while, she spoke softly.

"Better not."