Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts

Chapter 276

Ines snuck up behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Aren't you the one who said I shouldn't look? Why are you hiding and reading it alone?" Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

Even though Ethan quickly closed the webpage, Ines caught a glimpse of the insulting words about her. It was really hurtful and stung a bit, but she quickly reined in her emotions.

Ethan pulled Ines onto his lap, kissed her forehead, and took a deep breath in her neck. He was greeted by the familiar elegant scent of roses, "Are you awake now?"

His action tickled Ines a bit. She touched his face and answered with a chuckle, "Yep, I took a nap and I'm all refreshed now. Stop reading these pointless news, you should get some sleep too. Camela's back, so you don't have to worry about dinner."

"Alright, then come sleep with me for a bit." Ethan said.

"Nah, I just woke up, not sleepy at all."

Ethan didn't care and pulled Ines towards the bedroom. Ines found it amusing but had no choice but to follow. When this guy got assertive, there was no dealing with him.

Seeing the two of them hand in hand, Camela couldn't help but smile. She went into the kitchen to start cooking.

Ines thought she wouldn't be sleepy, but as soon as she snuggled into Ethan's arms, she was out like a light. Hearing her soft breathing, Ethan opened his eyes to find her fast asleep. Her long eyelashes cast a shadow on her eyelids, and she looked stunning. Her face looked so young, nothing like a woman about to turn 28 and soon to be a mother of two.

Sleeping, she was as peaceful as a child, completely different from her composed awake self.

Ethan chuckled and planted a light kiss on her lips. Soon, he too fell asleep to the rhythm of her breathing.

It wasn't until Camela noticed dinner time had passed and they still hadn't emerged that she knocked on the door, waking them both. While responding, Ines let out a ladylike yawn and felt a bit dizzy - typical signs of oversleeping.

She turned to find Ethan grinning at her. It was funny how she was the one who had just woken up, yet who fell asleep first and slept the best.

"You get it, pregnancy does that to you." Ines said, a bit embarrassed.

Ethan laughed, leaned in for a deep kiss. The sudden affection sent a jolt through her, making her body shudder. She ran her fingers through his hair, savoring the kiss. After a while, she started kissing him back. These intimate moments had been rare between them recently. Once they started, it was hard to stop, but they managed to pull themselves together. Seeing her blushing, Ethan teased, "Maybe you should reward me properly once I take care of this?" Ines knew what he was implying, but she changed the subject, "Now's not the best time for business. In due time, if you bring a contract to the Galeana Group, I'd be more than happy to accommodate you."

Seeing her serious expression, Ethan pulled her up, "Fine, as long as you keep me happy. I'll make sure to include you in future business deals."

"Why should I have to please you to do business?" Ines retorted.

"If you don't please your clients, who's gonna work with you?" Ethan replied patiently.

Ines wanted to respond, but she caught on to the implication and shot him a glare.

That was Ethan for sure, always steering serious conversations his way.

Good thing she was quick on the uptake.

The next day.

A bombshell news story took over A City - the so-called "Doting Husband" incident.

Ethan filed a lawsuit against Sunny Day Magazine and several other sites that reposted the defamatory articles about Ines. With 152 companies named as defendants, it was an unprecedented case domestically.

Such cases were usually difficult due to the challenges in verifying the identities of the defendants and gathering evidence. However, Ethan made the list of the 152 companies public.

The announcement was made by the Galeana Group's PR department, but it wasn't Ines who made the announcement - it was Ethan.

The press conference was scheduled for the afternoon, with only the announcement being made in the morning.

The accused companies were all taken aback. Such incidents were common, but nobody had ever responded this drastically. Suing 152 companies was no small matter, most people would just sue the first company that published the news.

Those on the list were scared, regretting their actions. But at the time, not reposting and getting involved would have cost them. As they worried, they also prayed that the court wouldn't accept the case.

Some websites started to change their tune, voluntarily deleting the news. But with the ongoing judicial reform, the previous review system had been replaced by a registration system, greatly speeding up the process. The Galeana Group announced the news in the morning. And by

afternoon, Lionel, the Meyer Group's top lawyer, announced that the court had accepted the case and that the defendant companies would receive a lawyer's letter.

This statement shocked the company CEOs, who never expected their actions would lead to a lawsuit.

They weren't afraid of the lawsuit per se, but facing Ethan was a different story.

Ines didn't go to the Galeana Group. The whole incident didn't upset her as much as she thought it would. Maybe it was because she had mentally prepared herself over the years, or maybe it was because Ethan promised her that morning that he would fight for her.

She trusted him, so she was calm.

But she didn't watch TV or go online, afraid to see the unpleasant news, until Phoebe called.

"Izzy, I'm totally stoked today." Phoebe's excited voice came through the phone. Ines had no idea what was going on, only that Phoebe's tone pissed her off a bit. Angrily, she said, "I'm being dragged through the mud right now. Instead of comforting me, you're all happy. I really don't know how I ended up with a great friend like you."