Rebirth After Being Betrayed by My Husband Chapter 43 Finished After finishing her breakfast, Lily leaned back in her chair and patted her stomach in satisfaction. If only I could eat meals like this every day... Her gaze shifted to Ethan, who was scrolling through his phone, seemingly unbothered by anything around him. As she observed him, a thought crossed her mind: never believe everything you hear until you see it for yourself. The man in front of her was nothing like the rumors. People described him as cold, ruthless, emotionless, even terrifying-a devil in human form. But she couldn't reconcile that image with the person she'd cto know. To her, he was shameless, occasionally a flirt, an unexpectedly skilled cook, and slightly overbearing-but not frightening. Quite the opposite, in fact. When he was around, she felt oddly secure, as though nothing in the world could harm her. Sure, he kissed her and teased her more than she was comfortable admitting, but his touch never felt intrusive or repulsive. Instead, it carried an inexplicable warmth that left her at ease, though she wouldn't dare admit it aloud. She was pulled from her thoughts when Ethan suddenly looked up, catching her staring. His lips curved into a smirk. "I know I'm handsome, but do you have to stare so much?" Rolling her eyes, she scoffed. "I wasn't staring at you. I was wondering why you're still sitting here in just a towel. Don't you have clothes to wear?" "My assistant is bringing them," he replied without looking up. Just then, the doorbell rang. Lily stood up quickly. "Must be your assistant,” she muttered, walking to answer the door. Opening it, she found a young man with square-framed glasses holding a neatly pressed suit. He straightened his posture when he saw her. "You must be Ethan's assistant?” she asked. “Yes, ma'am,” he replied politely. “Please, callLily,” she said, stepping aside to let him in. As Assistant Ben entered, his jaw nearly dropped at the sight of his boss lounging casually in a towel. He had been stunned earlier that morning when Ethan had instructed him to bring clothes to an unfamiliar address. But now, seeing the beautiful woman in front of him, everything made sense. So this is the reason behind the boss's unusual behavior! His shock gave way to excitement as he studied Lily. She was stunning, no doubt about it. For years, he'd watched his boss remain cold and distant from everyone, but now there was someone who could make him smile. Madam Ethan would be thrilled to hear about this, Ben thought, already planning to report this news to Ethan's family. Lost in his thoughts, Ben was jolted back to reality by the weight of Ethan's sharp glare. The young assistant gulped, quickly handing over the suit. "Boss, Miss Lilyly and you look beautiful together. Truly a match made in heaven!" he whispered with a nervous smile. Ethan's stern expression softened slightly, and he nodded. “Hmm. Add a bonus to your salary this month.” “Thank you, Boss!” Ben said eagerly, a grin spreading across his face. Watching the two men whiener conspiratorially I ilu frowned When are they going to leave? I need to met 1/3 +- x++x+ ||| O Chapter 431 ready for my opening ceremony. Finished "Lily, I'll change and be right back," Ethan announced, heading toward her bedroom with the suit in hand. "Sure, go ahead. Treat this place like your own house,” she muttered sarcastically under her breath. Left alone with Assistant Ben, a mischievous idea popped into her head. Her eyes sparkled as she approached him with a sly smile. Ben's instincts immediately kicked in, and he stepped back nervously. "M-Ma'am, do you need something?" Lily frowned at his reaction. "Why are you stepping back? I'm not going to bite. Chere!" "M- ma'am, I'm not sure the boss would like this," he stammered, visibly panicked. "I just want to ask you something," she said, her tone firm but her smile playful. Ben hesitated, still unsure. But when she pouted and added, "If you don't listen, I'll tell Ethan you were being difficult," he reluctantly stepped forward, resigned to his fate. Assistant Ben swallowed hard, fighting the urge to groan in frustration. His loyalty to his boss and his survival instincts clashed as he stood nervously before Lily. He edged closer at her request but kept a cautious distance, wary of the probing questions she might throw his way. Lily's expression softened into a playful smile as she noticed his hesitance. "Assistant Ben," she began in a low, conspiratorial tone, "tellsomething. Has Ethan ever had a girlfriend?" Caught off guard, Assistant Ben blinked rapidly before replying, "No, ma'am. He hasn't." Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "No girlfriend? Then how does he know how to kiss so well?" she muttered, half to herself but loud enough for Ben to hear. Feeling his face heat up at her bold comment, Ben remained silent, unsure of how to respond. Before he could regain his composure, she fired another question. "So, how many women are chasing after him, hoping to bechis girlfriend?" This time, Ben hesitated. ""N-no one," he lied, his voice faltering. He knew better than to spill any details that might jeopardize his boss's carefully curated image in her eyes. After all, Ethan was in the early stages of winning her over, and Ben didn't want to ruin that. Lily tilted her head, her sharp gaze cutting through his flimsy excuse. "Assistant Ben, there's no need to lie to me,” she said with a hint of impatience. “I-I'm not lying, ma'am,” he stammered, looking anywhere but at her. "There really aren't any women chasing after the boss." She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Really? Then maybe it's men lining up for him instead. Con, you can tell me. I promise it'll stay between us. Ethan doesn't have to know about this little chat." f Ben looked as though he wanted to disappear. He hesitated again before finally conceding. "Well... there are a few women who are interested in him. But you don't need to worry, ma'am. Boss doesn't care about any of them. He only-" "What are you two whispering about?" 2/3 0 < Chapter 43 Finished A low, icy voice cut through the air, making both Ben and Lily jump. They turned to see Ethan standing a few feet away, his piercing gaze fixed on them. Why now? Lily inwardly groaned. Ben had been on the verge of spilling something interesting, and now Ethan's untimely arrival had ruined it. She quickly stepped forward, forcing a casual tone. "Oh, Ethan! I was just asking Assistant Ben about your schedule." Ethan's eyebrows lifted in mock curiosity. "Really?" he drawled, his eyes narrowing as he turned to his assistant. Caught in the crossfire, Ben nodded furiously. “Yes, boss. Miss Lilyly was asking if you'd be busy later," he said, his voice trembling slightly. Ethan's gaze lingered on both of them for a moment longer before he moved toward Lily. His expression softened into a sly smile. "I knew it. You're so eager to spend twith me," he teased. "Eager?” she repeated, blinking in confusion. He reached out and gently pinched her nose, his smirk deepening. "Of course. You even asked about my schedule to make sure I wasn't too busy. How thoughtful of you." The memory of his earlier words suddenly hit her-he had told her to wait for him after the opening ceremony. Her face burned with irritation as she realized how her questions had unintentionally given him ammunition for his teasing. "I didn't-" she started, only for him to interrupt smoothly, "That's why you were so curious, wasn't it?" Lily felt like banging her head against a wall. Any answer she gave now would only dig her into a deeper hole. Why do I keep falling for his traps? she thought miserably. Seeing the mix of frustration and helplessness on her face, Ethan laughed softly. Before she could react, he leaned in and planted a quick kiss on her lips. "Don't forget to wait for me," he murmured, bCasey ng his fingers lightly against her cheek. He turned to Ben, who stood frozen like a statue, and signaled for him to follow. “Let's go, Ben." "Y-yes, boss,” Ben stammered, practically scrambling after Ethan as they left the room. As the door closed behind them, Lily exhaled loudly, her fists clenched at her sides. “Ethan, you shameless pervert!" she hissed under her breath. "Wait for you? My foot! I'm running away the first chance I get." 30