Chapter 5 Hidden Thoughts

"Mr. Levington, we've checked everything. Ms. Jennings' activities in the week before the engagement party were very simple. Apart from preparing for the engagement and going to the company, she was basically just with Blake and Sophia. She didn't contact anyone suspicious, and we haven't found anything unusual so far."

Nothing unusual?

Ethan's frown deepened. It seemed she knew nothing. Then how could she suddenly change like this?

"Ethan."

While he was thinking, Kate came bouncing down the stairs wearing his oversized T-shirt, and hung onto him. Ethan immediately hung up the phone.

He rubbed his forehead with some annoyance. "Get down."

Why was she so clingy? Was she like this with Blake before too? At this thought, Ethan's eyes unconsciously showed a hint of displeasure.

Kate noticed he seemed unhappy, but she rubbed her chin, feeling something was off. She had just tested it - she could hear his thoughts whenever she touched him, so why wasn't it working now?

Puzzled, Kate tried to get even closer. Seeing her not backing off but advancing instead after he told her to get down, Ethan grabbed her collar and lifted her aside like picking up a kitten.

Kate pouted. Why was he so cold to her?

Right, that was Ethan from her previous life. In this life, although he loved her, he hadn't completely opened his heart yet. He always liked to hide behind coldness. She couldn't expect him to suddenly be passionate. He was cold, but she could be warm.

"You've vented your anger, aren't you going back to the Jennings family? Are you really planning to cut ties with the Jennings family?" Ethan spoke up, his voice revealing no emotion.

Kate tilted her head and said without thinking, "Yes, I'm going to cut ties with them."

Ethan was speechless. He felt even more confused. The investigation found nothing unusual, which meant Kate should know nothing about those dirty things Sophia, Richard, and Blake did. Yet she had changed completely, crazily targeting the Jennings family and Blake.

Why? Was it to deliberately get close to him? To get something from him? But what could it be that would make her make such a significant sacrifice?

"Kate, I'll give you one more chance to tell the truth." Ethan's gaze became sharp. "Why did you really ruin your engagement party? What are you trying to help Blake do?"

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of dangerous temptation. "If you tell me, maybe I can help you. But if you don't..."

Kate was really getting angry now. "I told you it's not for him! I'm telling the truth - I love you, I want to be with you!"

She frowned, huffed with a bit of playful anger, then turned and walked away.

At the guest room door, she thought of something and turned back, shouting toward the study. "I don't care, I'm not going back to the Jennings family. I'm going to stay here with you! You're my fiancé after all, whether you accept it or not!"

With that, she closed the guest room door.

Ethan had just come out of the study and saw this scene.

How did she know where the guest room was in his house? And why was she angry? Shouldn't he be the angry one?

Playing hard to get?

Whatever, he'd see how long she could keep up this act.

Ethan felt today's events had overloaded his brain. He rubbed his temples and went back to his room, planning to take a shower to calm down.

Meanwhile in the guest room, Kate sat on the bed pouting, looking at her watch and then at the door. Seeing no movement outside for a long time, she got angrier.

Damn Ethan! Ignoring her like this! Not believing her!

She'd just sleep with him tonight! Once it was done, let's see if he'd believe her then!

With this thought, Kate took a deep breath, threw open the door and rushed toward Ethan's room. But at his door, she hesitated.

Actually, she didn't have much experience either.

She muttered to herself, "Kate, what are you scared of? You already touched him this afternoon, tonight just go all in!"

Or should she sneak in? What if he discovered her and carried her out again?

Kate gave herself a pep talk, then quietly, gently opened Ethan's door. The room lights were off, but the bathroom light was on, with the sound of running water inside.

He was showering?

Kate's eyes lit up as she tiptoed closer. But before she reached the door, the bathroom door suddenly opened, and a tall figure pinned her against the wall.

Ethan was only wearing a towel around his waist, water droplets sliding down his firm muscle lines. His arm pressed against Kate's neck in an aggressive posture, his gaze fierce. But after he saw it was her, the fierceness quickly faded, returning to coldness.

"Why are you in my room?" He let go, picked up a towel to dry his hair and was about to turn away.

But Kate grabbed him. Her gaze fell on his solid muscles and defined abs, her eyes sparkling. In her past life, how had she not noticed how attracted she was to men?

Ethan's body was good enough to make her want to touch it.

And she did just that.

At the same time, she asked softly, "Ethan, want to kiss?"

Ethan was amused by her bold and direct move, his eyes narrowing.

'Again? Doesn't she get tired of using the same trick?'

She heard it again! But right now she couldn't focus on studying this. She pouted and moved closer to Ethan step by step. Ethan wanted to see what she was up to, so he just stood there.

Then the next second, Kate pushed hard, and he fell onto the bed unprepared. Kate looked at him, her gaze burning and undisguised.

Ethan saw her intention. He frowned and sneered, then rolled over and pinned her firmly beneath him. "You want to sleep with me that badly?"

"Yes." Kate smiled and kissed his lips, prying them open and boldly exploring.

Kate's kiss carried a desperate intensity, like a reckless flame crashing into Ethan's cool breath. Her tongue carried a hint of sweetness, like a nimble little fish.

Ethan's hands braced beside her, their warm breaths mingling. He wanted to push her away, but when his fingertips touched the delicate skin of her neck, he inexplicably froze.

That warmth made his heart skip a beat.

"Kate," his voice was extremely hoarse, carrying ignited desire, "you'd better not regret this."

She didn't speak, only arched her neck and responded with a more urgent, more passionate kiss. Moonlight slipped through the curtain gap, falling on them, coating their entangled figures with a hazy glow. Half-removed clothing, gradually descending kisses, Kate's suppressed moans, Ethan's large hands like fire, inch by inch igniting the flames in Kate's body.

Her eyes were filled with desire, and in her daze, she only heard herself say in a soft voice. "I love you."

These words were like a bucket of ice water, suddenly stopping Ethan's movements.

'Love?'

'Doesn't she love Blake?'

'She's lying to me again!'

Ethan instantly sobered up, feeling inexplicably irritated. He picked up Kate, and before she could react, sent her back to the guest room.

By the time Kate came to her senses, the door was already closed.

The desire hadn't faded, and Kate felt like cat claws were scratching her heart, but more than that was helplessness.

Forget it, this couldn't be rushed.

She had heard his thoughts clearly just now. Loving Blake was something she had said herself before, so she couldn't blame him for not believing she loved him now.

However, this time she seemed to hear his thoughts especially clearly? Could it be that the more intimate they were, the more she could hear?

Kate pondered as she went into the bathroom for a cold shower to calm down. When she came out, feeling physically and mentally exhausted, she went straight to bed.

She closed her eyes to rest, planning to continue pursuing Ethan tomorrow. But suddenly, she opened her eyes again.

Today she had been so focused on expressing her feelings that she forgot the most important thing.

How should she explain her relationship with Ethan to the public tomorrow?

In her previous life, Ethan as a public figure - everyone said he and Sophia were childhood sweethearts, a perfect match. But they all forgot that she and Ethan were also childhood sweethearts. This time, she had to personally change everyone's perception.