Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts

Chapter 92

Erica explained, "Izzy, you may not know this but although it's not rocket science for a girl to find a guy these days, good men are like unicorns. So you'd better snag a boyfriend while you can."

"Absolutely! You gotta train the good ones early on. If it doesn't work out, cut your losses and move on," Lauren added.

Ines was shocked by the Meyer family's perspective on relationships, but then she thought about Ethan. He didn't get hitched until his thirties and he turned out pretty great, right? So she said, "Ethan's not really in that category, is he?" He wasn't a bad guy, just a very eligible bachelor.

Ashley burst into laughter, slapping the couch in an unladylike manner, "Ines, my bro was wrongly accused!"

Lauren and Erica exchanged a knowing smile.

"I'm not gonna follow your advice. Why should I waste my time training a guy? I want a man who's already been trained by someone else," Ashley retorted, with Ines in her mind.

With four master chefs in the kitchen, the food was bound to be fantastic. The long table was filled with visually appealing dishes.

In the Meyer family, hierarchical divisions were absent. Even the domestic staff participated in their shared meals. This egalitarian approach seemed to be universally appreciated, eliciting reciprocal expressions of gratitude in the form of laughter and smiles. The festive ambiance was enhanced by the sizeable gathering. Ines, who typically abstained from strong beverages, found herself indulging more than was habitual for her. When Ethan eventually assisted her back to her quarters, she was mildly intoxicated, her face adorned with a rosy flush. Her blurry gaze locked onto Ethan, nearly pushing him towards the brink of self-restraint.

Once Ines was settled in bed, Ethan fetched her some water and carefully wiped her face and hands.

Ines looked at Ethan, hooked her arm around his neck, planted a kiss on his face, and said, "Ethan, I'm not drunk. I'll take a bath after resting for a bit."

Ethan pinched her cheeks, "I'll carry you to the bath, we'll bathe together."

"No." Ines instantly refused. Even though they had done this many times, it was always when she was not sober. She couldn't do it when she was fully conscious, plus, she knew very well what would happen if they bathed together.

Ethan understood her concerns. It seemed she was exhausted. He decided to let her off the hook for the night.

Ines went to the bathroom after resting for a while. But not long after she entered, her phone rang.

However, shortly after entering, her phone started ringing. Ethan glanced at it and answered the call, but before he could say anything, he heard Phoebe's voice on the other end. "Izzy, Merry Christmas! After all these years, you can still be with your first love. That's a fortunate thing, and you should cherish it. But I also want to remind you that your man comes from an extraordinary family. There are many women outside who like him. You should have a baby with him soon to secure your position in the Meyer family. Do you understand?"

Ethan looked at it and answered, "Ms. Wagner, this is Ethan."

Phoebe nearly dropped her phone in surprise, "Oh, where is Ines?"

Ethan glanced at the bathroom, "She's taking a bath. Ms. Wagner, were you saying that I was Izzy's first love?"

Phoebe was taken aback, but she saw no reason to hide it. Without thinking, she blurted out, "Yes, didn't Ines tell you? She had a crush on you in college and even joined the Meyer Group to be near you."

When Ines came out of the bathroom, she saw Ethan leaning against the bed, smiling at her. She thought she had dressed inappropriately and instinctively looked down at her outfit. To avoid tempting him, she had chosen a rather conservative nightgown.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Ethan didn't reply, just beckoned her over. As always, he patiently dried her hair.

As soon as the hairdryer turned off, Ethan started kissing her. Ines was always weak when it came to his kisses. She soon found herself melting under his touch.

"Izzy, why didn't you tell me that I was your first love?" If Phoebe hadn't told him, he wouldn't have known.

Ines sobered up a bit and looked at Ethan, "How do you know?"

"So, it's true?" Ethan was surprised. Why didn't he know about this? Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

Seeing his reaction, Ines knew that Lucas was right. Ethan really didn't remember anything about her from the past. Annoyed, she turned away from him, "I don't know, I don't remember anything." If it wasn't for Phoebe, she wouldn't have known that she had crossed paths with Ethan in the past. Hearing Ethan's soft laughter, Ines couldn't resist turning around and punching him a few times, "What's so funny? So what if I had a crush on you? That was a long time ago. Don't forget that you were the one who proposed to me recently. I wasn't the one who took the initiative this time."

Ethan smiled at the fuming Ines in his arms. This girl only appeared mature and steady in front of strangers. Once she was comfortable, she was completely different, rarely hiding her true self.

He gently rubbed her head and said softly, "Izzy, I'm not making fun of you. I just feel lucky that you liked me so early on."

"But I was not your first love." Ines sighed heavily.

As soon as she said this, Ethan's body noticeably stiffened. She instantly regretted her words. That woman must have been extremely important to him, so much so that he ignored everyone else and took years to move on from that relationship.

Every time she thought about this, she felt more and more dejected. She couldn't help but wonder, how deeply in love was he to have been content with nothing for so many years? She suddenly realized that she was very jealous of that woman, who had left such a profound mark in his life.

The spacious bedroom fell silent. After a while, Ethan finally said, "Let's leave the past in the past, Izzy. From the moment we got married, I let go of everything from my past."

His voice was calm and steady, Ines couldn't detect any emotional ups and downs, she softly responded, "Mm-hmm." No use crying over spilt milk, living in the moment is what matters most. As Ethan spoke, he gently kissed her ear, her neck, he knew all her sensitive spots. Ines tried to keep herself under control but her mouth betrayed her, letting out a soft moan.