Chapter 5

I believed Dominic Vance had been impressed by my sincerity. For this, I had prepared even more detailed business plans, determined to persuade him to invest in my company tonight.

Ethan, driving beside me, frequently glanced at me in the rearview mirror, then suddenly spoke. "Why the Grand Zenith Hotel, of all places?"

I paused for a moment, then remembered. The Grand Zenith Hotel was where I had booked our wedding a year ago.

The wedding date was next Thursday; even the invitations had been sent out.

I had bought wedding favors worth hundreds of thousands and spent millions decorating the venue.

Now, the groom was driving me there for a date with another man.

I sneered, "Do you even care? The beach under that old bridge is where we first fell in love. Five years ago, I almost drowned saving two children.

Even the paramedics said I was gone, but you wouldn't give up. You desperately gave me CPR and artificial respiration, and I actually came back to life.

The moment I opened my eyes, I saw the tears on your face, and I swore then and there that I would love you forever…"

Back then, Ethan and I truly were life-and-death companions.

As I spoke, I felt a sense of weariness. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. You've probably forgotten all about it anyway. I bet even the rocks we lay on have been swallowed by the sea."

Ethan, who had been silent, suddenly slammed the accelerator, turning the sports car around and heading for the highway exit.

I gasped. "Are you crazy? I'm going to be late! Take me to the hotel!"

His dark eyes held a stubborn glint. "Weren't you just talking about reliving the past by the sea? If you didn't want to, why bring it up?"

The car radio was broadcasting a hurricane warning, advising residents to stay indoors.

I screamed that Ethan was insane, rushing to the beach in a hurricane to die.

He sped to the beach and forcefully dragged me out of the car, searching for the rocks that had witnessed our bond in life and death.

Heavy black clouds pressed down on the sea, giant waves roared, and a severe storm warning had been issued.

"Yes! I'm crazy! Why are you provoking me in such a twisted way? When you asked me to help you pursue Dominic, I wanted to kill him!" he yelled at me.

I scoffed. "Don't pretend! You only agreed to help me pursue Dominic because I promised to sign the agreement giving up my inheritance of the Hayes family assets.

You dream of seeing me out of the Hayes family, so that after my father dies, you and Chloe can have the entire Hayes fortune to yourselves…"

"I didn't!" Ethan's eyes were wide with desperation. He tightly cupped my cheeks, his breath close to mine, full of a mix of longing and suppression.

"You just don't understand me, actually, I… I…"

"Actually what?" I felt a strange tension.

Just then, his phone rang. "My Darling Chloe" flashed on the screen.

Ethan didn't hesitate for long before answering.

The unspoken atmosphere between us instantly vanished.

I knew it. Everything that followed was just as I expected.

Chloe said she was scared of the thunder and needed Ethan to come to her immediately.

"No way. Your job right now is to take me to meet Dominic," I reminded him.

Chloe heard my voice and started crying even harder.

"I'm so scared. Oh, no, I accidentally fell, and my leg might be broken. Ethan, please take me to the hospital, okay…"

Her acting was awful, yet Ethan actually believed her. He immediately decided to drive to her house.

"What about me? Dominic is waiting for me. How am I supposed to get a ride in this weather?" I angrily demanded.

Ethan looked me directly in the eyes, stating seriously, "I'm tired of playing this game with you, Eleanor. You'll never get Dominic Vance.

The women who've chased him over the years were A-list celebrities, beauty queens, even daughters of powerful politicians or foreign nobility… Eleanor, you don't stand a chance.

Besides, isn't your ultimate goal just to make me angry? Well, you've achieved your goal. Give up. There's no way I'm letting you see Dominic today."

He gave me one last deep look, then truly abandoned me, driving off to rescue "broken-legged" Chloe.

The hurricane was closing in, chilling my thin clothes to the bone. My entire heart felt cold and desolate.

From then on, my feelings for Ethan Cole were nothing but hatred.

The wind howled in my ears. Staying here would be life-threatening, but I couldn't even stand steady; I could barely move an inch against the wind.

In despair, I saw a helicopter flying towards me against the wind, like a small boat battling the waves, perilous yet determined.

The person inside opened the cabin door and extended a hand to me. The strong wind ruffled his hair, revealing his handsome, refined face.

It was Dominic Vance.

He said, "I agree. Now, come with me."