Chapter 693: Ethan Kingsley, You Bastard

The hospital.

Thankfully, they had gotten her to the hospital just in time. The baby was safe, but Ivy Tanner would have to remain hospitalized for a few days for observation.

Claire Sinclair sat by the bedside, taking the girl’s cool hand in hers. “It’s okay now,” she said softly. “Get some rest.”

Ivy Tanner nodded. Not wanting to talk, she simply closed her eyes.

Adrian Quincy stood quietly behind his wife. Seeing her so worried about the girl, he felt troubled as well.

Claire Sinclair suddenly looked up at him. “Hasn’t Mr. Rhodes arrived yet?”

Adrian Quincy replied in a low voice, “He went to the police station.”

“Why did he go to the police station?”

Adrian Quincy shook his head without a word.

Claire Sinclair didn’t press the issue. She turned her gaze back to the girl, whose eyebrows were still twitching. “Ivy, what happened earlier?”

Ivy Tanner slowly opened her eyes. “Mr. Rhodes had me rest in the lounge while he went to mingle with the guests. I never expected my sister and the others to just barge in. I was in my wedding dress and didn’t have my phone on me… I was trying to call you.”

Claire Sinclair’s heart ached for her. “I’m so sorry. If I’d been even a moment later—”

Before she could finish, Ivy Tanner cut her off. “I should be the one thanking you. Don’t apologize. Without you, I don’t know what I would have done.”

As she spoke, her gaze fell, and she suppressed the anguish welling up inside her.

Claire Sinclair gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “If it’s too much,” she whispered, “it’s okay to cry.”

Those words were all it took to open the floodgates. Tears streamed down Ivy Tanner’s face like a downpour.

She could finally let herself sob uncontrollably…

But after a long while, her sobs subsided. She looked at Claire Sinclair’s face through blurry, tear-filled eyes and said between hiccups, “I’m okay now. I’m not crying anymore.”

Claire Sinclair sighed. She didn’t know what else she could say to comfort the girl.

‘To be abandoned by her parents on her wedding day, and then get bullied half to death by a pack of awful relatives… the fact that she was holding it together at all was incredible.’

Claire Sinclair stayed at the hospital until Ivy fell asleep. It was only then that Lucas Rhodes, having finished dealing with things, finally rushed over.

When Lucas Rhodes wheeled himself in, his gaze immediately locked onto Adrian Quincy, and he made no attempt to hide his admiration.

A prickle of alarm went through Claire Sinclair. She quickly stepped forward to block his line of sight. “Mr. Rhodes, now that you’re here, we should get going.”

“Thank you.” Lucas Rhodes spoke only those two words before his gaze shifted to the deeply sleeping Ivy Tanner.

Throughout the exchange, Adrian Quincy remained silent, simply leading Claire Sinclair away.

–

Ethan Kingsley had had too much to drink, and Corinne Linden had to help him into the car when it was time to leave.

And yet, he was sober enough that once he was inside, he immediately kicked Corinne Linden out and had Seth Payne drive.

Corinne Linden was both furious and frantic, but she couldn’t let it show, terrified that people would start gossiping about her and Ethan Kingsley’s relationship being on the rocks.

A few acquaintances passing by saw the whole thing and, just as she’d feared, one of them asked, “Miss Linden, why aren’t you taking your fiancé’s car home?”

Corinne Linden forced an awkward explanation. “Ethan has to work late at the office, and it’s out of my way.”

‘Ethan Kingsley, you bastard!’ she thought.

–

After they had been driving for a while, Seth Payne couldn’t help but speak up. “Young Master Kingsley, it’s been a long time since you’ve gone out and had this much to drink.”

Ethan Kingsley rubbed his throbbing temples, his voice a lazy drawl. “Little Cutie got married. I’m just having a drink to celebrate.”

Seth Payne was quiet for a moment before he felt compelled to add, “Ever since the Third Miss moved out of The Golden Brocade Palace, you’ve been very cold toward Miss Linden. Even just now… Young Master Kingsley, if I may be so bold, you shouldn’t have thrown her out of the car like that.”